Ken had an early success in becoming the principal violist of the Interlochen World Youth Symphony. He has taught at Western Illinois University, the Crane School of Music- SUNY Potsdam (Potsdam, NY) and Viterbo College (LaCrosse, WI). As a chamber musician, he has won numerous awards such as first prize at the Coleman, Carmel, MTNA, and Yellow Springs Competitions. He was also a winner of the 1993 Cleveland Quartet Competition as well as a prizewinner at the Bucchi International Competition (Rome).

Ken is a frequent recitalist and has performed intensely challenging programs such as the 4 solo sonatas of Paul Hindemith, and the complete sonatas of Darius Milhaud, also on his CD released by Centaur Records [CRC 2479]. He also has two other discs released by Centaur; viola chamber music of Rebecca Clarke [CRC 2847], and Bohuslav Martinù [CRC 2852]. His article "The Viola Music of Milhaud" was published by the American Viola Society Journal, vol.15, no.1. He is also the founder and owner of Gems Music Publications, a company whose mission is to expand the viola repertoire by publishing rare and undiscovered viola music in the most clean and unedited manner as possible, allowing the composer's original ideas to come to the fore.

Mr. Martinson has been active with the American Viola Society, having served as Secretary, and as an assistant editor of the Journal for the American Viola Society where he had his own column for reviewing new viola compositions and publications. Ken was a featured guest artist at the 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, and 2010 International Viola Congresses.

Mr. Solare works as a freelance player in Berlin; he has taught at the Music School of the
district of Schöneberg and coached the viola sections of both the Berlin Youth Orchestra and
String Orchestra. He was a member of the Schmalenberg Quartet (1996-99) and is principal
viola of the Schaffrath Chamber Orchestra. A member of the German Viola Society and the
Viola d'Amore Society of America, he has presented programs of Argentinian viola music at
the 1986 German Violists' Day and at the 1999 Viola Congress in Guelph, Ontario, and has
been a featured presenter at several other International Viola Congresses. Mr. Solare edits
the bi-weekly journal, Konzertführer Berlin Brandenburg, writes regularly for The Strad and
Opera magazines and is currently preparing a Ph. D. in Musicology at the Free University,
Berlin.

Louise has recently been awarded a PhD from the University of Manchester on the 'Influences on the young Paul Hindemith'. She plays on a French instrument made around 1750, previously belonging to Cecil Aronowitz (the RNCM's first Head of Strings), on whom she is planning to write a biography. Louise is the founder and President of the English Viola Society, started in September 2007.

As a chamber musician and recitalist she has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. She has performed on the Aspen Music Festival Winter Series, the Aspen Music Festival Faculty Artists Series, Linton Music Series, the Chamber Music Society of Dublin Series and is the coordinator of the Cincinnati Chamber Circle Series. Dr. Carroll has collaborated in chamber music with such artists as Jaime Laredo, Sarah Chang, Lynn Harrell, Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg, Ida Kavafian, Peter Oundjian, Sylvia Rosenberg, Earl Carlyss, Dick Woodhams, members of the Cleveland Quartet, Orion Quartet, American String Quartet, Pro Arte Quartet, LaSalle Quartet, Amernet Quartet, Beaux Arts Trio, and Aspen Festival Chamber Players. Dr. Carroll has been featured in radio broadcasts on NHK radio in Japan, National Public Radio (NPR), WGUC in Cincinnati, and WFMT in Chicago.

Currently she is the principal violist of the Aspen Chamber Symphony and Assistant Principal of the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra. Ms. Carroll has performed regularly with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and served as the guest principal violist of the Aspen Festival Orchestra and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. At age seventeen Dr. Carroll began viola studies with Masao Kawasaki at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music where she earned her Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees under his tutelage.

He studied viola with Sanford Schoenbach, William Primrose and Pamela Goldsmith, composition with Byong-yon Kim, conducting with Seiji Ozawa and chamber music with Dominick DiSarro. He holds a doctorate in music education, a masters degree in music performance and music education, two bachelors degrees (history and music) and an advanced diploma in teaching. Dr Vidulich was a UNESCO scholar and has been made a Fellow of the International Biographical Association, UK (FIBA) and is an Associate of the Institute of Registered Music Teachers, NZ (AIRMT).

Dr Vidulich is presently serving his second term as President of the International Viola Society (2005 to 2010) and has been awarded both an IVS Special Award and the IVS Silver Alto Clef for services to the viola. He founded the the Australian and New Zealand Viola Society and was its President from 1982 to 2005, and is now its President Emeritus. He was the Co-Host of the 2001 International Viola Congress held in Wellington and has performed at several International Viola Congresses and ANZVS Viola Conferences. His arrangement of Alfred Hill's Violin Sonata as a Viola Concerto has been recorded on CD.

In 2008 Queen Elizabeth conferred upon Dr Vidulich, the Queen's Service Medal (Q.S.M.) of the Queen's Service Order for his services to music in New Zealand and internationally.

Max Savikangas

As violist Max is concentrated in contemporary chamber music. He is the founder member of the Uusinta Chamber Ensemble and also performs regurlarly with the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra. Abroad Max has performed in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Holland, Germany, France, Spain, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia in various concerts, tours, festivals and congresses.

Max is the President of the Finnish Viola Society, member of the Society of Finnish Composers and the interdisciplinary artist association MUU. He was appointed as the executive secretary of the International Viola Society Presidency for the three-year term 2008-2010.

In addition to composing and performing on the viola, Max has been involved in multi-disciplinary co-projects, often utilising technology. He is also very interested in developing the viola - Max plays on a viola model which he has been developing with the Finnish luthier Pekka Mikael Laine since 1998, utilising computer spectral analysis and new varnishing techniques.

His technical command and musicality has inspired to numerous Spanish composers who have written works for him, such Jorge Muñiz, Juan Cué, Ximo Cano or Salvador Brotons. Luis Magín has performed solo together with the JONDE, Yale Chamber Players, Orchestra de Cámara Galega, Symphony Orchestra of the CONSMUPA and the Iberian Chamber Orchestra, doing the world premiere of the Concert for viola and Orchestra by Salvador Brotons. He has recorded for the seals RTVE and Several Record, with a great welcome of the critics. He masters an extensive repertoire for the viola and he is a specialist in the interpretation of Spanish music for viola.

The pedagogical experience of Luis Magín, discloses him as one of the most demanded Viola Professors nowadays. Luis has been professor at the Superior Conservatory of Music of La Coruña and at the present time he is a permanent member of the string faculty at CONSMUPA, leading one of the most prestigious viola studios in the country. His pedagogical reputation makes him been recognized abroad and he has been invited to give Master classes at Cangas de Onís, Conservatory of Avila, Salamanca, Segovia, Guernika, Calahorra, JOSPA, the EuroArts Music Festival in Leipzig, Four Season Chamber Music Festival in North Carolina, the University of Michigan, East Carolina University, University of Florida, the Peabody School of Music in Baltimore, the RNCM in Manchester and Royal Conservatory of Aarhus in Denmark, to name a few.

Luis Magín collaborates in several research projects in the areas of acoustics and viola pedagogy, displayed at the International Congress of Acoustics (Barcelona, September 2007). His recent research about the pedagogical work for viola by Francisco Fleta, has reported him the Diploma of Advance Studies in Musicology by the University of Oviedo. He holds a Bachelor degree at the CONSMUPA and a Master and Artist Diploma at Yale University. He has received an intense academic instruction gathering the influences and advices of eminent figures of the viola such Wieslaw Rekucki, Daniel Benjamini, Yuri Yurov and Jesse Levine among others.

Michael Palumbo

Palumbo is associate principal violist of the Ballet West Orchestra, and assistant conductor for the ballet. He is an active recitalist, and chamber musician, performing frequently in a variety of venues. An avid promoter of music education, Palumbo serves on the Board of Trustees of the National String Project Consortium and is the director of the Weber State University String
Project.

Palumbo has served as president of the Utah Music Educators Association, and has twice held the office of president of the Utah Chapter of the ASTA. He is a former national secretary of ASTA and served as a member of the editorial committee of the newly revised ASTA String Syllabus. He has also served as a member-at-large of the AVS Board. In 1997 he and David Dalton founded the Utah Viola Society, a local chapter of the American Viola Society. Palumbo served as it's first president, a position in which he is currently serving again.

Palumbo is a member of Phi Kappa Lambda, and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 104. He is currently serving a two-year term as the president of the local.

Though Nick has never played a viola, he is an avid music lover. He is the creator of Utah Internet Radio, a website that gives Utah musicians a place to publish their music.