Maya Ridenour is a sophomore Cello and History major at Oberlin College and Conservatory, studying under Darrett Adkins. Her areas of interest include contemporary Iranian politics, processes of language acquisition, and Ottoman imperial history. An Atlanta native, she previously studied cello with Wendy Warner and Mary Beth Bryant. She has participated in masterclasses at the 2019 ASTA National Conference, and has attended the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Saarburg Music festival, Cincinnati Chamber Music Festival, and the ARIA Summer Institute. When not practicing or writing current events essays, Maya can be found watching International TV or learning Spanish and Turkish.