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Violin & Cello Department
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** Studio Papillon's string musicians teach according to a traditional method to develop strong reading skills in our students. That said, our teachers may supplement with Suzuki principles for ear training and development of tone. **
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| Yu-Fen Chou, violin and piano |
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| Yu-Fen Chou
Violin and Piano
Yu-fen Chou, originally from Taipei, Taiwan, has a Master's of Music degree in Piano Performance from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Doctor of Music Art Degree in Vocal Accompanying from the Catholic University of America.
Yu-fen studied violin for 14 years with professors from Taipei National University of the Arts and National Taiwan Normal University. She was an active orchestra player in high school and college. She had performed as concert master and soloist with National Central University String Orchestra and Taipei First Girls' High School String Orchestra. During her sophomore and junior years in college, she was an active member of YWCA Youth Orchestra in Taipei.
As an experienced teacher, Yu-fen has taught students of all ages and skill levels, as well as many different cultural backgrounds. Her ultimate goal for teaching is to foster a live long love and appreciation of music.
In addition to teaching, Yu-fen is an active collaborative pianist in the Washington, DC area, appearing in mutiple recitals with both singers and instrumentalists. She is also actively working as an accompanist and coach for several local operas and theaters.
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| Natalia Klimenkova, cello |
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| Natalia Klimenkova
Cello
Natalia Lenovna Klimenkova-Pashko comes from Russia. She studied at the Musical School in Urals, Russia, then she graduated from Stavropol State Music College and finally from the St.Petersbutg State Conservatory. She played with different orchestras in Stavropol, Karelia, and USA. She has 25 years experience in teaching the cello. She was also the deputy director of the Shostakovich Children Music School in Moscow, Russia. Currently she is playing baroque music in a orchestra in Takoma Park, Maryland.
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| Randy Ward, Cellist |
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| Randy Ward
Cello
Randy Ward, cellist, is a member of String Poets Quartet in Washington D.C. He has been an active performer throughout the southeast as a member of Long Bay Symphony, Fayetteville Symphony, Aeneid String Quartet, and Trent River ChamberPlayers. He has appeared as soloist with Barry Manilow performing "Mandy", East Carolina Symphony, Hartsville Civic Chorale, and the Greenville Choral Society. Mr. Ward has also performed with American Festival Pops Orchestra and Avanti Orchestra of the D.C. area, and has served on the faculty of North Carolina Suzuki Institute.
At East Carolina University, Mr. Ward’s primary teachers were Kelley Mikkelsen and Emanuel Gruber. During summers he also participated in Mannes Beethoven Institute, Portland String Quartet Workshop, Garth Newel Summer Fellowship Program, and Summertrios Festival. Mr. Ward has participated in master classes with Timothy Eddy, Paul Katz, Amit Peled, and members of the Cleveland, Brentano, and Borromeo String Quartets.
Mr. Ward is a member of Kindler Cello Society, Suzuki Association of the Greater Washington Area, Suzuki Association of the Americas, and American Federation of Musicians.
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| Nistha Raj, violin (Hindustani Classical and Western) |
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| Nistha Raj
Violin -- Hindustani Classical and Western Classical
Nistha Raj's initial training in music began with Western classical violin at the age of nine. She received a B.A. in music with honors from the University of Houston in 2003. In 2005 Nistha was awarded a scholarship from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to undergo rigorous, intensive formal training in Hindustani classical violin at the Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya in New Delhi as well as vocal training with Meeta Pandit, belonging to legendary Pandit Family of Gwailor. She has also had the privilege to receive guidance from Dr. N Rajam, one of the foremost Hindustani violinists.
Since 2008 she has been receiving training from Smt. Sisirkana Chowdhury, disciple of Ali Akbar Khansahib, based in San Francisco. Nistha has been an active performer and teacher of Hindustani violin in the Washington, DC community for the past few years. She has had the honor to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC as well as in multiple cultural festivals throughout the city. She is also the recipient of multiple grants from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Nistha feels a deep affinity for Indian classical music and her lifelong pursuit is to discover the unending beauty within it.
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| Elizabeth Lee, Violin |
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| Elizabeth Lee
Violin
Elizabeth Lee has a Master's Degree in Violin Performance as well as a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Berl Sinofsky. She has 15 years of teaching experience, helping students do better in school and helping them advance to gifted and talented as well as all-state orchestras. She teaches students of all backgrounds, ages and interests, combining Suzuki with traditional methods, as appropriate. Elizabeth has also served as a jury member for all-state orchestra auditions.
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