March 21 – Beethoven 200: Returning to the Source – ZaRiah Woodwind Quintet

A world-class emerging ensemble, ZaRiah is a collaboration of multifaceted artists passionate about creating performances that are both artistically compelling and deeply human. ZaRiah is the Grand Prize winner of the 2026 Fischoff National Chamber Music competition, an honor that has not been won by a wind quintet in nearly three decades.

Known for their vibrant energy and genuine connection with audiences, the ensemble brings afresh and engaging approach to the chamber music world. The ensemble recently earned First Prize at the Frances Walton Chamber Music Competition presented by the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle (LMC), marking the first wind quintet to ever win this competition.

ZaRiah is the 2026 Artist-in-Residence with the Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City. In 2025, ZaRiah was in residence at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, where they presented multiple concerts featuring a diverse selection of repertoire. This summer, ZaRiah will be in residence as Shouse Artists for the 2026 Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival in Southfield, Michigan.

Members of ZaRiah have performed and toured extensively all over the world to countries suchas China, Korea, France, Germany, Austria, England, as well as Prague, and have also toured with Broadway productions. In addition, ZaRiah’s members are accomplished orchestral musicians, having performed with ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Artosphere Festival Orchestra, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and Charleston Symphony Orchestra, among numerous others.

At the center of ZaRiah’s work is a belief that chamber music is most powerful when it feels personal. Whether performing masterworks, collaborating with living composers, or introducing music to new audiences, ZaRiah is dedicated to creating experiences that invite listeners in and leave a lasting connection.

Formed at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, ZaRiah’s founding members – Katelyn, Ben, AJ, and Oved Rico – have since built varied careers, with AJ serving as the Principal Bassoon of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. In 2025, they were joined by Jamison, the Acting Second Oboe of the Charlotte Symphony and, in 2026, Braydon Ross stepped into Oved’s shoes.

With three out of the five members being first-generation college students and three members being from the rural south, the group is dedicated to increasing music accessibility in underserved communities.

Ben Smith, flute

Originally from Monroe, Georgia, Ben Smith is an orchestral flutist, chamber musician, and writer. As a soloist and chamber musician, Ben has performed on major stages across France, Italy, Germany, Canada, and South Korea. He is a regular substitute musician with multiple orchestras and is a founding member of the award-winning wind quintet, ZaRiah. Ben has performed on concert series presented by the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle, Bang on a Can, and Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City. His past festival engagements include the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute, Festival International de Musique Classique à Puget, and Orford Musique. This past summer, he was in residence as a fellow at the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

As a writer, Ben was the featured guest author in the April 2023 edition of The Flute Examiner magazine, where he wrote about his time studying abroad in Korea. He served as a blogger on behalf of Oberlin College’s Office of Admissions during his four years as a student, and continues to write about music and performance on his personal website.

Ben earned his master’s degree at the Yale School of Music under the tutelage of Tara Helen O’Connor and received his bachelor’s degree studying with Alexa Still at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. During his time at Oberlin, Ben studied abroad in Seoul, South Korea where he studied with Minji Kim and Seonah Jang. Ben previously studied with Kelly Via at the Atlanta Music Academy.

Beyond the concert hall, Ben creates video game OST arrangements under the alias ‘fluteyloops.’ He has amassed over 180,000 listeners on Spotify, and enjoys finding and listening to new soundtracks.

Jamison Hillian, oboe

Jamison Hillian is an accomplished oboist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. A member of the award-winning chamber ensemble ZaRiah, he has appeared in performances presented by the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle, Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City, and the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra Chamber Concert Series. A passionate orchestral performer, Jamison recently completed a two-year appointment with the Charlotte Symphony.

As a soloist, Jamison has appeared as a guest artist with the Astral Artists recital series and performed as a soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra in a performance of Sinfonia Concertante by Joseph Haydn. His chamber music career has taken him throughout the United States and abroad, including a recent tour of the greater Seattle area with ZaRiah, featuring chamber performances and a live broadcast with Classical KING. He has also toured extensively throughout southeastern China alongside pianist Yang Yang Ruan and collegues from the Curtis Institute of Music.

In addition to his performing career, Jamison is a dedicated educator whose students have earned scholarships as well as placements in state-wide All-State programs. He currently serves as Oboe Faculty at Queens University of Charlotte while maintaining a private teaching studio. His teaching experience also includes collaborations with the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra, guest residencies throughout the Charlotte–Mecklenburg area, and a previous faculty appointment at Vivo Music Academy in Houston.

Jamison earned his Bachelor’s of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and his Master’s of Music Degree from Rice University Shepherd School of Music.  He studied with Richard Woodhams and Robert Atherholt, respectively. Outside of music, he enjoys cooking, traveling, singing, and songwriting.

Katelyn Poetker, clarinet

Born in Monroe, Louisiana, clarinetist Katelyn Waffer Poetker showcases “nuance and precision” (Santa Barbara Independent) through her playing. A passionate chamber musician, Katelyn has performed for series such as the Mariposa Concert Series in Santa Barbara, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle. Katelyn is a founding member of ZaRiah.

An established orchestral musician, Katelyn has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, Artosphere Festival Orchestra, Akron Symphony, New World Symphony, amongst numerous others. During her time at Music Academy of the West, she won the Keston MAX competition and received the honor of her residency with the London Symphony Orchestra. Recently, she reunited with members of the LSO for a performance of the Mozart Clarinet Quintet in Santa Barbara, CA.

As an educator, her students have received acceptance into summer festivals across the nation, and went on to study at major music programs. She has taught lessons for Oberlin College and Conservatory, as well as Yale University. She is a proud first-generation college student, and is committed to increasing music accessibility in underserved communities.

Katelyn is a graduate of the Yale School of Music, as well as the Oberlin Conservatory. She is very grateful for the mentorship and guidance of David Shifrin, Richard Hawkins, and Emil Khudyev.

In her free time Katelyn enjoys singing in gospel choir, and spending time with her French bulldog Gizmo.

Braydon Ross, French horn

Braydon Ross is a horn fellow with the New World Symphony and Assistant Principal/Utility Horn of the Sarasota Orchestra. Previously, he was a member of the Santa Cruz Symphony, Stockton Symphony, and Orchestra Next.

Pursuing his wide interests beyond the orchestra, Braydon has performed as a chamber musician at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, and Tianjin Julliard’s 2025 symposium. While at Yale, Braydon formed a horn quartet that premiered a new work at the 2024 International Horn Symposium, won the 2025 HIS quartet competition, and reached finals of the 2025 Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition.

Braydon is also passionate about the fantastic solo repertoire for the horn. His accomplishments as a soloist include prizes at the 2025 International Horn Society’s Premiere Soloist Competition, the 2024 International Horn Competition of America’s University Division, and the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra Instrumental Competition.

Deeply committed to music education, Braydon was a Teaching Artist with the Music in Schools initiative at Yale, taught lessons to Yale undergraduate students, and taught for the MusicLab program in Miami. Similarly, he taught lessons at the Pacific Community Music School and Pacific’s Summer Institute during his undergraduate studies. He has also been a staff member of the Cormont Horn Camp.

Braydon has a master’s degree from the Yale School of Music, studying with William Purvis, and a bachelor’s degree in music education and horn performance from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, studying with Sadie Glass.

AJ Neubert, bassoon

Originally from Buffalo, New York, AJ Neubert is currently the Principal Bassoonist of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra.

AJ has performed as guest principal bassoonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Charleston Symphony Orchestra, while also having performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Artosphere Festival Orchestra. AJ has spent multiple summers as a bassoon fellow with the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Massachusetts. A chamber music enthusiast, AJ has performed on many chamber music series, including the Colburn Chamber Music Series, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and Ladies Music Club of Seattle. AJ is a Founding member of ZaRiah.

He received a bachelor’s degree from the Oberlin Conservatory, studying with Drew Pattison, as well as a Performance Studies Certificate at The Colburn School, studying with Richard Beene. While at Oberlin, AJ had the honor of placing in several national and international competitions, such as the National Bassoon Excerpt Competition and the International Double Reed Society’s Norma Hooks Young Artist Competition.

Aside from music, AJ enjoys gaming, playing golf, and spending time with his French bulldog Gizmo.