Fall - 2022

54 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2 I t’s every artist’s dream to have a venue of your own,” says cellist Michelle Djokic, speaking of SandBox, her Sand City performance space. “Especially in a community so invested in arts and culture.” Michelle has played cello since the age of nine, when her father brought home an instrument for her. She was smitten. “The cello spoke to me. I never wanted to play anything else.” After earning a master’s degree from Juilliard she has performed around the world as a chamber musician, soloist and orchestral player. She founded Musikwest in 2017 to “harness the collaborative power of chamber music to engender empathic aware- ness, promote conflict resolution and build peaceable communities.” With her husband, legendary Yale and Stanford squash coach Mark Talbott and their children, Michelle purchased a Sand City property in 2021, transforming it into a living space above and an intimate and distinc- tive performance space below. “Now I have a place for my colleagues to play, a controlled environment to present collaborations, and we can be in control of every aspect. I hope it’s a gift to the community.” The cellist also keeps up a touring schedule, frequently hitting the road to perform chamber music. “I feel as if I’m living a dream.” For more information, visit www.sandboxsandcity.com. — Michael Chatfield MUS I C I AN PROF I L E Michelle Djokic Photo: Kelli Uldall “