H+H Stone Fellowship

Los Angeles-born violinist Eliana Estrada began her musical journey at age four with fiddle music. Her passion for historical performance took root at Oberlin College and Conservatory (BM), where she began studying baroque violin and served as concertmaster of the baroque ensemble. She continued her focus at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (MM), again leading the baroque ensemble as concertmaster and winning their 2023 and 2024 baroque concerto competitions. At SFCM, she also served as a teaching assistant for the Pre-College Baroque Ensemble.

Eliana's principal teachers have included Marilyn McDonald, Joseph Maile, Cordula Merks, and Vijay Gupta. She is currently pursuing further studies in baroque violin at The Juilliard School with Cynthia Roberts and Elizabeth Blumenstock, where she has had the privilege of working with leading figures in early music such as Rachel Podger, William Christie, Masaki Suzuki, Lionel Meunier, and Jakob Lehmann.

Her summers have been enriched by participation in numerous music festivals, including the Carmel Bach Festival Baroque and Classical Academy, Berwick Academy, Oberlin BPI, Madeline Island, and the NSO Summer Music Institute. These experiences have led to performances in prestigious venues across the country, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Kennedy Center.

Beyond performing, Eliana is a dedicated teacher, having worked privately with students of all ages and as a chamber music coach at the Oberlin Community Music School. Her teaching philosophy centers on developing tension-free technique while nurturing individual curiosity and creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Additionally, Eliana is a founding member of her period instrument quartet, Quartet Novalis. Formed in the summer of 2024 at the Carmel Bach Festival, Quartet Novalis seeks to bring a fresh perspective to the classical and romantic string quartet repertoire through exploring the sound of gut strings, understanding rhetorical ideas, and reshaping audience expectations. They are currently based in New York City.

Some of her specific musical passions include studying 17th-century German works, curating fun and unique recital programs, and introducing the delights of historical performance to audiences who are new to it. In her free time, Eliana enjoys befriending stray cats, watching horror movies, and scouring thrift stores for new gems to include in her online vintage clothing shop.

Lebanese-American cellist Sarah Ghandour recently completed her Doctor of Musical Arts at Stony Brook University, where she also earned her Master's degree under the mentorship of cellist Colin Carr. Originally from San Francisco, she began her cello studies with Irene Sharp and later worked closely with Jean-Michel Fonteneau at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Pre-College. She completed her undergraduate studies at Bard Conservatory, receiving a Bachelor of Music under the tutelage of Peter Wiley and a Bachelor in Mathematics. Sarah was the honored recipient of the 2017–2018 Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship, a one-year artist residency in Paris, France. In 2019, she participated in the Pablo Casals Festival, where she won the solo competition, culminating in a performance at the 9th-century Abbey of Saint Michel de Cuxa in Prades, France. In past summers, she has performed at various festivals including the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, Les Rencontres Musicales de Saint-Cézaire-sur-Siagne, Music@Menlo, and Yellow Barn. Most recently, Sarah was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Slovenia, where she researched and performed Slovenian folk and classical music across the country with the support of the U.S. Embassy. This fall, she will begin studies in Baroque Cello with Phoebe Carrai at The Juilliard School and is thrilled to be joining the Handel and Haydn Society as a Stone Fellow. When not playing the cello, Sarah enjoys rock climbing, dancing Cuban salsa, and printmaking.