Kristine Pacheco-Bernt is a professional violinist, arts administrator, and music educator motivated to make instrumental music relevant within the community. Raised at the intersection of mariachi and minuets, she draws upon over a decade of performing and teaching experience. Kristine strongly believes in the power of creative youth development through music and is proud to bring her perspective and skills to all kinds of projects. Prior to her work at the Music Academy of the West, Kristine served as a Teaching Artist at the Incredible Children’s Art Network (iCAN) music program, an El Sistema-inspired initiative in Santa Barbara providing free after-school music classes and academic enrichment to 120 elementary school children from an under resourced community. More recently Kristine served as the Director of Education at the Santa Barbara Symphony where she managed a continuum of music programs serving over 8,000 children throughout Santa Barbara County. She currently maintains a private violin studio designed to support students at all levels of musical development. She enjoys bringing together school administrators, families, and music professionals to create dynamic music education programs. Ms. Pacheco-Bernt holds a master’s degree in violin performance from San Francisco State University and dual bachelor’s degrees in music and premedical studies from University of California, Berkeley. She performs regularly throughout the central coast with the Santa Barbara Symphony, the San Luis Obispo Symphony, and the Santa Maria Philharmonic.

Ukranian-American violinist and arts entrepreneur Myroslava Khomik brings her passion for music making not only to the most prestigious concert halls and festivals around the world, but also to notable film and television projects while based in Los Angeles. Known for her musical depth and sensitive approach, Ms. Khomik is dedicated to innovative programming, mixing different art forms, new works and commissions, and rediscovering the forgotten music gems. After her last tour in South America, Ms. Khomik was awarded a New Artist of the Year award in Argentina, and was featured on many TV and radio broadcasts worldwide. Most recent highlights include her commissions for solo violin and the release of her debut album “Protest”; performances with Orquestra Sinfônica do Theatro da Paz (Belém, Brazil), Orchestra del Teatro Goldoni di Livorno (Italy), Orquesta Filarmónica del Desierto Coahuilla (Mexico), Orquestra Sinfonica EAFIT (Medellin, Colombia), Orquesta Filarmónica de Zacatecas (Mexico), Orquestra de la Societat de Concerts de Barcelona, Kyiv Kamerata, as well as residencies in Brazil and Argentina with music programs for underprivileged children. A devoted chamber music advocate, Ms. Khomik frequently appears in chamber series in the US and Europe, and had the privilege of collaborating and performing alongside distinguished artists, such as members of the Borromeo, Jerusalem, Ysaye and Tokyo String Quartets, Midori Goto, Oleh Krysa, Carol Wincec, Fred Sherry, Ronald Leonard, to name a few. As an active educator and entrepreneur, Ms. Khomik received her Doctorate in Musical Arts degree in 2015 and has served on the faculty at several universities, given master classes, and lectures throughout the US, Mexico, and in Malaysia, co-founded one of the largest online international festivals during the pandemic, the Nextus Festival. Her international recital series Muse Ukraine had four editions of collaborative presentations and partnering with prestigious institutions in the UK, Germany and the US. It is a part of her Beyond the Muse foundation that focuses on music with meaning in today’s challenging world, and young arts mentorship. As her cultural diplomacy work, Dr. Khomik was invited as a keynote speaker and performer at the Belin’s conference on peace and diplomacy in 2023, and has appeared as a featured artist at the Finnish Embassy in London and most recently, at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington DC. www.myroslavakhomik.com

Matthew Maler, violinist, is currently a junior at Westmont College, studying philosophy and performing with the Westmont Orchestra. He has performed in several Westmont theater productions in both acting and musical roles, and is engaging in research in preparation for graduate study in philosophy.

Isaac Kay, violinist, is a senior at Westmont College, majoring in Music Performance and studying with Dr. Han Soo Kim. He studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music during his high school years, and was a principle player in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Isaac has performed in the Brevard and Credo Chamber Music Festivals and the Stringendo School for Strings.

Sofia Malvinni, violin, stems from a musical family. She started violin lessons at age three with her mother, a Curtis Institute of Music and UCSB alumna. A Santa Barbara Music Club scholarship awardee, Sofia has won numerous prizes and awards, including First Prize in the 2019 Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation Junior Competition. She is a three-time winner in the Santa Barbara Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, where she has served as concertmaster for the last four years. At age 11, she performed the Bach Double Concerto with the Santa Barbara Symphony under the direction of Nir Kabaretti at the Granada Theater. In May of 2022, she was invited by Maestro Kabaretti to play in the first violin section of the Santa Barbara Symphony.

She has performed in numerous masterclasses and received lessons with renowned violinists, including Benjamin Beilman, Martin Beaver, Nathan Cole, Jennifer Koh, and Kirill Troussov, and artists such as Eliot Fisk from top conservatories (Hans Eisler Hochschule für Musik-Berlin, Colburn Music School, Curtis Institute, New England Conservatory of Music, Royal College of Music) in the US and Europe. She has spent three summers at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and was also chosen for a masterclass at the Steinway House in Munich in May 2022.

Sofia graduated a year early from Dos Pueblos High School, having fulfilled her degree requirements as a dual enrollment student at SBCC. Always challenging herself, she excels at academics and sports. While in high school Sofia thrived as a member of the Engineering Academy and was also on the Varsity Girls Soccer team while continuing to play on the Central Coast Academy soccer team.

As a community service, Malvinni has given numerous performances to help bring aid to the people affected by the crisis in Ukraine. She has become an ambassador for Direct Relief and was honored in May of 2022 for her “extraordinary commitment to the health and lives of people affected by the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in the Ukraine.” Since the crisis in the Ukraine is still ongoing, you may contribute to her fundraiser online here.

Sofia is currently attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as an undergraduate violin major in the studio of Professor Simon James. She plays on a 1741 Guarneri copy by renowned German maker Bernd Dimbauth and is striving to win a competition where she can receive the loan of an old Italian instrument to further her career ambition to be a soloist.

In addition to all things musical, Sofia is a lover of nature, animals, soccer and sunsets. When not practicing she enjoys her time with friends and the outdoors. She thanks the Santa Barbara Music Club for the many scholarships she has received over the years and for the opportunity of this solo recital. She is grateful for the support from the Santa Barbara community.

Kristi Holstein, violinist, was born in Charleston, West Virginia and began playing violin at age 7. She received her BM Degree, Summa Cum Laude, from West Virginia University and her MM Degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. A member of the American String Teachers Association, National Association for Music Educators, American Chamber Music Society and Society of Music Theory, she is currently a teaching artist with BRAVO! and Santa Barbara Strings and a member of the American Youth Symphony, Folk Orchestra of Santa Barbara, Lompoc Pops Orchestra, Opera San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria Philharmonic Society, and Young Musicians Foundation Debut Chamber Orchestra and maintains a private violin and viola studio in Santa Barbara.