Boston String Academy is a non‑profit organization inspired by the Venezuelan El Sistema model, which believes in music as a powerful vehicle for social change. The Academy provides rigorous string instrument instruction to children in underserved communities, helping young people build a solid musical foundation while fostering qualities such as sensitivity, responsibility, creativity, and resilience. The program removes financial and logistical barriers so that mastery of a string instrument is accessible to inner‑city families.
Founded in 2012 by violinists Marielisa and Mariesther Alvarez, graduates of The Boston Conservatory and El Sistema programs in Venezuela, Boston String Academy offers three main programs in Boston’s Chinatown and Allston neighborhoods, serving more than 120 students from kindergarten through high school.
The Academy has collaborated with internationally renowned artists, including Midori, Gustavo Dudamel, and Sir Simon Rattle. Its students have performed nationally and internationally and have been selected for major festivals and programs such as the Dudamel Foundation’s “Encounters/Encuentros” in Mexico City, Orquestra Geraçao in Lisbon, Festival Groba in Spain, LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles, Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, Sphinx Performance Academy, Greenwood Music Camp, and Dudamel’s residency at Princeton University, among others. In 2021, the BSA Youth Ensemble was chosen to premiere “Spring Cadenzas” for violin and strings, performed by Midori herself.
Boston String Academy’s students have won the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, and they continue to build strong connections with the wider musical community through collaborations, masterclasses, and festival participation.
In recognition of its impact, the founders were named among the 100 most influential people for the Hispanic community in Massachusetts in 2016, and BSA received the 2019 Commonwealth Awards for exceptional achievement in the arts, humanities, and sciences. In 2023, the Academy was honored by the Boston City Council for its contributions to supporting and promoting Venezuelan culture within the city and the Commonwealth.
Mariesther Alvarez
DIRECTOR
Meet the Musicians
Ana Isabel Cardona
Ana is currently a senior at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. She began her musical journey in Venezuela’s El Sistema at age six and continued her studies with Boston String Academy after her family immigrated to the United States in 2015. At Boston String Academy, Ana progressed through rigorous ensemble and performance training before joining the studio of Gillian Rogell at New England Conservatory Preparatory School, where she studies music theory and chamber music and serves as principal violist of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ana has participated in prestigious programs and festivals including Greenwood Music Camp, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Sphinx Performance Academy, LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival, and Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, among others. She has also performed internationally through Pequeñas Huellas in Italy and Orquestra Geração in Portugal, and she will tour Greece this June with New England Conservatory. Her collaborations include work with renowned artists such as Midori, Gustavo Dudamel, José Antonio Abreu, Rictor Noren, Michael Casimir, Carol Rodland, Miriam Fried, Donald Weilerstein, Steven Laraia, and members of the Catalyst Quartet.
In addition to performing, Ana is deeply committed to music education. She serves as a teacher assistant and private instructor through Boston String Academy, Continuo Boston, BSYO ICP, and Cambridge Public Schools. With Continuo, she also performs outreach concerts at senior centers such as Goddard House in Brookline and in other community settings.
At school, Ana is a leader in the Latinx Club and participates in extracurricular activities including Modern Dance Company and debate, while also organizing and contributing to community events that celebrate cultural visibility. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with friends and family.
Angelina Moy
Angelina Moy began her violin studies in 2014 at Boston String Academy under the guidance of Marielisa Alvarez. She has performed with ensembles and organizations including the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Nantucket Music Center, and Rockport Music.
Angelina has also performed out of state and been selected for prestigious festivals such as LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles and Gustavo Dudamel’s residency at Princeton University. In June 2021, her Youth Ensemble was chosen by Midori Goto’s Orchestra Residency Program to premiere Spring Cadenzas for violin and strings, performed by Midori herself.
Currently a senior at Boston Latin School, a public exam school in Boston, Massachusetts, Angelina balances her musical pursuits with extracurricular activities, including editing for the school newspaper, competing in BLS powerlifting, and volunteering in her community at Chinatown, Boston Children’s Hospital, Tufts Medical Center, and the Boston Public Health Commission.
Annabelle Lee
Annabelle Lee is a violinist based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently pursuing violin performance studies with Markus Placci at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. She began her musical journey at Boston String Academy, where she studied for 12 years under Mariesther Alvarez, and participated in the Longy School of Music’s El Sistema Side-By-Side program as well as chamber music studies at New England Conservatory.
Annabelle has attended prestigious music festivals, including YOLA National Festival, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Dudamel Foundation’s Encounters/Encuentros in Mexico City, Orquestra Geração in Lisbon, Portugal, and Festival Groba in Spain. She made her soloist debut with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, performing Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole.
Currently, Annabelle works as a teaching assistant at Boston String Academy and pursues her interests in singing, composition, and visual arts in her free time.
Annie Yuan
Annie Yuan began studying violin in 2011 at Boston String Academy under Marielisa Alvarez and Anthony Morales. She has participated in numerous performances and collaborations, including Boston Conservatory’s Hemenway Strings, the Annual El Sistema Showcase organized by the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, Worcester Chamber Music Society’s ChamberFest, Point Counterpoint, and as a student at New England Conservatory Prep.
Annie was selected for the National Take a Stand Festival in 2016 and for YOLA National in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. She has performed and worked with internationally renowned artists including Sir Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, Edicson Ruiz, Rictor Noren, and Lynn Chang.
Currently, Annie works with the Community Music School of Boston in its community engagement program in the South End. She graduated from Boston Latin School in 2022 and is a freshman at Bunker Hill Community College.
Anthony Morales
Anthony Morales is the Orchestra Director at Boston Latin School and Boston String Academy, and is a highly sought-after musician in the Boston area. He trained under Eva Szekely at the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he held an assistantship in the MU Graduate String Quartet, served as concertmaster of the MU Philharmonic, and as concertmaster of the Columbia Civic Orchestra.
As a violinist, Anthony has performed as a featured soloist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as the winner of their Emerging Artists Competition, as well as with the University of Maryville and Webster University, where he won the annual concerto competition. His honors include the Allen Carl Larson Endowed Scholarship at Webster University, the Catherine and Rogers Whittemore String Award, the Leah L. Emmons Orchestral Award, and the Zoltan Szekely Performance Award.
Anthony currently performs with the Vista Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Festival Orchestra, and regularly accompanies top Grammy-winning artists such as Andrea Bocelli and Audra McDonald. In addition to performing, he is a dedicated teacher and conductor, inspiring students at Boston Latin School, one of the top ten high schools in the U.S., and Boston String Academy, the premier El Sistema program in the country.
Anthony has participated in masterclasses with renowned musicians including Ray Chen, Sherry Kloss, Mimi Zweig, Donald Weilerstein, Paul Bliss, Julie Rosenfeld, Philharmonia Quartet Berlin, David Kim, Aaron Rosand, and David Halen, and has studied privately with Lucy Kaymakanova, Amy Oshiro, David Gillham, Eva Szekely, and pianist Daniel Schene. His energy, passion, and commitment to music education make him a uniquely inspiring mentor to young musicians.
Bonnie Mai
Violist Bonnie Mai began her studies in 2014 at Boston String Academy under the guidance of Marielisa Alvarez. She has performed in a variety of ensembles and collaborations, including the Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Nantucket Music Center, and Rockport Music.
Bonnie has performed both nationally and internationally and has been selected for prestigious festivals such as Kinhaven, Festival Groba in Spain, and LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles. She also studies chamber music at the New England Conservatory.
Bryan da Costa
Cellist Bryan O. da Costa began his studies in 2019 at Boston String Academy, initially studying with Taide Prieto and currently under Michal Shein, Cello Faculty Chair at Boston String Academy and New England Conservatory faculty member.
Bryan has participated in numerous performances and collaborations, including Longy School of Music’s Side by Side Orchestra, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, the Chineke! Orchestra, Nantucket Music Center, and Rockport Music. His musical experiences extend beyond the Boston area—he has performed both nationally and internationally and has been selected for prestigious festivals such as Orquestra Geração in Lisbon, Portugal, Festival Groba in Spain, the World Orchestra El Sistema in Caracas, Venezuela, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in Lenox, MA, among others.
Currently a senior at Waltham High School, a public high school in Waltham, MA, Bryan continues his musical studies with Boston String Academy and through programs at New England Conservatory. He has also studied with cellist Allison Eldredge, an internationally renowned soloist and teacher.
Camila Martinez
Violist Camila Martinez began her violin and viola studies in 2015 at Boston String Academy under the guidance of Marielisa Alvarez. She has performed in numerous ensembles and events, including the Annual El Sistema Showcase, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra Gala, Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, and collaborative performances with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra and Celebrity Series of Boston. Camila has had the privilege of performing for renowned international artists such as Yvonne Frye, Shaw Pong Liu, Midori Goto, and Gustavo Dudamel, and her Youth Ensemble participated in a masterclass with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano.
Camila has been awarded full scholarships to attend prestigious programs and festivals, including Point CounterPoint, New England Conservatory’s BEAM program (where she studied violin with Magdalena Richter for a year), Greenwood Music Camp, LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival, and Festival Groba in Spain. She has also performed at the Nantucket Music Center and Rockport Music.
Currently a sophomore at Boston Latin Academy, a public exam school in Boston, Camila continues her musical studies at Boston String Academy. In addition to performing, she volunteers at her school to raise funds, plays viola in her church, and teaches young children in her community.
CJ Klinman
CJ Klinman is a cellist at Boston String Academy (BSA) and an 8th grader at Boston Latin School. A passionate musician, CJ is a member of BSA’s Youth Ensemble and plays in the Elementa String Quartet alongside fellow BSA members.
CJ has participated in programs and festivals including YOLA National Festival, Greenwood Music Camp, and Point Counterpoint, and has performed as a soloist with the Newton Philharmonic Orchestra as well as in smaller ensembles such as an octet. Through BSA, CJ has developed new musical skills, techniques, and meaningful friendships, embracing the opportunities the program offers to grow as a young musician.
Estrella Sanchez
Estrella began her violin studies in 2013 at Boston String Academy (BSA). She has performed in numerous ensembles and collaborations, including Boston Conservatory’s Hemenway Strings, Sphinx Virtuosi, Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and Boston Philharmonic Orchestra.
Estrella has performed both nationally and internationally, and has been selected for prestigious festivals such as Orquestra Geração in Lisbon, Portugal, LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles, NEC Summer Orchestra Institute, Dudamel’s residency at Princeton University, and Festival Groba in Galicia, Spain. In 2019, BSA received the Commonwealth Award for outstanding achievement in the arts, which included a side-by-side performance with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In June 2021, her Youth Ensemble was selected by Midori’s Orchestra Residency Program to premiere Spring Cadenzas for violin and strings, performed by Midori herself.
Currently, Estrella is a senior at St. Joseph Prep School in Boston, Massachusetts, and continues her music studies at Boston String Academy. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at pet shelters and going to the gym.
Fiona Yuan
Fiona Yuan is a senior based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a dedicated violinist whose musical journey has been rooted in the Boston String Academy (BSA), where she first developed her passion for ensemble performance. At BSA, she serves as concertmaster of the Youth Ensemble, performing frequently throughout the New England area. The Academy’s students have been selected for major regional and international festivals, including Orquestra Geração in Lisbon, Festival Groba in Spain, and LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles, among others.
Fiona is also a member of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO) under conductor Benjamin Zander, an acclaimed youth orchestra known for ambitious repertoire and international touring. With BPYO, she has performed at Boston Symphony Hall and participated in a “tour of possibility” to South Africa, engaging in cultural exchange concerts that underscore music as a force for social connection.
Internationally, Fiona has represented the U.S. as assistant concertmaster of El Sistema’s World Orchestra in Venezuela, performing alongside young musicians from around the globe under the shared El Sistema philosophy. She has attended distinguished music festivals such as Interlochen Arts Camp, where she served as concertmaster of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Geração, Festival Groba, and YOLA National Festival, where she sat as assistant concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra performing at Walt Disney Concert Hall under the baton of LA Phil conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
Fiona was the winner of the 2020 Longy School of Music Side by Side Concerto Competition and continues her studies with Mariesther Alvarez and Anthony Morales. She has participated in masterclasses with renowned artists including Midori Goto, Rictor Noren, and Lucia Lin. Outside of music, Fiona is active in writing and editing for her school newspaper and leads cultural and community service initiatives that celebrate arts and diversity.
Gisele Francisco
Gisele Francisco, a freshman at Boston Latin School, has been playing violin since the age of four with Boston String Academy (BSA) under the guidance of Mariesther Alvarez. She has participated in numerous summer programs across the country, including YOLA National Festival, Greenwood Music Camp, and Point CounterPoint.
Gisele was a participant in NEC’s BEAM program for two years, receiving a full scholarship to study violin, chamber music, music theory, and orchestra under Magdalena Richter. While she has extensive orchestral experience, she currently performs in the Element String Quartet with fellow BSA members. Beyond the violin, Gisele enjoys exploring other creative pursuits in her free time.
Jennifer Gamez
Cellist Jennifer Gamez began her studies in 2015 at Boston String Academy (BSA) under the guidance of Michal Shein. She has performed in numerous ensembles and collaborations, including Ravinia’s National Seminario, Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Nantucket Music Center, and Rockport Music.
Jennifer is currently a sophomore at Central Catholic High School, a Marist college preparatory school in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and continues her musical studies at BSA. She also participates in school band. Outside of music, Jennifer is active in sports including cross country, track and field, fencing, and will begin lacrosse this spring. She also volunteers through a Marist mentoring program for young children and actively participates in school events and activities.
Jiro Lind
I have been playing the violin for the past five years, and through it, I’ve discovered a way to express my feelings without words, using music as my voice. I especially enjoy sharing my music while traveling and meeting new people, such as during my experience at Ravinia’s National Seminario in Chicago last summer.
Beyond music, I enjoy sports like fishing and tennis, and I am part of a touring dance group. I also love traveling to new places, especially to explore and taste different kinds of food.
Juna Yatsu
Juna Yatsu is a 7th-grade student at Boston Latin School, an exam school in Boston, Massachusetts. She has been playing the cello since 2018, beginning at the age of seven, and currently studies with Michal Shein.
Juna has participated in Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, as well as performances and collaborations with Nantucket Music Center and Rockport Music, and has attended Kinhaven Music School. She enjoys playing music with her friends and exploring new opportunities to perform.
Maienna Andersson
Violinist Maienna Andersson began her studies in 2015 at Boston String Academy (BSA) under the guidance of Marielisa Alvarez. She has participated in performances and collaborations with Nantucket Music Center and Rockport Music, and has been selected for prestigious festivals including LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles and Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music’s Summer Chamber Music Workshop. Notably, Maienna performed in a piano recital at Weill Recital Hall at the age of eight.
Maienna is currently an eighth grader at Boston Latin School, a public exam school in Boston, Massachusetts, and continues her musical studies at BSA. In her spare time, she enjoys reading.
Michal Shein
Israeli-Mexican-American cellist Michal Shein is a performer and master educator dedicated to curating cross-cultural performance projects and intensive educational initiatives. She is the Artistic Director of Cellisimo, a high-level cello festival for Spanish-speaking cellists with limited resources, offering masterclasses with world-class faculty, wellness sessions, and community-building opportunities. The festival has been described as “one of the most important and unique festivals of its kind in Latin America” (Álvaro Bitrán, cellist of the Grammy-winning Cuarteto Latinoamericano).
Recognized for her pedagogical approach, Michal nurtures students toward holistic and high-level musical advancement. Her students have won competitions and gained admission to top programs such as Tanglewood’s BUTI, Brevard, YOLA Festival, Greenwood, NSO, and the BEAM program. She is currently on faculty at Boston String Academy, New England Conservatory, and the University of Rhode Island.
As a performer, Michal maintains a diverse career as a soloist, orchestral cellist, and chamber musician. From 2008–2013, she was Principal Cellist of the Discovery Ensemble, and she continues to perform with numerous Boston-area ensembles including the Rhode Island Philharmonic and Portland Symphony. Recent highlights include collaborations with the Celebrity Series of Boston and a new recording of Vivaldi sonatas arranged with guitarist Adam Levin, set for release in early 2024.
Michal holds a B.A. in Music from UC Berkeley and a Master’s in Music from New England Conservatory. She lives in an intentional cohousing community in Jamaica Plain with her husband Jonas, an outdoor educator, and their children, Noam and Hadas.
Mika Liu
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, 13-year-old Mika is a violinist currently attending Boston Latin School. She began studying violin at age four at Boston String Academy (BSA), first with Marielisa Alvarez and currently with Anthony Morales. Mika has participated in prestigious festivals including YOLA National Festival, Luzerne Music Center, and New England Conservatory’s Summer Orchestra Institute.
Noah Liu
Born in 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts, Noah grew up immersed in Taiwanese and Indonesian cultures. He has been playing cello for nearly 10 years and has participated in music camps and festivals including YOLA National Festival, Ravinia’s National Seminario, and New England Music Camp. Noah is currently a sophomore at Boston Latin School.
Outside of music, Noah enjoys soccer—playing for both his school team and an inner-city team—sailing, skiing, and powerlifting. He also works as a soccer referee.
Richard Fang
Violist Richard Fang began his music studies in 2017 at Boston String Academy under the guidance of Mariesther Alvarez. He has participated in numerous performances and collaborations, including Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and Rockport Music. Richard has also been selected to attend prestigious festivals such as LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles.
He is currently a freshman at John D. O’Bryant High School, a public exam school in Boston, and continues his musical studies at Boston String Academy.
Scarlet Falcón
Scarlet began her studies at Boston String Academy in September 2011 under the guidance of violinist Marielisa Alvarez. Within months, she demonstrated remarkable progress in violin technique and classical music reading. Over the years, Scarlet has participated in numerous performances and collaborations, including El Sistema Side by Side at Longy School of Music, Sphinx Virtuosi, Nantucket Music Center, Rockport Music, New England Conservatory, LA Phil’s YOLA National Festival in Los Angeles, and Festival Groba in Spain. She has also had the special opportunity to meet and perform with Gustavo Dudamel.
Boston String Academy has nurtured Scarlet’s growth in music, arts, and cultural awareness. Despite a learning disability, playing the violin has strengthened her focus and cognitive skills. Scarlet continues to explore her creativity and hopes to pursue a career in the arts in the near future.
Shu Yan Huang
Shu Yan Huang is a violinist who began her studies at the age of 7 in 2018 at Boston String Academy. She has participated in performances and programs including Longy School of Music’s Sistema Side by Side Orchestra, Nantucket Music Center, Rockport Music, and Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music’s Summer Chamber Music Workshop.
Shu Yan is currently in 8th grade at Boston Latin School, a public exam school in Boston, Massachusetts, where she also plays in the school orchestra. In her free time, she enjoys journaling and spending time with friends.
William Parkes
William Parkes began playing cello at age eight with the El Sistema Somerville program. In 2018, he joined the Boston String Academy Youth Ensemble, where he continues to perform. William has participated in numerous summer music festivals, including Point Counterpoint (Leicester, VT), YOLA National (Los Angeles, CA), Festival Groba (Ponteareas, Spain), and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, studying extensively with Boston Symphony Orchestra cellist Mihail Jojatu. He was the winner of the 2020 Longy Side by Side Concerto Competition.
William has performed notable collaborations, including the Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto in G minor with fellow cellist Bryan at the Shalin Liu Performance Center (Rockport, MA) in May 2023, and at the Hatch Memorial Shell (Boston, MA) in August 2023. He served as principal cellist of the YOLA National Festival 2023 under Gustavo Dudamel and is currently a member of the Rivers Conservatory Chamber Music Lab.
William has participated in masterclasses with renowned cellists such as Joaquin Fernández, Jeffrey Ziegler, Mihail Jojatu, Alan Harris, Andrew Mark, Astrid Schween, Zlatomir Fung, and Inbal Segev. He is a senior at Somerville High School, studying cello with Michal Shein, and will debut the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra in April.
