President: Cecille Asuncion
Cecille Asuncion finds the viola extremely interesting and fascinating. Having taken up formal viola studies as an adult (initially as a side hobby), the viola has grown into a true passion. Cecille can’t imagine life without the viola and is super eager to make music whenever an opportunity arises!
Needless to say, Cecille enjoys all things viola including its lovely sound, viola jokes, inspired music performance, psychology of music, athleticism of music, music imagination, viola pedagogy, chamber music, music business, instrument making, great viola repertoire, competitions, music history, church music, music industry, musician life, world music, politics of music and sharing random facts about the viola to anyone willing to listen.
Cecille especially enjoys educating humans of all ages about the viola, and holds a special place in her heart for educating the next generation of budding young violists to propel them in becoming certified awesome performers through Southern CA Viola Society initiatives!
Cecille believes music brings people together, connects people, and has the ability to make audiences feel good. Besides music, Cecille has a career in government, having earned a Master of Public Administration and a double BA in Political Science and Asian American Studies.
Vice President: Alma Fernandez
ALMA LISA FERNANDEZ, violist, attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and UCLA, where she received a Master’s Degree in Viola Performance. She performs regularly with such ensembles as the LA Opera Orchestra and LA Master Chorale. As a chamber musician, she has been described as “…a soulful violist” by the LA Times, and is a member of the Eclipse Quartet, an ensemble dedicated to performing contemporary music. Alma has been featured as a soloist with the Pepperdine University Orchestra, the Jacaranda Chamber Music series, People Inside Electronics, and Electronics Live! at UC Riverside, where she premiered new works for Viola & Electronics. Alma is also active in the Los Angeles recording industry, having played for numerous motion picture soundtracks, television shows, and record albums.
Treasurer: Nancy Roth
Kate Vincent
Secretary: Linda Piatt
Linda Piatt earned her Bachelor of Music from University of Texas at Austin and Master of Music from the University of Minnesota where she studied with luminary pedagogue Sally O’Reilly, and violists Korey Konkol of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Thomas Turner – Principal Violist of the Minnesota Orchestra. Her 20 year orchestra career includes performing with the Pacific Symphony, Opera Pacific, American Ballet Theater, San Francisco Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. She currently performs with the Hutchins Consort, California Chamber Orchestra, Classics Philharmonic and the San Diego Symphony, where she has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Cynthia Phelps, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Gil Shaham, Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma. Mrs. Piatt is also a passionate Suzuki violin and viola instructor and sought after pedagogue and clinician. She teaches at her home studio in San Diego where she lives with her husband, son and daughter.
Mary Kelly, Director Violafest
Gina Coletti
Violist Gina Coletti was born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Tacoma, Washington. Musical travels have brought her to China, Japan, Israel, Europe, and throughout North America. As a chamber musician she has participated in festivals such as the Camerata Deia in Spain, St. Barts Music Festival in the French West Indies, Tucson Chamber Music Festival, Sunflower Music Festival, the Dilijan Chamber Music Series, and with the Synergy Ensemble in Los Angeles. Locally, she has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Opera, Los Angeles Master Chorale, served as principal of the Mozart Chamber Orchestra and on numerous movie scores, commercials, and television appearances. She has performed alongside popular icons from, Prince, Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood and Bruno Mars.
A dedicated educator, Ms. Coletti is Chair of the Ed and Mari Edelman Chamber Music Institute at the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts, and teaches viola at Colburn’s Community School of Performing Arts and Music Academy. She recently joined the faculty at Azuza Pacifc University as viola professor. Her students have gone on to pursue further education at such institutions as Juilliard, New England Conservatory, Eastmann, Rice, USC, UCLA, Harvard and Yale and have garnered regional and national awards. Recently, her students placed first, second and third place in the American String Teachers Association State Solo Competition. She has guided one student to a Presidential Scholarship in the Arts and Finalist in Young Arts as well.
She is founder of ViolaFest Los Angeles which over its 14 year annual run has brought together over 1600 student violists for an inspirational and educational day (www.socalviolasociety.org). Currently, she is a past president and current vice president of the Southern California Viola Society. Ms. Coletti is on faculty of the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program and has served on the faculties of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and at summer courses in Prague (Ameropa International Music Festival) and Italy (Adriatic Chamber Festival). In 2007 she was an honoree for Los Angeles Music Week for her musical contributions to the community and was honored by the City of Los Angeles in the City Hall Chambers.
Ms. Coletti received a Master of Music from The Juilliard School and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Stanford University. She was a recipient of Stanford University’s Golden Medal in the Humanities for excellence in music. Her primary teachers have been Heidi Castleman, Misha Amory, and Ben Simon.
Ms. Coletti is married to violist Paul Coletti and they have two daughters, Olivia and Julia.