Charles Parker, violinist, is a Lecturer in Violin at Temple University's Esther Boyer College of Music, and is the Director of Chamber Music forTemple Prep's Center for Gifted Young Musicians. Having begun his performing career at age 15 with a concert tour of Europe, Mr. Parker has since performed throughout the United States and around the world. A noted chamber musician, he is the Artistic Director of the Davidsbund Chamber Players, and performs frequently with the New York Chamber Soloists. A member of the Opera Company of Philadelphia, he also teaches violin and chamber music at Haverford College and Bryn Mawr College. Mr. Parker's teachers have included Ivan Galamian, Helen Kwalwasser, and Paul Zukofsky

As a teacher she was a member of the violin faculty of the University of Michigan All-State Program at Interlochen, Michigan for seven summers. She began teaching at the Strings International Music Festival in 2004 and has also taught at the Pingry School in New Jersey, and at the Rutgers Community Music Program, as well as maintaining a private studio.

Dr. Willwerth holds a Doctorate in Violin Performance from Rutgers University, where she was awarded a full doctoral fellowship, and frequently performed as concertmaster of the orchestra, and was twice a concerto competition winner. Upon graduating she was the first recipient of the Irene Alm Memorial Prize for excellence in performance.

Dr. Willwerth's BM and MM degrees in Violin Performance are from The Cleveland Institute of Music. Her teachers include Arnold Steinhardt, Linda Cerone, David Kim and Martin Chalifour.

A native of Maryland, Burchard Tang joined The Philadelphia Orchestra in September 1999. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in May 1999 from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Joseph de Pasquale and Choong-Jin Chang. Mr. Tang has served as Principal Viola with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra and the New York String Seminar, and has performed with the Brandenburg Ensemble. A winner of the Philadelphia Orchestra Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition, Mr. Tang performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra as a soloist in a Student Concert in November 1993. Other honors have included the Temple University Preparatory Division Concerto Competition and second prize in the Senior Division of the Fischoff Competition in 1996.

Ulrich Boeckheler
Cello Soloist

Uli Boeckheler, a prizewinner in the 1982 Gaspar Cassado International Cello Competition, performs regularly as a soloist in the United States and Europe. Former principal cellist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders, Belgium and Helmuth Rillings Bach Collegium Stuttgart, Mr. Boeckheler was invited to be a part of the distinguished jury for the XXIII International Cello Competition "Dr. Luis Sigall," in Chile. He recently premiered and recorded cello concertos by David Crumb and Jay Reise with Orchestra 2001. As a chamber musician, Mr. Boeckheler has participated in the Marlboro, Saratoga, and Grand Teton Music Festivals. His collaboration with pianist Susan Starr has been successful both in concert and in the recording studio. Mr. Boeckheler, Principal Cellist with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, performs frequently with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Ranaran Meyer
Double Bassist and Composer

Mary Wheelock Javian
Double Bassist
Philadelphia Orchestra

Mary Wheelock Javian (double bass) is an active performing and teaching artist. She performs frequently with the Philadelphia Orchestra as well as the Iris Chamber Orchestra in Germantown, Tennessee, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Philly Pops, the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. As a chamber musician, Ms. Javian has performed and recorded with Network for New Music, is Co-Director and resident bass player with the 9th Street Chamber Project and is a regular guest performer with the Apple Hill Chamber Players. A Maryland Distinguished Scholar, Ms. Javian has won fellowships with the Tanglewood Music Center, the National Repertory Orchestra, the Verbier Festival and the National Symphony. A passionate advocate for music education, Ms. Javian has worked as an education consultant for musical groups throughout the country and is currently the Program Coordinator for the School Partnership Program at the Philadelphia Orchestra. A graduate of the Curtis Institute, Ms. Javian studied with Harold Robinson, principal bassist of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Yoon-Mee Chong

Yoon-Mee Chong received her BM and MM from Indiana University under the Starling Scholarship program. Her teachers have included Joseph Gingold, James Buswell, and Yuval Yaron. Yoon-Mee performed with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, with the Bach Ensemble, and with the L.A. Korean Symphony Orchestra. Together with her brother and sister (members of the Rhee Trio), Yoon-Mee performed extensively throughout America. Ms. Chong has worked as an assistant to Mimi Zweig, with whom she studied pedagogy. She has been a member of the Peabody faculty for 14 years, where she has taught - and continues to teach - children and adults at all levels. Yoon-Mee will be presenting at Strings 2008 a new Suzuki Class for students in Books 4 through 6. She will also be coaching in the Strings International Music Festival Chamber Music program.