The Julstrom String Quartet, School of Music, College of Fine Arts and Communication, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

Elizabeth Laverdiere, violin
Elizabeth Aquila

Ms. Laverdiere received her Master of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied with David Updegraff. She obtained her Bachelor of Music degree with honors from the University of Michigan under the instruction of Stephen Shipps. She has played with such orchestras as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, and the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida. Ms. Laverdiere has taught at Southwest Missouri State University, the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, as assistant to Stephen Shipps at the Meadowmount School of Music and the University of Michigan Pre-college, the Cleveland Music School Settlement, and as assistant to David Updegraff at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Presently she is on the faculty of Western Illinois University where she teaches violin, chamber music and is a member of the Julstrom String Quartet.

Email: ES-Aquila@wiu.edu

Julieta Mihai , violin

Julieta Mihai began studying the violin at the George Enescu Music School in Bucharest, Romania. She continued her studies under Agoston Andras' guidance at the Music Academy in Cluj and later at the Music Academy in Bucharest. She studied at the University of Illinois with Danwen Jiang. She received the Master of Musical Arts degree in 1996, and the Doctorate in Musical Arts, Violin Performance, in May 2003 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mihai participated in Masterclasses with Stefan Gheorghiu and Ifrah Neaman.

Mihai has performed extensively in solo concerts and recitals in the United States, Romania, Germany, Austria, and Japan. In 2002-03 she played as a soloist with the Berkeley Summer Festival Orchestra in California and with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in Springfield. In May-July 2002-03 she participated on a full scholarship at the Toho Gakuen Music Academy in Kureha-Toyama, Japan, where she performed in solo and chamber music recitals. In 2000-01 Mihai was invited to perform solo works with the Prairie Ensemble and with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in Urbana-Champaign. During the summer of 2001, she was a fellow of the Manchester Music Festival in Vermont. She was the winner of the Concerto Competition of the Summer Festival Orchestra in Urbana-Champaign In 1996 Mihai won the Paul Rolland Violin Award of the University of Illinois and participated at the Montreal Violin Competition in Canada. As a soloist, she played annually between 1985 and 1994 with the Ploiesti Philharmonic Orchestra in Romania. In 1992 she participated a the Mozarteum Summer Academy in Salzburg, Austria. In 1991 she was awarded a diploma at the Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition in Folkestone, England. In the same year she was a semifinalist at the George Enescu Competition in Bucharest. In 1987 Mihai gained mention at the Lipatti Violin Competition in Craiova, Romania., and in 1986-87 she was awarded the second prize at the Bucharest Violin Competition. During 1999-2000 Mihai performed as concertmaster of the Prairie Ensemble in Urbana-Champaign. In August 2001 she became the concertmaster of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in Springfield. Mihai is also a member of the Julstrom String Quartet.

Email: J-Mihai@wiu.edu

Istvan Szabo , viola
Photo of Istvan Szabo

Violist Istvan Szabo is a graduate of the University of Illinois (M.M.) and of the "George Dima” Academy of Music in Cluj, Romania with a double major in Viola pedagogy and performance. He studied at the University of Illinois with Rudolf Haken. While a student at the “George Dima” Academy of Music, Szabo studied Chamber Music with Ferdinand Weiss, Ilse Laszlo-Herbert and Viola with Albert Derzsi and Marius Sueresan. Szabo participated in Masterclasses with KarenTuttle, Hatto Beyerle (founding member of the Alban Berg String Quartet), Sandor Devich (founding member of the Bartok String Quartet), Amadeus String Quartet, Schubert String Quartet, Pal Szabo(Vegh String Quartet).

Szabo has performed with numerous internationally renown string players such as the Shanghai String Quartet, Suren Bagratuni, Randolph Kelly, Natalia Khoma, Ann Yeung, Danweng Jiang, Dmitry Berlinsky, and Keng‑Yeun Tseng. Many of Szabo's performances have been broadcasted on WILL‑ FM radio.

Szabo was the recipient of many chamber music awards including First Prize in the "George Dima" International Chamber Music Competition. In 1995 he was awarded the First Bartok Prize by Sandor Devich of the Bartok String Quartet and Norbert Brainin of the Amadeus String Quartet.

In the summer of 2001, Szabo was appointed visiting lecturer at the University of Illinois . Between January of 2001 and May 2005 Szabo served on the Eastern Illinois University Music Department faculty. He is completing his DMA at the University of Illinois.

E-mail: I-Szabo@wiu.edu

Moises Molina, cello

Cellist Moisés Molina has appeared as soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and his native Honduras. He has also played solo and chamber music recitals in the United States, Europe, Central and South America. Molina presented several clinics for the Texas Music Educators Association as a performer and a clinician, and hegave a lecture/recital on Alberto Ginastera for the College Music Society International Convention in Costa Rica. Molina presented a clinic on the merit of introducing bounced bow strokes to beginning string players at the 2005 IMEA convention.

As an orchestra musician, Molina has served as principal cellist for the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Abilene Opera Orchestra. Molina performed in the Aspen Chamber Symphony as an Aspen Music Festival string fellow. He serves as Assistant Principal in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra.

Molina holds the Bachelor of Music degree (summa cum laude) from Columbus State University and graduate degrees, Master of Music and Doctor of Music, from the Florida State University, where he was a teaching assistant. Molina studied cello with Martha Gerschefski, Andrew Luchanski, Lubomir Georgiev, and Alan Harris. He has been successful in several concerto, solo and chamber music competitions.

Molina has taught at Hardin-Simmons University and Abilene Christian University, conducted the Abilene Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Western Illinois University Preparatory Orchestra, and been an artist/teacher for the Summer Fine Arts Camp at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Currently, Molina is Associate Professor of Cello and Coordinator of Graduate studies at Western Illinois University. In the summer he teaches at the WIU Chamber Music Camp. He performs regularly with his wife in the Molina Duo and is the cellist for the Julstrom String Quartet.

E-mail: M-Molina@wiu.edu

The Julstrom String Quartet
	The members of the Julstrom String Quartet include international competition winners, acclaimed soloists, and seasoned chamber virtuosi. This variety of experience greatly benefits students at Western Illinois University. With a strong commitment to chamber music and teaching, the Julstrom String Quartet, in addition to other faculty chamber ensembles, provides a high standard of culture and musical education in and beyond the region. The string program at Western Illinois University concentrates on educating musicians in an inspiring and nurturing environment. Our focus is the students and their development toward successful careers in music.
Elizabeth Laverdiere, violin Ms. Laverdiere received her Master of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied with David Updegraff. She obtained her Bachelor of Music degree with honors from the University of Michigan under the instruction of Stephen Shipps. She has played with such orchestras as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, and the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida. Ms. Laverdiere has taught at Southwest Missouri State University, the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, as assistant to Stephen Shipps at the Meadowmount School of Music and the University of Michigan Pre-college, the Cleveland Music School Settlement, and as assistant to David Updegraff at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Presently she is on the faculty of Western Illinois University where she teaches violin, chamber music and is a member of the Julstrom String Quartet. Email: ES-Aquila@wiu.edu
Julieta Mihai , violin Julieta Mihai began studying the violin at the George Enescu Music School in Bucharest, Romania. She continued her studies under Agoston Andras' guidance at the Music Academy in Cluj and later at the Music Academy in Bucharest. She studied at the University of Illinois with Danwen Jiang. She received the Master of Musical Arts degree in 1996, and the Doctorate in Musical Arts, Violin Performance, in May 2003 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mihai participated in Masterclasses with Stefan Gheorghiu and Ifrah Neaman. Mihai has performed extensively in solo concerts and recitals in the United States, Romania, Germany, Austria, and Japan. In 2002-03 she played as a soloist with the Berkeley Summer Festival Orchestra in California and with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in Springfield. In May-July 2002-03 she participated on a full scholarship at the Toho Gakuen Music Academy in Kureha-Toyama, Japan, where she performed in solo and chamber music recitals. In 2000-01 Mihai was invited to perform solo works with the Prairie Ensemble and with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in Urbana-Champaign. During the summer of 2001, she was a fellow of the Manchester Music Festival in Vermont. She was the winner of the Concerto Competition of the Summer Festival Orchestra in Urbana-Champaign In 1996 Mihai won the Paul Rolland Violin Award of the University of Illinois and participated at the Montreal Violin Competition in Canada. As a soloist, she played annually between 1985 and 1994 with the Ploiesti Philharmonic Orchestra in Romania. In 1992 she participated a the Mozarteum Summer Academy in Salzburg, Austria. In 1991 she was awarded a diploma at the Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition in Folkestone, England. In the same year she was a semifinalist at the George Enescu Competition in Bucharest. In 1987 Mihai gained mention at the Lipatti Violin Competition in Craiova, Romania., and in 1986-87 she was awarded the second prize at the Bucharest Violin Competition. During 1999-2000 Mihai performed as concertmaster of the Prairie Ensemble in Urbana-Champaign. In August 2001 she became the concertmaster of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra in Springfield. Mihai is also a member of the Julstrom String Quartet. Email: J-Mihai@wiu.edu
Istvan Szabo , viola Violist Istvan Szabo is a graduate of the University of Illinois (M.M.) and of the "George Dima” Academy of Music in Cluj, Romania with a double major in Viola pedagogy and performance. He studied at the University of Illinois with Rudolf Haken. While a student at the “George Dima” Academy of Music, Szabo studied Chamber Music with Ferdinand Weiss, Ilse Laszlo-Herbert and Viola with Albert Derzsi and Marius Sueresan. Szabo participated in Masterclasses with KarenTuttle, Hatto Beyerle (founding member of the Alban Berg String Quartet), Sandor Devich (founding member of the Bartok String Quartet), Amadeus String Quartet, Schubert String Quartet, Pal Szabo(Vegh String Quartet). Szabo has performed with numerous internationally renown string players such as the Shanghai String Quartet, Suren Bagratuni, Randolph Kelly, Natalia Khoma, Ann Yeung, Danweng Jiang, Dmitry Berlinsky, and Keng‑Yeun Tseng. Many of Szabo's performances have been broadcasted on WILL‑ FM radio. Szabo was the recipient of many chamber music awards including First Prize in the "George Dima" International Chamber Music Competition. In 1995 he was awarded the First Bartok Prize by Sandor Devich of the Bartok String Quartet and Norbert Brainin of the Amadeus String Quartet. In the summer of 2001, Szabo was appointed visiting lecturer at the University of Illinois . Between January of 2001 and May 2005 Szabo served on the Eastern Illinois University Music Department faculty. He is completing his DMA at the University of Illinois. E-mail: I-Szabo@wiu.edu
Moises Molina, cello Cellist Moisés Molina has appeared as soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and his native Honduras. He has also played solo and chamber music recitals in the United States, Europe, Central and South America. Molina presented several clinics for the Texas Music Educators Association as a performer and a clinician, and hegave a lecture/recital on Alberto Ginastera for the College Music Society International Convention in Costa Rica. Molina presented a clinic on the merit of introducing bounced bow strokes to beginning string players at the 2005 IMEA convention. As an orchestra musician, Molina has served as principal cellist for the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Abilene Opera Orchestra. Molina performed in the Aspen Chamber Symphony as an Aspen Music Festival string fellow. He serves as Assistant Principal in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra. Molina holds the Bachelor of Music degree (summa cum laude) from Columbus State University and graduate degrees, Master of Music and Doctor of Music, from the Florida State University, where he was a teaching assistant. Molina studied cello with Martha Gerschefski, Andrew Luchanski, Lubomir Georgiev, and Alan Harris. He has been successful in several concerto, solo and chamber music competitions. Molina has taught at Hardin-Simmons University and Abilene Christian University, conducted the Abilene Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Western Illinois University Preparatory Orchestra, and been an artist/teacher for the Summer Fine Arts Camp at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Currently, Molina is Associate Professor of Cello and Coordinator of Graduate studies at Western Illinois University. In the summer he teaches at the WIU Chamber Music Camp. He performs regularly with his wife in the Molina Duo and is the cellist for the Julstrom String Quartet. E-mail: M-Molina@wiu.edu
Julstrom String Quartet \| School of Music \| Recital Hall \| College of Fine Arts and Communication \| Western Illinois University
Strings Program School of Music Western Illinois University 1 University Circle Macomb, IL 61455 Ph: 309-298-1544 E-mail: music@wiu.edut