Rita Ajit - '25
Phresident

☺️<— Rita’s face when I say hi 👋. Introducing the sweetest singer, the amiable alto, the one and only Rita Ajit!!!! NoVA is sure to be missing this diva as she serves up delectable sounds bites to the Rice community. From her low notes to her highs, Rita never fails to deliver a symphony worthy of applause. This English and SoPA major is also sure to crack a few jokes right up your alley as she laughs at them before you get a chance to. Don’t worry, you’ll still find them just as funny as she does! Rita’s smile is so contagious it’s been coined into a verb. So smile! You’ve just been Rita’d 🤠

Josh Paik - '26
Music Director

Josh Paik, the Phils’ resident Music Director (MD), is a junior at Duncan College studying chemistry. From Seattle, Washington, Josh not only teaches music to the Phils, he also arranges much of our music and produces some of his own, too. While Josh is well known in the Phils and on campus for his incredible beatboxing (he was runner-up in this year’s Duncan’s Finest with it!), he can also play the electric bass and the piano. Outside of music, Josh likes making videos like documentaries and music videos, and is “really good at Smash and Minecraft.”

Erin Ni - '26
Webmaster

If the world was ending, you’d want to be right next to… Erin Ni! This beautiful Jonesian from the Bay Area is a black belt in karate (so you know she’d be willing to fight for you), AND knows how to play the clarinet (what can’t she do?!). As an electrical engineering major, you can probably find Erin working hard at the OEDK, or, perhaps, out on a long hike. Don’t hesitate to ask her for recommendations on her favorite boba and hot pot places—she will NOT disappoint. Also, you won’t ever have trouble finding this lovely soprano/mezzo—just keep an eye out for her crocs! We are so grateful to have Erin (and her laughter, jokes, dedication, and just overall awesomeness) in the Phils!

Dhilani Premaratne - '26
Publicity Manager

BEHOLD, for here approaches the talented, the glamorous, the wondrous, the one, the only, Dhilani Premaratne! Originally from Miami, Florida (yes, she is the very fabled Florida Woman), she joined the Phils as an alto, before realizing that merely one voice part is woefully inadequate for her talent, and now sings everywhere from alto to mezzo to soprano! One of Dhilani’s favorite activities is finding new study spots around Houston (coffee shops) to lock in (get distracted) and grind out work (yap). And why wouldn’t she, with her fearsome academic demands? After all, she’s not only a pre-med (yuck) neuroscience major (not yuck), but a cell biology slash biochemistry minor and a medical humanities minor (very not yuck)! And there’s more to come! For atop all of these demands, she always finds time to enjoy singing with the Phils, arranging several of our songs, and above all forging iron bonds with other singers and fellow music lovers. Yet, more than all of these magical and whimsical things, her greatest and noblest trait is her radiant kindness, the way that she always welcomes Phils new and old into the field of battle (rehearsals). Her warmth and friendliness always lifts the whole group’s spirits, and with her angelic voice guiding our way, we all know that the Phils aren’t complete without her.

Hey, who is that vibing to Remi Wolf in the heights of San Antonio? That would be none other than our new*8 alto Belen! This Mech-E having formerly played Daniela in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical, has vocal riffs for days that will blow your minds!

Belen Szentes - '25

When not being scouted by HBO for her amazing talents, she jams to her favorite artists Remi Wolf, Sammy Rae and Friends and…Jacob Collier???(no wait, nevermind). We hope you are as excited as we are for welcoming this amazing new*8 phil!

Ella Martinez - '28

Under my umbrella ELLA ELLA EY EY! Introducing the sweetest smartest and sassiest phil Ella Martinez!! Our Washington Queen Ella has one of the clearest and crispyest soprano voices you’ll ever hear. But wait…there’s more! Ella is a quadruple threat!! She's a singer (duh). She's an actress (blessing the stage with the Phils AND Rice theater). She’s the smartest (bioscience major but NOT premed! Will cure cancer, with space! She knows fun facts about EVERYTHING, Especially space and biology). AND She’s the coolest (check out her earrings!). She's a big reader girly and knows ALL the niche random internet references. You can always count on Ella to brighten your day with her bubbly personality and smile! We can hope you are thrilled to meet her as we all have been!

Jace Liu - '28

Inaugurating the middle of the Venn diagram of Phils and MOB is Jace Liu, alto and/or tenor extraordinaire! When he’s not gracing us with his powerful and enchanting vocals, he lets his mellophone do the singing. Cleveland, Ohio can thank Jace for putting them on the map. This Duncan freshman is a pre-med psychology major minoring in creative writing—what can’t he do? If you ever look up and find a camera so close to your face that it is somehow inside your pores, you are likely being graced by Jace’s presence. Taking heinous pictures of all his friends may be his love language, but Jace has also has a serious eye for photography and videography. Did we mention he also loves sewing and theater? An entertainer and creator through and through. With all these interests to attend to, Jace has been awake longer than you have been alive. Don’t sleep on the Phil that never sleeps!

Josh Yang - '27

Hear the melodious sound of 2nd-best-in-the-world-worthy whistling in the air? That’s a sure fire sign that Josh Yang is somewhere nearby. This marvelous Martellian hails from a variety of locales as a military kid, including Japan, Guam, and, of course, his exotic birthplace of Maryland. When he’s not flexing his phenomenal baritone voice or studying hard at Linguistics and Asian Studies, you can find this Phil in the kitchen, baking/cooking up a masterpiece. Whether with a delicious treat, a mellifluous whistled melody, or his sense of humor, Josh is always certain to brighten up your day- we’re lucky to have his talent and kindness in the Phils!

Zach Mok - '28

zack moch