CSUN Honors String Quartet

CSUN HONORS STRING QUARTET

DIANE ROSCETTI, DIRECTOR  

The CSUN Honors String Quartet is grateful to be the recipients of the philanthropy of Gita Kronen, whose generosity has empowered us to refine our craft, collaborate more fully, and represent CSUN with pride. Additional thanks for scholarships provided by the CSUN Foundation, the Gintz Family, the Keating Family, and gratitude to the Department of Music for their support.

Marina Tseova is honored to play the exquisite 1928 cello made by Henry Richard Knopf of NYC, donated to the Department of Music by the Kronen family.

2025-2026 Quartet Members

Alizah Chao, Violin

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i, Alizah Chao began playing the violin since she was 4 years old. Through her childhood and teenage years, she learned violin through the Suzuki method under the tutelage of Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO) violinist Nancy Shoop-Wu and HSO concertmaster, Ignace Jang. After moving to Los Angeles for her collegiate studies, Alizah completed her undergraduate degree at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry Studies. Throughout her time in undergrad, she studied violin with Professor Lorenz Gamma, interned at the Los Angeles Suzuki Institute, and was part of the CSUN Music Department office staff. Being an active orchestral and chamber musician, she performs with various orchestras in the Los Angeles area such as the Culver City Symphony, Marina Del Rey Symphony, Antelope Valley Symphony Orchestra, and is a member of the 818 String Quartet. Alizah is currently pursuing her graduate degree, returning to CSUN for her Masters of Music in Violin Performance, studying with Niv Ashkenazi & Professor Lorenz Gamma. She is honored to be a member of the CSUN Honors Quartet and concertmaster of the CSUN Symphony Orchestra. Alizah is a recent winner of the 2025-2026 CSUN Concerto & Aria Competition and is looking forward to performing as a soloist with the CSUN Symphony Orchestra in Fall 2025. Outside of performing, Alizah enjoys being a violin and piano teacher, learning how to play other instruments, and spending quality time with her friends.

Jasmine Forooghi, Violin

A native of Woodland Hills, California, Jasmine Forooghi began the violin at age thirteen. Under the tutelage of violinist Carol Pool, she advanced her studies throughout high school and was awarded countless scholarships, and participated in programs such as the Musicians At Play; Rise Diversity Project. In her Junior year at Taft Charter High School, she performed in the Musicians at Play masterclasses with violinist and composer Fernando Arroyo Lascurain, with whom she later studied with pre-college. In the Fall of 2022, Jasmine began pursuing her undergraduate studies in Music Performance at California State University, Northridge under the guidance of Lorenz Gamma. Dr. Gamma has contributed the building blocks to her progress as a violinist and she has been enriched in many valuable opportunities as a result of his teachings. She performs year-round in the CSUN Symphony Orchestra where she rotates in principal positions such as concertmaster, associate concertmaster, and principal second violinist, and also serves as the conductors' administrative assistant and orchestra librarian. Jasmine participated in the 2024 ChamberFest @ CSUN masterclasses where she performed for world class musicians and gained a deeper understanding of chamber music from guest artists Xi Chen (Tchaikovsky Violin Competition winner), Er-Gene Kahng (University of Arkansas), and Juan-Miguel Hernandez (Royal Academy of Music). She also attended the Borromeo Music Festival in Switzerland for two summers where she studied with world renowned musicians; Joan Kwuon (Colburn), Kyung Sun Lee (Indiana University), Lina Bahn (USC), among others. Jasmine's endeavors as a chamber musician has led her to serve as a member of the 2024-2025 CSUN Honors String Quartet, to which she performed in a masterclass at The Soraya for the acclaimed artists Tessa Lark and Joshua Roman. Studying with Roberto Cani and Nelly Guevara in her third year, Jasmine has been recognized as the Outstanding Junior in Music at CSUN. Outside of the music department, she is a two-time recipient of CSUN’s most prestigious scholarships; the NSP GE Honors Rising Scholar Award, and the NSP University Scholarship. Now in her fourth year, Jasmine is pursuing her Bachelor’s of Music in Violin Performance studying with Lorenz Gamma.

Nic Lampert, Viola

Originally from Ventura CA, Nic Lampert began playing viola in 7th grade and later joined the Honors String Ensemble in high school, studying with violist Diane Gilbert. He attended Idyllwild Arts ChamberFest in 2021 and 2022, and received the National Orchestra Award his senior year. Nic is currently a senior at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance under the guidance of Dr. Wendy Richman and Dr. Lorenz Gamma. In 2023, he was honored with the CSUN Music Department's Outstanding Freshman Award, voted on by the full-time faculty. He is graduating from CSUN in the Spring of 2026 and plans to continue his studies in graduate school. As a performer, Nic is a member of the California Young Artists Symphony, San Gabriel Valley Symphony, CSUN Honors String Quartet, and the CSUN Symphony. He has also performed with the Pasadena Symphony, Idyllwild Arts Academy Orchestra, Eastern Sierra Symphony, Tonality Music, Moorpark Symphony, and Grammy Award-winning artists Serj Tankian of System of a Down and Adrian Younge. In 2024, Nic traveled overseas to attend the Borromeo Music Festival in Switzerland, and in 2025 participated in the Prague Summer Nights Young Artists Festival in the Czech Republic and Austria. He has performed in masterclasses with Travis Maril (San Diego State University) and Daphne Gerling (University of North Texas), and chamber music masterclasses with Juan Miguel Hernandez (Royal Academy of Music), Xi Chen (Central Conservatory of Music), Brightwork Ensemble, and Paradise Winds. Outside of music, Nic enjoys car camping, spending time with friends, and eating ramen.

Marina Tseova, Cello

Marina Tseova, originally from Vladikavkaz, Russia, began her musical journey as a pianist. At 19, she discovered her true passion—the cello. She studied at the Valery Gergiev College of Arts in Vladikavkaz and earned 3rd Prize at the South Russian Open Competition for Strings.

In 2017, Marina moved to Moscow. She joined the Tchaikovsky Conservatory’s pre-college program and later studied at the Galina Vishnevskaya College of Music and Theater Arts with Dr. Alexander Smirnov, a student of Gregor Piatigorsky. She became a laureate of several international competitions and took part in masterclasses with cellists including Oleg Sendetsky of the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra.

After graduating in 2021, Marina joined the Mariinsky Theatre as assistant principal cellist. She performed under Valery Gergiev in over 120 productions per season. She also collaborated with the State Philharmonia of National and Folk Instruments in North Ossetia, performing the music of the Caucasus peoples.

Now based in Los Angeles, Marina continues to perform and teach. She is in her third year at CSUN, pursuing a Bachelor’s in Cello Performance with Diane Roscetti. Marina is a member of the Honors Quartet and a recipient of multiple scholarships.