Rising Stars performers at the festival’s debut in 2024

From Desert Roots to Rising Stars

BY KENDALL HARDIN / PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BILL THOMAS

The Desert Roots Rising Stars Festival—featuring a weeklong musical extravaganza—returns after its spectacular summer debut last year.

Concerts boast a dazzling repertoire of beloved classical masterpieces, contemporary favorites and even a colorful splash of pop-rock composers.

What makes this festival unique is the integration of six professional artists from today’s new wave of classical superstars—musicians who have roots in Las Vegas and return to perform shoulder to shoulder with the next generation of aspiring artists in Southern Nevada.

Concertizing again in this year’s star lineup are violinist Liam Mansfield, violinist Scott Jackson, violist Omar Shelley and cellist Jeremy Russo, joined by newcomers violinist Alex Gonzalez and bassist-orchestra conductor Tyler Gordon.

In addition to performing in concert with Rising Stars students, these accomplished musicians mentor and inspire young musicians both on and off stage through workshops, master classes and one-on-one coaching during a week of intense rehearsals.

“Desert Roots Rising Stars was created to support aspiring students through the extraordinary challenges they encounter as they develop their careers on the world stage,” said Shakeh Ghoukasian, founder and executive director of the Desert Roots Rising Stars Festival.

“The festival encourages talented string players to learn directly from professional artists who are in demand as top orchestral members and touring artists.

“Young artists must learn to master their technical skills and enhance their knowledge of musical interpretation and concert protocol. They welcome expert advice and practical strategies from artists they admire and trust, who can help them advance their careers.”

In a city where ticket prices for live entertainment keep skyrocketing, it is astounding that admission to the festival is free, with performances throughout the valley at a variety of accessible venues, making them the perfect family-friendly entertainment for audiences of all ages.

This year’s festival performances will light up the following venues:

• Rita Deanin Abbey Museum: Tuesday, June 10, at 7 p.m.; 5850 N. Park St. (off Northwest Ann Road)
• FreyBoy Art Salon: Thursday, June 12, at 7 p.m.; 4044 Dean Martin Drive
• Christ Church Episcopal: Friday, June 13, at 2 p.m. (Student Chamber Music Concert), Saturday, June 14, at 2 p.m. (Student Chamber Orchestra Concert Finale); 2000 S. Maryland Parkway

In addition to offering free entertainment for the local community, the festival supports affordable, scholarship-driven training for young musicians throughout Southern Nevada, ensuring that young talent, regardless of financial background, has access to the highest-caliber training and performance opportunities.

Businesses and individuals can underwrite scholarships, sponsor festival concerts, adopt a young musician, become valued volunteers, or join as a Friend of the Festival—all ways to engage new audiences and prepare the next generation of Rising Stars in the Vegas Valley.

                        
Desert Roots Rising Stars
info@desertrootsrisingstars.org
702-580-9086

Shakeh’s 10,000-Mile Musical Journey

Accomplished violinist Shakeh Ghoukasian—the creative dynamo behind the Desert Roots Rising Stars Festival—started her musical studies when she was just 6 years old at the prestigious Tchaikovsky Music School in Armenia, a country at that time “behind the Iron Curtain.”

As a teenager, she immigrated with her parents and younger sister to Los Angeles in 1979, where she mastered English while attending public school. She remembers her father buying a piano for his daughters before the family bought their first car in America.

Fast forward to 1991, when she graduated from UNLV with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music. Since 1998, she has held the position of principal second violinist of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and performs with the Phil’s Principals Quartet to present educational outreach and chamber music concerts.

She also regularly plays in orchestras supporting ballet and opera performances, as well as in countless recording sessions and concerts with classical, jazz, rock, and pop stars on and off the Strip.

For 14 years, she was the driving force behind the Nevada School of the Arts, where she launched programs such as:

• Musical Crossroads: Showcasing classical guest artists crossing over into Latin and jazz genres for Clark County schools
• Kids2Kids: Concerts performed by students for students, wildly embraced by students and administrators alike
• Jazz Initiative: Modeled on the groundbreaking prototype spearheaded by Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center
• In 2021, she founded The String Connection and The String Connection Virtual Violin Festival, providing transformational training for advanced violin and viola students ages 15-20. She also established a Suzuki Talent Education Program for very young budding musicians.
• Last year, she single-handedly pulled together the first Desert Roots Rising Stars Festival, which was embraced by the community.

Concert artist, orchestra principal, master teacher and respected adjudicator throughout the country—she continues to be a major player not only in classical music but in all genres.

Perhaps her greatest accomplishment of all is reflected in her extraordinary students, who have garnered top awards at national competitions and now perform at prestigious camps, festivals and major orchestras across the country.

With her as their guide, they have blossomed into accomplished professional musicians and, most importantly, beautiful human beings on the world stage.

And her journey continues!