About

Born in New York and raised in Taiwan, clarinetist and arts leader Samuel Hsieh brings a cross-cultural perspective to every aspect of his work. A passionate advocate for representation and community-building in classical music, Samuel is the Founder and CEO of East Zodiac, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that commissions and promotes music by Asian composers inspired by the Chinese zodiac. Since its founding in 2022, East Zodiac has premiered multiple new works, led national consortiums, and presented at institutions including Yale University, the University of Michigan, Indiana University, Furman University, and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. In 2025, Samuel received the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance Breaking Ground Award for his work with East Zodiac.

Samuel currently serves as the Learning Coordinator, Operations at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, supporting the Community & Learning department in producing educational programs and public events. He also maintains a large private clarinet studio in Southeast Michigan, where he leads a team of teachers providing quality instruction across multiple school districts.

As a performer, Samuel has appeared across North America, Asia, and Europe, including performances at Carnegie Hall, ClarinetFest, and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. He has been a featured soloist with the Furman Symphony Orchestra, University of Michigan Symphony Band, and University Philharmonia Orchestra, and has performed as a substitute musician with the Baton Rouge Symphony. Samuel is especially drawn to collaborative and cross-cultural programming, often performing works by underrepresented composers and commissioning new music.

He holds a Specialist in Music degree and a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan and Louisiana State University, respectively, and a Bachelor of Music from Furman University, where he was named a Presser Scholar in 2020. His principal teachers include Cecilia Kang, Stacy Christofakis, Dan Gilbert, and Chad Burrow. Outside of music, he enjoys cooking, traveling, and exploring local culture through its cuisine.

Born and raised in South Carolina, Vanna Tsiknias is a clarinetist and educator. She received her Master of Music from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Spring of 2023 where she studied with Dr. Janice Minor. She previously completed her undergraduate degree in music education at Furman University in Greenville, SC under Dr. Cecilia Kang and Dr. Anastasia Christofakis. Having spent her junior year in Arezzo, Italy she also studied with Gianluca Piomboni as well as attended master classes taught by Markus Stockhausen and Sergio Bossi at the Rossini Conservatory in Pesaro, Italy.

Vanna currently teaches 4th and 5th grade band at two elementary schools in the Northern Virginia area. She enjoys teaching young musicians, introducing them to the joys of music making with others while also helping them to find their own place in the music world. She is inspired everyday by their excitement and curiosity to learn which carries over to her own performing and teaching. Vanna has also taught private clarinet lessons for 5 years throughout Greenville, SC and Urbana- Champaign, IL and now in the Northern Virginia area. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, playing tennis and pickleball, and spending time with her cat, Oreo.

Born in Genova, Italy, and raised outside of Syracuse, NY, Sean Penzo is a composer, cellist, and writer known for a wide range of collaborations and compositions. He has held board positions in Ethos New Music Society and The Improv. Collective, among others. Penzo has composed for ensembles which have performed and recorded his music internationally including Sonic Apricity, Akropolis Reed Quintet, and Quartetto Zuena. His most recent writing work has involved writing the libretto for Mateo Wojtczack’s, “Hero’s Awakening”, and the blog, Musician Coop. During his undergrad at SUNY Fredonia, he studied composition with Paul Coleman, Andrew Martin Smith, Rob Deemer, and Jamie Leigh Sampson, and cello with Natasha Farny. After Fredonia, he studied with Keith Fitch and Bryan Dumm in Cleveland, and graduated with a master's in music composition.

Penzo values performance just as much as composition. He enjoys working with live bands and playing the role of a studio musician--often recording remotely for clients of all genres. His recent endeavors have involved working with Shane Patterson, Todd Hobin, Isa Bruder, and The Junk Experiment. Currently based in Pittsburgh, PA, he regularly performs, records, and premieres works written by other composers.

Faye Lu is a passionate musician and educator currently working toward dual master's degrees in Percussion Performance and Chamber Music Performance at the University of Michigan, along with a Certificate in World Performance Studies. She enjoys growing as a percussionist through her classes, lessons, and time spent playing in a variety of ensembles. Some highlights from Faye's musical journey include premiering "The Forest of Metal Objects" at The Met Cloisters in New York, under the direction of her professor Douglas Perkins, as well as going on an outreach tour and giving clinics with the University of Michigan Symphony Band. She’s also had the chance to perform with the Central Washington University Symphony Orchestra at the 2024 WMEA Conference, played in a master class for Professor Gwendolyn Dease at the Northwest Percussion Festival, and toured with her studio for the Yakima Symphony Orchestra Sempre Chamber Program, led by Professor Joshua Gianola. During her undergraduate years, Faye was also honored to receive the Presser Scholarship. And as a teacher, she has taught front ensemble at the high school level, worked with kids at summer music literacy camps, and currently serves as both a mentor and ensemble manager for the Michigan Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Sharing music that brings comfort and tells stories means a lot to Faye. She teams up with friends to offer informal recitals and mini-concerts, hoping to connect with more people in her community. She loves trying out new chamber music arrangements and performing pieces her friends have written, finding joy in the bond that music helps bring. Recently, she has been exploring her Taiwanese heritage by drumming in lion dance traditions. Growing up in Taipei then the United States and being exposed to many musical styles, Faye aspires to help bring more diverse voices and stories into the music world. She looks forward to continuing teaching and organizing community concerts, making live music welcoming and accessible to everyone.