Strings

Hans Christian Andersen once said, "Where words fail, music speaks." The goal of the String Department at Indian Hill Music School is to help students of all ages find a way to communicate with music. A student at any level of playing can find his or her home here. Beginners and advanced players alike are able to learn and grow in their abilities to communicate through the lyrical nature and beauty of stringed instruments. Private lessons are offered in violin, viola, cello and bass along with semi-private lessons and group classes. Students are accepted from age three to 133, with beginners through advanced players at any age.

In addition to weekly lessons, students may enroll in a variety of ensembles, both large and small. For those who prefer smaller ensembles, chamber music is an option at any age and level. Custom ensembles can be created to match students' skill level and musical interests. Our instrumental festival, Summerdaymusic, includes a full orchestra as part of the core curriculum, and plans are underway for an orchestra program during the school year.

The overall goal of the String Department is to make music fun, rewarding and enjoyable, allowing players at any age and level to develop a greater appreciation for what they can accomplish as musicians. Welcome to all!

please hover over the names to see the		Short Bio:

Lynn Mielke Basila		Lynn Mielke Basila B.M., Colorado State University; M.M., Arizona State University, plus additional studies toward D.M.A. The winner of several competitions, including the Arizona State University Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, Ms. Basila has been a soloist with many orchestras and chamber ensembles. She performs in the Colorado Music Festival and was a former member of the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra. A registered Suzuki teacher, she has been on the faculty at the Tulsa Suzuki School and the Rocky Mountain Summer Music Camp.
- violin

Arkady Beletsky		Arkady Beletsky B.A., Gnesin College of Music, Moscow; M.A., Gnesin Musical and Pedagogical Institute. Mr. Beletsky has performed in concerts and music festivals in the U.S., Europe and the former Soviet Union. He has appeared at Jordan Hall, Sanders Theater, Mechanics Hall, and on WGBH radio's Morning Pro Musica.
- cello

Andrew Eng		Andrew Eng ARCT (First Class Honors with Distinction), Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto; Diploma in Violin Performance, M.M. in Modern American Music, Longy School of Music. Principal teachers: Laura Bossert, Peter Cassino, Terry King Andrew Eng has garnered a versatile reputation playing such varied genres as Classical, Contemporary, Jazz, and Tango styles. Mr. Eng performs recitals and chamber music concerts across Canada and the United States. He is a frequent guest on the Lyrica Chamber Music series and Longy School of Music's Modern American Music Series.
- violin

Cynthia Forbes		Cynthia Forbes B.A., Anthropology, Harvard University; M.M., Syracuse University. Principal teachers: George Neikrug and Benjamin Zander. Cynthia Forbes performs in recital and in New England area ensembles and orchestras. She has appeared as concerto soloist with Boston Virtuosi and New England String Ensemble, among others, recorded for documentaries and films, premieres new works, and teaches students of all ages and levels. A graduate of Harvard University in Anthropology and of Syracuse University as recipient of the Graduate Fellowship in Music, her esteemed teachers include George Neikrug and Benjamin Zander. Ms. Forbes teaches at Indian Hill Music, Oak Meadow Montessori, Boston Latin School and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. She also maintains a private studio and directs her adult learning ensemble, Tutti Celli, now in its enthusiastic third year.
- cello

Susan Gottschalk		Susan Gottschalk B.M., Boston University; further studies at the Suzuki Institute, Ithaca, and University of Colorado. Principal teachers: Roman Totenberg, Raphael Bronstein. An active freelancer, Ms. Gottschalk is a member of The Orchestra of Indian Hill and the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. Alice Hallstrom B.M., summa cum laude, SUNY Purchase; M.M., The Juilliard School. Principal teachers: Malcolm Lowe, Robert Mann, Laurie Smukler, Thomas Halpin, Anastasia Jempelis. Alice Hallstrom is currently serving as concertmaster of the Orchestra of Indian Hill, assistant concertmaster of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, and principal second violin of Camerata New England. She also performs with the Portland Symphony, where she served as interim assistant concertmaster. Her other orchestral credits include performances with the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, and Nashville Chamber Orchestra. As a soloist, she has performed concerti with the Southwest Symphony, Juilliard Baroque Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra of Tennessee, and Purchase Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Hallstrom has recorded with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, Josh Groban, Natalie Cole, Train, and The Cartoon Network. Ms. Hallstrom has over 17 years of experience of teaching experience. She has served on the faculties of The Groton School in Groton, MA, and Suzuki Strings Studio in Lawrenceville, GA. She has also coached chamber music and given masterclasses at colleges and universities throughout the country.
- violin, viola

Alice Hallstrom
-violin

Laurel Martin		Laurel Martin Traditional Irish fiddle player Laurel Martin learned her music from Master fiddler Seamus Connolly, a highly respected musician from County Clare with whom she studied from 1990-1993 under a Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Laurel has served on the faculty of the Boston College Irish Studies program since 1994 as an instructor of Irish fiddle. She is the Director of the Fiddleheads traditional Celtic music ensemble at Wellesley College, teaches privately and has led many workshops in the United States and abroad. In 2002, Laurel was again awarded a Traditional Arts Master-Apprentice grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, this time as a master teacher. Laurel is co-author with Seamus Connolly of the acclaimed book/CD Forget Me Not: Fifty Memorable Traditional Irish Tunes which was published in 2002 by Mel Bay Publications. She performs frequently in the Boston area and throughout New England, has appeared on several recordings including the Childsplay Live and Heaven and Earth CDs of the fiddle ensemble "Childsplay" of which she is a member, and her first solo recording, The Groves, was released in November 2006.
- Irish fiddle

Justin Meyer		Justin Meyer B.A., University of North Carolina; Berklee School of Music, studies with Dave Clark (jazz) and Oscar Stegnaro (Latin bass). Mr. Meyer has performed around the country with numerous ensembles, including the Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus Orchestra and the Chris Fitz Band, which won the 2001 Boston Music Award for "Best New Blues Band". He is presently a freelance bassist in the Greater Boston area and house bassist at Club Caravan in Revere.
- bass

Adele Ohki		Adele Ohki B.M., Eastman School of Music; M.M., Northwestern University; Artist Diploma, Australian National Academy of Music. Originally from Sydney, Australia, Adele Ohki's main instructors have included Charles Castleman, Gerardo Ribeiro, and James Buswell. In 2006, she moved to Sweden to study for two years at the Swedish National Orchestral Institute, and played extensively with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, and the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra. Since moving back to Boston, Adele has actively participated in many of the area ensembles, including the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, the Boston Philharmonic, the Portland Symphony Orchestra, Opera Boston and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Adele is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Baroque Violin at Boston University with Jane Starkman. She has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician at numerous festivals, including the Music Academy of the West, Spoleto Festival, Oberlin Baroque Music Institute, and the Internationale Bachakademie, Stuttgart. Adele enjoys long walks with her rescued black labrador, Kuro, cooking frivolously difficult dishes that take hours in the kitchen, and practically anything Scandinavian.
- violin

Mona Rashad		Mona Rashad B.M., Shepherd School of Music, Rice University; B.M. in violin performance, with academic honors, M.M. in violin performance, M.M. in music education, New England Conservatory of Music. Principal teachers: James Buswell, Kenneth Goldsmith, Gregory Fulkerson Mona Rashad has been a member of the Orchestra of Indian Hill for 4 years. One of the founding violin teachers at the Conservatory Lab Charter School, Mona has had extensive teaching experience, including teaching posts at the Holyoke Public Schools, the Norwood Public Schools, and the Dana Hall Music School. She currently teaches violin in the Intensive Community Program of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, and in the Prodigy Program in the Westwood Public Schools where she is also the Elementary Orchestra Director. Mona grew up in Houston as a Suzuki student and at the age of 13 was invited to Japan to participate in a Suzuki Festival and meet and play for Dr. Suzuki. A recipient of the John Cage Award for Outstanding Contribution to Contemporary Music Performance, Mona is an advocate for New Music and has performed works by John Zorn, Gyorgy Ligeti, Witold Lutoslawski, Giacinto Scelsi, David Shea, and Joe Maneri.
- violin

Caroline Reiner-Williams		Caroline Reiner-Williams B.M. in Cello Performance, Atlantic Union College; M.M. with emphasis in Cello Pedagogy, Longy School of Music. Caroline Reiner-Williams completed her undergraduate degree in cello performance at the age of 19. Prior to accepting a full scholarship to pursue graduate studies at the Longy School of Music, she toured the U.S., Canada, England, France, Russia, Spain and Portugal as a member of several chamber ensembles, including the Boston Youth Symphony. At 21, she received her master's degree in cello performance with an emphasis in cello pedagogy. Since then, Ms. Reiner-Williams has enjoyed a busy schedule as both performer and teacher. A faculty member at the Joy of Music Program in Worcester since 2009, she is also on the adjunct music faculty at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI); Brooks School in North Andover; and the Fay School in Southborough. Ms. Reiner-Williams also currently serves as director of the chamber ensemble at Notre Dame Academy of Worcester. Active throughout New England as a chamber and orchestral musician, Ms. Reiner-Williams performs regularly with the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, where she is contracted associate principal since 2009. As an orchestral player, she has shared the stage with renowned soloists such as Alisa Weilerstein and Stefan Jackiw, as well as legendary folk artists like Noel Paul Stookey. Also in 2009, stemming from her deep love of chamber music, Caroline founded the Nashaway Trio with husband and violinist Angel Hernandez, and pianist Roy Imperio. The trio gave its premiere performance on the Beveridge Webster Recital Series in Hanover, NH, and continues to perform together on a regular basis. Ms. Reiner-Williams lives in Sterling with her husband and son.
-cello

Timothy Terranella		Timothy Terranella Artist Diploma, Boston Conservatory, B.M. Curtis Institute of Music, M.M. (flute) Boston Conservatory; Principal teachers Leonard Rose, Orlando Cole, Mischa Nieland, Ronald Thomas. Mr. Terranella has performed as both cellist and flutist with many of Boston's most prestigious musical organizations including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Esplanade Pops, New Hampshire Symphony, Cape Cod Symphony, Nashua Symphony, Boston Academy of Music, Claflin Hill Symphony, Boston Lyric Opera and the Bostonian Chamber Players. He has performed and recorded in the New York area as a member of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Terranella has dedicated much of his professional experience to teaching the cello and flute and coaching chamber ensembles. He has served on the faculties of Boston University, Buckingham and Nichols School, Groton School and the Joy of Music Program (Worcester, MA) where he is the conductor of the JOMP Chamber Orchestra.
- cello, flute Strings Department Chair

Anabelle Tirado		Anabelle Tirado B.M., Bowling Green State University; M.A., Boston Conservatory. Principal teachers: Sharan Leventhal, Marylou Speaker Churchill, David Gillis, Eugene Phillips An active freelancer in the Boston area, Anabelle Tirado has performed throughout the United States and Canada. She's participated in summer festivals such as the Chautauqua School for Music and the Meadowmount School for Strings. In 2004, she studied music and art in Ghana, Africa and has performed exclusively for the promotion of world peace. Her teaching experience includes varying ages and levels in private lessons, chamber music coaching, group classes, and classroom learning. Ms.Tirado earned her Master of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory. Prior to coming to Boston she graduated with Honors from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Violin Performance.
- violin

Alexander Vavilov		Alexander Vavilov Music Diploma, Kiev Glier College of Music; B.M. magna cum laude, M.M., Boston Conservatory; Graduate Diploma, New England Conservatory. Principal teachers: Patricia McCarty, Kim Kashkashian Alexander Vavilov is principal viola of the Atlantic Symphony, and performs regularly with Boston Modern Orchestra Project and other area orchestras. As a chamber musician he collaborated with Borromeo String Quartet, as a winner of their NEC guest artist award, and with prominent musicians like Lynn Chang, Barbara Westphal, Ronald Leonard, James Buswell and Rhonda Rider. Summer festivals include Tanglewood, Sarasota and Meadowmount. Mr. Vavilov is also teaching at Winchester Community Music School and during the summer at Point Counterpoint Music Camp.
- viola, violin