Kate Kayaian
Cellist and Bermuda Philharmonic Society Board President Kate Kayaian is known for her stunning artistry and for her passion for communicating through music. She maintains a rigorous schedule balancing her solo and chamber music performances with her various teaching projects.
She also performs and records regularly with such acclaimed ensembles as the GRAMMY award-winning group Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and has had the honor of working with the world’s most esteemed conductors and proponents of contemporary music: Pierre Boulez, Oliver Knussen, and Michael Tilson-Thomas.
Originally from Chicago, IL, Kate later studied with Colin Carr at the New England Conservatory of Music. Subsequently, she won a three-year fellowship with the New World Symphony where she performed as principal cellist under the baton of Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas. She has spent summers performing in the Spoleto (USA), Tanglewood, Killington, and Bowdoin Summer Music Festivals, and is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Virtual Summer Cello Festival and the Bridge Online Cello Studio.
She lives in Hamilton with her husband Paul, and teaches cello and chamber music at the Bermuda School of Music.
Matthew Kitson
Born in Bermuda, Matt first picked up the violin in year 4 at Warwick Academy under his music teacher Ms. Trembley. He continued playing in School throughout his move to Asheville, North Carolina where he would go on to play for 3 years in the Asheville Youth Symphony Orchestra under a conductor by the name of Ron Clearfield. Matt fell in love with playing in an orchestra during this time, and while he stopped playing during his time Virgina Tech he picked it up again after moving back to Bermuda and joining the Bermuda Philharmonic.
As a member of the board Matt hopes to not only be a part of the rebuilding of the full orchestra, but also to help create more opportunities for Bermudians young and old to get involved in the musical world.
Ryan Beauchamp
Dr. Ryan Beauchamp, an accomplished performer, educator, and arts leader, has a passion for engaging with communities through music. Currently, he is the Suzuki Strings Director at the Bermuda School of Music and recently joined the Bermuda Philharmonic Society as both a member of the board and principal violist.
Prior to his appointments in Bermuda, he held faculty and leadership positions at the University of Illinois Music Academy, Renaissance Arts Academy, and Millikin University. Past performance engagements include the Texas and Green Mountain Music Festivals, along with the Camerata Illinois, and Sinfonia da Camera ensembles. Dr. Beauchamp holds degrees in music performance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Indiana University, and East Carolina University.
In his spare time, he enjoys writing and snorkeling.
Divan Steyn
Divan is a Senior Manager at Deloitte currently working in their Risk Advisory and Insurance Audit practice. He is a music enthusiast and amateur player who has been playing the violin from the age of 13.
Originally from South Africa (Johannesburg) he played in the Pretoria Youth orchestra, relocated to Bermuda in 2016 and joined Bermuda’s music scene in 2019 by signing up to play for the Menuhin Adult Orchestra. Divan has also played with the Bermuda Philharmonic Orchestra.
Eric Cabral
Eric is a Senior Analyst at Validus Reinsurance, Ltd. Eric started playing violin when he was 7 years old as part of the Menuhin school outreach and played with all levels of the Menuhin orchestras. When he returned from university, he joined the Menuhin Adult Orchestra and the Bermuda Philharmonic Orchestra.
Cheresa Lemaire
Cheresa joined the Bermuda Philharmonic Board in 2019 and has assumed the role of Communications and Social Media coordinator. She picked up the violin for the first time in grade 4, thanks to the Bermuda Menuhin Foundation’s school outreach program. Her passion for classical music followed her through her school education and she passed the ABRSM Grade 8 exam in her last year of highschool. Her musical studies in Bermuda have granted her opportunities to perform with internationally acclaimed artists such as Mark Wood, Bond String Quartet, and with conductor Charles Peltz.
Today, Cheresa is a young professional in Bermuda’s reinsurance industry but continues to foster her love for music by playing with the Menuhin Adult Orchestra and Bermuda Philharmonic Orchestra.