aura Sherman
busytuning
The Santosha Trio
Joseph Monticello, flute
Chauncey Patterson, viola
Laura Sherman, harp
Joseph Monticello
Flute
Joseph Monticello’s playing has been praised by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal as “graceful” and for being as “exciting as the singers.” Equally at home on modern and historical flutes, Joseph is the principal flutist of Boston Baroque and assistant principal flutist with the Florida Grand Opera and Palm Beach Symphony.
As a frequent performer with Miami’s Nu Deco Ensemble, Joseph has shared the stage with many genre-defining artists, including Angélique Kidjo, Wyclef Jean, Kishi Bashi, Tank and the Bangas, Masego, Cory Wong, Cory Henry, Larkin Poe, and Luke James, and has been featured on several of their commercially-released albums, including the chart-topping “Paint the Roses” collaboration with Larkin Poe, which spent four weeks on the Classical, Classical Crossover, and Blues Billboard Charts. Joseph’s playing was also featured on the 2022 Disney film “Rosaline,” as well as the “Janitsch: Trio Sonatas” album by The Berlin Friday Academy.
In addition to a busy freelance career, Joseph is the Archivist of the New World Symphony, and is also a licensed performer of the Yamatogaku style of shamisen, the traditional Japanese three- stringed lute, having made his professional debut at the National Theatre of Japan under the given name of Yamato Josho (大和晟笙) in Spring 2023.
Joseph is a graduate of The Juilliard School, Oberlin Conservatory, and Interlochen Arts Academy.
Chauncey Patterson
Viola
Chauncey Patterson began his professional career at the age of 23 as Assistant Principal Viola of the Denver Symphony. He was eventually appointed Principal Viola by Music Director Phillipe Entremont, and his next post was Principal Viola of the Buffalo Philharmonic under the direction of Seymon Bychkov. During his stay in Buffalo, Mr. Patterson was offered and accepted the Viola position in the award winning Miami String Quartet. Following his tenure with the MSQ, he served as interim violist of the world renowned Fine Arts Quartet. He currently resides in Miami, Florida, where he serves as Solo Viola of the Florida Grand Opera.
Mr. Patterson’s faculty affiliations include: The Cleveland Institute of Music, Blossom School of Music, Kent State University, Hartt School of Music, Encore School for Strings, Eastern Music Festival, University of Charleston (W.V.), University of Denver, New World School of the Arts, Florida International University, and the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. He is currently chamber music faculty at Lynn University Conservatory of Music.
Mr. Patterson attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Curtis Institute, where he studied with Ann Woodward, Robert Vernon, Karen Tuttle and Michael Tree respectively.
Laura Sherman
Harp
Laura Sherman is a versatile harpist with extensive experience in classical, popular and commercial music. In 2019, she relocated to Miami from New York City, where she was a popular performer, teacher, writer, and editor for thirty-four years, including fifteen years as the original harpist with the Broadway production of "Wicked." She can also be heard on the “Hamilton” Broadway Cast Recording, as well as on recordings of Barbra Streisand, Meredith Monk, and numerous film scores.
Laura founded Gotham Harp Publishing in 2012 (which publishes transcriptions of early music and original new works for solo harp), holds four advanced degrees in music, specializes in playing J.S. Bach’s music on the pedal harp, is a frequent writer and guest editor for a number of harp publications, and has served as a judge for national harp competitions.
Currently, Laura teaches privately in-person and virtually, and specializes in audition and competition preparations for young harpists. She is also the Principal Harpist with the Palm Beach Symphony, Florida Grand Opera, Nu Deco Ensemble, Symphony of the Americas and Master Chorale of South Florida. Her website is www.busytuning.com.