Sectional Coaches

PACO is honored to have a diverse mix of professional musicians from around the Bay Area assist in coaching sectionals for all five ensembles. All have been trained at the highest levels at conservatories and music schools from around the country and beyond.

Kayo Miki, violin

Kayo Jane Miki is a violinist. Born in Nanaimo, British Columbia, she began her violin studies at age nine. As a high school student she earned her diploma from the Interlochen Arts Academy and then completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music. She has participated in the Salzburg Music Festival, Holtzhauser Musiktage Festspiele, Heidelberger Schlossfestspiele, Sapporo Pacific Music Festival, Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society Festival, San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival and Banff Festival of the Arts.

Dr. James Lin, cello

Dr. Lin has orchestral experience with Milwaukee Symphony, Madison Symphony Orchestra, New Haven Symphony, Modesto Symphony, Fresno Symphony, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, I Musici de Montreal. Orchestral, solo and chamber performances have taken him throughout the North America and Europe. His performances have ranged widely from performing with members of the Emerson String Quartet to sharing stage with Jazz legend Arturo Sandoval to international concerts and recordings with The Yale Cellos. Dr. Lin has held fellowships at Banff, Orford, Musicorda, Spoleto, and Norfolk festivals. His major mentors were Uri Vardi, Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot and Colin Carr.

Ed Wharton, viola

Ed Wharton is an active freelance violist and educator who is a member of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, Reno Philharmonic, and maintains private studios in Oakland and San Jose, in addition to serving as a coach for the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, Young People's Symphony Orchestra, and Berkeley High School. Mr. Wharton is an alumnus of the San Francisco Academy Orchestra program and The Boston Conservatory.

Thomas Alexander, violin

Thomas Alexander started the violin at the age of four after he was captivated by the magic and splendor of The Nutcracker. He studied violin performance at UCSD, then moved to San Francisco, and played with many community and professional orchestras near and around San Francisco. He spent 15 years working with the San Francisco Civic Symphony Association, serving on the board, playing concertmaster in multiple groups, and starting numerous ensembles including "Mozart to Mendelssohn,” "Civic Strings," and "Civic Pops." It was through this organization that he started conducting in earnest, leading Civic Strings and Mozart to Mendelssohn, and guest conducting the San Francisco Civic Symphony. Thomas also founded impromptuSF as Music Director.

Julie Kim, violin

Ms. Kim began her career with the acclaimed Franciscan String Quartet, which was awarded the Wardwell Fellowship at Yale University to study with the Tokyo String Quartet and won first prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition. Also awarded the Press Prize and the City of Evian Prize at the Evian International String Quartet Competition, the Franciscan Quartet went on to become the resident string quartet at Dartmouth College and toured throughout Europe, Canada and the United States. Ms. Kim has participated in the Aspen, Norfolk and Banff Music Festivals and has studied with the Julliard, Cleveland, Emerson, and Vermeer String Quartets. She has attended the New York String Seminar under Alexander Schneider and has performed with Isaac Stern and Yo-Yo Ma at Carnegie Hall and at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Ms. Kim performs extensively with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, among others throughout the country. With the Skywalker Sound Orchestra, she has recorded music for motion pictures and video games. She was the Assistant Concertmaster with the Sarasota Opera for the 2018 Winter Season. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of David Abel.

Isabella Amador, violin

Isabella Amador (she/her) is a violinist and violin teacher based in Palo Alto, California. In the past year, Isabella has won positions with the Symphony San Jose and the Berkeley Symphony, and performs regularly with several other Bay Area orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Ballet, and Santa Cruz Symphony. She is passionate about chamber music and especially loves performing recently-composed works. As the former first violinist of the Converge String Quartet, she worked directly with composers, performing and recording many of their works for the first time. She received her B.M. and M.M. in violin performance at the University of Michigan, where she studied under the tutelage of Danielle Belen and Fabiola Kim. She performed as concertmaster of both U-M university orchestras, as well as the campus orchestra for non-music majors.

Daniel Murguia, bass

Daniel Murguia has played in settings ranging from rock, jukebox, and concept style musicals, classical and contemporary composed music, as well as symphonic works and chamber music. While inexperienced with the genre, he enjoys jazz standards and afro cuban music with San Jose State ensembles. As a PACO alum and frequent coach and performer, he strives to bring the message of plays well with others to every ensemble he is in. He doubles on both acoustic bass as well as four and six string electric bass. Daniel teaches private lessons for Double Bass and has been involved teaching sectionals for double bass and cello at various high school and middle schools in the area as well as with the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra summer workshops and the San Jose State Summer in the City summer camp. In addition, he also freelances as a performer in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

Silvio Rocha, viola

Silvio Rocha has been playing viola for over a decade and only recently has taken up the violin. He received his Bachelor of Music from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he was the violist for the Resident String Quartet. As well as playing in various orchestras across the bay, Silvio is currently the head music librarian for San Jose Youth Symphony and South Valley Symphony.

Lauren Wagener, violin

Lauren Wagener is a current San Jose State student pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies Teacher Preparation, with plans to go into a Masters and Credential program for Elementary Education starting in January 2026. She is also completing a Music Minor at San Jose State, studying under Dr. Catalina Barraza. Lauren currently performs in the Cambrian Symphony and the SJSU Symphony Orchestra as well as various chamber ensembles in the South Bay. In addition to her performance career, she has a large private studio and leads violin sectionals at Bay Area schools including Castillero Middle School. She hopes to continue helping students grow in their knowledge and in their love for music.

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