Fiona Murray, Violin - Artistic Director and Founder Elm City ChamberFest
A resident of New York City, Fiona’s performing career encompasses a variety of genres, ranging from live televised performances and recordings on compact disc with America’s oldest Bach Festival to MTV appearances with Rap music artist Jay-Z and singer Rufus Wainwright. She has been a member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Sarasota Opera Orchestra and Kawas String Quartet, she has also served as guest concertmaster of the Wallingford and Greenwich Symphony Orchestras. Her primary instructors include Sidney Harth, Dorothy Mauney, Catherine Tait, Renata Knific and Roland and Almita Vamos. She also studied chamber music with members of the Tokyo String Quartet, Ward Davenny, Michael McClelland and Nathaniel Rosen. Fiona is a former member of the faculty at Neighborhood Music School in New Haven and Kinhaven Music School in Vermont and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Westchester Musicians Guild as the Coordinator of their Young Artists’ Program.  She has also served on the faculty of Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, Concordia College Conservatory in Bronxville, New York, and Oxford Summer Chamber Music, Queen’s College, England.  A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, she holds a Bachelor’s in Music Degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and a MM and Artist’s Diploma from Yale School of Music.

Ralph Allen, Violin/ Viola & Conductor, Elementary String Ensemble
Ralph Allen played the Sibelius Concerto with the Yale Symphony while majoring in Philosophy as an undergraduate, studying with Syoko Aki; he went on to get a Masters from the Cleveland Institute of Music with Donald Weilerstein and a Doctorate from SUNY Stony Brook with Robert Mann.  In Holland, Ralph freelanced with such ensembles as the Schoenberg Ensemble and the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, served as concertmaster of the European Camerata and the Helios Ensemble, and studied with Vera Beths.  Ralph is a frequent chamber music collaborator in New York and New Hampshire, teaches privately and at Riverdale Country Day School, and plays with a wide variety of ensembles in New York.

Jeanyi Kim, Violin
Ms. Kim is the Associate Concertmaster (Third Chair) of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra.  She has recently served as Guest Assistant Leader of the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis and Valery Gergiev.  As an orchestral musician, the Toronto native has performed throughout North and South America and Europe in various illustrious venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Barbican Centre, Salle Pleyel, and the Concertgebouw, with world-renowned ensembles such as London Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Recent solo appearances include performances with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, Beloit-Janesville Symphony Orchestra, and Duquesne Symphony Orchestra. 

An active chamber musician, Ms. Kim is a former member of the Prometheus Trio and a founding member of the Philomusica Quartet.  She has collaborated with a variety of esteemed artists, including Erick Friedman, Jesse Levine, Sidney Harth, Toby Appel, Frank Almond, Norman Fischer, and Humberto Lucarelli. 

Dedicated to teaching, she and her husband, Alexander Mandl, have also been faculty members at the Eleazar de Carvalho International Music Festival in Brazil, and the Luci Toscane International Music Festival in Italy.  In addition to maintaining a private studio, she has served on the faculties at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Wisconsin Conservatory, and Neighborhood Music School, to name a few. 

Her major teachers include Erick Friedman, Berl Senofsky, Kyung Yu, and Rebecca Henry.  Other important influences include Sidney Harth, Aldo and Elizabeth Parisot, Tokyo String Quartet, and Peabody Trio.  During her time at Yale, she was the recipient of the Yale Bach Society Award, Friends of Music at Yale prize, and the Stuart Walker Memorial Scholarship.  She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale University, from which she also earned her B.A., M.M., and M.M.A. degrees. 

Salley Koo, Violin
Salley Koo has played violin for a long time and studied with some really famous teachers at some famous schools.  Aside from the violin she really likes cooking and talking on the phone. She lives in Park Slope with her husband and cute dog and now tries to get along famously with her own students.

Sarah Koo, ‘Cello
"... I was more than impressed. From the opening notes, I rejoiced... she presented us with a new interpretation , completely and brilliantly realized." (Santa Barbara Independent) International prize-winner, Sarah Koo, is known not only for her solo and chamber accomplishments, but also as an avid educator and outreach advocate. At the age of 19, Ms. Koo made her New York debut in a solo recital at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall as the youngest winner of the Artist International Competition. Ms. Koo was the sole 2004 recipient of the prestigious William Schumann Award for outstanding achievements in music, academics and leadership. As an orchestral artist, Ms. Koo was the Assistant Principal Cellist in the Phoenix Symphony, section cellist under Lorin Maazel in the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini (Parma, Italy), and has been the Principal Cellist of the Pacific Music Festival (Japan), the Juilliard Symphony and Orchestra, and the Santa Barbara Festival Orchestra. Ms. Koo, a passionate educator, has also been a teaching artist with the New York Philharmonic. Ms. Koo has appeared in the "Robb Report" magazine and the "Residential Systems" magazine. A graduate of the Juilliard School with both her Bachelors and Masters degrees, primary studies have been with Darrett Adkins, Ardyth Alton, Richard Hirschl and Gilda Barston.

Lydia Leizman, Viola & Conductor, Middle School String Ensemble
Lydia is an active freelance violist and teacher who received her MM from Yale School of Music. Her primary viola teachers were Jesse Levine (Yale), Donald McInnes and Evelyn Luis-Jacobs. Esteemed chamber music coaches have included members of the Tokyo, Colorado and Curtis String Quartets, as well as Erik Friedman and Wendy Sharp. In addition to chamber music performances with colleagues of Elm City ChamberFest, she has been principal viola with Taconic Opera in Westchester, DiCapo Opera Theater in NYC, and a member of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra. She is currently a member of the Obrien String Trio and Leizman-Guernsey Duo (piano). Lydia is trained in the Suzuki Method, and has taught Suzuki privately for several years. She is now director of the high school orchestra, and elementary strings in Clarkstown, NY.

Alexander Mandl, Violin & Conductor, High School String Ensemble
One of the foremost violinists and conductors of Brazil, Alexander Mandl or “Sascha”, as he is known to many, has appeared worldwide at renowned halls including Alice Tully, Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Sprague Hall, the Mellon Institute and the Memorial of Latin America. An avid chamber musician, Sascha has collaborated with artists such as Erick Friedman, Aldo Parisot, Yo-Yo Ma, Sidney Harth, Wang Jian, Frank Morelli, Todd Levi and as a member of the Yale Piano Trio. As soloist, Sascha has performed under conductors such as Eleazar de Carvalho, Sidney Harth, Gunther Herbig, and Kryzstof Penderecki, Roberto Tomaro, Isaac Karabitchevski and Claudio Santoro to name few. Recent solo performances include the Eleazar de Carvalho Festival in Brazil, Beloit-Janesville Symphony, performances sponsored by the Angels of Music Society of New York at Weill Hall in New York, University of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra, Duquesne Symphony, and the Orquestra de Camara UFPB. He has participated in the Duke Ellington concert series performing throughout Northeastern United States along with the Ruff-Mitchel Duo. He has also appeared as a guest at the Ted Sawyer program of WQED, Pittsburgh. Conducting opportunities have taken him throughout North and South America as well as being appointed Artistic Director of the Cardinal Stritch Chamber Orchestra, Lakeshore Youth Philharmonic and the Faculty Orchestra of the Eleazar de Carvalho International Festival in Brazil. His teaching experience includes faculty positions at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Cardinal Stritch University, the ITU Music Festival, the Eleazar de Carvalho Festival in Brazil, the Wisconsin Conservatory, and most recently the Luci Toscana Festival in Sienna, Italy. Currently he is the Musical Director/Conductor of the Lakeshore Youth Philharmonic, Concertmaster of the Beloit-Janesville Symphony, Assistant Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra and a member of the First Violin Section in the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra and a member of the Yale Trio. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University BFA, Yale University MM and AD where he studied with Sidney Harth and Erick Friedman, and the University of Wisconsin DMA program under the tutelage of Vartan Manoogian. Additionally, Aldo Parisot, Peter Frankl and the Tokyo Quartet were major chamber music influences while at pursuing his studies at Yale. He received conducting instruction from Eleazar de Carvalho, David Stern, James Smith and David Becker. Sascha is a recipient of the Francis G. Wickes fellowship, the Andrew Carnegie Tradition Award, the Milles Prize, the Yale Alumni Award and the prestigious Ivan Galamian Award. In 2000, he recorded J.S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in E major under Maestro Sidney Harth. During the summers Mr. Mandl teaches and performs at the Eleazar de Carvalho Festival in Brazil, and the Luci Toscani Festival in Italy. Previously, Mr. Mandl has served on the faculty at the Neighborhood Music School as well as the Hopkins School in Connecticut. He along with his wife Jeanyi Kim are founding members of the newly formed quartet Philomusica Quartet. He currently lives in Milwaukee with his wife, violinist Jeanyi Kim. www.saschamandl.com

Alexander & Joan Murray, Alexander Technique
As charter members of the American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique, Joan and Alex Murray have been involved in teaching the Alexander Technique for the past 50 years. Natives of the United Kingdom, Alex served as Principal Flute with the London Symphony Orchestra for 12 years and Joan danced on stage at the Drury Lane Theatre in several London productions, including as a member of the original cast of “ My Fair Lady “.  Their performing backgrounds have led them to become one of the most prominent and sought-after teams of teachers of the Alexander Technique in the world today. Having held faculty positions at Michigan State University, the Royal College of Music in London, Royal Dutch Conservatory in the Hague, and Interlochen Arts Camp, they have also guest lectuered at various colleges and conservatories around the globe including Florida State University, Oberlin College and Conservatory, and Oxford University. Both Joan and Alex have served on the board of North American Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique and  are active  members of NASTAT and STAT.  They currently reside in Urbana, Illinois, where Alex has recently retired as Professor of Flute at the University of Illinois and they co-direct the Urbana Center for the Alexander Technique.

Jill Pellett-Levine, Violin & Viola
Ms. Levine received her BFA from SUNY/Purchase, and her Master of Music and Artist Diploma from the Yale University School of Music. She plays in several orchestras throughout Connecticut including the New Haven Symphony, Bridgeport Symphony and Waterbury Symphony. Jill also enjoys teaching and maintains an active violin and viola studio with students of all ages.

Beth Roach, Music Theory, Ear Training & Choir  
Beth recently graduated, summa cum laude, with a degree in Music Education from The College of St. Rose in Albany, NY. She now works as a choral conductor and as the Assistant to the Music Director for the United Choir School. This will be Beth’s fifth summer with ECCF.

Mary Ellen Roach, Head of Student Life
Mrs. Roach received her BA from the University of Connecticut and attended Fairfield University.  She is currently on the faculty of Notre Dame High School and serves both in the math department and in an administrative capacity as Associate to the Assistant Principals.  She has chaperoned several Notre Dame Band trips to Europe with her husband David Roach.  This will be Mary Ellen’s sixth summer with ECCF.

Jody Redhage, ‘Cello & Jazz
Recently called an “adventurous cello songstress” by Time Out NY, cellist, composer, and vocalist Jody Redhage has a unique talent wherein she simultaneously sings and plays cello.  Jody graduated with her master's degree in cello performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and also studied cello and composition at the University of California Berkeley.  She now resides in New Jersey and composes for her own chamber ensemble, Fire in July, featuring her original art songs.  Please visit www.jodyredhage.com for upcoming performances.

Laura Richling, Yoga
Laura Richling leads what some would consider a dual life: as both a professional musician and a fitness professional.  She holds B.M and M.M degrees in piano performance and musicology from Baylor University.  She maintains an active schedule of teaching, performing, accompanying, and adjudicating, both as faculty at Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, and as a freelancer.  She is pianist/organist at St. Thomas More, the Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale University.  Ms. Richling is avidly interested in the connection between music and movement as it relates to health of mind and body.  With 18 years’ experience in the fitness industry, she is certified with American Council on Exercise and several others, including Body Training Systems, Silver Sneakers, Yogafit, and Zumba.  She is a member of Connecticut’s swing dance performing troupe, Rhythm Rousers, and serves on the board of the Connecticut Swing Dance Society, as well as keeping active in the social dance scene.  She strives to develop in her music students (and herself) a healthy, tension-free approach to allow successful, enjoyable music-making for a lifetime.  In her fitness pursuits, she is dedicated to helping people discover the thrill of good health through exercise that is safe, effective, and fun.

Jody Rowitsch, Viola
Chair of the NMS Theory Department as well as the Certificate and Diploma Program Coordinator.  She teaches Violin, Viola, (Suzuki and Traditional) as well as coaches numerous ensembles at NMS.  Ms. Rowitsch received her BM from Oberlin, her MM from Temple University and did her Suzuki training at Oberlin, American Suzuki and Guelph, Ontario Institutes.  She is currently on faculty at the University of Bridgeport and Choate Rosemary Hall.  Ms Rowitsch is also a member of the Ridgefield, Bridgeport, Waterbury and Wallingford Symphony Orchestras.

Erika Schroth, Piano
Erika Schroth maintains a multi-faceted career as performer, teacher, and music director, and has performed as a solo and collaborative artist across the United States and Europe. She received her MM in Piano from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Arthur Greene. She spent several summers playing and teaching on the faculty at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and was formerly on the piano faculty at Oakland University, St. John's University, Deerfield Academy, and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. She has worked on several productions as music director for the Yale Repertory Theatre, and in 2007 she was a guest artist at the Stamford International Music Festival (UK), where her chamber music performances were described as "impassioned" and "richly expressive".  In 2010 she joined the musical team at the Yale Institute for Musical Theatre, and the Eugene O'Neill Center's National Theatre Institute.   She currently holds teaching positions at Wesleyan University and the Neighborhood Music School, and her students have been finalists and prizewinners at numerous competitions.   Recent appearances have included solo and chamber music recitals in Texas, Philadelphia, Florida, and New York's Merkin Concert Hall.  

Cookie Segelstein, Viola/Violin & Klezmer
Cookie received her Masters degree in Viola from The Yale School of Music in 1984. She is principal violist in Orchestra New England and assistant principal in The New Haven Symphony Orchestra. She is the founder and director of Veretski Pass a member of Budowitz ,The Youngers of Zion with Henry Sapoznik, has performed with Kapelye, The Klezmatics, Frank London, Klezmer Fats and Swing with Pete Sokolow and the late Howie Leess, Margot Leverett and the Klezmer Mountain Boys and The Klezmer Conservatory Band. Cookie is on the faculty at Southern Connecticut State University, and has presented lecture demonstrations and workshops on klezmer fiddling all over the world, including at Yale University, University of Wisconsin in Madison, Marshall University in Huntington, West VA, University of Oregon in Eugene, Pacific University and SUNY-Cortland and at Klezmerwochen in Weimar Germany. She is on staff at Living Traditions' KlezKamp , KlezKanada, Klezfest London, and has been on staff at Centrum's Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Wash. She was featured on the ABC documentary, “A Sacred Noise”, heard on HBO’s “Sex and the City”, and on several recordings including the Veretski Pass self titled release and the newly released Trafik, the Koch International label with Orchestra New England in “The Orchestral Music of Charles Ives”, Hazònes with Frank London, A Living Tradition with German Goldenshteyn and Budowitz Live. She is also active as a Holocaust educator and curriculum advisor and has been a frequent lecturer at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Niantic, CT. Cookie lives in Madison, Connecticut.

Yousif Sheronick, World Drumming - Visiting Faculty
Hailed by the New York Times for his “dazzling improvisations”  YOUSIF SHERONICK appears internationally as soloist and chamber musician with world-renowned groups and artists such as Philip Glass, Ethos Percussion Group, Glen Velez, Foday Musa Suso, Simon Shaheen, Henry Threadgill, Lark Chamber Artists and Paul Winter Consort. DuoJalal is his most recent venture with violist and wife Kathryn Lockwood. Sheronick's unique style  encompasses traditions and instruments from the Middle East, North and West  Africa, Brazil, India, and Europe. His ability to work in such diversegenres is  due to having studied contemporary classical, jazz, world androck music, which  he seamlessly fuses into his playing. Critics say Yousif “is capable of creating  hypnotic atmospheres” (Mundoclasico) where he"transported the listener to  another dimension." (Ritmic). Prestigious venue performances include Carnegie  Hall, Lincoln Center, Royal Festival Hall (London)and Wigmore Hall (London).  Distinguished collaborators include Yo-Yo Ma, Branford Marsalis, Pandit Samir  Chatterjee, Marcel Khalife, Sonny Fortune and Cindy Blackman.

Mr.  Sheronick recently released his critically acclaimed solo CD titled "Silk  Thread" which Modern Drummer Magazine calls “a testimony to his genius” . He also  released a Riq Instructional DVD which Rhythm Magazine (UK) says “is a must to  uncover the mysteries of this ancient instrument.” He has appeared throughout  the US, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia withfestival appearances  including the JVC and Newport Jazz Festivals, Jazztel (Madrid), Renaissance  Festival (Rethymno, Greece) Early Music Festival (Regensburg, Germany) and  Jerusalem Festival (Palestine). He has performed live on NPR's "Performance  Today" and John Schaffer's "New Sounds." An active clinician, Mr. Sheronick  teaches masterclasses at home in the US and abroad. Mr. Sheronick holds degrees  from Yale University and the University of Iowa, is artist in residence with  Ethos Percussion Group at Lehman College (Bronx, NY) and serves on the faculty  of Concordia Conservatory.