Meet our Directors
Ryellen Joaquim, director is a masterful and experienced violist and educator. Her career has brought her on international performance tours with several orchestras across Brazil, the United States, Portugal, Bolivia, Poland, Ukraine, Germany, and Scotland.
As a section violist, she has performed with an international list of orchestral organizations including Orquestra Sinfônica do Heliópolis, Brazil, and the Erie Philharmonic, Orchestra of Americas, and the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra in the U.S. As a principal violist, she has performed with the Orquestra Jovem do Estado de São Paulo and Orquestra Mariuccia Iacovino, Brazil and Johnstown Symphony Orchestra in the U.S.
As a chamber musician, Ms. Joaquim has participated in the Brazilian Festival de Música de Santa Catarina, Festival de Divinópolis, and Festival de Música De Campos dos Goytacazes.
With teaching experience in both the Suzuki Method and El Sistema, Ms. Joaquim earned her degree in Viola Performance from Faculdade Mozarteum de São Paulo, a Music Education degree from Faculdades Integradas de Ariquemes, and Artist Diploma and Master of Music degree from Duquesne University. She is currently a doctoral student at Texas Tech University.
As a section violist, she has performed with an international list of orchestral organizations including Orquestra Sinfônica do Heliópolis, Brazil, and the Erie Philharmonic, Orchestra of Americas, and the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra in the U.S. As a principal violist, she has performed with the Orquestra Jovem do Estado de São Paulo and Orquestra Mariuccia Iacovino, Brazil and Johnstown Symphony Orchestra in the U.S.
As a chamber musician, Ms. Joaquim has participated in the Brazilian Festival de Música de Santa Catarina, Festival de Divinópolis, and Festival de Música De Campos dos Goytacazes.
With teaching experience in both the Suzuki Method and El Sistema, Ms. Joaquim earned her degree in Viola Performance from Faculdade Mozarteum de São Paulo, a Music Education degree from Faculdades Integradas de Ariquemes, and Artist Diploma and Master of Music degree from Duquesne University. She is currently a doctoral student at Texas Tech University.
Levee Stadel, director was born and raised in a small Wisconsin town just outside of Milwaukee. Part of a musical family, he dabbled in piano and guitar as a child and settled in electric bass at age 11. After being self-taught on the double bass to play in his high school jazz band, Levee went on to study with Josh Schwalbach at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. While at UWEC, he also studied music composition with Chiayu Hsu and graduated with a degree in composition. Levee moved to Pittsburgh to study with Micah Howard and Peter Guild of the Pittsburgh Symphony at Carnegie Mellon University to earn a Master's degree and two Advanced Music Studies certificates in double bass performance.
As a performer, Levee manages the L.B. Stadel String Ensemble, a group that specializes in music for events. He also regularly performs with many regional orchestras between Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Levee has written and arranged works for a wide variety of ensembles ranging from symphony orchestra and wind ensemble to middle school band to trios for drumset, bass guitar, and tape. He has worked with Eighth Blackbird and yMusic along with personal arrangements and transcriptions to expand the double bass repertoire.
As a performer, Levee manages the L.B. Stadel String Ensemble, a group that specializes in music for events. He also regularly performs with many regional orchestras between Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Levee has written and arranged works for a wide variety of ensembles ranging from symphony orchestra and wind ensemble to middle school band to trios for drumset, bass guitar, and tape. He has worked with Eighth Blackbird and yMusic along with personal arrangements and transcriptions to expand the double bass repertoire.
