Wild Earth Ensemble is a group of musicians who share a deep care and concern for the stewardship of our planet and a deep commitment to following the call of “wild” creative flow. The result is a deep, diverse, moving musical experience. Join Sandra Wong, Beth Quist, Bijay Shrethsa, and Victor Mestas for a joyous, soulful journey around the globe, featuring music of Turkey, Ireland, Venezuela, Appalachia, Scandinavia, the Middle East, and a number of original tunes. Their exquisite instrumentation includes voice, violin, nyckelharpa, hammered dulcimer, tabla, cajon, kora, keyboards, and piano.

A portion of the proceeds from this concert will benefit Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV), a Colorado nonprofit with the mission to build diverse communities that care for the land. They envision a world in which all people are empowered stewards of the land. WRV organizes thousands of volunteers each year to complete more than 150 conservation projects throughout Colorado. Volunteer events range in length from a few hours to multi-day campouts and are located in beautiful natural areas from the plains to the alpine.

About the Artists

Violinist and Nyckelharpist Sandra Wong has won or been a finalist in numerous fiddle competitions and has been a featured soloist both as a classical violinist and fiddler.  Her playing can be heard on recordings from Sounds True to Ken Burns documentaries, and an impressively diverse range of albums from renowned Tibetan musician Nawang Khechog to Flamenco, Norwegian lullaby, Kirtan, Classical, Folk, Americana and the list goes on. She has been covered in publications from the New York Times to International Musician Magazine.  Her stages have ranged from Caramoor to natural amphitheaters in the Grand Canyon where she delights equally in playing for all beings. Sandra has toured nationally and internationally as a solo artist and in numerous musical collaborations. Her current projects include “Kaleidoscope" with Ty Burhoe and Bill Douglas; “Wild Earth Ensemble” with Victor Mestas, Beth Quist, Jon Sousa and Joy Adams; A duo with guitarist Jon Sousa,  A trio with Rebecca Folsom and Tom Wasinger;  a duo with Anne Marie Morgan and collaborations with a wide breadth of musicians working with diverse genres of music. Sandra creates and personally facilitates musical study trips to different countries leading people into the heart of individual folk cultures through the music and dance of each country. She strives to nurture a deep love of music and the arts in both children and adults.  

Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Victor Mestas was the endorsement artist for Yamaha musical products in Venezuela since 2001. 

His professional background includes more than 100 recordings for internationally renowned artists, including three CD’s with the Venezuelan songwriter Ilan (one of them got a Latin Grammy Award in 2010). Victor has performed (as pianist/ keyboardist/arranger/producer) for renowned bands and singers in Venezuela, including Guaco, Soledad Bravo, Maria Rivas, Cheo Feliciano and Julio Iglesias (Uruguay/Argentina tour in 2010). Victor moved to Boulder in 2012 with his wife and two daughters and is performing on the Brazilian-Latin-Jazz-World music scene: Nelson Rangell, Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra, Los Chicos Malos, Dexter Payne, Ginga, and others. Currently he is conducting the Thompson Jazz Studies Latin Jazz Ensemble and teaching Latin Jazz Piano at CU Boulder.

Beth Quist is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer, who began playing piano at age 2. She was lead soprano and instrumentalist for the creation band in Cirque du Soleil’s “KA”, and currently performs solo, with Sherefe which specializes in Balkan and Middle Eastern music. She has sung & toured with Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra since 1997, and appears on his albums “Circlesongs”, “Mouth Music”, and “VOCAbuLarieS”. Beth has also composed over 50 scores for dance, theater, television, & film, including musical contributions to the Emmy nominated documentary “The Two Escobars”. Other notable musical collaborations include Roger Fisher (Heart), Geoffrey Castle, & Scott Cossu (Windham Hill). Her early musical influences were “Batman,” “Star Trek,” and “Dr. Zhivago.” “I’m a Little Leopard Prowling Around in Sneakers” was her first musical composition at age 8. She has a 4-octave soprano voice, and plays piano, keyboards, santour (hammered dulcimer), dumbek, daff, guitar, flute, and various other toys that she can get her hands on. Her music combines influences from the Balkans, the Middle East, and India with her Western upbringing.

Bijay Shrestha is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and rising global ambassador of Hindustani classical music, known for his rare ability to perform both sitar and tabla at a professional level. His artistry blends deep traditional training with a bold, contemporary spirit, creating musical experiences that are meditative, energizing, and emotionally transformative. At the heart of his work is a commitment to mental health, intercultural understanding, and empowering youth through the healing power of sound. Bijay has collaborated and performed with some of the most respected figures in the world of Indian classical and world music, including Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, and Pandit Indrajit Banerjee. His work can be heard on several critically acclaimed recordings, such as Maestro Duets on Sarod, Moods of Meed, and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Live in Nepal. He has graced stages and festivals across Nepal, Canada, and the United States, sharing the universal language of ragas and rhythms with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.