The Deoc Ensemble

Grace Meier studied Music Education, Elementary Education, and Special Education at Indiana University, graduating in 2015 after 3 semesters of student teaching in urban Indianapolis public schools. Following two years of teaching Special Education, she made the hard decision to leave the world of education and dedicate fully to The Deoc Ensemble. Although Grace misses her students, working for Deoc is truly a dream come true! Although she began her musical studies on the violin, Grace began playing the cello at the age of nine under the instruction of Dona Vellek Klein. During her high school years, Grace performed with the New World Symphony Orchestras and studied with Ingrid Fischer-Bellman. In addition, she performed as a soloist at The Palladium in Carmel, Indiana. While at the Jacobs School of Music, Grace continued her training in the Starker method as she studied with Benjamin Karp and Adriana Contino. When she is not performing, Grace loves spending time with her husband and son. Her passions include hiking, spending time in her community of Speedway, and reading.

Sean Kilgore began playing viola at age 10, beginning his studies with Kathy Hershberger shortly after. Sean performed with the New World Youth Orchestras and the Honors Orchestra of America throughout high school and studied with Eva Lieberman until he went to Butler University. Sean has an extensive educational background. He graduated from Butler University in 2015, studying Arts Administration. He was fortunate to study viola with Richard Clark and participate in many ballets, chamber performances, and operas throughout his studies. In 2017, he made the decision to attend Indiana University, McKinney School of Law, graduating in 2020 with his J.D. and certificate in Intellectual Property Law. Sean continued his education at Indiana University, graduating in May 2021 with his M.S. in Cybersecurity & Risk Management. He is now a licensed attorney in Indiana, working for the United States District Courts as a Judicial Law Clerk. When he is not performing or working, Sean can be found traveling or enjoying the outdoors with his dog and husband.

Tricia Bonner is an active performer in the Indianapolis area, bringing passion and elegance to both classical and new art music. An avid chamber musician, Tricia frequently performs with colleagues in diverse organizations and ensembles including Classical Music Indy, the Deoc Ensemble, and her own violin-piano duo Ascending, co-founded in 2014 with pianist Caitlin Frasure. She also holds a position in the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, and shares her joy in music with her private violin studio and growing family.