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 | Ida Kavafian
Ida Kavafian began her studies at age six with Ara Zerounian, continuing with Mischa Mischakoff, and ultimately earning her MM with Honors from the Julliard School, as a student of Oscar Shumsky. Ms. Kavafian made her New York debut at the 92nd Street Y with pianist Peter Serkin as a winner of the Young Concert Artists Compettion. She was a recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1988. She enjoys an international reputation as one of the most versatile musicians performing today. She has appeared as a soloist with leading orchestras internationally, and has performed many world premieres by composers such as Toru Takemitsu, Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis. Her television credits include a solo feature on CBS Sunday Morning and NBCâs Today Show (with her sister). Since her founding membership in the TASHI group, Ms. Kavafianâs chamber music appearances have included those with the Guarneri Quartet (as violist) and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, of which she is an Artist Member. She was the violinist of the legendary Beaux Arts Trio for six years. She is currently on the faculty of the Curtis Institute and has served on numerous boards, including Chamber Music America and Sphinx Honorary Committee.
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 | Diane Monroe
As seen in the recent film, Music of the Heart, starring Meryl Streep, Monroe was one of the original Fiddlefest soloists, appearing at Carnegie Hall, sharing the stage with Arnold Steinhardt, Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Ida and Ani Kavafian, Mark OâConnor, and others. Prior to an invitation from Josef Gingold to study at the Curtis Institute of Music, Ms. Monroe studied with Charles Castleman at the Philadelphia Musical Academy and was Second Violinist of the Beaumont String Quartet of Michigan State University, where she performed with her teacher Walter Verdehr and cellist Peter Rejto. While studying at the Curtis Institute with Ivan Galamian and David Cerone, she was Concertmaster of the orchestra under legendaries such as Oscar Shumsky, Paul Paray, Walter Susskind, Calvin Simmons, and Joseph Silverstein. Ms. Monroe was Assistant Professor of Violin at Oberlin. As guitarist/songwriter and jazz pianist, she joined the Max Roach Double Quartet and the Uptown String Quartet as an improvising First Violinist, recording on the Philips/Soul Note label, and appearing on The Cosby Show and CBS News Sunday Morning. Currently, Ms. Monroe concertizes and educates, including work with Strings for Schools, Young Audiences, Opus 118 ãWe Want Musicä and Temple University.
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 | Toby Saks
Toby Saks has been Artistic Director of the Seattle Chamber Music Festival since its inception in 1982. Professor of cello at the University of Washington since 1976, Ms. Saks has performed in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the former U.S.S.R., and Israel. Her chamber music credits include the Sitka, Boston Chamber Music Society, Vancouver, Cascade Head, Bargemusic, St. Cere, New Mexico, Amsterdam, Juneau, Marlboro, Stratford, Spoleto and Anchorage Festivals. In 1988, Ms. Saks led musicians of the Seattle Chamber Music Festival on a two-week tour of the Soviet Union. In addition, she was first prizewinner at the International Pablo Casals Competition in Israel and a top prizewinner at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. A recipient of Fulbright and Rockefeller grants, Ms. Saks studied with Leonard Rose at Juilliard and with Andre Navarra at the Conservatoire de Musique in Paris. Ms. Saks made her Town Hall debut at age 18 after winning the New York Young Concert Artists auditions and was a member of the New York Philharmonic from 1971-76.
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 | Stephen Shipps
Stephen Shipps was educated at Indiana University studying with the legendary Joseph Gingold. He received his B.M. and M.M. with Honors as well as a Performerâs Certificate at IU. His other teaches include Ivan Galamian and Franco Gulli. Mr. Shipps has appeared as soloist with the Symphonies of Indianapolis, Dallas, Omaha, Seattle and Ann Arbor as well as the Piedmont Chamber Orchestra, the Madeira Bach Festival and the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. He is a member of the Meadowmount Trio and has been associated with the Fine Arts Quartet and the Amadeus Trio, Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony and Opera, Omaha Symphony and Nebraska Sinfonia. He has served as Concertmaster of the Ann Arbor Symphony since 1990. He has recorded solo for Albany, American Gramophone, Bay Cities, NPR, RIAS Berlin, Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, among others. He was awarded a dozen Gold and Platinum Records for his solo work on the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Albums. Mr. Shipps was Director of the ASTA National Solo Competition for the past six years, judged the Singapore and Kocian International Competitions as well as serving on the International Advisory Panel of the Indianapolis International Competition. He is currently Professor of Violin and dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Michigan as well as Assistant to the Director and violin faculty at the Meadowmount School of Music.
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 | George Taylor
George Taylor is active in as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He is currently Associate Professor of Viola at the Eastman School of Music. Before joining the Eastman faculty, he was a member of the Ciompi Quartet of Duke University, in addition to serving on the artist faculties of the ENCORE School for Strings, the Meadowmount School and the Elan International Music Festival. George Taylor is also a member of the Black Music Repertory Ensemble, which presents music of African-American composers in concerts throughout the country. He has performed and premiered works written for him by composers including Ron Carter, Noel DaCosta, George Walker, David Liptak and Carmen Moore. Mr. Taylor attended the Manhattan School of Music and his teachers include Jaime Laredo, Raphael Bronstein and Burton Kaplan, Michael Tree and Abraham Skernick. He made his recital debut at Carnegie Recital Hall in 1979.
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