Matthias Buchholz is Professor of Viola at Manhattan School of Music, specializing in Classical Viola within the Strings department. An internationally acclaimed performer, he serves as Artists in Residence with the American String Quartet and maintains active performance careers across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. His educational trajectory includes foundational training in Hamburg followed by advanced studies at: University of Cincinnati Hochschule für Musik Detmold Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia Buchholz's artistic practice centers on viola repertoire expansion through solo performance, chamber music innovation, and orchestral leadership. His interpretations bridge historical and contemporary works, with particular emphasis on 20th-century compositions and cross-cultural collaborations, demonstrated through decades of masterclasses worldwide. His competitive excellence earned recognition at premier international venues: Bonn International Viola Competition Laureate (1978) Los Angeles International Viola Competition Laureate (1981) Budapest International Viola Competition Laureate (1984) Buchholz maintains significant ensemble affiliations including principal viola of Stuttgart Radio Orchestra (1986-1990), founding membership in Heine-Quartett (2003-2008) where he premiered Aribert Reimann's "Adagio für Streichquartett" (2006), and ongoing participation in Linos-Ensemble since 1991. He performs regularly at major festivals including Marlboro, Salzburg, Avignon, and Schleswig-Holstein, while serving as leading member of Seoul's Hwaum Chamber Orchestra and holding a 2013 professorial appointment at HEM Geneve.
Pinchas Zukerman is an internationally acclaimed violinist, violist, and conductor who chairs the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at Manhattan School of Music (MSM), a position he has held for over 30 years. He also serves as Artistic and Principal Education Partner for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, collaborating with Southern Methodist University's Meadows School of the Arts to mentor music students. His artistic expertise spans violin and viola performance, orchestral conducting, and chamber music, characterized by expressive lyricism, tonal beauty, and technical mastery. Performance highlights for 2025-2026 include engagements with the Vienna Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, and international chamber collaborations. Major Honors & Awards: Grammy Awards (2 wins, 21 nominations) Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence National Medal of Arts Honorary doctorates from Brown University, Queen's University, and University of Calgary He directs the Zukerman Trio and founded the MSM's selective training program for violin/viola students, personally overseeing instruction alongside teaching associate Patinka Kopec. His educational philosophy emphasizes artistic development through intensive coaching and global outreach.
Rafał Błaszczyk serves as a Lecturer and pianist-accompanist at the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, where he has worked since 2015 supporting violin, viola, and cello classes. He concurrently participates in the Opera Academy talent development program at the Grand Theatre - National Opera in Warsaw. Graduating with distinction from the same Academy under Prof. Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń and Prof. Katarzyna Rajs, he is currently a second-year doctoral student in piano performance supervised by Prof. Ewa Pobłocka. His performance career spans solo and chamber music with specialization in classical repertoire, Chopin interpretation, and period instrument performance. Błaszczyk has performed at prestigious venues including the Fryderyk Chopin Museum, National Philharmonic, Sinfonia Varsovia, and international locations across England, Italy, and Ukraine. His notable achievements include: Third prize at the Chamber Tournament in Bydgoszcz Honorable mention at the National Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition (2015) Participation in the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition He has received a scholarship from the Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and regularly collaborates with the Pomeranian Philharmonic. His artistic development includes masterclasses with Nelson Goerner, Mikhail Voskresensky, and Dmitri Alexeev, with recent appearances at the "Chopin and His Europe" Festival featuring period instrument recitals.
Cecylia Stanecka is an Adjunct Professor at the F. Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, where she teaches cello and currently studies viola da gamba. An accomplished cellist, she performs classical repertoire spanning Renaissance to contemporary music across major European venues including the National Philharmonic, Grand Theatre – National Opera, and Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music, while actively pursuing jazz collaborations. Her educational background includes: Doctorate in Arts, F. Nowowiejski Academy of Music, Bydgoszcz (2019) Graduate, Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, Warsaw Graduate, Leopold Mozart Center, University of Augsburg Graduate, Hochschule der Künste Bern Postgraduate Management Studies for Creators, Artists and Cultural Animators, University of Warsaw Stanecka's artistic practice integrates Classical Music, Jazz, Early Music, Contemporary Music, Chamber Music, and Orchestral Performance with exceptional versatility. She maintains rigorous performance standards across historical periods while innovating through jazz interpretations and cross-genre collaborations, particularly evident in her chamber and orchestral work. Her competitive excellence is recognized through prestigious awards: International Cello Competition in Liezen Andreas Stein Wettbewerb in Augsburg National Cello Tournament in Warsaw 1st National L. Boccherini Cello Competition in Zamość Information regarding academic advising of students or research grant acquisition is not documented in available sources. As concertmaster of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and member of the Pomeranian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, she maintains active ensemble leadership. She co-founded the Raffa Quartet performing at major Polish festivals and collaborates internationally with Sinfonia Varsovia, Baltic Youth Philharmony, Pan European Philharmony, Open Mind Orchestra, Jungen Münchner Philharmonie, and Baltic Neopolis Orchestra. Since 2014, she has served as soloist for Opera Nova Orchestra in Bydgoszcz while concurrently advancing her viola da gamba studies under Christian Zincke at her home institution.
Dr. hab. Krzysztof Komendarek-Tymendorf serves as Associate Professor of Viola and Chamber Music at the Stanislaw Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdansk and Associate Professor of Viola at the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz. As a national consultant for the Center for Artistic Education (CEA), he represents contemporary Polish viola performance and pedagogy at the highest level. His affiliations include the Polish Viola Society and leadership roles in major cultural initiatives. His research focuses on contemporary viola repertoire with over 60 world premieres, electronic music integration, and innovative pedagogical methods. Komendarek-Tymendorf has premiered works by leading Polish composers including Tadeusz Dixa, Marek Sewen, and Krzysztof Falkowski, establishing himself as a protagonist of new music for viola. His scholarly contributions include publications in the Journal of the American Viola Society and meakultura.pl. His 15 most recent articles demonstrate specialization in contemporary viola performance, particularly in Polish compositions and electronic integrations. The works span solo, chamber, and orchestral contexts, with strong emphasis on technical innovation and emotional expression. Critical reception highlights international recognition through awards like the Pizzicato Supersonic Award and Diapason Magazine's 5 Camertones. Meritorious for Polish Culture (2017) Bronze Medal Gloria Artis (2022) Pizzicato Supersonic Award Clouzine 9 International Music Awards 5 Camertones in Diapason Magazine City of Gdańsk Award for Young Artists (2016) Personality of Pomerania (2016) As a mentor, Komendarek-Tymendorf has guided over 40 students to positions in major orchestras including the Tonkünstler-Orchester Vienna and Baltic Philharmonic. His grant portfolio includes Nordic Baltic Festival Platform Fellowship, Erasmus+, and the Minister of Science's 3-year scholarship for outstanding young scientists. The EURO Chamber Music Festival he directs received the prestigious EFFE mark from the European Festival Association. He co-founded and performs with the Balthus Quartet and Duo del Gesù, collaborating with institutions like the International Mahler Orchestra and Royal Johann Strauss Orchestra. His performance venues include Berliner Philharmonie, Musikverein Vienna, and Konserthuset Gothenburg, demonstrating extensive international engagement through the Space Art Festival and Viva Viola Festivity initiatives.
Allen McCullough is an Assistant Professor of Music at Purdue University's Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, teaching courses including Music Appreciation and maintaining an active career as a composer and pedagogue. His educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in Music from Brown University, a Master's in Composition from the Manhattan School of Music (studying with Giampaolo Bracali), and dual Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Composition from the University of Pennsylvania (studying with James Primosch, Jay Reise, and Anna Weesner). McCullough's creative research spans multiple compositional domains with particular emphasis on instrumental and vocal expression. His work demonstrates technical mastery across diverse formats including solo piano, string quartets, orchestral compositions (notably a five-movement symphony and piano concerto), and extended vocal forms. The composer exhibits consistent exploration of contemporary classical idioms while maintaining strong connections to traditional structures. Analysis of his recent compositions reveals concentrated development in chamber music and vocal genres over the past decade, with significant contributions to viola-piano repertoire, art song cycles, and innovative piano works that bridge historical forms with modern harmonic language. Scientific awards and honors include: Selection for drift – vol.34 of the Society of Composers, Inc. new music CD series Selection for inclusion in the scores library for the American Viola Society for Sonata for Viola and Piano (c.2019) Finalist for the National Association of the Teachers of Singing (NATS) Song Cycle competition for The Blue Symphony song cycle (c.2014) Inclusion in RMN Classical’s album Modern Music for Piano 3 Selection for inclusion in RMN Classical’s album Modern Music for Piano 4 for Preludes 2-4 (c.2011) Inclusion in the Sound and Music Archive of the British Library for Preludes 2-4 McCullough has secured significant research funding through grants from the Indiana Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Mercer University, and Purdue University. His collaborative practice involves prominent international artists including Van Cliburn gold medalist Yekwon Sunwoo, Czech Philharmonic concertmaster Josef Spacek, soprano Jennifer O’Loughlin, and the Aeolus, Harlem, and Daedalus String Quartets. While maintaining no formal laboratory, McCullough operates within a dynamic network of performance collaborators and commissioning organizations including the Tippecanoe Chamber Music Society, Chamber Music Yellow Springs, Eakins Vocal Consort, and Lotte Lehman Foundation, facilitating the realization of new works through close artist-composer partnerships.
Lerryn Donatelle is a Part-time Assistant Professor of Music at DePauw University. She specializes in viola performance, with active engagements in regional orchestras, opera companies, and chamber music. Her educational background includes a Master of Music in Viola Performance from DePaul University and dual bachelor's degrees—a Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance from the Lawrence Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Lawrence University. Her principal viola instructors include Matthew Michelic, Rami Solomonow, Leslie Straka, and Jacquelyn Schwandt. As a performer, she has participated in master classes led by internationally recognized artists such as Michael Tree, Abram Loft, Charles Castleman, and members of the Pacifica, Ebéne, and Brentano String Quartets.
Stephen Upshaw serves as Professor of Viola at Trinity Laban since 2022, having joined as a Carne Junior Fellow in 2015. He concurrently holds a faculty position at Switzerland's Lucerne Festival Academy, where he co-curates the annual Festival Forward initiative founded by Pierre Boulez. His performance career spans major international festivals including the BBC Proms (2025), Glastonbury Festival, and venues like Paris Philharmonie, London's Barbican, and Tokyo Opera City as a core member of the Solem Quartet and London's Riot Ensemble. Specializing in contemporary repertoire, Upshaw explores the viola's expanded sonic capabilities through commissions and premieres. His 2025 EP "Veneer" features works written specifically for him, showcasing stylistic diversity across modern classical genres. Notable projects include Errollyn Wallen's "Lavinia"—inspired by her opera "Dido's Ghost"—which transformed operatic drama into solo viola expression, premiered at Wigmore Hall during the emotionally resonant post-lockdown return of live audiences. As an educator, Upshaw cultivates innovation at Trinity Laban through student mentorship and at Lucerne Festival Academy by coaching emerging violists in contemporary interpretation. His collaborative ethos connects him with artists like Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Tai Murray, while his advocacy for new music positions him at the forefront of 21st-century classical performance practice.
Dr. Soo Yeon Kim serves as Associate Professor of Violin and Viola and Director of String Chamber Ensemble at Houghton University since Fall 2018. A Korean-born violinist acclaimed by Leipziger Volkszeitung for her "musical maturity and masterful technique," she maintains dual careers as a performing artist and dedicated educator within the university's music program. Her academic foundation includes: D.M.A. in Violin Performance and Literature (minor in Music History and String Pedagogy) from Eastman School of Music Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Violin Performance from The Juilliard School on full scholarship Dr. Kim's artistic practice centers on violin/viola performance, chamber music collaboration, and contemporary repertoire development. She actively premieres new works while integrating string pedagogy principles that emphasize mind-body connection in musical expression. Her research extends to performance practice of 20th-21st century compositions. Her distinguished accolades demonstrate exceptional artistry: Four major concerto competition victories across Busan, Juilliard, and Eastman institutions Finalist recognition at Johansen International String Competition Prestigious appointments at Kronberg Academy, Aspen Music Festival, and Juilliard Starling-DeLay Symposium Young Artist designation A sought-after pedagogue, Dr. Kim regularly conducts masterclasses nationwide and teaches at festivals including Luzerne Music Festival, Bayview Music Festival, and Interharmony International Music Festival in Italy. She mentors students through Houghton's violin/viola lessons, chamber ensembles, and String Techniques courses while directing the String Chamber Ensemble. Her professional activities span global performance venues from Carnegie Hall to Leipzig's Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Hall, with ongoing collaborations through Kronberg Academy Festival and Holland Music Sessions.
Michael Mautner is a composer, conductor, and author currently teaching Project Oriented Composition at the Mozarteum University in the Department of Composition & Music Theory. He has held significant positions including composer, music dramaturge, and musical director at the Rabenhof Theater in Vienna since 2002, academic editor at the Hermann Publishing Group since 2005, and music curator of the Konzett Gallery Vienna since 2013. His educational background includes: Salzburg Music High School, Matura 1978 1978-1984: University of Salzburg (musicology, art history, philosophy) 1979-1985: Mozarteum University (composition with Gerhard Wimberger, conducting with Bernhard Conz, Mladen Basic, and Michael Gielen) Summer courses with Witold Lutoslawski, Henri Dutilleux, and Hans Werner Henze Mautner's creative work focuses on contemporary composition with particular emphasis on multimedia music theater and the interfaces of perception between visual art and music. He maintains what he describes as 'stylistic ambivalence,' working with both tonal harmony and dissonant sharpness without preference for either approach. His work aims to be immediately accessible despite its complexity and uncompromising nature, while still exploring new artistic spaces and contents. He is particularly known for his COM.MEDIA project based on Dante Alighieri and his collaboration with artist Kurt Hofstetter on 'supersymmetric composition technique.' His recent compositions demonstrate a strong trend toward interdisciplinary work at the intersection of visual art and music, with many pieces created specifically for gallery or museum contexts in collaboration with visual artists, especially Franz West. There's also a notable focus on adapting literary and historical texts into musical form, with works based on Dante, Arthur Schnitzler, and Austrian political history. Technologically, his work increasingly incorporates electronic elements and novel compositional techniques like the supersymmetric approach. Mautner has received numerous awards for his work: Staatsstipendium für Komposition (1985) Prix du Centre Acanthes (1982) Silver Bear at the Berlin Festival in the youth film/music category for 'Tunnelkind' (1990) 1st prize in the Mozart composition competition of the City of Vienna/Austro Mechana (1991) Förderungspreis des Landes Salzburg (1994) Mautner has supervised numerous composition students throughout his career, particularly during his tenure as Head of the 'Applied Composition' course at the Mozarteum University from 1994-2005 and his current role teaching Project Oriented Composition since 2015. His work has been supported by significant commissions from prestigious organizations including the Mozarteum Foundation, European Parliament, Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien, ORF, Museum Moderner Kunst Wien, École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts Paris, Kunsthaus Bregenz, Wiener Festwochen, Rabenhof Theater, and the City of Salzburg. He collaborates extensively with various ensembles and institutions, most notably the Merlin Ensemble Wien and the Konzett Gallery Vienna where he directs the KonzettKonzeptKonzert series. His current work includes the 'Supersymmetric Music' project with Kurt Hofstetter, which generates musical sequences through rotations of the space-time axis of a dot matrix corresponding to tones and durations, representing a novel approach to composition that moves beyond conventional patterns.
Are Sandbakken serves as Professor of Chamber Music at the Norwegian Academy of Music since 2003, specializing in viola performance and historical interpretation practices. His career bridges performance, research, and education within Norway's premier music institution. His educational background includes violin and viola studies with Leif Jørgensen (Oslo) and Sándor Végh (Salzburg), supplemented by lied singing training with Svein Bjørkøy and conducting studies under Jorma Panula. Research focuses on reconstructing 19th-century Romantic performance techniques—particularly rubato and glissando—through the NordART-led project The Interpretation Tradition of Romanticism (2014-2018). He also investigates cross-cultural music education frameworks, examining power dynamics in instrumental tuition across international conservatoires. His publications reveal a trajectory from historical performance practice to critical analysis of educational cultures, emphasizing comparative methodologies and institutional power structures in higher music education. Scientific recognition includes: Norwegian Composers' Association performer prize (1999) with the Oslo String Quartet Spellemannsprisen award (2013) for award-winning quartet recordings Professional activities span 25 years with the Oslo String Quartet, leadership of Nordic Harmony's romantic orchestral interpretations, and conducting engagements focused on Grieg and Svendsen repertoire. Current projects include artistic development work on Brahms' songs and Schumann's lieder.
Teagan Faran serves as an Assistant Professor of Violin in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Ithaca College. A native of Buffalo, NY, she is a multidisciplinary musician dedicated to enacting social change through the arts, with performances described as bringing "the house down" (Represent Classical) through genre-defying violin artistry. Her educational background includes: University of Michigan (undergraduate degree) Fulbright grant studies in Buenos Aires Manhattan School of Music (Contemporary Performance program) Professor Faran's creative research centers on social justice through musical innovation, spanning violin performance, electroacoustic experimentation, Argentine tango, and contemporary cross-disciplinary collaboration. She actively performs with ensembles like Alarm Will Sound and Blackbox Ensemble while recording with artists including Carlos Simon and Diamanda Galás, and leads her Navona Records project "Middle Child" that merges traditional violin with electronic textures. Her major recognitions include: Fulbright grant for cultural exchange Turn The Spotlight Fellowship with Hedwig Holbrook Prize OneBeat fellowship in musical diplomacy GRAMMY nomination as co-artistic director of Palaver Strings Administratively, she has shaped arts education through roles at the Buffalo Philharmonic's Marketing/Education Departments and Jazz at Lincoln Center's Concerts/Touring division. She founded the Ann Arbor arts collective Red Shoe Company and serves as a teaching artist for the Kennedy Center, University Musical Society, and Sphinx Organization. At Ithaca College, she mentors students through violin studio classes and orchestra leadership while performing on a 1977 Silvano Rebessi violin and "The Briar" viola by John Perrin Bean. Professor Faran co-directs the ensemble Palaver Strings and forms half of the electroacoustic duo Persephone & the Phoenix, collaborating with luthiers to innovate violin design and pushing acoustic boundaries through experimental performance practices.
Asher Wulfman serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Music Performance within the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Ithaca College. His office is located in room 3208 of the James J Whalen Center for Music in Ithaca, New York. His artistic and pedagogical focus centers on string instrument performance, with specialized expertise in viola and violin techniques within classical music traditions. His work emphasizes technical mastery, interpretive depth, and historical performance practices for string musicians. Professor Wulfman actively contributes to the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance through performance instruction, ensemble coaching, and participation in departmental artistic initiatives that advance string education at the collegiate level.
John Pickford Richards serves as Professor of Viola in the Contemporary Performance Program at Manhattan School of Music and holds faculty positions at Mannes School of Music where JACK Quartet is Quartet in Residence. A founding member of both JACK Quartet and Alarm Will Sound, he is globally recognized for pioneering contemporary classical music performance. His educational background includes degrees from Interlochen Arts Academy and Eastman School of Music under primary instructors David Holland and John Graham. Richards specializes in avant-garde contemporary music with emphasis on commissioning new works and amplifying underrepresented composers. His performance philosophy centers on cultivating openness toward contemporary classical music through rigorous technical exploration and collaborative creation, recently evidenced by premiering seven major works including compositions by Chaya Czernowin and John Luther Adams during JACK Quartet's 2021 European tours. His distinguished achievements include a 2018 Grammy nomination with JACK Quartet, which the New York Times hailed as "our leading new-music foursome" for their transformative contributions to contemporary repertoire. Richards maintains an active performance career as soloist with ensembles including Pasadena Symphony, Armenian Philharmonic, and Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra (performing Luciano Berio’s Chemins II under Pierre Boulez). His teaching methodology empowers students to harness personal inspiration while developing technical mastery, reflecting MSM's culture of "enthusiasm and curiosity with unusual attentiveness to musical detail". The JACK Quartet, founded by Richards, operates as a residency ensemble at Mannes while mentoring emerging groups like Mivos Quartet and Quartet121 that originated in MSM's Contemporary Performance Program.
Li-Kuo Chang serves as Professor of Music in viola at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. A celebrated orchestral and chamber musician, he held the position of assistant principal viola with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) from 1988 (appointed by Georg Solti) and served as acting principal viola from 2017 (appointed by Riccardo Muti). His musical education began under his mother—a Shanghai Conservatory professor and Royal Academy of Music graduate—with piano training. Inspired by David Oistrakh's violin performance, he transitioned to strings, making his public debut at age 11 during the Shanghai Spring Music Festival. His viola studies progressed as follows: Eastman School of Music with Francis Tursi Music Academy of the West with Milton Thomas and Donald McInnes Private instruction from Paul Doktor and William Magers Master classes with William Primrose Chang's artistic profile centers on viola performance across orchestral and chamber settings. He has collaborated with Pinchas Zukerman, Daniel Barenboim, Yo-Yo Ma, and Christoph Eschenbach at major festivals including Lucerne, Jerusalem, and Ravinia. His repertoire spans Baroque works like Bach's Brandenburg Concertos to Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle, performed with Staatskapelle Berlin during Asian tours from 2000–2007. Awards and Honors: 1978 Young Artist Competition in Shanghai (First-ever violist in China to win) With over 30 years of teaching experience, Chang has mentored students who secured principal positions in orchestras across Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, St. Louis, London, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong. His faculty appointments include Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music, Peabody Institute, and Affinis Summer Festival in Japan. Chang performs on a 1774 Turin period G. B. Guadagnini viola owned by the CSO, previously playing the rare 1768 Parma period G. B. Guadagnini (ex-Vieuxtemps) for over two decades.
