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John Curtis

John Curtis

Cello

John Curtis discovered his passion for music at an early age. He began studying the cello at eleven and, by sixteen, had commenced private instruction to deepen his musicianship and further refine his technique. Over the past two years, John has performed with the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Kern County Honor Orchestra, and the BC/CSUB Orchestra.

His musical achievements have been recognized by the California Music Educators Association, which awarded him two superior ratings and a Gold Medal at the Kern County Solo and Ensemble Festival and the State Solo and Ensemble Festival respectively. In addition to performing, John enjoys composing original music and plans to pursue a degree in music at Bakersfield College.

Earvin Manongdo

Piano

Earvin Manongdo is an accomplished pianist with experience in many concert settings. During his undergraduate studies at California State University, Bakersfield, he was bestowed with the Bakersfield Music Scholarship and the CSUB College of Arts & Humanities Outstanding Project in Performing Arts award, the latter of which was awarded for his senior recital performance. While studying previously under Dr. Soo-Yeon Park, Earvin has engaged in many musical opportunities, including CSUB piano studio recitals, new music concerts, an opera performance, concert band & orchestra performances, and chamber music concerts. In his last semester as an undergraduate student, he performed the first movement of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with the CSUB/BC Orchestra. Earvin also maintained an active schedule as a collaborative pianist, performing as an accompanist in California Music Educators Association Solo & Ensemble Festivals/Command Performance Recitals.

He is currently a first-year graduate student at California State University, Long Beach, where he is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance, studying under the guidance of Dr. Shun-Lin Chou. At the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, Earvin was offered the Music Performance Scholarship as well as a Teaching Associate position, with which he instructs three sections of Class Piano. He took advantage of the opportunities at BCCM, performing in piano department recitals, participating in chamber ensembles and multi-piano groups as well as master classes, and accompanying others in performances and competitions. Earvin also placed in the 2025 George and Beverly August Scholarship Competition with a performance of Chopin’s 4th Ballade.

Earvin Manongdo