ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

Dr. Fredara Hadley

Fredara Mareva Hadley, Ph.D. is an ethnomusicology professor at The Juilliard School. She specializes in researching, writing, and teaching African American music.  Committed to sharing knowledge about black music by any means possible, Dr. Hadley has been published in academic journals and outlets including Billboard and PBS. She's presented her research topics at universities at conferences both domestic and abroad. Her commentary is featured in projects including the BBC documentary Killing Me Softly: The Roberta Flack Story; PBS' docuseries, Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music. Her ongoing projects focus on the musical impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and on Shirley Graham DuBois, one of the earliest Black women musicologists and opera composers.

Cameren Anai Williams, a native of West Palm Beach, FL, is a third-year bachelor student studying viola performance at The Juilliard School as a recipient of the Jerome L. Greene fellowship. She was principal violist of the Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County Philharmonic Orchestra, principal violist in the New World Symphony Side-by-Side Orchestra, co-principal violist of the Principal Orchestra of Florida Youth Orchestra, assistant principal violist in the Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of the New York String Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Jaime Laredo, a member of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America under the baton of maestro Michael Tilson Thomas and currently plays with The Soulful Symphony and The Juilliard Orchestra. Cameren studies under the tutelage of Professor Carol Rodland.

Williams has competed in a number of different competitions in the nation and has placed in the American Protégé Competition (winner), Sarasota Young Artists Competition (4th place), South Florida Youth Solo Competition (winner), DSOA Concerto Competition (winner) and the Omega Psi Phi Talent Hunt (winner of the district, state and regional levels). As a result of her winnings, she has soloed with the Palm Beach Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, ViolaFest Miami Orchestra, and the DSOA Philharmonic. Cameren’s future goal is to become a professional violist focused on chamber and orchestral performance while maintaining a teaching position at a university or conservatory. Cameren’s foundation, CamAnai Strings, makes affordable yet high quality instruments for students who have the talent but lack the financial resources to purchase an instrument (www.CamAnaiStrings.org). Cameren currently plays on a 1980 “Kinu Inge” Hiroshi Iizuka traditional 16 1⁄2 viola. Mr. Iizuka made this viola paying homage to his oldest daughter, Kinu Inge.

Shereen Pimentel

Shereen Pimentel is a recent graduate of the Juilliard School. Her theater roles include: Maria in West Side Story (Broadway); Young Nala in The Lion King (Broadway); Road Show (Encores! Off-Center); Rapunzel in Into the Woods (Juilliard). She is also featured in John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch (Netflix).