Gary Levinson is the Senior Principal Associate Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth. Known for his Bel Canto playing style and adroit technique, Mr. Levinson made his New York Philharmonic solo debut in 1991, under the baton of Erich Leinsdorf, coinciding with the completion of his Master's of Music degree at the Juilliard School, where his teachers included Dorothy DeLay, Glenn Dicterow and Felix Galimir.

Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Levinson began studying the violin at the age of five with Professor Sergeev at the Leningrad Special Music School. After immigrating to the United States in 1977, he won the top prize at the 1986 Romano Romanini International Violin Competition in Brescia, Italy, as well as becoming the top American Prize winner at the 1987 Jacques Thibaud International Violin Competition in Paris, France.

As a soloist, Mr. Levinson has collaborated with Erich Leinsdorf, Jaap van Zweden, Miguel Harth-Bedoya and many others. Much sought-after as a chamber musician, Mr. Levinson has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, Eugenia Zukerman, Lukas Foss, Carter Brey, Joseph Kalichstein and Christopher O'Riley. In March 1998, Mr. Levinson was appointed as the first violinist of the Elysium String Quartet. He led the inaugural season of the Mykonos International Music Festival in August 1998 as well as a gala concert honoring the Elysium String Quartet at the United States Ambassador's Residence in Athens, Greece and three critically acclaimed recordings.

The summer season takes him to various music festivals, such as the Strings Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, The Miami Music Festival where he is the Director of Strings in Miami, Florida, the Summit Music Festival in Purchase, NY and the San Miguel de Allende Music Festival. He served on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival from 2001-2010. Outside of the US, he was featured in Audition Perform in Chichester, United Kingdom, the Banhoff Rolandseck Festival, Germany, China and South Korea.

A champion of contemporary music, Mr. Levinson recorded the Margaret Brouwer Violin Concerto under the baton of 2012 Musical America's Conductor of the Year, Jaap van Zweden in 2012. He premiered and recorded several works dedicated to Mr. Levinson by award winning Iranian composer, Behzad Ranjbaran. In 1996 he, along with his father, renowned double bassist Eugene Levinson, recorded the world premiere for CALA Records of Dances of Life, a bass and violin duo, written for and dedicated to the Levinsons. Mr. Levinson also collaborated with New York Philharmonic Principal English Hornist Thomas Stacy in a CD for CALA’s New York Legends series.

The complete Beethoven Violin and Piano Sonatas with acclaimed pianist Daredjan Kakouberi were released in August, 2011. The Vivaldi Four Seasons and the Brouwer Violin Concerto were released in 2013. His CD, My New York Years, debuted to critical acclaim in January 2007. In the summer of 1999, Mr. Levinson completed a critically acclaimed all Mozart CD, featuring the Elysium String Quartet and three then New York Philharmonic principals – Stanley Drucker, clarinet, Joseph Robinson, oboe and L. William Kuyper, Horn. The American Record Guide hailed it “utterly Mozartean…full of good spirits and a real sense of occasion”. The CD is currently available. In the summer of 1999, Lucas Foss chose Mr. Levinson and the ESQ to collaborate with him on an all-Bach CD of works never before recorded in that artist's distinguished career.

Mr. Levinson performs on an Antonio Stradivari violin, crafted in 1726. It is graciously made available for his use by the Dallas Symphony Association.

Carlos Bujanda is chief executive officer of Toyota Financial Services (TFS) Colombia, overseeing all aspects of the company’s operations and financial activities. Bujanda is responsible for TFS Colombia’s performance and coordinates with Toyota sales, marketing and distribution partners to achieve the company’s goals by meeting the financing needs of Colombian customers and dealers.

Previously, Bujanda served as group manager of international operations for the TFS Americas Oceania Region. In this role, he oversaw and propelled the performance and strategic direction of TFS Sales Finance Companies in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. His wide-ranging experience in consumer financing, international markets, risk management, innovation, and finance significantly contribute to helping these companies meet their targets.

Before joining TFS in 2022, Bujanda served as senior vice president of credit card innovation at Synchrony Financial, the largest private label credit card company in the United States. At Synchrony he also held leadership roles in analytics and customer experience innovation, and in treasury risk oversight where he managed credit, market, operational, funding, and liquidity risks, working closely with regulators and banking partners. Earlier in his career, Bujanda held roles at American Express, Deloitte, PwC, and Capco.

Bujanda earned a Master of Liberal Arts degree in Management from Harvard University. He also holds an MBA from the Asian Institute of Technology School of Management in Thailand. Additionally, he pursued a Master in European Business from the ESCP-EAP European School of Management in Oxford. His undergraduate education includes degrees in Banking and Economics from Universidad Metropolitana and Universidad Santa Maria in Venezuela.

Shaina Thomas serves as Assistant Headmaster at Founders Classical Academy of Flower Mound, Texas, where she is dedicated to fostering a culture of academic excellence, virtue, and a deep appreciation for the liberal arts. In her leadership role, she partners closely with faculty and families to support the intellectual and moral formation of students.

Shaina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Education from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a minor in Literature and Music, and a Master of Education from the University of North Texas. Her academic and artistic background includes her personal endeavors with musicals and study of voice, piano, and flute.

A committed advocate for music education, Shaina believes in its unique ability to cultivate discipline, beauty, and joy in the lives of young people. Her connection to this mission is both professional and personal: her children have been long-standing students of the Rojas School of Music. Her son is a saxophonist pursuing studies in jazz performance and music education at Texas Christian University, and her daughter is actively engaged in the study of piano and violin.

Shaina resides in Texas with her family and remains actively engaged in her community through education and the arts. Shaina is dedicated to expanding access to high-quality music education and supporting the next generation of musicians in their artistic and personal growth. She holds to the firm belief in the formative power of the arts.