meet our members:
Miracle Johnson is a Mississippi-based flutist currently earning her master’s degree at the University of Delaware. MJ graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Music Performance degree and a minor in Media and Entertainment Arts Management, where she studied with Dr. Danilo Mezzadri. While there, she won third place in the 2021 MTNA Solo Woodwinds Competition for the state of Mississippi. She served as principal for the USM Wind Ensemble and also performed with the USM Symphony Orchestra, Southern Miss Flute Choir, the undergraduate woodwind quintet Prismatic Winds, and many others.
Axel Ferguson is a first-year UD oboe performance master's student from Moline, Illinois. In high school, he participated in numerous honors bands including the ILMEA All-State Honors Band, University of Iowa Honors Band, and Augustana College Honors Band. In addition, he played for three years in the Quad City Youth Symphony, winning the ensemble's concerto competition and performing alongside the Quad City Symphony Orchestra in April 2019. In May 2023, he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BFA in oboe performance. While at CMU, he enjoyed performing in CMU's various ensembles, played in musical pits in the Pittsburgh area and beyond such as the College Light Opera Company in Falmouth, MA. He is looking forward to continuing his studies at UD, meeting new friends, and bettering himself as a musician.
Joe Gonzales is a Texan at heart. Having received his Bachelor's in Music in Applied Instrumental Performance at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, he employs the teachings of Dr. Timothy Bonenfant in his performance style. During his time at ASU, he has performed in multiple small ensembles including strings, mixed clarinets, as well as woodwind quintet. He has also played alongside the Air Force Band of the West for the San Angelo Fourth of July fireworks show and guest performed as a soloist for the opener and closer of an Emmanuel Episcopal Church service in San Angelo, Texas. In his spare time, Joe enjoys playing video games, watching movies, and writing and transcribing music for different instrumentations.
Noah Farnsworth (he/him) is a horn player from Charlotte, North Carolina. He completed an Honors Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Delaware in Spring 2023 and is returning to the University of Delaware in pursuit of a Master’s in music performance. He has one cat and, in addition to horn playing, is an avid choral musician. Other areas of interest include early twentieth-century repertoire (both for horn and otherwise), the performance of new works by local composers, and the various breakfast and brunch restaurants around Newark, Delaware. Recent highlights include performances with the University of Delaware Wind Ensemble in Prague at WASBE (2022) and with the Miami Beach Classical Music Festival (2023).
Austin AJ Perry (b.2000) is a true 21st century composer, full time student, bassoonist, and avid roller coaster enthusiast. You can use any pronouns to refer to them. AJ is inspired by the passage of time, the vastness of the West Texas landscape, and LGBTQ+ arts and culture. He has written for several groups across Texas including the Amorsima Trio, the Aruna Quartet, and the Texas Tech Saxophone Ensemble. He has also had performances of his works across the United States, including at the Texas Music Educators Association 2022 Convention and the 2023 North American Saxophone Biennial Conference. They have also performed on bassoon, contrabassoon, and heckelphone around the world from Roswell, Chicago, and New York, to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest.