Meet the Musicians

We are happy to welcome the newest members of the New Mexico Philharmonic!

Liana Austin

violin

Liana Austin grew up in a small town just outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan. She began playing the violin in the public school system and quickly developed an interest in the instrument. She was fortunate to study chamber music with Andrew Jennings and violin with Stephen Shipps and Paul Kantor at the University of Michigan during her high school years.

Ms. Austin received her Bachelor of Music from Vanderbilt University under the tutelage of Cornelia Heard and Carolyn Huebl. During that time, she focused on string quartets and was first-prize winner of the Music Teacher National Association’s collegiate chamber music division. Liana received her Master of Music degree from Arizona State University as a student of Katie McLin and was a member of the Herberger Graduate String Quartet.

Over the last 20 years, Liana has lived in six different states and Canada. These varying locations have allowed her to be a regular musician with many orchestras including the Nashville Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Opera, National Ballet of Canada, Albany Symphony, New World Symphony, Helena Symphony, Idaho Falls Symphony, and Principal Second Violin of the Wyoming Symphony. In addition to performing, Ms. Austin also teaches violin and viola. She previously served on the faculty of the Suzuki Strings Department at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C., and now enjoys teaching a private studio of violin and viola students.

In her free time, Liana enjoys getting lost running the trails outside her home in Los Alamos, New Mexico, with her husband and two boys. ●

Amy Huzjak

cello

Cellist Amy Huzjak lives in Midland, Texas, and is excited to begin serving as Principal Cellist of the New Mexico Philharmonic in January 2022. Amy also serves as the Principal Cellist of the Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale (MOSC) since September 2011. An avid chamber musician, Amy is the cellist for the MOSC resident ensemble Permian Basin String Quartet (PBSQ), performing concerts and educational outreach throughout the area. PBSQ has recently performed in Abilene, San Angelo, Alpine, Seminole, Midland, and Odessa, Texas.

Recent solo appearances include Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Midland-Odessa Symphony and the Abilene Christian University Orchestra, the Adagio from the Dvořák Cello Concerto with the University of Texas Permian Basin Philharmonic, and duo recitals in Midland, Abilene, San Angelo, Dallas, and Levelland, Texas.

In addition, Amy is the Acting Principal Cellist with the Abilene Philharmonic, performs with the Big Spring Symphony and the Amarillo Symphony, and freelances throughout West Texas. She is also a founding member of the Chasqui Quartet, touring Colorado in August 2021 and the East Coast in summer 2022. Other upcoming performances include The Santa Fe Symphony in February 2022, Opera Southwest in March 2022, and as soloist with the University of Texas Permian Basin Philharmonic performing Haydn’s C Major Cello Concerto in February 2022.

Before moving to Texas, Amy was the Principal Cellist of the Huntington (WV) Symphony Orchestra and played with several D.C.-area orchestras, including the Fairfax (VA) Symphony Orchestra, Apollo Chamber Orchestra (MD), and the Prince William (VA) Symphony. She was a faculty member at the International School of Music in Bethesda, Maryland, and had a private studio in College Park, Maryland.

A committed educator, Amy is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, has a studio of more than 30 students in the Midland/Odessa area, and is Adjunct Professor of Cello at the University of Texas Permian Basin and Adjunct Low Strings Instructor at Angelo State University. She is sought after as a clinician and coach for high school orchestras and chamber programs in West Texas. Previous posts include Abilene Christian University, HardinSimmons University, Midland College, and Odessa College.

Amy’s mentors include David Teie, Thomas Landschoot, and Jenny Yopp. She holds a Master’s degree in cello performance from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude) from Arizona State University.

When not playing, Amy loves hiking and skiing in her native Colorado and travels around the world to hike with her dad. She is looking forward to exploring the Sandias and skiing in New Mexico. ●

Micah Harrow

timpani

Micah Harrow recently joined the New Mexico Philharmonic as principal timpanist. Aside from the NMPhil, Micah has performed with the San Francisco Symphony, the Kansas City Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic, and the Erie Philharmonic, among others. Currently, he is finishing his Master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

A native of Rochester, New York, Micah grew up studying in the Eastman Community Music School before enrolling at the Eastman School of Music. During his undergraduate at Eastman, he received the prestigious Performer’s Certificate and made his concerto debut, performing Séjourné’s Concerto for Marimba and Strings with the Rochester Philharmonic. Micah then went on to study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he is currently finishing his Master’s degree. His major teachers have included Edward Stephan, Jake Nissly, Michael Burritt, Charles Ross, and James Ross.

During the summers, Micah has studied at the Aspen Music Festival, the Texas Music Festival, and the National Orchestral Institute. In 2017, he performed on the GRAMMY®-nominated Naxos album Harbison, Ruggles & Stucky: Orchestral Works with the NOI Philharmonic under the direction of David Allen Miller.

When not playing in the orchestra, you can find Micah playing hand drums and drum set with his band, The Kenaniah Project, which released their debut album to all streaming platforms in January 2022.

Aside from music, Micah enjoys fishing, working out, and studying French. ●

Ana María Quintero Muñoz

violin

Ana María Quintero Muñoz was born in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1993 and began her studies at the age of 6 with her mother, Clara Muñoz. Ms. Quintero Muñoz graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree from Fundación Universitaria Juan N. Corpas School of Music, where she studied violin performance and chamber music under the tutelage Maestro Fabio Santana. She holds a Master of Music degree in violin performance from New Mexico State University, where she studied with Professor Simón Gollo. Ms. Quintero Muñoz was concertmaster and member of the Orquesta Filarmónica Juvenil de Cámara de Bogotá (Philharmonic Youth Chamber Orchestra of Bogotá) between 2013 and 2017. In 2019, she was the winner of the NMSU Philharmonic Concerto Competition, and was awarded a full scholarship to the Aruba Symphony Festival where she studied with Olivier Piguet. Ms. Quintero Muñoz has been a guest performer with several chamber music ensembles including Camerata del Sol, La Catrina String Quartet, and the Dallas Chamber Symphony. She is currently a violinist in the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and the New Mexico Philharmonic. In 2018, Ms. Quintero Muñoz became the Artistic Director for Vox Vallis Women’s Ensemble, a professional chamber music ensemble she co-founded with New Mexican violinist Jessie O’Hara. Ms. Quintero Muñoz plays on a violin built by French luthier Ghaleb Hassan. ●

Aaron Zalkind

trombone

Originally from Salt Lake City, Aaron Zalkind joined the New Mexico Philharmonic as Principal Trombone in 2021. In addition to his time playing in New Mexico, Aaron also performs frequently with the Colorado Symphony and the Boulder Philharmonic.

Zalkind has been a member of several music festivals throughout the United States, including the National Repertory Orchestra, the Breckenridge Music Festival, the Texas Music Festival, and the National Orchestral Institute.

In 2019, Aaron was awarded second prize at the Zellmer Trombone Competition, as well as two first-prize awards at the International Women’s Brass Conference competitions. Zalkind also took first prize at the University of Colorado Honor’s competition in 2018. An avid chamber musician, Aaron was a member of the Juilliard Trombone Quartet, who in 2016 took first prize at the American trombone workshop in Washington, D.C.

Aaron holds a doctorate from the University of Colorado, a Master’s degree from The Juilliard School, and a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University. His primary mentors include William Stanley, Joseph Alessi, Peter Ellefson, and Larry Zalkind.

Aaron currently resides in Colorado with his wife, Sarah, and their dog, Kiva. ●