Deborah Graser, piano and violin, is a well-known violinist and music educator in Fairfield County. She directed the Norwalk High School Orchestra for many years and conducts the Fairfield High School Sophomore Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. Mrs. Graser received her Master of Music Degree from Eastman School of Music and studied violin with Zvi Zeitlin, Dorothy Delay and Oscar Schumsky. She was a founding member of the Fairfield County String Teachers Association and was concertmaster of the Oberursel Kammerorchestra in Germany. Mrs. Graser has performed with the Four Seasons String Quartet and the Amadeus Trio, and is the first violinist in Amici String String Quartet.

Tom Hudson, cello, originally from Des Moines, Iowa, holds a holds a Bachelor's degree from Drake University in Des Moines and a Master's Degree from the Juilliard School in New York City. He has studied with William Pleeth in London, England, and has spent several summers at the Aspen Music School. Mr. Hudson has performed in the Jacksonville Symphony, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the Spoleto Festival, and the New York Philharmonic. Currently, he is a very active teacher and chamber musician in the New York and Connecticut areas and plays in the Hartford Symphony, Westchester Symphony, and the Northeastern Pennsylvanian Philharmonic.

Rita Lapcevic, piano, received her Bachelor of Music degree in piano from Marymount College, Tarrytown, and her Master of Music degree in piano from Duquesne University, where she was a teaching assistant, then an instructor of piano. Since returning to Connecticut in 1970, she has been an active piano performer with the Silvermine Duo Pianists, The Trillum Ensemble (flute, cello and harpsichord-piano) and accompanying instrumentalists and singers. She is director and accompanist of the 9:00 Contemporary Choir at St. Catherine of Siena in Riverside, where she maintains a piano studio teaching adults and children, many of whom are award winners. She is on the Board of the Greenwich Symphony, The Schubert Club of Fairfield County, and the planning committee of the Young Musicians Festival.

Dr. Darilyn Manring, cello, received her B.M. at Illinois State University, M.M. at Yale School of Music, and DMA at Boston University. She has concertized throughout the United States as well as in Brazil and has held academic positions at the University of Wyoming, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, University of Bridgeport, Sacred Heart University, and Northwestern State University of Louisiana. She is currently principal cellist with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony (CT) under the direction of Gustav Meier and has recorded for Phonodisc in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She has been instructing young musicians for over 35 years and currently teaches at Cider Mill Conservatory of Music in Wilton, CT.

Jody Rowitsch, viola, is the chair of the Theory Department and Certificate and Diploma Program Coordinator at the Neighborhood Music School. She took her BM and MM in viola and violin, as well as ensemble, at Oberlin and Temple Universities. She studied at Cleveland Quartet Chamber Music Seminars, Institute des Hautes Etudes Musicales in Switzerland, and participated in festivals in Germany and France. She is a faculty member at the University of Bridgeport and Choate Rosemary Hall. She is also a member of the Waterbury and Wallingford Symphony Orchestra, and substitutes regularly with the Hartford Symphony.

Jane Shelly, flute, is Principal Flute with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Principal with the Norwalk and Wallingford Symphonies. She is co-founder of Wilton Music Studios, where she has a large studio of private flute students and runs several flute choirs. Ms. Shelly holds music degrees from Ithaca College and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her major teachers include Roger Stevens (Los Angeles Philharmonic) and Julius Baker.   Visit her website at www.wiltonmusicstudios.com.

 
Denise Chividian, violin, took her BA and MA degrees in violin performance at the Music Conservatory of Bucharest, Romania. She performs with the Greenwich, New Haven and Bridgeport Symphonies, among others, and has toured in Italy and Germany as well as with the Israel Pops under Columbia Artists Management. She is on the faculty at Fairfield University and maintains a private teaching studio in Southport, CT.

 
Julie Asuma Levene, clarinet, began her musical studies in her hometown of Duluth, MN.  She then attended Lawrence University and went on to earn a Masters Degree in clarinet from the Yale School of Music.  Her teachers have included David Shifrin, Charles Neidich and Fan Lei.  She is a member of the Live Music Project, the CT Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and the Earl Banquer Woodwind Ensemble, and has played throughout the Northeast with the klezmer ensemble Generation Klez.  Julie is currently on the faculty at the Thames Valley Music School, Neighborhood Music School, and Choate Rosemary Hall.


Susan Spaulding, French horn and piano, took her Master of Music degree from the Hartt School in 1994. She is Principal Horn with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony and New Britain Symphony ­ also with Orchestra New England and the Waterbury Symphony. She plays with the Quiet City Brass Quintet, Opera Theatre of Connecticut and Ridgefield Symphony, among others. She teaches at the University of Bridgeport, Fairfield University, and the Hartt School Community Division.

John Dexter, viola, was educated at Drake University, The Juilliard School and Binghamton University. As violist with the Madison String Quartet from 1973 to 1979, Mr. Dexter served on the faculties of Colgate University and Hamilton College and performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Since joining the Manhattan String Quartet in 1980, Mr. Dexter has toured the Far East, Mexico and South America, and performed regularly on the concert stages of both Europe and North America. He is in high demand as a chamber music coach throughout the country. Mr. Dexter has served as Principal Violist with the Philharmonia Virtuosi, Joffrey Ballet in NYC, the American Composers Orchestra, and the New York City Opera orchestra. In addition to a large private teaching studio, Mr. Dexter is active in the commercial recording business in New York City.

Gerard Reuter, oboe, is a recipient of the prestigious Pro Musicis International Award, he has enjoyed a distinguished solo career touring the United States, Europe, India, and Africa. Much sought after as a guest at summer festivals, including Caramoor, Marlboro, and the Chamber Music Festival if the Library of Congress in the United States, Also active as a chamber musician, he is a member of the Dorian Wind Quintet and was a founding member of the ensemble, An die Musik. Mr. Reuter studied oboe at the Juilliard School with Lois Wann and at the Royal College of Music in London. Conducting studies were with Jens Nygaard, John Nelson, Roger Nierenberg, and Ki Sun Sung. He is on the faculties of New York University and Sarah Lawrence College.


Andrew Smith, violin, studied at the Royal Academy of Music, UK where his teachers included Erich Gruenberg and Emanuel Hurwitz. He moved to the US in 1996 as Assistant to the Emerson String Quartet and continued his studies with Ida Kafavian, getting his Doctorate in Performance from the Hartt School. Among many others, he has appeared with St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London, the Edinburgh International festival and Chicago's Symphony Hall. He was a founding member of the new music group “The Rubicon Ensemble” and is now Director of the Suzuki Music School of Westport. He plays as violinist of the Castillon Trio, Ensemble in Residence at the Stamford International Music Festival, UK.

Millette Alexander, piano, is part of the Alexander and Daykin Piano Duo, which has performed extensively in this country and France, presenting the rich 4-hand literature. The American Record Guide selected their recording of Bach's “The Art of the Fugue” as one of the ten best CDs of the year. Miss Alexander is on the board of the Westport Arts Center, chairs their committee which produces an annual chamber music series and is the Founder and Director of Chamber Music Central. She serves on the Arts Advisory Board of Westport and the Advisory Board of the Norwalk Youth Symphony, and has adjudicated for many competitions including the Gina Bachauer at The Juilliard School. She maintains a teaching and coaching studio in Westport.

Frank Daykin, piano, is equally known as a soloist, collaborative pianist, teacher, and writer. His 24-year partnership with Millette Alexander in piano-duo performance has produced two award-winning records and a host of performances in the U.S. and abroad, always to rave reviews. He was the pianist in Ambrosia Trio for seven years, Music Director of Apollo Muses Festival (NJ) for seven years, and accompanies dozens of vocal recitals every year. In addition, Mr. Daykin is sought after to adjudicate piano competitions, notably at The Juilliard School. Currently, he is on the guest faculty of the Chamber Music Festival/Composers Forum of the East at Bennington, Vermont.