Faculty — Strings - Harp - Guitar
Shanghai Quartet The Shanghai Quartet came to Montclair State University in 2002 as ensemble-in-residence. They serve as the core faculty in the strings program, teaching individual lessons, coaching chamber ensembles, and performing for the university and surrounding communities. Cellist Nicholas Tzavaras is coordinator of the strings program.
Yi-Wen Jiang Violinist Yi-Wen Jiang was born into a musical family in Beijing where both parents were professional musicians. Beginning his violin studies with his father at age six, Jiang made his concerto debut at the age of 17 with the Central Opera House Orchestra in Beijing where he played the Prokofiev D Major Concerto Opus 19. After winning top prize at the first China Youth Violin Competition in 1981, Jiang was accepted to study with Professor Han Li at the Central Conservatory of Music. In 1985, after receiving a full scholarship from McDonnell-Douglas, Jiang came to the U.S. to study with Taras Gabora and Michael Tree. In 1990, with the support of the Ken Boxley Foundation, he went to Rutgers University to work with Arnold Steinhardt of the Guarneri Quartet. Other teachers included Gérard Poulet and Pinchas Zuckerman. As a prizewinner at the Montreal International Competitions, he appeared as a soloist with the Victoria Symphony and Montreal Symphony. Jiang had appeared at many international music festivals by the age of 22. He has recorded for the Record Corporation of China. As a composer, Jiang has arranged over 50 pieces for string quartet and other instruments, many pieces composed with Eastern repertoire and Western influence. In addition to his extensive touring and recordings schedule, Jiang maintains a close relationships with his students. Jiang teaches at Montclair State University and the Bard College Conservatory of Music. He is also guest professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Shanghai Conservatory.
Artist-in-Residence Shanghai Quartet Violin 973-655-7613 liw@mail.montclair.edu Quartet Website A native of Shanghai, Weigang Li has been a featured soloist with the Asian Youth Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony. Mr. Li began studying the violin with his parents at the age of five and went on to attend the Shanghai Conservatory at age 14. He then came to the United States in 1981 to study at the San Francisco Conservatory through an exchange program between the sister cities of San Francisco and Shanghai. Upon graduating from the Shanghai Conservatory in 1985, Mr. Li was appointed assistant professor of violin at the school. Shortly thereafter he left China to continue his education at the Northern Illinois University. From 1987-1989, Mr. Li studied and taught at the Juilliard School as teaching assistant to the Juilliard Quartet. His other teachers have included Shmuel Ashkenasi, Pierre Menard, Shu-Chen Tan, and Isadore Tinkleman. Mr. Li was featured in the film From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China.
Boris Kucharsky Russian, Slovakian, German violinist Boris Kucharsky was born in Dortmund, Germany, in 1971. At the age of 7 he started to play the violin and in 1984 was admitted to the Menuhin School. Yehudi Menuhin had a profound influence on Kucharsky: He became his teacher and mentor, partnering him in double concertos and directing the orchestra with his protégé as soloist. Kucharsky received a MM and AD from the Musikhochschule Cologne, where his teacher was Igor Ozim and holds a MM from Yale, where his teacher was Erick Friedman. Kucharsky’s recent concert series included complete cycles of the violin sonatas by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. His set of all 10 Beethoven Sonatas on CD, released in 2010, received great critical acclaim. His busy trans-European schedule is interspersed with regular visits to the US and the Far East, where he is a much sought-after guest in both concert halls and recording studios. Since 2008 he has been teaching at the John J. Cali School of Music. He plays the "Baron Knoop", by Carlo Bergonzi, Cremona 1735.
Jesse Mills Grammy-nominated violinist Jesse Mills performs music of many genres, from classical to contemporary, as well as his own compositions and improvisations. In 2004, he made his professional concerto debut with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra and Salsa trombonist, Jimmy Bosch. This concert combined a classical performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and a Salsa band arrangement of the same piece, with Bosch and Mills as improvising soloists. Mr. Mills has performed chamber music at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie's Weill Hall, Columbia University's Miller Theater, Boston's Gardner Museum, the CooperArts Series at Cooper Union, and at the Marlboro Music Festival. An avid performer of contemporary works, Mr. Mills was a member of the FLUX Quartet for two years. His collaboration with cellist Fred Sherry has included performances and recordings of works by Zorn, Wuorinen, Webern, and Schoenberg. He can also be heard on New Spirit - a new recording for the Verve label by jazz pianist, Makoto Ozone. Mr. Mills is a graduate of the Juilliard School, where he was a student of Robert Mann. Mills is co-founder of the Horszowski Trio, a piano trio with Rieko Aizawa and cellist Raman Ramakrishnan. With Ms. Aizawa, Mills became co-artistic director of the Alpenglow Chamber Music Festival in Colorado in 2010.
Adjunct Professor Violin 973-655-7212 mummm@mail.montclair.edu A native of Wisconsin, Mary Ann Mumm made her debut with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at age 15 as the first prize recipient of their Young Artists Competition. She attended Indiana University where she studied with Josef Gingold and also served as his graduate teaching assistant. Additional influential violin teachers include Ivan Galamian, Tadeusz Wronski and Gerald Stanick. As an Assistant Professor of Violin at Northwestern University, Ms. Mumm was the youngest and also the first woman to be appointed to a full time faculty position in the instrumental music department. Her orchestral engagements include the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and most recently, 17 years with the MET Orchestra. Ms. Mumm has performed extensively on international radio broadcasts and television as well as recording on the Sony and Deutsche Gramophon labels. Her chamber music collaborations are numerous and include performances with some of the world’s finest orchestra, chamber and solo musicians. She is sought after for her enthusiastic teaching and dedication to string education. Ms. Mumm presently serves on the faculty of Youth Orchestra of the Americas in addition to her positions as Director of Chamber Music Program for the Youth Orchestras of Essex County and Advisory Board Chair for the ASTA/NJ Chamber Music Institute. During Ms. Mumm’s tenure as the 2006-08 President of the American String Teachers Association-New Jersey Chapter, the state was recognized for its excellence with an unprecedented five national awards.
Adjunct Professor Strings Technique 973-655-7212 Margaret Roberts has extensive teaching, conducting and performance experience throughout the state of New Jersey. Ms. Roberts served as principal viola for the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra, Montclair Chamber Ensemble and the Ravina String Quartet. She has performed with the Santa Barbara Symphony, the Los Angeles Modern String Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Bulgarian Chamber Players and as principal viola for the Duluth Symphony Orchestra. She holds degrees in music from Ohio University and Fairleigh Dickinson University, and studied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, as well as California Institute of the Arts. Ms. Roberts served as the president of the NJ chapter of the American String Teachers Association from 2004-2006 and is currently the artistic director of the ASTA/NJ Chamber Music Institute held at Kean University. Ms. Roberts serves on the NJ All State Orchestra Procedures board and is currently on the faculty of the Wharton Music Center.
Honggang Li Honggang Li began his musical training studying the violin with his parents at the same time as his brother, Weigang. When the Beijing Conservatory reopened in 1977 after the Cultural Revolution, Mr. Li was selected to attend from a group of over five hundred applicants. He continued his training at the Shanghai Conservatory and was appointed a faculty member there in 1984. Mr. Li has also served as a teaching assistant at the Juilliard School and has appeared as soloist with the Shanghai Philharmonic and the Shanghai Conservatory Orchestra. In 1987 he won a violin as a special prize given by Elisa Pegreffi of Quartetto Italiano at the Paolo Borciani competition in Italy.
Nicholas Tzavaras Praised by the New York Times for his “richly singing” sound, Nicholas Tzavaras is an active a chamber musician and educator. He has performed at the Marlboro, Santa Fe, Taos, and Radio France (Montpellier) Festivals, toured with multiple artists including the "Musicians from Marlboro" and Madonna, appeared on MTV, VH1, the David Letterman Show, and at the White House performing for President Clinton. He joined the internationally renowned Shanghai Quartet in 2000. He is artist-in-residence and coordinator of the string department at the Cali School, and a guest professor at the Shanghai and Central Conservatories in China. Since 2008 he is the guest principal cellist of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Tzavaras is a graduate of New England Conservatory and State University of New York at Stonybrook where his teachers were Laurence Lesser and Timothy Eddy. He founded the cello program at the Opus 118 Music Center in East Harlem and serves on its advisory board. Mr. Tzavaras' family appear in the Academy Award nominated documentary Small Wonders and is the subject of the motion picture Music of the Heart starring Meryl Streep. He appears with the Shanghai Quartet in Woody Allen's Melinda Melinda. Frances Rowell Adjunct Professor Cello 973-655-7212 A versatile and enterprising cellist dedicated to musical outreach, Frances Rowell received Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the Juilliard School. In 1992 the city of Allentown, PA bestowed on Ms. Rowell its Arts Ovation Award for outstanding achievement in the performing arts. She has premiered several cello works written for her, including Gwyneth Walker's North Country Concerto with the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra in 1995 and Douglas Oven's Concerto for Cello with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in 1996. Ms. Rowell has been a member of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra since 1995. As a member of the Craftsbury Chamber Players she performs chamber music each summer in her home state of Vermont. Ms. Rowell is a past Coordinator of the NJSO's REACH Program (Resources for Education and Community Harmony). She is currently on the roster of Young Audiences of New Jersey in a string quartet program. She also serves Young Audiences as a teaching artist working with young soloists from the radio program From the Top in presentations in public schools. In addition, she holds a United States Patent for a portable endpin resonating platform for the cello.
Linda McKnight Linda McKnight has taught double bass at MSU for over a decade, as she has at Manhattan School, Columbia University, and Columbia Teachers College. She studied with Frederick Zimmermann at the Juilliard School and with Stuart Sankey, Joseph Cascelli, Warren Benfield, Henry Portnoi, and Homer Mensch. She has performed extensively in orchestras and chamber groups throughout New Jersey and New York, including Wayne (NJ) Chamber Orchestra, Colonial Symphony of New Jersey, Masterwork Messiah productions at Carnegie Hall, and Opera Orchestra of New York. She has been a featured guest artist in workshops and clinics across the United States. She succeeded her teacher, the late Frederick Zimmermann, as Master Teacher of Double Bass for the New Jersey Summer Conference of the American String Teachers Association, a position she has held for two decades. She is published in String Tones, Tempo, American String Teacher, and International Society of Bassists magazines. Her edition of Paul Ramsier's Pieces for Friends is available through Boosey and Hawkes. Kevin Brown
André Tarantiles André Tarantiles received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University School of Music. He has concertized throughout the United States and performed as soloist in all the major concert halls in New York City. He has appeared on national television accompanying opera stars including Aprile Millo, Benita Valente, Renée Fleming, Marcello Giordani, Ramon Vargas, and Christine Goerke. Currently principal harpist for several ensembles including the Metropolitan Opera Guild, New York City Opera National Company, Glimmerglass Opera Festival, Arizona Opera Wagner Festival, New Jersey State Opera, the Center for Contemporary Opera, Teatro Grattacielo, and the Casals Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has also performed in orchestras backing up headliners as diverse as Placido Domingo, Marilyn Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Jones, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Connie Francis, Roberta Flack, John Denver, Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole and Patti Lupone. He has performed in The Fantasticks (the world's longest running musical), Radio City Musical Hall and on Broadway (harp and synthesizer). Mr. Tarantiles is featured on CDs for several labels and he is also the official harpist of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
Dennis Cinelli Dennis Cinelli is active as a soloist and chamber musician on early guitars, lutes and mandolins. He has performed with the American Symphony, Bach Aria Group, Artek, Ars Antigua, the Barros Classical Consort, New York Collegium, Lord Chamberlain's Consort, Ivory Consort and his own Cinelli Duo playing concerts throughout the United States and Europe. He has appeared on artists' series at Yale, Ohio, Wake Forest and Appalachian State Universities. Presented in recitals sponsored by the Philadelphia and Piedmont Classical Guitar Societies, Mr. Cinelli has also accompanied Robert Osborne, Louise Wohlafka, Jeffrey Gall and Pino de Vittorio on lutes and early guitars. Dennis currently performs with the O'Brien/Cinelli Duo. With noted performer and teacher Patrick O'Brien, he has done many recitals throughout North America while researching and developing repertoire for early plucked instruments. Featured in concerts at the Festival de Wallonie in Belgium and the Caramoor and Boston Early Music Festivals, Mr. Cinelli has also spent summers teaching and performing at the International Toscanini Early Guitar Festival/Competition in Stresa, Italy and the Lute Society of America's Summer Seminar.
Stephen Benson Guitarist Stephen Benson is a freelance performer who has remained active on the studio, jazz and broadway scene for twenty years. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, CT, and a Masters from Manhattan School of Music. He has taught at Hartt School of Music and the Turtle Bay Music School in New York. Benson toured Europe as a member of the Giora Feidman Trio, performed at the Carnevale in Venice, Italy, for two years and at the Grand Canyon Music Festival in Arizona. He has worked extensively on Broadway in such shows as The Lion King, 42nd Street, and Wicked. He performs many styles of jazz from bebop to fusion to blues and R & B and has worked with artists including Phoebe Snow, John Sebastian and Evelyn Blakey.
Loren Fortna Loren C. Fortna holds a BA in Music Theoretical Studies from Susquehanna University, where he studied guitar with Stan Mullen. He earned the M.M. at the University of Akron, studying with Stephen Aron, and an Artist’s Diploma from the Cali School, studying with early music specialist Dennis Cinelli. As a performer Loren has performed throughout North America, from New Jersey to Vancouver (BC) as a soloist, accompanist, ensemble member, and conductor. A review in Soundboard Magazine stated: “Fortna’s rendering of works…displayed impressive attention to detail and nuance. His deep admiration and understanding of the music of Piazzolla was riveting.” He has worked with award winning conductors and composers, most notably Owen Middleton, Patrick Burns and William Payn. Loren was a featured “Spotlight” performer at the 2000 and 2006 Triennial National Assemblies of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the 2007 University of Akron Alumni Guitar Festival. Since 2001 Loren has been teaching vocal and general music in the New Jersey public schools. In 2004 he joined the Springfield Public Schools where he was named District Teacher of the Year for the 2008-2009 school year.
Sylwia Kloc Sylwia Kloc, a native from Poland is an active soloist, chamber music player, and a teacher. Her repertoire ranges from the renaissance to the 20th century's most current compositions. Ms. Kloc recieved both her Bachelor and Master Degrees from Mannes College of Music. She studied with Frederic Hand and was awarded the merit scholarship for her excellence in performance. Ms. Kloc and violist Elena Rojas form the ensemble Colloquio di Corde. The duo plays a variety of music, although its main focus is commissioning works from modern-day composers. Ms. Kloc plays Renaissance lute, Baroque guitar, and has been studying privately with the renowned early music player Dennis Cinelli. In the Spring of 2007 Ms. Kloc premiered and recorded “Ancient Visions” a concerto for Renaissance lute and guitar ensemble by Terry Champlin. She was a scholar recipient for the 2006 "Music in Compostela Festival" in Spain where she studied with Jose Luiz Rodrigo.
Darren O'Neill Darren O'Neill is that rare combination of performer and scholar. His achievements as performer have included a Carnegie Hall debut as the result of winning the 1997 Artists International New York Debut Competition. His achievements as scholar have included principal editorial control over the re-engraving of the complete works of Fernando Sor. Mr. O'Neill holds a Masters Degree in classical guitar performance from Montclair State University and a Masters Degree in Library Service from Rutgers University. His library career has taken him to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts where he served as the Administrator to Special Collections in the Music Research Division. |
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