A violist of international reputation, Roberto Díaz is president and CEO of the Curtis Institute of Music, following in the footsteps of renowned soloist/directors such as Josef Hofmann, Efrem Zimbalist, and Rudolf Serkin. As a teacher of viola at Curtis and former principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Mr. Díaz has already had a significant impact on American musical life and continues to do so in his dual roles as performer and educator.
GRAMMY® Award-winning conductor Cristian Măcelaru is the Music Director Designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, where he leads his inaugural season as Music Director in 2025/26. Măcelaru holds the titles of Artistic Director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition, Music Director of the Orchestre National de France, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Interlochen Center for the Arts’ World Youth Symphony Orchestra, Music Director and Conductor of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and Chief Conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne, where he will serve through the 2024/25 season and continue as Artistic Partner for the 2025/26 season.
Gabrielle is a 1980 graduate of the Violin Making School of America, SLC, Utah. She worked for V. Nigogosian at Stradivarious Studios in NYC and has taught violin making at the Escuela de Vida Y Movimiento in Mexico City, Mexico. Ms. Kundert has built custom-made violas for Roberto and Manuel Diaz, Helen Callus, Daniel Sweany, Daniel and Bill Foster, Katherine Murdock, James Dunham, Toby Appel, Charles Noble, Joel Belgiques, Milena Pajaro-Van de Stadt(winner of the 2010 Tertis International Viola Competition), Lynne Ramsey and Erika Eckert among others. She has had commissions from Brigham Young and Michigan State Universities. She is the current owner of Kundert Violin & Viola in Oro Valley, AZ.
Ronald A. Matthews joined Eastern University in 1992 and was appointed the 10th President of Eastern University effective March 1, 2018. Prior to this call, Dr. Matthews served as Professor of Music, Chair of the Music Department, and since 2010, Executive Director of the Fine and Performing Arts Division.