Zena Kesselman, MAHMA's Intern, has been making waves in the Malibu community ever since she moved to the seaside town when she was nine. Her studies in her principal instrument, violin, have given her a unique and respected position in the Malibu music scene. Concertmistress duties began in 6th grade as a newly arrived middle-schooler who earned her place at the head of the class.
Since then, Zena has led Malibu High School's Orchestras for four years out of seven. In addition, she has been concertmistress of the Zuma Ensemble and the Malibu High Pit Orchestra, Assistant Concertmistress of the Malibu Coast Youth Symphony, and a founding member of the Malibu Coast Youth String Quartet. Zena's important roles include the privilege of serving as concert soloist on many occasions for both the multi award-winning MHS Orchestra and the MHS Concert and Chamber Choir, most recently in a full performance of Vivaldi's famous violin concerto, Spring.
Despite all this busy musical activity, Zena maintains a 4.0 GPA and a position as varsity captain of the softball team. Zena's work as a young musician was recognized when, as a Freshman, she was awarded the prestigious 2009 Malibu Music Award for Most Accomplished Young Musician. Recognized by the Optimist Club for her outstanding academic acheivement, Zena has also been a multiple award winner of the PTA sponsored Reflections Competition Creative Writing Prize.
Zena has served as a member of the Chelan Bach Festival Orchestra, and in addition to violin, studies banjo, ukulele, piano, accordion, guitar and voice. As a composer, she debuted her award-winning original work for banjo, voice and two cellos at the popular Malibu High School "Masque Concert Series," to high audience and critical praise. A number of Zena's recently recorded collaborative violin performances may be heard on iTunes, (Composition Collegue Tanner Porter's, The Child Wrote a Poem).
As MAHMA's Coulston Coast Intern Scholarship Recipient, Zena hopes to bring ethnomusicology, the study of the music of different cultures, to the public. An aspiring ethnomusicologist herself, Zena has already delved into this highly competitive field with a passion. She is the founder of Musicophilia, a music-listening club which has brought an increased musical awareness to her colleagues. Zena is also a founding member and performer in the Bartok Fiendz, created as a tribute to the great ethnomusicologist, Bela Bartok. It is one of her greatest wishes to engender interest and appreciation for different classes and eras of music to her fellows, and she is grateful for the opportunity to commence her career in the world renowed Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture.
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