David Cowen, cello and piano, is a founding member of the Sinfonietta Arts Chamber Ensemble (https://www.sinfoniettaarts.com). He currently plays in the Northwestern Medical Orchestra and prior to that he played in the Skokie Symphony Orchestra. He has performed as a chamber music and symphonic cellist at numerous venues in the Chicago area, including the Art Institute, Arie Crown Theater, First National Bank, Chicago and Skokie Public Libraries, Unity Temple of Oak Park, St. James Cathedral, the Unitarian Church of Evanston, St. Elizabeth of Glencoe, Moody Bible Church, Skokie Theatre Music Foundation, Temple Menorah (Kol Nidre soloist on Yom Kippur for 20 years), Tzedek Chicago (Kol Nidre soloist on Yom Kippur for the past 4 years), Temple Judea Mizpah, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and the Morton Arboretum. He has also been broadcast on radio and television. David has studied cello with Alan Harris, Karl Fruh, and Jerry Grossman, played in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and was a scholarship student of Aldo Parisot at Yale University. David began studying piano at age 8 with Lillian Rubenstein-Boguslawsky and at age 11 with Catherine Sauer Smith.
Nataliya Chernysh, violin, began studying violin and piano at age 6 in the Ukraine. Nataliya earned her B.A. in violin at the Kyiv Musical College and her M.A. in violin and chamber music at the Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music.. She went on to win National Musical Competitions and worked as a chamber ensemble instructor at the Kyiv Musical College. Nataliya served as concertmaster with the Symphony orchestra of the State Theatre, Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and Ukraine Chamber Orchestra. She was a piano and violin instructor for 7 years in the Ukraine. Since moving to Naperville, Illinois, she has continued her career as a musician. She has played in several orchestras in Chicago. She gives private lessons in violin and piano, music theory and music history. She is a member of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association and Naperville Music Teachers Association.
Elizabeth Romanyuk, violin and viola, is Nataliya's daughter. She is a junior at Naperville Central High School. She began studying violin and piano at age 6 with her mother Nataliya. At age 10 she started piano lessons with Ludmila Turkalo.
At age Elizabeth started violin lessons with Igor Antipov. She is currently a member of the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. Elizabeth has twice won first prize in piano at the Walgreens National Concerto Competition.
She has been a finalist of the Rembrandt Chamber Music Competition. She received Honorable Mention for piano in the DuPage Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition and Honorable Mention for violin in the Walgreens National Concerto Competition.
Margarita Solomensky, violin, is a founding member of the Sinfonietta Arts Chamber Ensemble. She holds a Master's Degree in Music and Arts from the Moscow Conservatory. She has won a number of national musical competitions and worked successfully as a violin and piano instructor for the State Conservatory and Musical College. She worked for 15 years as concertmaster with the Lvov Theater of Opera and Ballet and performed as a soloist with the Lvov Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Solomensky immigrated to the United States in 1978, and has resided in Skokie since 1983. She has performed with a number of orchestras in the States including the Orchestra of Illinois, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, American Ballet Theater, Highland Park Strings and the Park Ridge civic Orchestra. She has served as concertmaster with the Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra, Northeastern Illinois Orchestra, the Russian American Chamber Orchestra of Chicago, Glenview Symphony Orchestra, Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra, North Shore Chamber Orchestra and as assistant concertmaster for the Skokie Valley Symphony. Ms. Solomensky balances her career as an educator and a performer. She teaches violin and piano at her private studio, the Music House and the Park Ridge Park District. She previously taught at Oakton Community College and the Devonshire Cultural Center. She has made numerous radio and television appearances, is currently a member of the Arioso Duet, first violinist of Arioso Chamber Ensemble and performs with the SoliArts Trio.
Claire Cai, Violin, earned her music diplomas from the Juilliard School, Pre-College Division, and Northwestern University, Bienen School of Music for her Bachelors. Throughout her time at Juilliard and Northwestern, she trained under the tutelage of Naoko Tanaka and Desiree Ruhstrat. Ensemble/Solo Experiences include: National Youth Orchestra of United States of America; Carnegie Hall’s NYO-USA Ensemble, including 2-week tours to Latin America (2017) and Asia; Butterfly Lover’s Concerto Masterclass in London - Performed in a masterclass hosted by violinist Susanne Hou, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Maestro John
Nelson and filmed by DakApp, whose mission is to share music masterclasses internationally (one of four students selected worldwide to participate). Awards include: National Young Arts Foundation Competition - Honorable Mention, Classical Music
Violin; Illinois American String Teacher’s Association Competition - First Prize; Northwestern’s Thaviu Music Competition - Second Place; Island Symphony Young Artist’s Competition - Paul Rudolph Award; YMCA New York Music Competition - Gold Prize;
International Virtuoso Competition - Gold Award (2014).
Venues:
University Club, 76 East Monroe Street, Chicago, IL
Edgewood Valley Country Club, Burr Ridge, IL
University of Chicago Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E 59th St, Chicago, IL
Haley Mansion, Joliet, IL
The Library 190 S. LaSalle St, Chicago, IL
Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL
First Unitarian Church of Chicago, 5650 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL
University Club, 76 East Monroe Street, Chicago, IL
Viceroy Hotel, Chicago, IL
Ravisloe Country Club, Homewood, IL
Emil Bach House, Chicago, IL
The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL
The Self Help Home, Chicago, IL
Unity Temple, Oak Park, IL
Yale University: Sprague Hall, Woolsey Hall, Pierson College, Berkely College, Morse College, New Haven, CT
Three First National Plaza, Chicago IL
St James Cathedral, Chicago, IL
Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL
Recent Clients:
Weddings:
Kaitlyn Marovich
Daniel Bonnin
Kelly Ruder
Jasmyne Wells
Melissa_Szewczyk
Ashlee King
Benna Kessler
Emily Ellinger
Evelyn Ruby Hernandez
Kaitlin Marovich
Kate Chahmirzadi
Kristen Froese
Laura Conley
Lisa Curtis
Louis Sears
Moira Feeney
Sean Clark
Celebrations of Life:
Mark Skoning
Kelly Ruder