Praised for his "vibrant intensity," (The Times, London) and playing "supremely convincing in its vitality," (Cleveland Plain Dealer) violinist Kevin Lawrence has consistently elicited superlative responses for his performances throughout the United States and Europe.
A Tennessee native, violinist Shannon Thomas has garnered a reputation for exciting, thoughtful performances as a chamber musician, soloist, and in recital throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Interested in sharing her enthusiasm for the arts through teaching, Shannon is in demand as a pedagogue. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of Violin at Florida State University and gives master classes throughout the United States and abroad. Shannon earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she was Paul Kantor’s teaching assistant.
Violinist Sandy Yamamoto has dazzled audiences in concert performances around the globe for the past three decades as a soloist and as a member of the Miró Quartet. Since leaving the Quartet in 2011, she has been appointed Associate Professor of Practice in Violin Performance at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin.
Violinist Carolyn Huebl enjoys a varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. She is currently Professor of Violin at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and violinist of the Blakemore Trio. Prior to her appointment at Blair, she was Assistant Principal Second Violin with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Assistant Professor of Violin at Carnegie Mellon University. Critics have called her performances “unfailingly sensitive”, “utterly fearless”, and “pristine”, and STRAD magazine declared that she “possesses a beguilingly warm sound and highly responsive expressive personality.”
(on leave for 2020 season)
Sibbi Bernhardsson began playing violin at the age of six in his native Iceland. As a member of the Pacifica Quartet from 2000 to 2017 he performed over 90 concerts a year worldwide in many of the leading concert halls in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia. In 2017, Sibbi joined the faculty of Oberlin Conservatory of Music as professor of violin. He was previously on the faculty of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music from 2012 to 2017 and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2003 to 2012.
Acclaimed as a virtuoso of the highest rank, Julia Bushkova appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras and in recital throughout the United States, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, and South Africa. Julia Bushkova's former students are found in major orchestras and premiere ensembles: Cavani String Quartet, the Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Described as “brilliant” and “lyrical” by the Washington Post, Lina Bahn is a violinist with a keen interest in collaborative and innovative repertoire. From 1998-2010, Dr. Bahn was a member of the award-winning Corigliano Quartet, and was the Executive Director and violinist with the VERGE Ensemble of the Contemporary Music Forum at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. She currently teaches at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Won-Bin Yim is Associate Professor of Violin at the College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, which has awarded him the Glover Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has served on the violin faculty of the Aspen Music Festival, the Spoleto Festival in Spoleto, Italy, the Juilliard Pre-College Division, as assistant to Dorothy Delay in the Juilliard College Division, and as dean and faculty member at the Great Mountains Music Festival and School in Korea.
Violinist Janet Orenstein has enjoyed an active performing career both in the United States and abroad as a chamber musician, soloist and advocate of contemporary music. She is a founding member of the Guild Trio and toured with them extensively in Canada, Europe and the United States for over ten years.
Rictor Noren teaches violin, viola, chamber music, string fundamentals, and string pedagogy at the Boston Conservatory of Music. His collaborative approach emphasizes balance, goal setting, efficient practice techniques, musical development, and a hands-on approach to training. His work supports students overcoming technical barriers, conquering physical pain, and developing a professional identity.
