Suzanne Prescott

Montana native Suzanne Prescott has performed in orchestras, wind ensembles, and choirs on three continents. As a graduate of the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music and The Ohio State University, she performed as a freelance bassist with orchestras in Texas, Ohio, the Pacific Northwest and Washington, DC, before coming to South Florida in 2004. A former student of Larry Angel, then principal bass of the Cleveland Orchestra, she is also an accomplished oboist, vocalist, and conductor.

Throughout the country, she has built extensive private studios in double bass, and served as the primary strings teacher in the Idaho Falls School District.

Meghan McFarlane

A native of Denver, Colorado, Meghan McFarlane began playing the flute when she was six.  She pursued her musical studies at Loyola University New Orleans and the University of Miami. Her principal teachers include Patti Adams and Christine Nield-Capote. 

As a young musician, Ms. McFarlane performed with the International Youth Wind Orchestra in Killarney, Ireland, and also participated in music festivals in Siena, Italy and Estes Park, Colorado.  An avid chamber musician, she has been featured in solo and chamber music performances around the country. Ms. McFarlane now resides in south Florida, where she has performed with the Spanish River Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, the New World Symphony, the Boca Sinfonia, and Symphony of the Americas.

She is co-founder of the Chrysalis Chamber Players, who in their first season earned a grant from the Yale Alumni Foundation.  Ms. McFarlane has also held administrative roles with the Southwest Florida Steinway Piano Society and the Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation.

Veselin Bozhilov

A native of Bulgaria and graduate of Sofia Music Conservatory, Veselin Bozhilov is a winner of seven national and two international trumpet competitions. In 1997, at age of 20, he joined Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra and Sofia Philharmonic Brass Quintet. Between 1998 and 2003, he was invited to play as a guest artist with Bulgarian Festival Orchestra, New Symphony Orchestra, Plovdiv Philharmonic, Skopje Philharmonic, and Sarajevo Philharmonic. In 2003, Bozhilov moved to the United States. In 2007, he completed his master’s degree at Lynn University.

Bozhilov has played with Colorado Brass, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Palm Beach Opera, Palm Beach Symphony, Boca Raton Philharmonic, Florida Grand Opera, Miami Symphony, Symphony of the Americas, and Miami Pops. He often performs with Empire Brass, Canadian Brass, Boston Brass, Dallas Brass, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Philharmonic, New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Atlanta Symphony, San Francisco Opera.

He has taught at Colorado State University, Lynn University, and Dreyfoos School of the arts.  His students have been accepted at such prestigious Summer Festivals at Interlochen, Grand Valley, Tanglewood, Florida State University, and have gone to study at Julliard, Manhattan School of Music, New York University, Boston University, New England Conservatory of Music, Northwestern University, Eastman School of Music, University of Maryland, University of Southern California, Duke University, Vanderbilt University, Cornell University, University of Miami, Florida State University, University of Florida and many more.

Linda Cartagena

Hello, my name is Linda Cartagena, and I will be one of the string coaches for this season. I’ve always been involved with strings since I started in middle school and have been playing cello for 15 years, I continue to perform on the cello around the state of Florida in various ensembles and different events.

My primary career is as an orchestra teacher, and I hold a Florida teaching certificate in music. I teach at two schools in Palm Beach County, Plumosa School of the Arts & John I Leonard High School.

This is my 3rd year with Palm Beach County, having taught Privately for nine years prior, with 11 years of teaching. I am a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and the University of Central Florida. I have two degrees: a Bachelor of Music Education in instrumental music and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership.

Casandra Del Valle

Casandra Del Valle is a percussionist and educator currently based in South Florida. She regularly teaches at many schools, including Park Vista High, Coral Glades High, and Don Estridge High Tech Middle. She is also a traveling clinician for multiple other programs across the tri-county area.

As a performer, Casandra often plays with the Lynn Conservatory Theatre Department, The Master Chorale of South Florida, and many more organizations.

Casandra continually pursues more opportunities to teach and perform within the community.