Conrad Tao with David Danzmayr and Mendelssohn

Born in Urbana, Illinois, classical performer and composer Conrad Tao is a Gilmore Young Artist and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient. He founded New York's UNPLAY Festival and released albums including Voyages and Pictures. He won eight ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards and was named to Forbes 30 Under 30.

Austrian conductor David Danzmayr, born in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, is celebrated for his clear, incisive, and expressive style. He is Music Director of the Oregon Symphony and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, and has led the Zagreb Philharmonic. Danzmayr has won prestigious awards, including the Bernhard Paumgartner Medal, and collaborated with artists like Yo-Yo Ma. He is known for inspiring performances across a broad repertoire.

Felix Mendelssohn, a German Romantic composer born in Hamburg, was a child prodigy known for his lyrical melodies and elegant orchestration. He blended Classical forms with Romantic expression, creating popular works like the "Wedding March," Violin Concerto, and Italian Symphony. Mendelssohn also revived Bach's music and founded the Leipzig Conservatory.