Location: Harry Cornell Art & Entertainment Complex
Time: 7:00PM
Joshua Brown, violin
Leland Ko, cello
Evren Ozel, piano
The Oak Trio is a convergence of three completely unique personalities into one entity: a pianist who transfixes with his complete mastery over sound, time, and space; a violinist who finds a dazzling truth and freedom in the fusion of his instrument and his voice; and a cellist who restlessly questions, digs deep, and wonders what it all means.
The trio was born in the fall of 2024 in Boston out of a mutual love for chamber music — both the music itself and what the genre brings out of each of us — and strives to live by the proverbial belief that a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It is from this idea that the trio derives its name, inspired by the diverse elements that come together to form the mighty oak tree. As oak is the national tree of at least 15 different countries, it symbolizes not just the canonical strength and endurance but also a culture shared between us all.
Evren Ozel
American pianist Evren Ozel has been described as “an absolute wow” (Third Coast Review) and “an artist capable of lifting everyone to another level” (La Scena Musicale). He is the Bronze Medalist of the 2025 Van Cliburn Competition, where he also won the Mozart Concerto Prize, and the recipient of a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant. His debut album of Mozart Concertos with RSO-Wien and Howard Griffiths was BBC Music Magazine’s “Album of the Week” in September 2025. He has appeared as soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Florida Orchestra, and is a 2024-27 Bowers Program Artist for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Joshua Brown
Violinist Joshua Brown has been praised by audiences and critics worldwide for his “richness of sound, elegance of reading…commitment of every moment at the service of the work…” (La Libre). Joshua was awarded a 2025 Avery Fisher Career Grant, and gained international attention after winning the 2nd Prize and both Audience Awards at the 2024 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. Joshua was first recognized for his debut performance with the Cleveland Orchestra and has gone on to perform regularly with orchestras around the world. An equally passionate recitalist and chamber musician, Joshua is a 2027-30 Bowers Program Artist at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Leland Ko
Nicknamed “the storyteller” and “a daring prince” by the media during his time at the Queen Elisabeth Competition, cellist Leland Ko is a first prize winner of the Walter W. Naumburg International Cello Competition, an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, and a third prize winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. Leland was a long-time student of Kirsten Peltz, Ronald Lowry, and Paul Katz before attending Princeton University, where he graduated with an A.B. in German Literature. He went on to complete an M.M. at The Juilliard School under the teaching of Minhye Clara Kim, Timothy Eddy, and Natasha Brofsky, and then earned an Artist Diploma from the New England Conservatory under guidance of Laurence Lesser, Yeesun Kim, and Donald Weilerstein. He resides in Boston, with his 14-year-old cat, Ham.
Emlyn currently serves as Creative Director of Pro Musica. Emlyn’s background as a classically trained flutist, educator, and presenter eventually led her to Missouri, where she taught in the music department at Missouri State University and was the Executive Director for Pro Musica from 2021 – 2023. She is the co-director of the American Wild Ensemble and performs regularly around the state and beyond, and is an adjunct instructor of Flute at UMKC Conservatory in Kansas City, MO. Emlyn holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music and holds additional degrees from Eastman and the University of Michigan. She is responsible for creative and artistic aspects of Pro Musica and guides the selection process of concerts, reporting to the Board of Directors
Joani serves as the incoming Executive Director of Pro Musica, bringing more than 17 years of executive leadership experience across nonprofit governance, arts education innovation, K-12 and postsecondary education development, public and private funding strategy, legal compliance, and organizational growth. A nationally recognized school founder and non-profit executive, she has secured millions in public and private funding, built high-performing organizations from the ground up, and guided boards through periods of transformation, scale, and long-term sustainability at the local, state, and national levels.
Joani is the founder and former Board President of Doral Academy of Nevada, where she led the creation and expansion of an arts-integrated school system now serving over 5,000 students, transforming community frustration over the loss of arts education into an award-winning model of creative excellence.
Originally from the 4-States area, with Slovenian grandparents, she has worked nationally gaining a professional background that includes serving in varying roles including President of nonprofits, Director of Operations, Director of Law & Policy, Director of Grants, Director of Marketing, and senior executive advisor roles. Joani is known for aligning missions with measurable impact while bridging vision, governance, and execution. Her work is rooted in the belief that the arts are not an accessory to education or community life, but a catalyst for connection, economic vitality, and generational change.
As Executive Director of Pro Musica, Joani brings a bold, forward-focused approach centered on organizational excellence, financial sustainability, expanded community engagement, and the elevation of Pro Musica’s role as a cultural cornerstone. She leads with clarity, courage, and collaboration while committed to honoring Pro Musica’s legacy as we build the next chapter with strength and momentum.
