CAO : Strings

Violin

	Heather Goodchild : Violin Heather Goodchild holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in violin from the University of New Hampshire and a Master of Music degree in Orchestral Studies from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Originally from New England, Heather can claim to have performed fairly extensively in both the right side and middle of the country, and hopes someday to move left. She has performed in Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York, and in Jordan Hall and Mechanics Hall in Massachusetts, and is an active orchestral musician in both Chicago and Boston. Heather is currently on faculty at the School of Performing Arts in Naperville, IL.
	Zsuzsa Leon : Violin Zsuzsa Leon, in demand as a violinist and violist, is very active performing and teaching throughout Chicago and its surrounding areas. Her career has taken her throughout Europe, touring with the Stoliarsky Chamber Orchestra to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, and France. Ms. Leon has also performed as soloist with the orchestra in Japan, the U.S., and in Australia. Ms. Leon is an Australian native, coming to the United States in 1997 on a prestigious scholarship to study with the renowned pedagogue Kurt Sassmannshaus, at the Cincinnati Conservatory. Once in the U.S., Ms. Leon went on to become prizewinner in competitions in Cincinnati and Aspen. She currently studies with one of the countrys foremost artists, Mr. Gerardo Ribeiro at Northwestern. Her teaching experience on both violin and viola includes directing summer camps in Brisbane, Australia, teaching at the music school where she herself was once a student. Now in Chicago, she performs regularly with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Rockford Symphony, and the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble at the University of Chicago. A renowned and dedicated teacher, Mrs. Leon teaches violin and viola at the First Conservatory in La Grange.
	Adam Liebert : Violin Violinist Adam Liebert is on leave from the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra where he has played since 1999. He earned his degree from Western Michigan University and also studied in Germany. Adam is a founding member of the Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble which focuses on repertoire with more unusual combinations of instruments. His teachers include Renata Knific, Paul Kantor, Almita Vamos and Shmuel Ashkenasi. Aside from violin, he enjoys computing, TV watching, baking (you don’t want any of his recipes), biking, and is the proud owner of no pets.

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Viola

Jay Pike : Principal Violist Violist Jay Pike recently finished his Master of Music degree at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. While in school Jay was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, as well as Co-Principal of the symphony and chamber orchestras at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. After graduating last spring, Jay spent the summer in Colorado as a member of the National Repertory Orchestra. Since then he has been enjoying the great city of Chicago, and working there as a fee-lance musician. Jay plays regularly with his quartet, the Chicago Arts Quartet, as well as with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and the Chicago Arts Orchestra. Jay earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana in Missoula, where his main areas of study included humanities and environmental studies. Montana is also Jay’s home state; he spent his childhood on the family ranch, near Dillon, MT. Jay has studied with Larry Neuman, Roland Vamos, and Joyce Ramee. He has attended the Colorado College Summer Music Festival and the Max Aronoff Viola Institute.

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Cello

	Herine Coetzee : Cello  Cellist Herine Coetzee, originally from South Africa, holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Indiana University School of Music, where she was a student of Janos Starker and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. Ms. Coetzee has appeared as a featured soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Nittany Valley Symphony and the National Repertory Orchestra, as well as in recital as a soloist and chamber musician thoughout the East Coast and in the Mid-West. Her master class performances include those for Yo-Yo Ma, Anner Byslma, Truls Mork, and Orlando Cole. In 2002 she was a prizewinner in the Indiana University Cello Concerto Competition, playing Ernest Bloch's Schelomo - Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra. Herine has held titled positions in such groups as the National Repertory Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. As a teacher, she serves on the faculties of the Merit School of Music and the People's Music School. Herine is a founding member and education director of the Fifth House Ensemble, a group dedicated to presenting innovative performances and interactive programs to audiences throughout Chicago. She resides on the North side and enjoys taking on the Viking Breakfast at Svea's in Andersonville and training her pet betta fish to do tricks.
	Thomas Ems : Cello Thomas Ems was born in southern Indiana and is 26 years old. He has played the cello in the National Repertory Orchestra 2004 season, the Evansville Philharmonic (02'-04'), was co-winner of the Mastropolo Scholarship in 1996, and has played in Europe, Asia, Canada, and Taiwan. He has both Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees from Butler University where he was awarded a full tuition scholarship and studied with Dr. William Grubb. He currently lives and works as a freelancer in Indianapolis, Indiana and studies with Arkady Orlovsky of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

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Bass

Woodwinds

Brass

Percussion