James Backmon (he/him/his), a long-time resident of East Harlem, graduated from local public schools and attended Queens College’s Aaron Copland School of Music. He has worked with a number of choirs in the NYC area including the Boys Choir of Harlem, New York Boys Choir, and Rainbow Voices. In the late 90s, Backmon worked with the legendary folk singer Pete Seeger and other New Yorkers to form the intergenerational choral organization NYC Street Singers.

He is a member of the Unitarian Church of All Souls where he co-chaired the social justice task force for a few years. He currently serves on the board of directors of Project 142 (a concert-presenting organization). He resides in East Harlem with his wife Ana, daughter Jamie-Leigh, and son Liancy.

Amanda Rodriguez is a dedicated designer and community advocate originally from Brooklyn and raised in Manhattan. She graduated in May 2023 with a BFA in Design from The School of Visual Arts.

Amanda has coordinated special events for youth as well as developed media to inform local neighborhoods about upcoming events and the historical presence of the Henry Street Settlement. Additionally, she has contributed to delivering meals to families through the Meals on Wheels program.

With a steadfast commitment to continuous learning, she actively seeks opportunities to expand her skills and work with more communities.

Zooey Cheng (She/Her/Hers) is a classical pianist based in New York City. She constantly gives solo recitals and collaborates with instrumentalists across various venues in America and Asia.

Zooey received her BM in piano performance at Soochow University, Taiwan, and a Master’s degree in Piano Performance at Mannes School of Music, where she studied with the prestigious Russian pianist Arkady Aronov. During her studies, she received coaching from Heidi Louise Williams, Meng-Chieh Liu, Chih-hung Shang, and Alexander Sung. In 2019, Zooey received a merit scholarship from Mannes School of Music to pursue her degrees. In 2021, she was also awarded the Government Scholarship from the Ministry of Education in Taiwan.

To nurture her artistic interests and connect with musicians and artists worldwide, Zooey currently works for International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA). As an awarded Steinway & Sons Teaching Artist, she recognizes the value of educational settings and has been collaborating with the New Amsterdam Boys and Girls Choir. In her spare time, Zooey runs a private piano studio in Brooklyn, where she tailors her teaching to meet the individual needs of her students, guiding them in both artistic knowledge and the creative process.

Website: https://zooeychengpiano.wixsite.com/website