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Program:

Join Sacred Geometry Duo, cellist Ryan Phipps and pianist Anastasia Maksiuta, for a tale of musical enchantment featuring works by Hindemith, Janáček, and Rachmaninov.

Exploring the fantastical and visionary worlds of these seminal masterworks, the program traces the timeless arc of the heroic journey: boundless courage, the pursuit of love, perseverance in the face of sure defeat, and the discovery of the hero within. The piano becomes a world-builder, conjuring vivid landscapes and compelling characters, while the cello takes center stage as protagonist in a magical odyssey of passion, conflict, and romantic intrigue.

Based in Los Angeles, Maksiuta and Phipps bring extensive international performance experience and a wealth of orchestral and chamber music expertise to one magical evening in Bird Studio.

About Sacred Geometry Duo

Cellist Ryan Phipps is a diverse artist and educator based in Los Angeles. Ryan has performed in master classes with artists such as Mark Summer (Turtle Island Quartet), Brant Taylor (Chicago Symphony), Julie Albers (New England Conservatory), Pacifica Quartet, JACK Quartet, and Trio Solisti. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Cello Performance from Marshall University, a Master of Music Degree in Cello Performance from West Virginia University and an Artist Diploma from California State University Fullerton. He has also studied orchestral repertoire with Gloria Lum (Los Angeles Philharmonic). 

An avid chamber musician, Ryan has performed with many ensembles throughout his career. As a member of the award-winning Montani Quartet at WVU, Ryan taught and performed at the prestigious Interlochen Fine Arts Camp in 2019. Ryan is a founding member of Talon Quartet and the principal cellist of Orchestra Collective of Orange County (Brea, CA). He also performs as a section member in several local ensembles including Whittier Regional Orchestra (Whittier, CA), Shekinah Ensemble (Anaheim, CA), Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (Los Angeles, CA), and Liminal Voices and Orchestra (Los Angeles, CA). He is deeply passionate about new music and has premiered many works throughout his career. You can hear Ryan on the strings track for Peso Pluma debut performance at the 2023 Video Music Awards. He also moonlights as violist and keyboardist with local indie band, Linen. 

As an educator, Ryan is focused on his growing studio, CelloLab LA. Additionally, he teaches cello lessons and coaches chamber music at 91����, he is an Artist Teacher with Harmony Project, and he directs the Intermezzo Orchestra and Middle School Chamber Ensemble at Sinai Akiba Academy. Ryan has served as faculty and guest artist at the West Virginia Governor School for the Arts and was a faculty member at Renaissance Arts Academy. Ryan primary teachers have been Cynthia Puls, Dr. Solen Dikener, Dr. Erin Ellis, Bongshin Ko, and Daniel Rothmuller. In his free time, Ryan enjoys live music and comedy, traveling, learning about philosophy and cosmology, and craft beer.

Anastasia Maksiuta is an internationally acclaimed classical pianist whose performances have brought her to distinguished stages throughout Europe and the United States. A laureate of numerous international competitions, she has received top prizes at competitions including Concorso Fortini (Italy), the International Piano Competition of Sergey Rachmaninov (Germany), the International Scriabin Competition in Paris, and Stars at Rhine in Basel, Switzerland, among others. Her success in Basel was followed by a prize award of a solo recital presented by AMG Agency in Basel. 

Maksiuta has appeared in renowned concert halls including the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, where she performed Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra as part of the charity gala �All for Autism.� She has also performed in the Great, Small, and Rachmaninov Halls of the Moscow Conservatory, the International House of Music in Moscow, Volkshaus Basel, Kongresų rūmai in Vilnius, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in Maryland. 

Her international concert activity includes a solo tour across Germany and performances within the Moscow Philharmonic cultural initiatives. She was featured in Ilya and Emilia Kabakov international art project Ship of Tolerance, performing in New York (2013) and Chicago (2019). 

In 2018, she released her debut classical album, PIANO, featuring works by Chopin, Debussy, and Rachmaninov. 

A graduate of the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory, Maksiuta earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Maryland under Professor Larissa Dedova. 

In addition to her classical career, Anastasia is also active as a recording pop artist (NASTIIA) and songwriter. A graduate of the Los Angeles Academy for Artists and Music Production (LAAMP), founded by the Grammy-winning producers Stargate, she continues to explore composition/production and songwriting as part of For The Birds Music alongside her classical career.

For any questions or more information, please contact music@oxy.edu