our staff
James Day, Violin
Mayumi Grasso, Cello
Lisa Hammell, Viola
James Day graduated from Dartmouth College and holds a Masters degree in performance from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He studied viola with John Graham, Jean Dupouy, and Francis Tursi, and harpsichord with Anthony Newman and Peter Wolf. He has played as principal viola with orchestras in both America and Europe, inclu
James Day graduated from Dartmouth College and holds a Masters degree in performance from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He studied viola with John Graham, Jean Dupouy, and Francis Tursi, and harpsichord with Anthony Newman and Peter Wolf. He has played as principal viola with orchestras in both America and Europe, including the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, and the orchestra of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy, and has taught both violin and viola for the past four decades. He is currently actively performing as a violinist and violist, is executive director of the Southampton Chamber Music Society, and is an adjunct professor of music at the College of New Jersey.
Fun Facts: James is an expert music historian. He can tell you many facts about any composer, including facts about their lives and what was happening in his/her life that helped create their pieces. He is also very knowledgeable on flowers and plants, including what something is and how to properly care for it.
Lisa Hammell, Viola
Mayumi Grasso, Cello
Lisa Hammell, Viola
Lisa Hammell earned her Bachelor of Music degree, graduating cum laude, from Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts in 1981. She studied viola with Joseph DePasquale, former Principal Violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ms. Hammell received ensemble coaching from Claus Adam, of the Juilliard Quartet and performed under the batons
Lisa Hammell earned her Bachelor of Music degree, graduating cum laude, from Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts in 1981. She studied viola with Joseph DePasquale, former Principal Violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ms. Hammell received ensemble coaching from Claus Adam, of the Juilliard Quartet and performed under the batons of Ricardo Muti, Klaus Tennstedt, and Stanislav Skrowaceski. For 20 years, Lisa performed with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and was a long-standing member of the Riverside Symphonia, Kennett Symphony, Boheme Opera NJ and Tenth Chamber Orchestra. She has performed with the Pennsylvania Ballet, Delaware Symphony, Princeton Pro Musica, West Jersey Chamber Symphony, and Brandywine Baroque. She has also played back up with top pop headliners Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Harry Connick, Jr., Rod Stewart, Bernadette Peters, and Carole King.
Fun Facts: Lisa is an antiques expert. She Has her own antiques business called Noonmark Antiques. She loves early American history and loves photography. She loves taking pictures of beautiful plants and flowers and interesting landmarks.
Mayumi Grasso, Cello
Mayumi Grasso, Cello
Mayumi Grasso, Cello
Mayumi graduated from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, where she studied cello with Deborah Reeder and Ulrich Boeckheler. She graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Music in Performance and in 1993 with a Master of Arts in Teaching. She has played with various orchestras including the Bay Atlantic Symphony, Garden State Philharm
Mayumi graduated from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, where she studied cello with Deborah Reeder and Ulrich Boeckheler. She graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Music in Performance and in 1993 with a Master of Arts in Teaching. She has played with various orchestras including the Bay Atlantic Symphony, Garden State Philharmonic, Trenton Symphony, Princeton Symphony and Orchestra of St. Peter-by-the-Sea. She has performed with Ray Charles, Mannheim Steamroller, Il Divo, featured in the video, "Feels Like Today", by the muli-platinum country group Rascal Flatts and was selected by Grammy judges to be a quarter finalist in the My Grammy Moment Contest with the Foo Fighters in 2008.
Fun Facts: Mayumi loves action movies, Marvel movies and the Netflix series "Stranger Things". She has done some extras work and can be seen very briefly in the movies "Unbreakable" starring Bruce Willis and "Jersey Girl" starring Ben Affleck.
Cheryl Dungan Cunningham
Cheryl Dungan Cunningham delights her audiences with a wide variety of music, including classical and opera favorites; special arrangements of popular music, from Broadway show tunes and old standards to folk songs and contemporary ballads; and religious and liturgical music from the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish traditions. Performin
Cheryl Dungan Cunningham delights her audiences with a wide variety of music, including classical and opera favorites; special arrangements of popular music, from Broadway show tunes and old standards to folk songs and contemporary ballads; and religious and liturgical music from the Catholic, Protestant and Jewish traditions. Performing since 1982, Cheryl has added her special touch to hundreds of wedding ceremonies, parties and other special events. She has performed nightly in many restaurants, including the William Penn Inn, Gwynedd, PA, and La Petite Roche in Little Rock, AR; and has performed with such artists as Ray Charles and Kansas. As a solo, orchestral, and chamber musician, Cheryl has performed extensively in the mid-Atlantic region. She is a co-founder of the Southampton Trio, and Principal Harpist with the Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey, Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra, and Allegro Orchestra Lancaster. Cheryl may be heard on several recordings, and her articles about the harp have been published in Harp Column Magazine, American String Teacher, and AHS Teachers Forum. As a student of Susann McDonald and Peter E. Eagle, Cheryl received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees, as well as a Bachelor of Music Education, from Indiana University. She maintains a busy private teaching studio and is active with the American Harp Society, Inc., both locally and nationally.