2019 FACULTY
Robert Battey, Director (Cello)
B.M., Cleveland Institute of Music; M.M., S.U.N.Y.- Stony Brook; also studied at Indiana University. Pupil of Bernard Greenhouse and Janos Starker. Cellist of professional quartets in Florida and Missouri; also played with the National Symphony and the New York City Opera Orchestra. Former faculty, S.U.N.Y.- Potsdam, University of Missouri-Kansas City, and Levine School (Washington, DC). Blogger and clinician for CelloBello.com. Hundreds of music reviews and articles in the Washington Post and STRINGS magazine, and at abeastinajungle.com.
Nancy Baun (Cello)
Pupil of Orlando Cole, studied chamber music with Menahem Pressler, Timothy Eddy and Jasha Brodsky. Founding cellist of the critically-acclaimed Eaken Piano Trio; now cellist of the Baltimore-based Ravel Trio. Formerly a faculty member of the Bennington Chamber Music Conference of the East. Teaches music at a Charter School for the Arts in Buffalo, NY.
Carl Iba (Violin)
Graduate of Indiana University; studied with Ani Kavafian, Jascha Brodsky, and Elisabeth Adkins; former Concertmaster of Harrisburg Symphony and Lancaster Opera Orchestra; extensive experience in chamber music as performer and coach, and as a freelance violinist in Pennsylvania.
Linda Leanza (Violin)
B.M. Catholic University, M.M. University of Michigan. Former Concertmaster, Harrisburg Symphony and 1st violinist, New Orleans Symphony. Currently principal 2d violin, National Philharmonic; member of Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and Maryland Lyric Opera. Recorded several CD's of Guatemalan music, and appeared in the "House of Cards" tv series.
Elizabeth Pulju-Owen (Viola)
B.M., Catholic University. Violist of the Gragnani Trio, and member of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Former principal violist Harrisburg Symphony, and member of the Louisiana Philharmonic and Alabama Symphony. Performed at music festivals throughout North America and Scandanavia, and played with the National and Baltimore symphonies and the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra.
Julius Wirth (Viola)
B.M. Eastman, M.M. Peabody. Studied with Karen Tuttle, Francis Tursi, Marcus Thompson, and Jeffrey Irvine. Chamber music studies with members of the Cleveland and Fine Arts quartets. Currently principal violist of the National Philharmonic and Harrisburg Symphony; was also principal of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra for nearly 20 years.
Robert Battey, Director (Cello)
B.M., Cleveland Institute of Music; M.M., S.U.N.Y.- Stony Brook; also studied at Indiana University. Pupil of Bernard Greenhouse and Janos Starker. Cellist of professional quartets in Florida and Missouri; also played with the National Symphony and the New York City Opera Orchestra. Former faculty, S.U.N.Y.- Potsdam, University of Missouri-Kansas City, and Levine School (Washington, DC). Blogger and clinician for CelloBello.com. Hundreds of music reviews and articles in the Washington Post and STRINGS magazine, and at abeastinajungle.com.
Nancy Baun (Cello)
Pupil of Orlando Cole, studied chamber music with Menahem Pressler, Timothy Eddy and Jasha Brodsky. Founding cellist of the critically-acclaimed Eaken Piano Trio; now cellist of the Baltimore-based Ravel Trio. Formerly a faculty member of the Bennington Chamber Music Conference of the East. Teaches music at a Charter School for the Arts in Buffalo, NY.
Carl Iba (Violin)
Graduate of Indiana University; studied with Ani Kavafian, Jascha Brodsky, and Elisabeth Adkins; former Concertmaster of Harrisburg Symphony and Lancaster Opera Orchestra; extensive experience in chamber music as performer and coach, and as a freelance violinist in Pennsylvania.
Linda Leanza (Violin)
B.M. Catholic University, M.M. University of Michigan. Former Concertmaster, Harrisburg Symphony and 1st violinist, New Orleans Symphony. Currently principal 2d violin, National Philharmonic; member of Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and Maryland Lyric Opera. Recorded several CD's of Guatemalan music, and appeared in the "House of Cards" tv series.
Elizabeth Pulju-Owen (Viola)
B.M., Catholic University. Violist of the Gragnani Trio, and member of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Former principal violist Harrisburg Symphony, and member of the Louisiana Philharmonic and Alabama Symphony. Performed at music festivals throughout North America and Scandanavia, and played with the National and Baltimore symphonies and the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra.
Julius Wirth (Viola)
B.M. Eastman, M.M. Peabody. Studied with Karen Tuttle, Francis Tursi, Marcus Thompson, and Jeffrey Irvine. Chamber music studies with members of the Cleveland and Fine Arts quartets. Currently principal violist of the National Philharmonic and Harrisburg Symphony; was also principal of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra for nearly 20 years.