Clemens Quartet

Clemens Quartet: KJ McDonald, violin; Jason Corbin, violin; Patrick Marsh, viola; Alex Mansour, cello

KJ (Kenneth Joshua) McDonald, age 17, is a senior at Advantage Preparatory Schools in Santa Clarita, California. He began violin study at age six and currently studies with Lorenz Gamma. Since 2012, KJ continues study with the Perlman Music Program (PMP). A PMP scholarship recipient, he is one of 17 young violinists chosen worldwide by renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman. PMP includes a seven week Summer Music School in Shelter Island, NY and a two week Winter Residency in Sarasota, FL each year. At these various sessions he receives daily group and weekly private instruction from Mr. Perlman along with additional coaching from the Juilliard school faculty Catherine Cho and Li Lin. KJ appears as a soloist and a chamber musician for various PMP concerts. He was one of ten violinists to study and perform at the April 2014 PMP Israel Residency in Tel Aviv, Israel Conservatory of Music. KJ has also received personal instruction from Masao Kawasaki at the Aspen Music Festival 2010. The City of Huntington Beach formally presented its “2012 Good Samaritan Award” to KJ for his brave actions saving his father’s life during a surfing accident in which his femoral artery was punctured. At age 14, keeping a cool head, KJ carried his unconscious and much heavier father through the blood-drenched, rough surf, while yelling for lifeguard assistance. Undaunted by this trauma, surfing is still a big part of KJ’s pastime.

Jason Corbin is a 17 year old violinist from Santa Clarita, California. He began his musical education on piano shortly followed by violin at the age of 7. Jason has participated in various youth orchestra programs since he was 9 years old and has made several appearances as a soloist with local orchestras and at summer music festivals. He is also an avid chamber musician and has collaborated in many chamber groups since 2009, at the Colburn School, summer music festivals and with the Junior Chamber Music program. As a member of the Clemens Quartet, an award-winning string quartet, Jason appeared on the From the Top in November 2014. He has participated in many prestigious musical celebration projects and has performed at community activities. Jason is the recipient of a full scholarship from Junior Chamber Music to attend Chamberfest at the Idyllwild Arts Summer Festival in 2013. Last summer, Jason performed in Finland, Estonia and Russia with the Junior Chamber Music group. Besides musical activities, Jason enjoys reading books, studying math and science, playing tennis with friends, and training for Tae Kwon Do. Jason studies violin with Lorenz Gamma, piano with Ming Tsu and composition with Mark Menzies.

Patrick Marsh is currently a senior and concertmaster at LOS ANGELES High School for the Arts. He is one of Gustavo Dudamel’s mentors for YOLA (Youth Orchestra of LA) and performs outreach concerts in neighborhood schools. Patrick began violin studies when he was 3 years old and currently studies with Lorenz Gamma. Patrick has participated on violin in numerous summer festivals and youth orchestras, including The Gold Coast Music Festival, the Montecito International Music Festival, the Colburn Youth Orchestra, and the Youth Orchestras at CSUN. In addition to being an accomplished violinist, Patrick also performs on viola. Last year he was awarded a scholarship to perform on viola in the Colburn Chamber Orchestra and Colburn Chamber Ensemble Program. He has also participated in Junior Chamber Music on viola for the past four years. He won first prize in the Montecito International Music Festival Concerto Competition performing Telemann’s viola concerto and was chosen to participate in masterclasses with Roberto Diaz and Yizhak Schotten. As a studio musician Patrick has recorded on the soundtracks for several Disney interactive games. He has also composed music for the Disney Nemo Game and the feature film “Kids Versus Monsters”. Patrick also has extensive experience performing jazz electric violin. His repertoire includes styles ranging from swing to jazz fusion. He enjoys playing Jean Luc Ponty tribute concerts on his blue electric violin.

Alexander Mansour is a 17 year old senior at Chaminade College Preparatory. Drawn to the piano at an early age, Alex began his studies at age 3, followed by cello (age 6) and classical guitar (age 9). Alex had his piano debut with the Santa Clarita Symphony at age 11, played Carnegie Hall 3 times, as the sole musician for his school’s featured choir performances, and enjoyed his cello concerto debut with the San Fernando Symphony Orchestra (at 14). Alex’s compositions have been finalists in ASCAP’s Morton Gould Young Composer and the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers competitions. He has been a featured composer in the Young Musicians Foundation Chamber Music Series, by the Felici Trio in a concert for new music, at MTAC State Conventions as an inductee for the Young Composer Guild, and in multiple Daniel Pearl World Music Days concerts. As an avid chamber musician, Alex has toured Austria while studying at the Mozarteum, was a two time semi-finalist at the 2013 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and performed on NPR’s From the Top radio program. He has attended summer programs such as Yellow Barn and the Stanford Jazz Institute. His teachers include: Rebecca Merblum, Gary Fukushima, Dr. Stephen Cook, Dr. Steven Gates, and Lorenz Gamma. In addition to music, Alex enjoys being student body president and founder/president of the Young Artists Alliance- building strong communities and helping people together through the arts. Alex aspires to be a film composer, combining his love of music and movies.