Gershon Gerchikov
Title: Visiting Scholar, The Ariel Quartet (violin)
Office: Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-556-3442
Email: gershon.gerchikov@uc.edu
Israeli violinist Gershon Gerchikov began his violin studies at the age of five, under the guidance of Daniel Fradkin. He later worked with the late Moshe Gershovitz and from 1994 until moving to the United States has been studying with Ludmila Feldman at both the Rubin Conservatory and the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. Since 1994, Gerchikov has received ongoing scholarship support from both the Veron Foundation and the America-Israel Cultural Foundation.
While still in Israel, Gerchikov performed with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Yad Harif Chamber Orchestra and the St. Petersburg Radio Orchestra, and was a prize winner in the Violinists-Composers Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia (2001). Gerchikov received his Bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory while studying with Lucy Chapman as well as Miriam Fried, and has recently graduated from NEC’s Professional String Quartet Studies program, during which he continued his violin studies with Miriam Fried, and Donald Weilerstein. Gerchikov plays on a Petrus Guarneri violin on loan from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation.
Alexandra Kazovsky
Title: Visiting Scholar, The Ariel Quartet (violin)
Office: Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-556-6489
Email: alexandra.kazovsky@uc.edu
Originally from Moscow, Alexandra Kazovsky began playing the violin at the age of six under the guidance of the late Victor Legoshin. Two years later, her family immigrated to Israel where she continued her studies with Ludmila Feldman at the Rubin Conservatory and the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. As she continued her work in Israel, and then eventually in the United States, she has received ongoing scholarship support from both the Veron Foundation (since 1993) and the America-Israel Cultural Foundation (since 1997).
In addition to her extensive performance experience with the Ariel Quartet, Kazovsky has performed with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Yad Harif Chamber Orchestra, and was a prize winner at the "Kol Ha Musica” (Israel Broadcasting Authority) Young Artists Competition. Having received her Bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory while studying with Miriam Fried, Kazovsky has recently graduated from NEC’s Professional String Quartet Studies program, during which she continued her violin studies with Donald Weilerstein. Kazovsky currently plays on a 1660 Jacob Steiner violin, on loan from Yehuda Zisapel.
Timothy Lees
Title: Adjunct Professor of Violin
Office: Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-505-0932
Email: timothy.lees@uc.edu
Timothy Lees, violinist, enjoys an exciting and eclectic career as Concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Since his arrival in Cincinnati as Concertmaster in 1998, Mr. Lees has also been appointed as an esteemed member of the violin faculty of the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) where he serves a vital, dual role as teacher and private coach in preparing students in developing their orchestral audition skills. A member of the Sarasota Festival faculty since 2004, Mr. Lees has also been a faculty member of the Aspen Music Festival and School where he performed as Concertmaster of both the Aspen Chamber Symphony and the Aspen Festival Orchestra.
Mr. Lees’ Carnegie Hall solo debut with the Cincinnati Symphony in 1999 was received with critical acclaim. As described by Strings Magazine, his performance of Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben: “the display of egotisim is almost redeemed by the soaring melodies and the famous bravura violin solo, played with spectacular virtuosity by concertmaster Timothy Lees.” From Bach to Bartók, Mr. Lees’ flexibility and command of the solo violin repertoire is evident through his numerous solo appearances with the Cincinnati Symphony as well as on many other stages throughout North America. Upcoming highlights include appearances with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra where he will be the featured soloist performing the Barber Violin Concerto in February of 2016. As a recitalist, he has been featured in solo recitals in Cincinnati, Philadephia, San Diego and at Sarasota, Spoleto, Sebago-Long Lake and Mainly Mozart Festivals, among others.
An avid chamber musician, Mr. Lees is highly sought after, frequently collaborating with the world’s most prominent artists including Jaime Laredo, Joseph Silverstein, Yefim Bronfman, Ida Kavafian, Peter Wiley, among others. Additionally, he has appeared in performances as guest artist with St. Lawrence and Apollo String Quartets. Mr. Lees is featured regularly in chamber music on established series including the Linton Music Series, CCM Faculty Artist Series, Oberlin Conservatory Series, Concert Nova, as well as appearances on Aspen Music Festival Faculty Artists Series and Spoleto Festival Series. His performances have been broadcast on NPR Performance Today, WGUC (Cincinnati), Aspen Public Radio, Maine Public Radio, and Florida Public Radio. Recent recordings include the soon to be released Bruch Octet, a collaboration featuring Mr. Lees with members of the Jupiter Quartet and faculty members from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Lees received the coveted Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Charles Castleman. Prior to his arrival in Cincinnati, Mr. Lees established himself as a distinguished leader serving as Concertmaster of the internationally renowned Spoleto Festival, the New Jersey, and the Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestras. The expertise he has cultivated in his own command of both solo and orchestral literature is shared, not only by his recent addition to violin faculty of CCM, but also through master classes presented at Universities including CCM, Indiana University, University of Kentucky, Northern Kentucky University, Ohio University, Biola University, and others.
Mr. Lees performs on a J. B. Vuillaume violin c. 1845
Piotr Jan Milewski
Title: Associate Professor of Violin
Office: 242 Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-556-9566
Email: piotr.milewski@uc.edu
Piotr Milewski is laureate of prestigious international violin competitions including Silver Medal in the Paganini International Competition in Italy, Silver Medal in the Wieniawski International Competition in Poland and Silver Medal in the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition of Belgium (where he was also awarded the Audience Prize as favorite performer).
Milewski has performed as a soloist and received international acclaim throughout Europe, America and Asia including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Holland, Korea, Poland, Portugal, Taiwan, former USSR, and United States. He has performed and served on faculty at various festivals including St. Moritz Festival (Switzerland), Madeira Festival (Portugal), Music & Amitie Festival (Switzerland), Aspen Music Festival (USA), Aria International Summer Academy (USA), Pacific Festival of California (USA), Yong Pyong Music Festival (Korea) and the Great Wall Academy (China).
Milewski assisted Dorothy DeLay at The Juilliard School from 1988 to 1997. He started violin studies with Florian Ryll and continued with Stefan Betz at Kurpinski Music School in Poznan. Subsequently he studied with Jadwiga Kaliszewska at the Poznan Academy of Music, Josef Gingold at Indiana University and Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang at The Juilliard School.
Education
BM, Poznań Music Conservatory, Poznań, Poland.
MM and DMA, The Juilliard School, New York, NY.
Gabriel J. Pegis
Title: Adjunct Instructor of Violin
Office: Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-556-6638
Email: pegisgl@uc.edu
Gabriel Pegis joined the Cincinnati Symphony as a member of the second violin section in June of 1999, and in September of 2000 he was appointed to the Principal Second Violin Chair. Previously, Pegis was Assistant Principal Second Violin with the North Carolina Symphony. Other past positions include a violin faculty position at Western Illinois University and the Concertmaster position with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in Springfield, IL.
In addition, Pegis has taught at numerous summer music festivals including the Sewanee Summer Music Center, The Music Festival of Arkansas and The Young Musical Artists Association in Lawrence, Kansas. Currently, he spends his summers performing at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.
Pegis has also appeared as soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic, the North Carolina Symphony and the Illinois Symphony among others. As a violist, Pegis has appeared on both the Cincinnati Chamber Music series and the Linton Chamber Series, with members of the North Carolina Symphony and as a faculty member at Western Illinois University. In 1994 he was awarded a Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Illinois where he studied with Emmanuel Vardi.
Education
B.Mus, Hartt School of Music, Hartford, CT.
MM, New England Conservatory, Boston, MA.
Doctoral Fellow, Univesity of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
Anna Reider
Title: Adjunct Instructor of Violin
Office: Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-556-3442
Email: anna.reider@uc.edu
Anna Reider has performed extensively throughout Europe, North and South America, Russia and Israel. She has concertized with orchestras around the world, establishing herself as one of the most promising young violinists of her generation. Born in Russia to pianist Tatiana Reider and violinist Vladimir Reider, she began her violin studies in earnest at the age of seven, following in the footsteps of both her father and her grandfather (Itzhak Reider).
Reider's first solo orchestra performance came at age nine. Since then, she has won the Grand Prize at the Russian National Competition for Young Violinists, the Clermont Violin Competition in Israel, the top award of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, and was a two-time winner of the Aspen Fellowship Award. Her various chamber music engagements have included a recital with Michael Tree, the LaSalle Chamber Music Series, the Linton Chamber Music Series, the Mayors 801 Plum Series, and numerous engagements with members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Israeli Chamber Orchestra. Reider's solo recital at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, with accompaniment by her mother, Tatiana, won her critical acclaim.
Reider joined the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as a first violinist in 2002. Her summer festival appearances have included Aspen, Caramoor and Keshet Alon. Reider has made many live recordings for television and radio. Her feature CD recording of the Wieniawski Violin Concerto in F Minor with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra came out in the spring of 2004 on the MMO label.
Reider studied in Novosibirsk with Zahar Bron and as a Starling Scholarship student of Dorothy Delay, Kurt Sassmannshaus and Piotr Milewski at the University of Cincinnati.
Kurt Sassmannshaus
Title: Professor of Violin; the Dorothy Richard Starling Chair in Classical Violin
Office: 245 Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-556-9550
Email: kurt.sassmannshaus@uc.edu
Kurt Sassmannshaus, violinist, teacher, and conductor, is considered one of today's preeminent violin pedagogues. Chairman of the String Department at CCM since 1984, he was recently appointed to the school's distinguished Dorothy Richard Starling Chair for Classical Violin, a position previously held by the late Dorothy Delay. Sassmannshaus has taught around the world, including master classes in Europe, the United States, Japan, China, and Australia, and has worked in close association with Dorothy DeLay both in Cincinnati and at the Aspen Music Festival and School where he is on the faculty and acts as a member of the Board.
His students include prizewinners of major international competitions, prominent soloists and chamber musicians, and orchestra leaders in ensembles such as the London Philharmonic, Capetown, North German State Radio, Frankfurt Radio, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Cleveland orchestras. His former students also hold faculty positions in European and American conservatories and universities including Lübeck, the University of Michigan, University of Boulder, and the Peabody Conservatory.
After receiving his bachelor's degree from Cologne, where he studied with Igor Ozim, Sassmannshaus received a Master's degree from the Juilliard School as a scholarship student of Dorothy DeLay, and won first prize in the International Chamber Music Competition in Colmar, France. He taught at the University of Texas, Austin and at Sarah Lawrence College before joining CCM full time in 1983.
In addition to teaching conservatory students, Sassmannshaus is renowned for his method of training younger players with extraordinary talent. In 1987, he founded the Starling Preparatory String Project as an integrated pre-collegiate program for string players with prodigious ability. This program has earned a worldwide reputation for its unsurpassed offering of performance opportunities for young soloists, especially in the Starling Chamber Orchestra, which he conducts.
In addition to a subscription concert series and concerto showcases in Cincinnati, the Starling Chamber Orchestra regularly records, commissions new works and tours internationally. They have appeared throughout Europe, Korea, China and at New York's Lincoln Center and have received rave reviews for their recordings and live performances. The orchestra was recently featured on the syndicated Public Radio International show From the Top, and has been the subject of feature articles in The New York Times and Washington Post. In 1996, Sassmannshaus expanded the Starling programs and founded "Starling Kids," a broad based community violin program at CCM and several local schools. This beginning violin program also functions as a teacher training program for college students. He is the author of violinmasterclass.com, a comprehensive website which demonstrates his innovative teaching methods.
Education
BM, Cologne University of Music, Cologne, Germany.
MS, The Juilliard School, New York, NY.
Won-Bin Yim
Title: Associate Professor of Violin
Office: 246 Memorial Hall
Tel: 513-556-5254
Email: won-bin.yim@uc.edu
Won-Bin Yim has served as concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Reno Philharmonic, and he was first violinist of the Fairmount String Quartet and violinist of the Argenta Trio. Yim is currently an associate professor of violin at CCM, where he received the Glover Award for the Excellence in Teaching. He was a faculty member at the Juilliard School pre-college and an assistant faculty member at the Juilliard School college division, a violin faculty member at the Aspen Music Festival, and a violin faculty member and dean at the Great Mountain Music Festival and School in Korea.
His students have won prizes at national and international competitions and former students are playing in the major symphony orchestras such as New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, and teaching at the universities in U.S and abroad.
Yim’s teachers include Dorothy Delay, Jens Ellerman, Berl Senofsky, Joon Woo Lee and Jae Hyun Lee, and he assisted Dorothy Delay at The Juilliard School and at the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Education
BM, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore, MD.
MM and DMA, The Juilliard School, New York, NY.
