The Astralis Chamber Ensemble is an innovative and dynamic ensemble performing with much acclaim across the country. These award-winning musicians represent decades of experience performing at many of the world’s major venues and notable concert series. With instrument pairings that are unique worldwide, the ensemble has been selected for the dedication of many new chamber works and has expanded the repertoire available through commissions and arrangements. Concert tours include a range of performances from leading concert series to underserved communities in order to reach communities of all backgrounds through music.

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Angela Massey’s debut album, “The Elements,” has been described as “beautiful and enchanting, the performances on this CD are magical!” by Jeanne Baxtresser, former principal flute of the New York Philharmonic. As a soloist, she has been a featured guest artist with the Tryon Concert Association, Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City, Artist Series of Tallahassee, and the National Flute Association. Outside of the United States, she has performed in England, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, and Switzerland. As Artistic Director and flutist of the Astralis Chamber Ensemble, she manages and performs over sixty recitals each year. She holds flute/piccolo positions with the Southwest Florida Symphony, Venice Symphony, performs regularly with the Sarasota Orchestra, and is the flute instructor at Florida Gulf Coast University. She was awarded prizes in the Alexander and Buono Competition, Frank Bowen Competition, Myrna Brown Competition, and certificate in the Gheorghe Dima International Competition in Romania. Her instructors have been Jeanne Baxtresser, Alberto Almarza, Jack Wellbaum, Martha Kitterman, and Brooks de Wetter-Smith. She received degrees in flute performance from Carnegie Mellon University, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and UNC at Chapel Hill.

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Venezuelan/American violinist and violist Paul Aguilar joined the Houston Symphony viola section in 2024. He has won top prizes at the Banff, Bordeaux, Fischoff, Melbourne, Wigmore Hall, and Manhattan International chamber music competitions as well as the Grand Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. He has appeared in concert across North America and Europe, some highlights including Carnegie Hall, the Ravinia Festival, ChamberFest Cleveland, La Jolla Summerfest, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, the Heidelberg String Quartet Festival, and the Emilia-Romagna Festival. His chamber music collaborators include artists such as James Ehnes, Augustin Hadelich, Lawrence Power, Paul Watkins, and Jon Kimura Parker. He has studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Rice University, the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía School in Madrid, and the University of Music and Performing Arts, in Vienna. His primary influences have been Jaime Laredo, Si-Yan Li, Gunter Pichler, and Gerhard Schulz. In addition to traveling and performing, Paul enjoys sharing music with his family, at his church, and throughout his community. Paul plays on a very fine violin and viola that were commissioned from master luthier Kevin Lee.

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Singaporean harpist, Cheng Wei (Ashley) Lim is a current fellow at The Orchestra Now where she holds the position of principal harpist while serving as adjunct lecturer for Bard College’s music department. Ashley has performed regularly in major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Met Museum and Symphony Space as an active orchestral musician. As a soloist, she has given recitals across Asia, Europe and America. In addition to being familiar with western works, Ashley is also well versed in eastern music, having performed Malay, Javanese and Indian classical music, and has even worked with numerous Chinese and ethnic orchestras around Singapore. Ashley graduated with a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Doctor Gillian Bennet Sella. She obtained her bachelor’s degree with honors from the Royal College of Music in London / Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts where she studied with Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s principal harpist, Gulnara Mashurova and soloist, Ieuan Jones. To further her appreciation and understanding of her instrument, Ashley was an apprentice under Lyon & Healy, and Salvi harps, and is working towards becoming a harp technician/regulator.