Nina Bishop Nunn, violin
Director                                                     

Nina graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy, the premier performing arts boarding school in the US, at the age of seventeen and subsequently attended the University of North Texas. Music festivals include Interlochen Arts Camp, Wethersfield Music Festival, Academie d'Ete de Nice, International School of Musical Arts, Manchester Music Festival and Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute. Nina has studied with Michele Auclair, Roland and Almita Vemos, Atis Bankas, Danwen Jiang, Ben Holland at the Royal Northern School of Music in England, Cynthia Roberts (Baroque violin) and Julia Bushkova at the University of North Texas. Her graduate studies were with Dana Mazurkevich and members of the Muir Quartet at Boston University. Notable concerts include performances with Sir David Wilcox, Graeme Jenkins, the Eroica Trio, Kanye West's Touch the Sky tour, the Boston Early Music Festival and a nationally televised broadcast with Sheryl Crow. Regional groups include New Bedford Symphony, Orchestra of Indian Hill, Plymouth Philharmonic, The Samuel Felsted Project, Marsh Chapel Collegium and the new Baroque orchestra of Boston, L'Academie. In addition to her private studio, Nina teaches at Musical Arts of Exeter, NH and Apple Tree Arts in Grafton, MA. Nina founded Atlantic Strings in 2003.

Christopher Nunn, viola
co-Director

Chris Nunn, a native of Lichfield, England began studying viola at age eight. He earned his undergraduate degree with distinction from the University of Leeds in England and his graduate degree from the University of North Texas. Chris has performed in Masterclasses with David Douglass, Donald McInnes and Marilyn McDonald. He has additionally received full scholarships to attend the Manchester Music Festival in Vermont and the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute. While attending UNT, Chris held the position of principal violist with the Sherman Symphony Orchestra, co-principal of the UNT Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and he performed regularly with the Abilene Philharmonic, East Texas Symphony, Shreveport Symphony and Richardson Symphony. Chris has participated in orchestral tours of England, Italy, France, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. Chris is currently co-principal viola of Early Music New York. Prominent concerts include performances with Graeme Jenkins, Mark O'Connor, Sheryl Crow, Marco-Antonio Solis, Concert Royal and the Boston Early Music Festival. Chris performs regularly with New Bedford Symphony, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Marsh Chapel Collegium, Apollo's Fire/Cleveland Baroque Orchestra and L'Academie. An avid chamber musician, Chris has received coaching from the Muir String Quartet, George Papich, Danwen Jiang and Jaime Laredo. Principal teachers include Roger Bigley, Susan Dubois and Cynthia Roberts (Baroque viola).

 

Heather Braun, violin

Violinist Heather Braun is currently studying with Peter Zazofsky for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Boston University. An avid performer in New England, she performs regularly with Cantata Singers, Back Bay Chorale and the Firebird Ensemble. Heather has additionally appeared as concertmaster and soloist with the Orchestra of Emmanuel Music. Heather regularly performs in the Manchester (VT) Music Festival's chamber music series and has attended the Centrum Chamber Music Festival. As a Tanglewood Music Center fellow she received the Jules C. Reiner Violin Prize and sat concertmaster under Seiji Ozawa and Herbert Bloomstedt. She earned  her bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music, receiving the John Celentano Chamber Music Award, and her master's degree from Boston University where she was awarded the String Prize. Heather has appeared in concert with the Ying Quartet, Menahem Pressler, Peter Zazofsky, and Bayla Keyes. She has taught violin at Philips Exeter Academy in NH and is a regular chamber music coach for the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Kay Rooney, violin

Kay Rooney is an exciting upcoming violinist on the East Coast. She enjoys playing solo, in chamber ensembles and with various symphonies. Kathryn has been praised for her "beautiful and compelling sound" and "her excellent sense of ensemble." She has performed with Boston's Mozart Festival and Boston University's Baroque Festival, the New Bedford Symphony, the Marsh Chapel Chorus, and in Symphony Hall with the Boston University Symphony. Kathryn has spent three summers in residence performing and touring with the North Carolina Illuminations Festival in Manteo. A diverse performer, Kathryn has performed in the Amazonas Opera Festival in Brazil and with rap artist Kanye West on the Touch the Sky tour. Kathryn received her bachelor's degree in violin performance from The North Carolina School of the Arts and her Master's degree at Boston University. Her teachers include Svend Ronning, Angel Stankov, Kevin Lawrence, and her current teacher, Bayla Keyes. 

Sharon Bielik, viola

Sharon Bielik, a native of New York, did her undergraduate work at Brandeis University, where she graduated magna cum laude studying viola with Mary Ruth Ray of the Lydian String Quartet. Sharon completed her Masters degree at Boston University. Principal studies were with Ed Gazoleas of the Boston Symphony. Sharon performs in numerous regional orchestras throughout New England. Additionally, she has subbed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. Sharon has spent three summers as a fellow at Tanglewood Music Center, where she was principal viola under the direction of James Levine and Sir Andrew Davis.  She has played in masterclasses for Roberto Diaz, Robert Vernon and Steven Ansell. She has worked with artists such as Donald Weilerstein and Raphael Hillyer in her study of chamber music.

 

Zoya Tsvetkova, violin

A native of St. Petersburg, Russia, Zoya began violin studies at age four with her father and entered music school at age six. In 2001, Zoya moved to the United States and continued her studies with Jan Sloman, associate concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony. While in Texas Zoya won the Ft. Worth Youth Orchestra competition, was a finalist in the Juanita Miller State Youth Competition and a national finalist in the MTNA.  Ms. Tsvetkova was also awarded grand prizes in the Dallas Symphonic Festival, the Hubbard Chamber Music Competition and received the Bayard H. Friedman Outstanding Student Award of Performing Arts. Zoya completed her undergraduate studies at Boston University's College of Fine Arts where she studied with Yuri Mazurkevich. In 2006 and 2008 she won the undergraduate prize at BU's Bach Competition. Zoya is currently persuing her Master's degree at BU and she studies with Bayla Keyes. In 2009, Zoya won the BU concerto competition and made her debut with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall.

Patrick Owen, cello

A native of Michigan, cellist Patrick Owen has performed in recitals and as a soloist with orchestras in Europe, the United States and Japan. Recent engagements include a performance of the Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, a recital on WCRB’s summer concert series in Boston’s Hatchshell as well as his debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Local engagements include performances at Jordan Hall with Boston Chamber Music Society, Duxbury Music Festival, Boston Philharmonic and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.  Mr. Owen received his Bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music. While a student at Eastman, he spent one year of study in Paris at the Paris Conservatory. He received his Master’s degree from the Juilliard School and his Doctor of Musical Arts at Boston University. Mr. Owen has been an honored participant at the summer music festivals of Aspen, Sarasota, Taos and Brevard. Currently Mr. Owen is on the Faculty of the South Shore Conservatory in Hingham, MA. His teachers include Pamela Frame, Alan Harris, Phillipe Muller, Harvey Shapiro and Andres Diaz. 

Andi Dhimitri, piano

Andi holds a DMA in piano performance from the University of Kansas, an MM from Boston Conservatory and a BM from Ithaca College, NY. He has studied with Richard Reber, Robert Koenig, Jung-Ja Kim, Phiroze Mehta, Michael Moore, Vivian Slater and has participated in masterclasses with Angela Hewitt, Victor Rosenbaum, Michael Lewin, Philip Kawn and Zita Zohar. Mr. Dhimitri was awarded first prize in the James and Carlene Neihart Scholarship Competition from the Kansas City Music Club; first prize in the H.Wilfred Churchhill Piano Scholarship Competition at the Boston Conservatory; first prize in the Barbara Michaela Piano Competition in Syracuse, NY; second prize in the Competition of Young Pianists at the Conservatory of Music in Lecce, Italy. He has given multiple solo and chamber performances in Boston, New York, Kansas, Missouri, Italy and Albania. Mr. Dhimitri lives in Chestnut Hill, MA and is an active teacher and performer.