Symphony Orchestra and Magnolia singers Concert
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 with Jonathan Shames, piano Mozart's Symphony No. 25 and Moses Hogan's "The Battle of Jericho"
Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 7pm
Northpoint Church 988 W Ontario Ave. Corona, CA 92882
Program
Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183
W.A. Mozart
I. Allegro con brio (1756-1791)
II. Andante
III. Menuetto & Trio
IV. Allegro
Celine Ong and Sebastian Salazar, guest conductors
Magnolia Singers
Juan Castañeda, conductor
Sing Out My Soul Marques L. A. Garrett (b. 1984)
True Colors
Billy Steinberg (1950-2026) and Tom Kelly (b. 1952)
Cesar Morales and Uriah Henderson, soloists
Mo-Li-Hua arr. Hyo-Won Woo (b. 1974)
Desert song (she’s calling) by säje arr. Erin Bentlage (b. 1991)
Battle of Jericho Moses Hogan (1957-2003)
Elizabeth Ford, Soprano
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19
Ludwig van Beethoven
I. Allegro con brio (1770-1827)
II. Adagio
III. Rondo: Molto allegro
Jonathan Shames, pianist
Biographies
Jonathan Shames leads a wide-ranging musical career as pianist, conductor and artist-teacher. Since 2004, he has served as the Director of Orchestral Studies and Artistic Director of OU Opera at the University of Oklahoma, Mr. Shames has introduced Oklahoma audiences to a wide range of contemporary works, including Lori Laitman’s Scarlet Letter, Luigi Nono’s Il Canto sospeso, and Louis Andriessen’s De Tijd. He has premiered orchestral and piano works of JoëlFrançois Durand, Betsy Jolas, Stephen Hartke and Daniel Asia; his recordings of Asia’s Scherzo-Sonata for Piano, dedicated to him, and of Anthony Brandt’s opera The Birth of Something, which he recorded with Houston’s Musiqa Ensemble, are available on Amazon Music. Mr. Shames has collaborated frequently with the Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, including a staging of Tate’s masque Clans with costuming by Chickasaw designers at the Chickasaw Nation’s Te Ata Theater in Ada, Oklahoma, and with Mr. Tate as vocal soloist. Mr. Shames also shares the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Recording for his work on William Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and Experience.
Mr. Shames’ work as a teacher occupies an important place in his musical life. He taught piano at Oberlin, Rutgers, and Cornell and conducting at the University of Michigan and (currently) University of Oklahoma, led the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras and Marrowstone Music Festival for eight years and continues to work as often as possible with youth orchestras, pianists, and conductors. At the University of Oklahoma, he conducts opera and orchestra performances, tours with the OU Symphony Orchestra and often collaborates with OU’s School of Dance in works such as Balanchine’s ballets on Prokofiev’s Prodigal Son, Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins, and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. His conducting students have won international conducting prizes and positions in universities and music festivals both in the U.S. and abroad, and OU Opera has been recognized by the National Opera Association.
Mr. Shames’ own development included piano studies with Theodore Lettvin and Leon Fleisher, and a conducting fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Festival, where he worked with Seiji Ozawa and Bernard Haitink. At age 19, he was invited to join the Opera Company of Boston as opera coach, pianist and conductor by the great impresario, stage director and conductor Sarah Caldwell. He later toured Russia with Ms. Caldwell, performing as pianist in Bernstein’s Age of Anxiety in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk. Mr. Shames has performed and recorded as pianist with orchestras throughout the U.S. and Europe, among them the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Cologne Radio Symphony, the Belgrade Radio and Television Symphony, Boston Pops, and Seattle, Indianapolis and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras. Music directorships have included the Olympia and Wyoming Symphonies. Mr. Shames was a laureate of several competitions including the 1982 Moscow International Tchaikovsky Competition; interviews and performances of his are featured in the widely-
viewed documentary of the event. Mr. Shames studied philosophy as an undergraduate at Yale University.
Upcoming projects for Mr. Shames include Britten’s Turn of the Screw with OU Opera in October, 2025; piano recitals and concerto appearances in California, Kansas and Michigan in February and March of 2026; and recordings of Beethoven and Schubert piano works in May, 2026.
Recognized on four continents, maestro Gene Moon has earned international acclaim as a conductor whose artistry bridges cultures and inspires audiences worldwide. His career has taken him to podiums in the United States, Asia, and South America, leading distinguished ensembles including the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional in the Dominican Republic, the Saigon Philharmonic in Vietnam, the Orquesta Filarmónica de Medellín in Colombia, the Gangnam Symphony Orchestra in Korea, and orchestras across Macau, Hong Kong, China, Korea, and Vietnam. His global presence has solidified his reputation as a versatile maestro sought after for both symphonic and operatic performances.
Dr. Moon serves as Director of Orchestral Studies for the Collinsworth School of Performing Arts at California Baptist University, where he leads the artistic and educational vision of the orchestral program. Under his direction, the CBU Symphony Orchestra presents performances spanning symphonic masterworks, opera, and musical theatre, providing students with professional-level experiences that integrate artistry, pedagogy, and outreach. Additionally, he serves as conductor of the Riverside City College Symphony Orchestra, the premier community college orchestra program in Southern California.
A passionate advocate for music education, Dr. Moon is in constant demand as a guest conductor and clinician, having led All-State orchestras in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and beyond, as well as national events including the ASTA National Orchestra Festival. His summer posts have included Resident Conductor at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival and the Chloé Trevor Music Academy. Deeply committed to developing young musicians, he has established enduring pathways for youth orchestras throughout the United States.
Previously, Dr. Moon held leadership roles as Director of Orchestral Activities at Stephen F. Austin State University, Artistic Director of the East Texas Youth Orchestras, and Music Director of the Longview Symphony Orchestra. His earlier teaching appointments include the University of Central Oklahoma, the University of Oklahoma, and the Mid-Del School District, along with his tenure as Music Director of the Oklahoma Youth Symphonies.
As the newly appointed Music Director of Love in Music, Dr. Moon continues to champion music’s power to unite communities and cultivate artistic excellence. Through his work as conductor, educator, and mentor, he exemplifies a career that seamlessly unites performance, education, and international collaboration continuing to inspire audiences and musicians across generations.
Juan Castañeda holds a Master’s in Choral Conducting from Portland State University and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach. Juan is currently on the voice and choral faculty at California Baptist University and Riverside City College and is proud to be a new member of the faculty at Biola University. He is a recipient of the Pritchard Opera Scholarship, given to promising young artists helping to fund their education. Juan was also awarded a graduate assistantship at Portland State, where he taught vocal technique, music fundamentals, and was the artistic director for the Rose Chorus and University Chorus. Additionally, he was the assistant conductor of the Portland State Chamber Choir, the only college ensemble in the history of Billboard to be listed as number one on the Billboard Classical charts. Juan is a featured soloist on the album Translations, featuring the music of Eriks Esenvalds. In addition to his teaching positions, he holds an active voice studio in the greater Los Angeles area and is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists. Juan’s students often sing in community and professional theater, and have record deals with Atlantic, Interscope and Def Jam Records. He is also a featured soloist on the Hour of Power, a televangelism ministry based out of Irvine, California.
Celine Ong is a versatile conductor, violinist, and pianist whose artistry is shaped by a passion for collaboration and musical expression. She is currently pursuing her Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting at California Baptist University under the mentorship of Dr. Gene Moon, after earning her Bachelor of Music (Honours) in Violin Performance with a concentration in Piano Pedagogy in 2024.
Her conducting journey began at the age of fifteen under Professor Lim Soon Lay of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, an early experience that inspired her lifelong dedication to leadership on the podium. In 2024, she expanded her training through a workshop in Hong Kong under the guidance of world-class conductor, Wilson Ng. This summer, she had the privilege of conducting two new music ensembles at the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina, where she premiered works by emerging composers.
At CBU, she has conducted the Symphony Orchestra, the musical theatre's production of Little Women, and the Summer Strings Camp. She found Laure Sinfonietta in 2024, an ensemble devoted to innovation and artistic connection.
Sebastián Salazar, a native of León, Guanajuato, Mexico, is a violinist and conductor currently pursuing a Master of Music degree under the guidance of Dr. Moon. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from The Master’s University
Before turning his primary focus to conducting, Sebastián trained extensively as a violinist, studying with Michael Ferril, Benjamin Mason, Eugene Watanabe, Bruce Dukov, and Steven Copes. His background as a string player continues to shape his work on the podium, informing his attention to phrasing, balance, and ensemble cohesion. As a performer, he has collaborated with artists such as Jubilant Sykes, Simone Porter, and Aubree Oliverson, and has participated in recording sessions at 20th Century Fox
A detail-oriented musician committed to genuine artistry, Sebastián approaches each score with careful study and stylistic sensitivity. He seeks clarity, expressive depth, and meaningful connection between performers and audience
Symphony Orchestra
Dr. Gene Moon, Director of Orchestral Studies
Ruth Noemy Wheeler, Assistant Conductor
Flutes
Naomie Wagner, principal
Oboe
Nestor Nunez, principal
Joseph Hille
Bassoon
Margaret Moffat, principal
Travis Munoz
Horn
Jc Eclar
Salvadora Tapia
Marcela Perez
Evan Judson
Weston Glover
Sopranos
Alessandra Ramirez
Aniyah Johnson
Cecilia Pirone
Clara Booher
Elena Spickler
Elisabeth Mather
Elizabeth Ehrenberg
Elizabeth Ford
Emma Carter
Emma Westbrook
Faith Vasquez
Grace Chi
Jocelyn Solorzano
Kalen Bell
Keilyn White
Lauryn Cruz
Layla Bonillo
Madison Landis
Maya Gomez
Miley Sharp
Violin 1
Ryan Porchas, co-concertmaster
Kara Emmett
Mariela Castro
Grace Ellzey
Amy Willis
Jeanne Xia
Sebastian Salazar-Pérez
Isaac Walsh
Sherleen Hernandez
Jeremy Ward
Violin 2
Rebecca Moon, co-concertmaster
Ariana Pigott
Celine Ong
Magdalena Hermmann
William Misener
Daniel Hidalgo
Angel Grounds
Joseline Duarte
Destiny Alferez
Magnolia Singers
Juan Castañeda, Conductor
Viola
Lydia Seyfried, principal
Jadon Yang
Matthew Chan
Dylan Munoz
Keiton Rowles
Julianna Nguyen
Cello
Vincent Strivings, principal
Josiah Yang
Garrett Richardson
Valeria Duarte
Leslie Castro
Double Bass
Vicktor Pargas, principal
Cassandra Valle
Gavin Walsh
Dr. Hyoung-Wuk Kim and Nikita Liventsev, Accompanists
Cassandra Leisher and Ray Wang, Assistant Conductors
Meilee Williams
Sara Flores
Saah Bissell
Sharon Jite
Talitha Lazar
Uriah Henderson
Evelyn Pan
Cassandra Leisher
Altos
Adelyne Harris
Alyson Spillmann
Amanda Martinez
Ambyr Morris
Amy Hernandez
Anai Liz Rojas Aleman
Audrey Ramirez
Delaiah Aguilar
Emily Hornkohl
Emma Catiller
Genesis Castillo
Hannah Joyal
Izabel Franco
Kaitlin Gutierrez
Leia Toki
Leyla Toyens
Maddy Robles
Mayra Nieves
Nanami Solis
Natalia Torres
NyKayla Jasnette Crews
Rebecca Horvatich
Ruth Arroyo
Sophia Saleesi
Tenors
Cesar Morales
Chris Hi
Elijah Najera
Joseph Petitti
Les Higgins
Sean Lomax
Ty Sullivan
Liam Ayers
Ray Wang
Morgan Parker
Basses
Clay Russell
Elijah Simmonds
Javier Alvarez
Jerden R. Patillo
Kevin Alvarez Gonzalez
Kyle Kinum
Lorenzo Lozada