Our Faculty

Cathy Amoury, viola. Attended the University of Texas in Austin and the Aspen Music Festival. Studied with Donald Wright, Atar Arad and Harold Coletta. Residing in DC, she performs with the Arlington Symphony, the Alexandria Symphony, Baltimore Concert Artists and Baltimore Opera, and has appeared at the Wolftrap Festival and Kennedy Center. Toured with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project in 2001.
	Brenda Anna, violin. Attended the Peabody Conservatory and studied with Yong Ku Ahn, Charles Libove and David Geber of the American String Quartet. Concertmaster of the Columbia Orchestra and Mid-Atlantic Symphony, and member of the Alexandria Symphony, Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, Gallery Quartet and Mid-Atlantic String Quartet. Soloist with Mid-Atlantic Symphony, Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Southern MD, Prince Georges Philharmonic, Prince Georges Symphony.
David Bakamjian, 'cello. Earned Bachelor's from Yale and Master's and Doctorate from SUNY Stony Brook. Studied with Timothy Eddy, Bernard Greenhouse and Aldo Parisot. Winner or finalist in four international chamber music competitions. Six national tours with the Casa Verde Trio. Soloed with the Allentown Symphony, Philharmonia Virtuosi, the Beijing Symphony and the Bachanalia Festival Orchestra. Performs with the American Symphony Orchestra, Concert Royal and the American Classical Orchestra and is principal cellist of the New York Grand Opera and the Berkshire Opera. Founding member of Brooklyn Baroque whose first CD was released to critical acclaim in April, 2005. Faculty at Lehigh University and director of the Summer String-In in NJ. On staff of Play Week since 1994 and its director since 2005.
	Lori Berkowitz, viola. Teaches at the Children's Orchestra Society in New York City. Taught viola, violin and theory at the Manhattan School of Music, where she earned her Master's degree studying with Raphael Bronstein. Served as first desk violist in the American Symphony under Leopold Stokowski and as principal viola in the Grand Teton Music Festival and Symphony of the New World. Appeared with Parnassus Chamber Ensemble, Anacrusis, Piatagorsky Foundation and Musicians for Peace and several times as soloist with the Albert Einstein Symphony. On the staff of Play Week since 1989.
Leonard Felberg, violin. Received Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Yale University. Studied with Hugo Kortschak, Joseph Fuchs, Daniel Guilet, Luigi Silva and Janos Starker. Played under George Szell, Eugene Ormandy, Artur Rodzinski and Erich Leinsdorf as member of Amsterdam's Concertgebouw Orchestra. Former member of University of Georgia Trio and of Toledo String Quartet, which won the Medal with Distinction at the Geneva Competition in 1966. Appeared in Albuquerque's June Music Festival, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Taos Music Festival and with the Berkshire Quartet in Connecticut. Alumnus of the Seventh Army Symphony.
	Charles Forbes, cello. Graduate of Harvard College and the Manhattan School of Music. Studied with Bernard Greenhouse, Maurice Eisenberg and Pablo Casals. Has played principal cello in the American Symphony under Leopold Stokowski, the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Vermont Symphony. Founding member of the New York Camerata and performer with the Relache Ensemble and other new music groups in Philadelphia where he teaches at the Settlement Music School. Four solo recitals in Carnegie Recital Hall. On the staff of Play Week since its inception.
Kimberly Foster-Wallace, viola. Member, Albany Symphony. Performed with Minnesota and Berkshire Opera Companies, NY Virtuosi, Minnesota Orchestra and as principal with Bridgeport and Allentown, Symphonies. Performed at Tanglewood Music Center, Manchester International Festival, Round Top, and has toured Russia. Frequent recitalist with pianist David Oei at NYC venues. Heard on NPR’s Performance Today. Studied with George Taylor at Eastman and Jesse Levine at Yale.
	Ikuko Kanda, violin and viola. Bachelor degree from Tokyo’s Toho Gakuen School, Japan, Performers Certificate from University of Wyoming. Studied with Toshiya Eto, master classes with Pinchas Zucherman, and members of and Borodin String Quartets. Former member of Bela Cosi String Quartet. Performed with Santa Fe Festival Ballet and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. Member of New Mexico Symphony and the Santa Fe Symphony.
Carlos Rubio, violin. Earned Bachelor's Degree from the Simon Bolivar Superior Conservatory in Caracas, Venezuela, Master's Degree from Miami University, and pursued postgraduate studies with the Vermeer Quartet at Northern Illinois University. Member of Dali String Quartet and former member of the Ávila String Quartet with performances throughout the United States, South America and Europe. Was one of the youngest members of Venezuela's Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra. Performed with the DaPonte, Colorado and Penderecki quartets and cellist Marc Johnson of the Vermeer Quartet.
	Willy Sucre, viola. Attended the Peabody Conservatory and the Mannes School of Music. Studied with Walter Trampler, Karen Tuttle, Lotte Bamberger and with the Hungarian String Quartet at the Colby College Chamber Music Institute. A diplomate of the Conservatorio Nacional de Bolivia, he has been conductor and music director of the Albuquerque Philharmonia, assistant conductor of the Canada Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of La Paz. Toured the Western Hemisphere as a chamber musician.
Dana Winograd, cello. Received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in performance from the Juilliard School, where she studied with members of the Juilliard Quartet. Principal cellist of the Santa Fe Symphony and member of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. For several years, an active free-lance musician in New York, including performances with the American Composers' Orchestra and the American Symphony in Carnegie Hall,and numerous Broadway productions. New Mexico performances have included concerts with Musica de Camera and the Taos Chamber Music Group.
	Masako Yanagita, violinist, began the violin at age six and later studied with Louis Graeler and William Kroll. In 1966 she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. She was presented the Silverstein Prize in Tanglewood during her first summer while studying on a Jascha Heifetz scholarship. She won top honors at the Paganini Competition in Genoa, the Carl Flesch in London and the Munich International. Ms. Yanagita has performed at many chamber music festivals, including Mostly Mozart, Mohawk Trail Concerts, Caramoor, Madeira and Grand Canyon. She is on the faculty of Mannes College and the Chamber Music Conference at Bennington College. She has recorded for Musical Heritage Society, Vox- Turnabout and Music Minus One.