Karla Ekholm, bassoon, has been on faculty at EMF since 1984. She enjoys an active career performing around the San Francisco Bay Area as principal bassoonist of San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and Pacific Chamber Symphony and member of Santa Rosa Symphony and Marin Symphony.
As featured soloist she has performed Daugherty's "Dead Elvis" with Vallejo Symphony as well as the Francaix "Divertissement" with the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra and San Francisco Chamber Orchestra where SF Classical Voice noted "Ekholm sold the perky themes and twirling embellishments with light-fingered conviction, tossing off Francaix's sometimes lengthy chromatic sentences and cleverly italicizing their syncopations with accents and elastic timing."
Ms. Ekholm started her career as principal bassoonist with San Francisco Opera's National Touring Company, with whom she toured until 2002 and where she developed her love of opera. She is a founding member of the Five Chairs Wind Quintet with whom she has performed over 1000 programs for students in the schools. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music degree from Temple University. Her teachers include Benjamin Kamins, Bernard Garfield, Stephen Paulson and Walter Green. Ms. Ekholm is featured in the documentary "Freeway Philharmonic."
Bio added 2019 ♪ ♪ Workshop: several, including Feb 2019, Sept 2023, March 2024
Terrie Baune, violin
In addition to being a member of Earplay, she is co-concertmaster of the Oakland-East Bay Symphony, concertmaster of the North State Symphony, and a former member of the Empyrean Ensemble. Her professional credits include concertmaster positions with the Women’s Philharmonic, Fresno Philharmonic, Santa Cruz County Symphony, and Rohnert Park Symphony. A member of the National Symphony Orchestra for four years, she also spent two years as a member of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra of New Zealand, where she toured and recorded for Radio New Zealand with the Gabrielli Trio and performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. CMNC Workshop Director June 2022. CMNC workshop assignments 2023 and beyond.
Bio added 2019 ♪ ♪ Workshop: several, including June 2019, June 2022, Sept 2023, March 2024
Wendy Clymer, viola and violin, holds a BA from Brown University and MM from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Jodi Levitz. She has also studied with Karen Tuttle at the Juilliard School. Ms. Clymer was awarded a fellowship to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Oklahoma where she performed as violist of the MacArthur String Quartet and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, taught at the Sooner String Project and Oklahoma Baptist University and served as teaching assistant at the University of Oklahoma. She is on the faculty of the Crowden Center for Music in the Community and has coached chamber music and sectionals for the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra. In addition to her musical activities, she has been a translator and tour guide in Berlin, Germany; a financial aid counselor and paralegal.
Bio added 2019 ♪ ♪ Workshop: Feb 2019, Mar 2023
Zakarias Grafilo, violin, joined the Alexander String Quartet in July 2002. Prior to that he served as Principal Second Violinist of the Pacific Symphony, and Concertmaster of the Stockton Symphony. Mr. Grafilo was co-founder of the Chamberlain String Quartet, which was Assistant Quartet-in-Residence to the Alexander String Quartet at San Francisco State University. He received his early musical training at the Preparatory Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and was later admitted into the Marin Music Conservatory where he studied with Serban Rusu. He received his early orchestral training with the world-renowned San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra where he was Concertmaster in 1992. Mr. Grafilo continued his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, studying with Alexander Treger, Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University
Bio added 2019 ♪ ♪ Workshop: many, including Oct 2018
Frederick Lifsitz, violin, studied violin in his native Boston with Marylou Churchill and at Indiana University with Paul Biss. As a member of the Alexander String Quartet he has performed throughout Europe and North America, appearing regularly at halls such as Amsterdam’s Concertebouw and New York City’s Lincoln Center. He has been an Artist in Residence at the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies in Wye, Maryland and has held similar positions at St. Lawrence University, Baruch College, and North Carolina School of the Arts. Prior to joining the Alexander Quartet Mr. Lifsitz performed over several seasons with the Boston Symphony and taught Chamber Music and Violin at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Mr. Lifsitz continues to perform as soloist and in recital.
Bio added 2019 ♪ ♪ Workshop: many, including Oct 2018, Oct 2019
Burke Schuchmann, cello, studied in London, England with William Pleeth for five years, where he made his debut at the age of 19. He also studied for extended periods with Margaret Rowell and Colin Hampton. After his studies in England, he became principal cellist and soloist with the Salzburger Solisten in Austria. He has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, the U.S. and Israel. He has also been principal cellist and soloist with the Sacramento Symphony and the Mendocino Festival Orchestra.
Mr. Schuchmann is known for the beauty and depth of his musical interpretation as a performing soloist as well as chamber musician. He is greatly sought after as a chamber music coach of young musicians and adult amateurs. He was for many years the director of the Mendocino Music Festival's Young Musician's Scholarship program. A gifted teacher, Mr. Schuchmann has taught at the University of California at Berkeley and also CSU Chico. He currently teaches string technique classes, directs the Berkeley and Marin chamber music workshops. He is the artistic director of the Palomarin Chamber Music Foundation and has recently inaugurated an all-cello workshop ("Cello Heaven") in Berkeley, California. He has also been a member of the faculty of the San Domenico High School Conservatory of Music and is presently coaching in the adult chamber music program at the Crowden School.
Bio added 2019 ♪ ♪ Workshop: most, including June 2022, Mar & June 2023, Mar 2024