FABIAN U.

VIOLIN & VIOLA

Assistant concert master of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, Highland Park Strings, former member of Galveston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Civic Symphony, La Orquesta Sinfonica de la U.AN.L., Filharmonica “George Dima”, and “Virtuoziidin Transilvania.”  During his eight year tenure at Solo Classic, Fabian has enjoyed teaching a range of ages and experience levels using traditional methods and the Suzuki method. He often encourages his students to participate in local activities, school orchestras or local competitions in the hope of preserving music in communities and celebrating art. In the last IGSMA, several of Fabian's students have taken gold medals. A highly driven teacher, Fabian's dedication to his students is showcased through  their focus and talent.

DESI T.

VIOLIN & VIOLA

Loved by students and faculty alike, Desi holds both the BM and MM from the State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria. Prior to moving to the U.S. In 1996, Desi has been performing with leading orchestras in Europe. She served as principal violist for the Whiting Park Festival Orchestra for 8 years, performed regularly with the Illinois Philharmonic, Illinois Symphony Orchestras and is currently a member of the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra and Highland Park Strings. Teaching both Traditional and Suzuki methods, Desi has been on the faculty of the MCMC in Crystal Lake since 2002, NSMI in Northfield, Starland and Wilmette Park District. She has taught at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South H.S. for several years.

GRACE Y.

VIOLIN & VIOLA

Grace is an enthusiastic teacher and an active violinist who frequently performs as an orchestral and chamber musician in the Chicago-land area.

Receiving her Master
of Music (MM) and Bachelor of Music (BM) degrees in Violin Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign under the tutelage of Megan Freivogel and Stefan Milenkovich, Grace hopes to share her extensive knowledge of music to her students and incorporate smarter techniques that provide greater results in musical ability.

While at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, she had invaluable
chamber music experience working with the wonderful members of Jupiter String Quartet which has shaped her musicality and musicianship immensely as a chamber musician and as
a violinist. Her major teachers included Megan Freivogel, Jupiter String Quartet, Stefan Milenkovich and Cornelius Chiu.

Grace enjoys sharing her lifelong love of music with others, especially with her students. She feels grateful to have gained so much from learning music
from her master teachers and making music with aspiring musicians.

She believes the process of learning an instrument helps one to grow in many positive ways in life and hopes
to pass on as much wisdom and love of music to her own students in the years to come. Grace's favorite part about being a musician is the freedom of expression. Being musically endowed can open the door to opportunity, but more importantly, yourself. She hopes that through proper technique, her students can open the door to their soul and let it speak through their instruments. 

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Grace's method of teaching not only centers on proper form and preparation, but through a customized work plan that yields greater retainability of musical knowledge so that her students can be proficient and successful with their music with or without guidance.  

GABRIEL H.

VIOLIN/VIOLA

Gabriel began his music education in piano and violin at the age of five. He then progressed to vocal and instrumental studies. At the age of sixteen, young Hwang made his official debut conducting the entire score of Handel’s Messiah from memory. Gabriel received his Bachelor of Music degree from Notre Dame de Namur University for violin performance, composition and instrumental conducting. He also received a Master and Artistic Diploma from San Francisco Conservatory of Music for instrumental conducting, as well as completing the Professional Instrumental Conducting and Violin Performance Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He studied conducting with distinguished teachers such as Daniel Lewis, David Ramadanoff, Jonathan Sternberg, Collin Matters, Carl Topilow, and Vahktang Jordania, and studies violin with world distinguished teachers, such as Joria Flazaness, Stuart Canin, Daniel Kobialka, and Donald Weilerstein. 

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As a violinist, Hwang served as the principal violinist with San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Master Sinfonia Orchestra in California. His work as an outstanding choral and symphony conductor has been recognized by critics and audiences as a “splendid conductor possessing a poet, sensitivity, and craftsman efficiency.”

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As a result of receiving a prestigious conducting fellowship, Gabriel made his debut with the Aspen Festival Orchestra. As violinist, he won fellowship from Josef Silverstein to perform with Aspen Chamber Musical Festival. He is known for his charismatic presence on and off the podium, innovative offering, and has established close relationships with both orchestras, encompassing a wide scope of repertoire and concert formats throughout the United States.

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Some of the orchestras that he has conducted include: The Master Sinfonia Orchestra, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, West Bay Orchestra, Guyton Symphony, Riverside Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Marin Symphony, Palo Alto Orchestra, Tasajara Symphony, Kahrkov Philharmonic Orchestra, and Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, to name a few.

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Presently, Maestro Hwang is the music director and conductor of the Cleveland Central Philharmonic Orchestra. He is an acting member in the Prestige Management LLC in New York, a company that markets classical artists around the world. Additionally, he also serves as music director, chamber ensemble teacher, and individual instructor at Cuyahoga College as well. 

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Gabriel's Videos
"Learn to Play the Violin with Music Instruction" is contracted through the Prestige Management LLC Corporation in New York City as a guest conductor of nineteen (19) cities across the United States. Through the Prestige Management LLC Corp., Maestro Gabriel is featured in “A Universal Affair” at Carnegie Hall in Weil Recital Hall.

Gabriel also has a myriad of professional recordings and also made recordings conducting symphonies across the country.

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He looks forward to using his years of expertise with his students and honing their musical knowledge.

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RON E.

GUITAR & UKULELE

Picking up the guitar at the age of thirteen, Ron hasn't put it down since! Over the years, Ron embarked on an intensive musical education and performance journey receiving his professional training and a degree of arts from William Rainey Harper College under the tutelage of Steve Vazquez and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music with Dr. Brian Torosian from Northeastern Illinois University, majoring in classical guitar performance. Not only did Ron study classical guitar through these schools, but also took lessons in jazz guitar and piano and studying and preforming classical piano.

Along with his degree studies, Ron has participated in several highly accredited master classes at university as well as widely renowned international classical guitar conventions: Denis Azabagic, Lily Afshar, Anne Waller, Mark Maxwell, Eduardo Fernandez, Raphaella Smits, Quaternaglia Quartet (Brazil), Rene Izquierdo, Xuefei Yang, and Oscar Ghiglia.

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Since graduating, Ron has been expanding his range of music with studies of baroque and renaissance music on the mandolin and lessons in flamenco guitar with Nico Angel, a former student of Juan Serrano, and Denis Azabagic.

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From the inquisitive thirteen year old to today's guitar maestro, Ron has far surpassed a simple interest in guitar and turned it into a lifelong passion which he hopes to impart onto his students!

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Ron's extensive skill set allows him to explore any and all genres of music which, alongside his student's interests, can create a customized performance plan for their individual interest and skill set. 

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IRINA Z.

VIOLIN & VIOLA

Irina's passion for music began at six years of age when she first picked up her violin in her native Minsk, Belarus.

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After receiving her Bachelors degree in music, Irina decided to further her musical education  at one of the leading conservatories in the former Soviet Union: Minsk State Conservatory. After five years of rigorous study and dedication to her craft, she was able to procure her Masters degree in music.

 Since then, Irina has dedicated her life to musical education and has been a violin instructor with over forty years of teaching experience.

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On top of her already extensive education, Irina extended her musical studies in order to be able to teach the Suzuki method, completing her training at the Chicago Suzuki Institute from 2003-2006 and receiving 7 certificates that officially certified her as a formal Suzuki method educator.

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Irina has also been teaching violin at the prestigious DePaul University School of Music, SMD since 2004 as well as Park Ridge School of Music.

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Irina's teaching style uses a traditional approach in which she incorporates her vast experience with the Suzuki method as well as other technical books. She is comfortable working with all levels of repertoire and different genres of music, always ready to customize musical education to the student's specific needs. 

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While teaching violin is Irina's profession, it is also her utmost passion. She 

looks forward to sharing her world of knowledge and experience with her students. Irina understands the diversity of approaches in music education and is excited to make necessary adjustments based on the individual needs of her students. 

EUN JOO J.

PIANO / ORGAN/ KEYBOARD

Eun Joo, a distinguished organist, piano, and music educator, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She further honed her expertise at the Manhattan School of Music with a Master of Music and a Professional Studies Diploma, and at Hansei University in South Korea with a Bachelor and Master of Music in Organ Performance.

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With over 30 years of experience, Eun Joo has served as an organist and choir director at numerous churches, including her current roles at Kenilworth Union Church and Presbyterian Homes in Evanston, IL. Her extensive performance history includes solo organ recitals across the United States and South Korea, showcasing her remarkable talent and dedication to her craft.

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Eun Joo has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Gerald Crystal Organ Fund Award and the Marcella K. Brownson Memorial Fellowship from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the International House Scholarship sponsored by Toyota Automobile Company, and the President’s Award from the Manhattan School of Music.

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In addition to her performance career, Eun Joo is a passionate and experienced teacher, having instructed students of all ages and skill levels. She believes in fostering a lifelong love of music, particularly in young children, by creating a joyful first experience with music lessons and nurturing their natural musical instincts. For advanced students, she aims to develop their musicianship, theory, and knowledge of music history to a level that advances their musical aspirations.

Eun Joo is dedicated to creating unique curricula tailored to her students' diverse needs, ensuring each individual receives personalized guidance and support. Although not all her students may pursue professional careers in music, Eun Joo's goal is to help them enjoy and appreciate music, enriching their lives and the communities around them.

DENYS D.

FLUTE

Denys started teaching flute in 2003 while studying at the conservatory of music in Lviv, Ukraine. His first teaching job was at a Children's Music School and later, in 2006, at Lviv College of Music. While studying and teaching, he was also working at the Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra as a principal flutist and later at the Lviv Opera and Ballet Theater as a second flute/piccolo.

Denys also did musical tours to Western Europe and South Korea with the Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra. 

In 2008, Denys moved to the United States and immediately began teaching private students and performing in recitals serving the community including retirement homes, hospitals, and the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art.

Students can expect Denys to use his 10 year plus experience as a professional musician towards forming a comprehensive and efficient musical plan 
that will produce great musical results in a shorter period of time. Within just a few lessons, the student will be able to create a good quality sound (and technique later) without straining or putting in an excessive amount of effort.

DenysI structures his lessons so students can learn what they want to learn, while also maintaining correct posture and proper technique--and most importantly, having fun while doing it!