Katie’s vision is to develop beautiful hearts and enrich lives through quality and equitable cello instruction and music education. Outside of ESC, Katie enjoys collaborating with singer-songwriters and local rock bands, tending to her garden with her cat, reading, cooking, and traveling.

Elise Cole is a cellist who believes in connecting people through the joy of making music. In addition to performing, Elise has a passion for teaching. She graduated from the Eastman School of Music and is currently pursuing a Masters of Cello Performance at the University of Boulder.

Alex Vittal teaches viola and violin privately and with El Sistema Colorado. Ensembles include: Sphere Ensemble - Executive Director, Violist, Arranger Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado - Violist, Arranger Steamboat Symphony Orchestra - Violist Highlands Square Ensemble string quartet - Violist

Taylor Sapanara is a violist pursuing a Master’s degree in Viola Performance at the University of Colorado Boulder. In addition to teaching, Taylor is a participant in The Boulder Symphony and a substitute position with The Greeley Philharmonic.

Description goJacob Kaminski is pursuing a doctoral degree in conducting from the University of Colorado Boulder. In addition to El Sistema, he also works as an assistant conductor for Denver Young Artists Orchestra. Jacob holds a Masters Degree in conducting and a Bachelors degree in Bass Performance.es here

In addition to ESC, Jamie works for the Colorado Children’s Chorale and is the Music Director at Highlands Church. She has almost 20 years of teaching experience and helped to found the Alliance for Music Education Equity. B.M., Northwestern University; Graduate Certificate, Global Leaders Program.

Violinist Jordan Grantonic has been on faculty as a teaching artist at El Sistema Colorado since 2021. In addition to teaching, Jordan regularly performs with the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Boulder Altitude Directive, and is in her final year of Artist Diploma studies at the University of Colorado

Nixon Garcia is a Venezuelan conductor trained in El Sistema and the Conservatorio Simón Bolívar. He’s led youth orchestras and helped set a Guinness World Record with the Sistema Venezuela for the largest orchestra in the world. Passionate about the arts, he enjoys hiking, cooking, and traveling