Artist Biographies

Anderson & Roe, Duo Pianists

Known for their adrenalized performances, inventive programming, original compositions, and refined artistry, GREG ANDERSON and ELIZABETH JOY ROE have been described as "Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers transposed from the dance floor to the keyboard" (The Southampton Press).

Abraham Appleman, Viola

Abraham Appleman was born in Yokohama, Japan. He began his studies on the violin and piano at the age of four, soon after his family moved to the Boston area. His continued studies there led to his debut, at age fifteen, performing Max Bruch's G minor Violin Concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Cecilia Brauer, Armonica

Cecilia Brauer studied the piano with Isabelle Vengerova at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She has toured the U.S. in concert and has been an associate member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1972 where she plays the celeste, and when on tour, the piano.

David Chan, Violin

Violinist David Chan is the concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and an active soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Mr. Chan made his Carnegie Hall debut during the 2002-2003 season, performing the Brahms Double Concerto with cellist Rafael Figueroa and the Met Orchestra under the baton of James Levine.

Bill Charlap, Pianist

Pianist Bill Charlap was born in New York City into a musical family, and began his piano studies at the age of three. His father, Moose Charlap, was a Broadway composer and songwriter whose credits included the score to the Mary Martin production of Peter Pan,

Timothy Cobb, Bass

Timothy Cobb appears on stages such as Bargemusic, the Bridgehampton Festival, Caramoor, the Boston Chamber Music Society, the Lyric Chamber Music Society, the New Jersey Chamber Music Society, Mostly Mozart, La Musica Festival, the Sarasota Music Festival,

Danielle de Niese, Soprano

Danielle de Niese's "sweet, gleaming soprano," "phenomenal musicality" and "sharply comic, yet utterly moving acting," combined with youth and physical presence, have brought her to the edge of a spectacular career.

Lawrence Dutton, Viola

Lawrence Dutton, violist of the Emerson String Quartet, has collaborated with many of the world's great performing artists, including Isaac Stern, Mstislav Rostropovich, Oscar Shumsky, Leon Fleisher, Walter Trampler, Menahem Pressler, Lynn Harrell, Yefim Bronfman, Joseph Kalichstein, Misha Dichter, Jan DeGaetani, Edgar Meyer, Joshua Bell and Emanuel Ax, among others.

The Emerson String Quartet

The Emerson String Quartet stands alone in the history of string quartets with an unparalleled list of achievements over three decades: thirty acclaimed recordings produced with Deutsche Grammophon since 1987, eight Grammy Awards (including two for Best Classical Album,

Rafael Figueroa, Cello

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, cellist Rafael Figueroa is established as one of the most sought-after cellists of his generation, having appeared in numerous performances throughout the United States, Europe, Central and South Americas, Japan and his homeland of Puerto Rico.

Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson, Flute

Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson is a native of Iceland, where he studied flute with Bernhard Wilkinson at the Reykjavik College of Music. He received his Master of Music from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Dr. Gareth Icenogle, Narrator

Dr. Gareth Icenogle became the Senior Pastor of West Side Presbyterian Church in February, 2009. He has degrees in ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA, and music degrees from the University of California, Riverside, and California State University of Los Angeles. His masters degrees are in music (voice and composition) and divinity, and his doctorate is in ministry, with a focus on spiritual formation and discipleship. He has written an internationally used textbook on the theology, purposes, and dynamics of faith formation through small groups.
Gareth comes to West Side from the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, where he served as Senior Pastor from 2004 to 2008. Before that he served First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, PA, as Senior Pastor and Co-Senior Pastor for 14 years. Previously he was the Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Seminary.
Both natives of southern California, Gareth and his wife, Vida Smith, have been married for 36 years. They have two daughters, Tamara, 29, and Tonya, 26.

Darryl Thomas Kubian, Violin, Theremin

Darryl Kubian is a member of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra's first violin section under the direction of Maestro Neme Järvi and former principal second violin of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra with Lukas Foss, Dennis Russell Davies and most recently Robert Spano.

Yoon Kwon, Violin

Described by Dorothy DeLay as a violinist with "staggering imagination" and "one of the most expressive tones I've ever heard", violinist Yoon Kwon's compelling musicianship and dynamic stage presence have won the hearts of audiences around the world.

Ken Noda, Pianist

Ken Noda studied with renowned pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim and made his concert debut in London in 1979 with the maestro conducting the English Chamber Orchestra. He has since performed as soloist with the great orchestras of the world: the Philharmonic Orchestras of Berlin, Vienna, New York, Israel, and Los Angeles; the Symphony Orchestras of London, Boston, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto and San Francisco;

Joel Noyes, Cello

Cellist Joel Noyes joined the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in 2002. An avid chamber musician, Joel has frequently appeared throughout the United States at such prestigious venues as Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Bargemusic, Ltd.

Jeewon Park, Piano

Hailed for her "deeply reflective" playing (Indianalopis Star), pianist Jeewon Park is rapidly garnering the attention of audiences for her dazzling technique and poetic lyricism. Since making her debut at the age of 12 performing Chopin's First Concerto with the Korean Symphony Orchestra,

Kenny Washington, Jazz Drums

One of the many young hard-bop revivalists to have arrived on the scene in the late '70s and early ‘80s, Washington has been in particular demand by much older musicians, playing with such legendary veterans as Lee Konitz, Betty Carter, Johnny Griffin, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, and Tommy Flanagan. Born in Brooklyn, Washington studied with the former Dizzy Gillespie drummer Rudy Collins and attended New York's LaGuardia High School for Music & Art.
Washington worked with Konitz while still in his teens, recording with the saxophonist's nonet in 1977. He worked with Carter from 1978-9 and Griffin from 1980. A prolific freelancer, Washington has compiled an enormous discography, performing on dozens of sessions by many of jazz's most prominent figures. Washington has a strong interest in jazz history; he's written liner notes for and/or helped prepare classic jazz re-releases by Art Blakey and Count Basie, among others.

He's also taught jazz drumming at the New School in New York City, and worked as an announcer at the New Jersey jazz radio station WBGO.

Peter Washington, Jazz Bass

Perhaps the most recorded bassist of his generation, Peter Washington has also played an integral part in two of the most important and highly praised jazz trios of the last 20 years, in addition to a "who's who" roster of jazz artists.

Steven Williamson, Clarinet

Stephen Williamson was appointed principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in December of 2003. He has appeared with a wide variety of orchestras throughout his extensive career, including numerous appearances with the New York Philharmonic,

Greg Zuber, Xylophone

Gregory Zuber is the principal percussionist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, with which he has toured the United States, Europe, and Japan. He can be heard regularly on the Met's many broadcasts and recordings. He is an active soloist, recitalist, composer, teacher, and clinician. Performance highlights include his 2004 solo recital at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall and his 2007 solo concert at the Verbier Music Festival. In 2002, he performed the premiere of Hsueh-Yung Shen's Legend for solo percussionist and orchestra, commissioned for him by the Met, at Carnegie Hall with James Levine and the MET Orchestra. Mr. Zuber performs chamber music regularly with the MET Chamber Ensemble at Carnegie Hall. He also plays duo concerts with his wife, flutist Patricia Zuber. He is a faculty member of The Juilliard School and the UBS Verbier Music Festival.