CSUN Honors String Quartet
CSUN HONORS STRING QUARTET
DIANE ROSCETTI, DIRECTOR
The CSUN Honors String Quartet gratefully celebrates the philanthropic support of Gita Kronen. Additional scholarships have been generously provided by the Gintz Family, the CSUN Foundation and the Department of Music.
Benz Marston Duglio 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.
2024-2025 Quartet Members
Alizah Chao, First Violin
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i, Alizah Chao began playing the violin when she was 4 years old. Through her childhood and teenage years, she studied with Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra (HSO) violinist Nancy Shoop-Wu and HSO concertmaster, Ignace Jang. In the 3rd grade, Alizah was accepted into the Hawai’i Youth Symphony (HYS) and was part of the program for 10 seasons, moving up through their different leveled orchestras until ultimately reaching their top symphony level, Youth Symphony I, under the direction of Joseph Stepec. Throughout all of high school, she was a flutist in her school’s symphonic band as well as being a violinist in her school’s orchestra. For her junior and senior year, Alizah had the pleasure of leading her orchestra as concertmaster. In March of 2019, Alizah was able to travel to New York City with her symphonic band to perform at Carnegie Hall in the New York Wind Band Festival where they earned a Gold rating. From 2020-2024 Alizah did her undergraduate studies at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Industry Studies. Throughout her time in undergrad, she studied violin with Professor Lorenz Gamma, was an intern for the Los Angeles Suzuki Institute, and worked as part of the CSUN Music Department Office staff. Being an active orchestral and chamber musician, she has performed with various orchestras in the Los Angeles area such as the Antelope Valley Symphony Orchestra, Idyllwild Arts Academy Orchestra, Los Angeles Symphony, and is a member of the 818 String Quartet. Alizah is thrilled to be starting her graduate studies, returning to CSUN for her Masters of Music in Violin Performance, studying with Niv Ashkenazi & Prof. Lorenz Gamma. She is honored to be in the CSUN Honors Quartet as first violinist.
Jasmine Forooghi, Second 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 masterclass with violinist/composer Fernando Arroyo Lascurain, to 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 as a section leading violinist in the CSUN Symphony Orchestra where she is the conductors' assistant and 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, winner of the Tchaikovsky Violin Competition, Er-Gene Kahng, violin professor at the University of Arkansas, and Juan-Miguel Hernandez, viola professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London. She has attended the Borromeo Music Festival in Switzerland for two years where she studied with world renowned musicians; Joan Kwuon at the Colburn School of Music, Kyung Sun Lee at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Lina Bahn at the USC Thornton School of Music, among others. Jasmine's endeavors as a chamber musician has led her to attain the CSUN Honors String Quartet scholarship. Her efforts and contributions in the Music department led to her achievement as the Outstanding Junior in Music Award at CSUN. Jasmine is in her third year pursuing her Bachelor’s of Music in Violin Performance, studying with Roberto Cani.
Zachary Cruz, Viola
A native of Santa Monica, California, Zachary began his music studies at 8 years old. Following the choices of his older brother, he began playing the Viola through the music courses offered through his elementary school. Even though his brother stopped playing the Viola, Zachary continued. Playing throughout middle and high school, he rose through the ranks of his high school’s six orchestras under the direction of Joni Swenson and Jason Aiello. In 2016, he began taking private lessons with Violist Virginie d’Avezac. With her, Zachary was able to grow his love of music and he decided to make music his lifelong passion. After graduating from Santa Monica High School, Zachary began pursuing his degree in Viola Performance at Santa Monica College. While at Santa Monica College, he began playing in the Santa Monica College Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Brian Stone as Co-Principal Viola. In the Fall of 2018, Zachary began his studies with Michael McLean of the Colburn School through Santa Monica College's "Applied Music Program". Through Mr. McLean, Zachary found out about the music program at California State University, Northridge which is where he transferred to after SMC in the Fall of 2021. Zachary has now returned to the Santa Monica College Symphony Orchestra as Principal Viola for its third year after the pandemic, under the direction of Mercedes Juan Musotto. This will be Zachary's third year in the CSUN Honor's Quartet and he is excited to again be able to create music with an amazing group of musicians. Zachary is currently pursuing his degree in Viola Performance studying with Dr. Wendy Richman.
Benz Marston Duglio, Cello
Benz Marston Duglio. Cello: Born in Lima Peru, moved to the states at the age of eight. Benz was introduced to the cello at age 12 when he was taking private lessons at the Sitar Arts center. Two years later Benz was given a scholarship to continue pursuing music at The Washington Conservatory in our nation's capital . While in DC, Benz was accepted as a fellow into the National Symphony Orchestra where he studied with David Teie.
In 2015 Benz moved to Los Angeles, California to continue with his musical endeavors and make his impact on the thriving metropolis and cultural art-center that we call home. Benz served as the cellist for the CSUN Honors String Quartet (2018-2020) and principal cello of CSUN symphony under the mentorship of Diane Roscetti. After obtaining his BM degree, Benz has continued to pursue his professional trajectory with private training from LA Phil associate principal cellist, Ben Hong. Benz has performed with accomplished artists like Serj Tankian, Aida Cuevas, Luciana Souza, and La Marisoul. Benz continues to serve as an educator and leader, has served a fellowship for the Sphinx Orginazation in Detroit, and aims to advocate for diversity in symphony orchestras to bring the joy of classical music and string instruments to underserved minority communities. Benz currently works for LABY Harmony Project of New West Symphony as a site coordinator. Benz holds a Bachelors in Music and teaches in the LA area and is a cellist for California’s Young Artist Symphony. Benz has won CSUN’s concerto competition this year and will perform alongside the symphony orchestra at our hall The Soraya. Benz is currently pursuing his M.M. in cello performance, studying with Diane Roscetti.