Upcoming Events/Concerts
- Monday, January 20
- Tuesday, January 21
- Wednesday, January 22
- Wednesday, January 29
- Friday, January 31
- Saturday, February 1
- Monday, February 17
- Saturday, March 1
Guest Artists
Dr. Ariana Kim - violin
Dr. Christoph Wagner - cello
https://music.unm.edu/faculty/christoph-wagner/
"Castillero Middle School is a remarkable place where young musicians are encouraged to explore their full potential within a vibrant and supportive community. The orchestra program, led by the exceptional Scott Krijnen, stands out as a high-quality program that fosters not only musical excellence but also kindness, camaraderie, and personal growth. The positive, uplifting environment Scott has built inspires students to grow both artistically and personally, creating a true community of support. Visiting Castillero each year and working with such incredible talent is one of the happiest, most fulfilling experiences I look forward to. I can’t wait to return in October 2025!"
- Dr. Christoph Wagner
NOTE: Sectional Coaches and Student Teacher are available for private lessons - please contact them directly
Sectional Coaches
Violin
Isabella Amador
Isabella Amador is a violinist and violin teacher based in Palo Alto, California. In the past year, Isabella has won positions with Symphony San Jose and the Berkeley Symphony, and she performs regularly with several other Bay Area orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Ballet, and Santa Cruz Symphony. She is passionate about chamber music and especially loves performing recently-composed works. As the former first violinist of the Converge String Quartet, she worked directly with composers, performing and recording many of their works for the first time. She received her B.M. and M.M. in violin performance at the University of Michigan, where she studied under the tutelage of Danielle Belen and Fabiola Kim. She performed as concertmaster of both U-M university orchestras, as well as the campus orchestra for non-music majors.
Brianna Wagener
Brianna Wagener is a current San Jose State University student pursuing her BA in Psychology. She began learning violin in 6th grade at Castillero Middle School and continues to perform with the Cambrian Symphony as well as the SJSU Symphony Orchestra. Brianna teaches private violin lessons to students in the San Jose area and continues to find ways to share her musical skills and abilities with those around her.
Lauren Wagener
Lauren Wagener is a current San Jose State student pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies Teacher Prep, with plans to go into a Masters and Credential program for Elementary Education. Lauren started violin in 6th grade at Castillero Middle School in the Beginning Orchestra. She currently performs in the Cambrian Symphony and the SJSU Symphony Orchestra, as well as takes private lessons with Dr. Catalina Barraza, violin professor at San Jose State. Lauren also teaches private violin lessons and hopes to continue helping students grow in their knowledge and in their love for music.
Viola
Ed Wharton
Ed Wharton is an active freelance violist and educator who is a member of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, Reno Philharmonic, and maintains private studios in Oakland and San Jose, in addition to serving as a coach for the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, Young People's Symphony Orchestra, and Berkeley High School. Mr. Wharton is an alumnus of the San Francisco Academy Orchestra program and The Boston Conservatory.
Cello
Dr. James Lin
Dr. Lin has orchestral experience with Milwaukee Symphony, Madison Symphony Orchestra, New Haven Symphony, Modesto Symphony, Fresno Symphony, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, I Musici de Montreal. Orchestral, solo and chamber performances have taken him throughout the North America and Europe. His performances have ranged widely from performing with members of the Emerson String Quartet to sharing stage with Jazz legend Arturo Sandoval to international concerts and recordings with The Yale Cellos. Dr. Lin has held fellowships at Banff, Orford, Musicorda, Spoleto, and Norfolk festivals. His major mentors were Uri Vardi, Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot and Colin Carr.
Bass
Daniel Murguia
Daniel Murguia has played in settings ranging from rock, jukebox, and concept style musicals, classical and contemporary composed music, as well as symphonic works and chamber music. While inexperienced with the genre, he enjoys jazz standards and Afro Cuban music with San Jose State ensembles. As a Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra (PACO) alumnus and frequent coach and performer, he strives to bring the message of plays well with others to every ensemble he is in. He doubles on both acoustic bass as well as four and six string electric bass. Daniel teaches private lessons for Double Bass and has been involved teaching sectionals for double bass and cello at various high school and middle schools in the area as well as with the PACO summer workshops and the San Jose State Summer in the City summer camp. In addition, he also freelances as a performer in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
Rafael Zepeda
Rafael was born and raised in San Jose, CA and has studied Double Bass performance for over 10 years. He began his instruction locally here at Castillero Middle School. Rafael graduated from Chapman University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in Double Bass performance and went on to also earn his masters degree in Double Bass Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2020. He has a passion for teaching that he has inherited from many of his great teachers such as Scott Krijnen, Kate Francis, and Bruce Moyer. Rafael regularly performs with groups in the Bay Area such as the Cambrian Symphony, San Jose Dance Theatre, Palo Alto Players, and UC Davis Symphony Orchestra.
Student Teacher
Jill Hirsh - cello, violin, and viola
https://www.jillhirshcellist.com/
Jill is a dedicated cellist and multi-instrumentalist local to San Jose, who finds herself inspired and fulfilled by her work as an educator and performer. Jill earned her bachelor’s degree in cello performance; however, while in college she began to study the violin again after a twelve year break. She received lessons on both cello and violin at the collegiate level. To date, she has performed in many groups of varied genres on cello, violin, and viola, including symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, mariachi ensembles, Latin dance music, New Music, and pop/rock.
While Jill’s teaching career began while she was only fifteen, she maintained a private lesson studio while obtaining her bachelor’s degree. After graduating, she worked teaching beginning orchestra at all nine elementary schools in MVWSD for two years. Jill has also visited many local middle and high schools working as a sectional coach and clinician, while also spending her last four summers as cello faculty at Cazadero Music Camp. Jill has extensive experience working with orchestras, cello choirs, and chamber music ensembles, and she is passionate about making music education accessible to all. In 2024, Jill went back to school in pursuit of her single subject teaching credential and Masters in the Art of Teaching, with the goal of becoming a public school music educator with a projected graduation date of May, 2025.
Recently, Jill has performed cello with her string quartet Serenading Strings, performed on cello with the Cambrian Symphony Orchestra, performed on cello with Smokey Robinson, performed on violin and guitar with Conjunto Trujillo, and performed on both cello and violin with the Renegade Orchestra. She has also continued to maintain a private lesson studio of over twenty students, many of whom participate in local youth orchestras.
