Sebastian Grand, YOBC Music Director
Conductor, Symphony Orchestra
SEBASTIAN GRAND is Music Director of the Delaware County Symphony, PA and the McLean Symphony, VA. He holds Assistant Conductor positions with the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey and the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, and frequently appears as Guest Conductor for the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Mr. Grand was the founding Music Director of the Guernsey Sinfonietta, which he conducted for eight years, and he has participated in numerous international conducting competitions, most notably as a finalist in the first Erich Bergel Conducting Competition in 2022. Passionate about music education, he was appointed Music Director of the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County in 2024, and directs the Grand School of Music in New Hope, PA, overseeing instrumental tuition for over 200 students. Mr. Grand has worked as a coach and accompanist for the Philadelphia International Music Festival, and held adjunct faculty positions at Lafayette College and George School.

Raised in Guernsey, UK, Mr. Grand is a first-class graduate of the Joint Course between the University of Manchester and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). He received a Master’s with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music in London. Notable awards include three Hargreaves Prizes and the Procter- Gregg Prize at Manchester University, the Clifton Helliwell Memorial Prize at the Royal Northern College of Music, and the Dorothy Bryant Award at the Royal Academy of Music. Sebastian also works as a concert pianist, and has performed as concerto soloist in both North America and Europe.

Britney Alcine
Conductor, Philharmonia
DR. BRITNEY ALCINE is the conductor of the Maryland Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) and the Director of Music and Arts and Assistant Professor at Delaware Valley University (DelVal) in Doylestown, PA. Before beginning her work with MSYO and DelVal, Dr. Alcine was an assistant conductor with the Hartt Orchestra at The Hartt School in West Hartford, CT from 2022–2025 and an assistant conductor with the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst Symphony Orchestra from 2019–2022. Her professional appointments included conducting a semi-staged production of Annie Get Your Gun at the New London Barn Playhouse in New London, NH, conducting the world premiere of the orchestrated Piano Concerto in G minor by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel with piano soloist, Sharon Su for the “Fanfare for Composing Women” concert in Brookline, MA, and acting as the assistant conductor for the Eureka Ensemble in Boston, MA. Dr. Alcine inspires and educates young musicians through her energic rehearsals and diverse programming: Dr. Alcine has conducted region orchestras in Connecticut and Maryland, including the Southern Region High School Festival Orchestra in January 2023 and Washington County All-County High School Orchestra in January 2026. Dr. Alcine was also the conductor of the Virtuosi Orchestra with the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras and the conductor of the Miss Porter’s School Orchestra in Farmington, CT.

Dr. Alcine earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, studying with Edward Cumming. She received her Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting from the UMass Amherst, studying with Morihiko Nakahara, and her bachelor’s degree in music education from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Dr. Alcine has participated in numerous conducting workshops,  programs, and music festivals, studying with acclaimed conductors and pedagogues such as Gerard Schwarz, Diane Wittry, and Harold Farberman.

Blair Higgins
Conductor, Prima Strings
Conductor, Concertino
BLAIR HIGGINS is a charismatic educator and musician. Driven by her passion to inspire others, she has been teaching middle school orchestra in NJ and PA public schools since 2018. She received her bachelor’s degrees in music education and violin performance from the Honors College at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She was recognized with the award of Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities in 2017.

She currently teaches middle orchestra at North Penn school district, in addition to conducting t Prima Strings and Concertino at the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County and is assistant director to the Chester County Youth Orchestra. Although classically trained, she specializes in Irish fiddle music, and, when not performing in local musicals, weddings, and corporate events, she can be found in one of greater Philadelphia‘s Irish pubs playing at traditional seisiúns.

Bryanna MacAdams
Conductor, Wind Symphony
BRYANNA MACADAMS is an accomplished music educator, conductor, and clarinetist with more than 25 years of experience inspiring young musicians through exceptional instrumental music instruction. Throughout her career in public education, she has built thriving band and orchestra programs rooted in musical excellence, student leadership, and a lifelong love of music.

She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music and her Master of Educational Administration degree from Rider University. She currently teaches elementary band and orchestra in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, where she has developed curriculum, mentored new educators, and has participated in local and national professional development opportunities. Her approach to conducting reflects her belief that young musicians achieve their highest potential when artistic excellence is paired with collaboration, passion, and joy.

David Pimentel
Conductor, Ripieno
HECTOR DAVID PIMENTEL-CEDRE, or Dahveed as he is known, currently serves as strings teacher in the North Penn School District, where he has directed the grades 7-9 string orchestras at Pennbrook Middle School since 2008.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dahveed began his violin studies at the age of 5 at the Conservatory of Music’s “Programa de Cuerdas”. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Violin performance at Penn State University, and two Master’s Degrees: one in Viola Performance at Temple University and the second in School Administration at Touro College (New York City).

As a performer and music educator, Dahveed has had the privilege to study with many outstanding instrumental and orchestral directors. In NY and PA – Karen Dreyfus, Sidney Curtiss, James Lyon, Donald Hopkins, Raymond Page, Luis Biava, Douglas Meyer, Michael Jinbo, Joseph Primavera, Becky Brown, and Nancy and Jerry Bidlack. His lifetime of orchestral and quartet performances include performances and international tours, participating with Lower Merion, Bucks County, Symphony in C, Bridgeton, Lansdowne, Lower Merion, Altoona, Johnstown, Puerto Rico Chamber, Operaworks, Blue Hill Troupe, Liederkranz Chamber, Hunter College, North Carolina School of the Arts, Long Island Youth Symphony, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and the Young People’s Philharmonic.

Dahveed looks forward to a wonderful year of working with the amazing string students of the Ripieno string ensemble, as well as the amazing professional staff at YOBC!

Joe Shonis
Conductor, Concert Winds
JOE SHONIS has had the privilege of working with several music programs from across the country. With over 35 years of experience, his background includes being a conductor, director, performer, adjudicator, visual designer or consultant for concert bands, wind ensembles, jazz ensembles, marching bands, percussion ensembles, indoor programs, college bands and drum corps. His groups have consistently received superior ratings at the high school, middle school and elementary level. Individual students he has instructed have also been successful at the county, district, regional and all-state level.