ARETHUSA QUARTET

Elizabeth Kipper, violin
Kevin Kumar, violin
Edward Malave, viola
Robert Howard, cello

The Arethusa Quartet is comprised of young musicians, all recently having finished their studies at some of the most prestigious music conservatories in the world. They have performed extensively in the New York area and are currently in the process of establishing a musical outreach program in thelocal schools and communities in Central and South America. As a quartet,this will be the group's first of many anticipated trips to Costa Rica.

ELIZABETH KIPPER
At age ten, violinist Elizabeth Kipper began her studies at The Juilliard School in the Pre-College Division. As a college student she has attended the University of Southern California, the Manhattan School of Music and is currently a scholarship student at The Juilliard School. Ms. Kipper has performed as soloist with a number of orchestras, and made her solo debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Youth Symphony. Her solo and chamber music engagements have included performances at Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall,Town Hall, and Merkin Hall in New York City and the Music Center in LosAngeles. She has twice been awarded the William Kapell Memorial Career Development Award. During summers Ms. Kipper has attended numerous music festivals including the Tanglewood Music Center where she was a fellow for three years. She has also participated in the National Repertory Orchestra Festival where she was a featured soloist. Her orchestral experience includes working with the New World Symphony, the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra and the Japan American Symphony. Last June Ms. Kipper toured Asia as a selected member of the 1997 Juilliard Tour Orchestra and then performed chamber music with the Foothills Music Festival in Winston- Salem, North Carolina during August. Her most recent performances include concert engagements with her quartet at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully and Paul Halls and performances with the Trinity Church Series and the Brooklyn Friends of Chamber Music Series in New York City.

KEVIN KUMAR
Kevin Kumar began his musical studies at the age of five. Since then, he has attended The Manhattan School of Music and the University of Southern California, where he received his Advanced Studies Diploma in Music. He is currently pursuing a degree at Columbia University in New York. Mr. Kumar's activities as a violinist are widely varied. His solo appearances include performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as well as numerous other orchestras; he has appeared in solo recitals around the US. Asa chamber musician, his engagements have involved performances on both live radio and television broadcasts. In this capacity, his concerts include performances in a variety of ensembles both in Europe and the US. Mr. Kumar has served as concertmaster for the Schleswig-Holstein Musikfestival Orchestrain extensive tours all over Europe; he has led the orchestra under such conductors as Valerie Gergiev, Semyon Bychkov, and the late Sir George Solti. In fact, he was personally invited by Sir George Solti to participate in theSolti Project at Carnegie Hall.

EDWARD MALAVE
Malave was born in Floral Park, Long Island, where he began his early musical training on the viola. Since this time, he has won numerous awards and competitions. He has performed with orchestras and ensembles throughout the US, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, Canada and South America. In 1989 Mr. Malave began his studies at the Juilliard School, receiving his Bachelors of Music degree in 1993 and Masters in 1995. During his studies at Juilliard, he played with Kurt Masur, Mistav Rostropovich, Jean Pierre-Rampal, Leonard Slatkin, Yehudi Menuhin and Placido Domingo just to name a few. As an avid chamber musician he has worked with world renowned artists at Juilliradand at various summer festivals. In June 1995 he made his debut CD with the Se Jong Soloists and has subsequently recorded with groups such as Vaganzza, Loretta's Doll, Nocturnal Arcade and with Bryan Adam's MTV Unplugged. Mr. Malave lives in New York maintaining a private viola teaching practiceand performs frequently in and around the New York metropolitan area including such venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and the Metropolitan Opera House. He is currently studying at the American Center for theAlexander Technique and will be certified to teach by June 1998.

ROBERT HOWARD
Robert Howard began studying cello at the age of 12 with Martha Gerschefskiin Atlanta, Georgia. He recently graduated from Rice University in Houston,Texas where he studied with Norman Fischer. Mr. Howard has attended many music festivals including Spoleto USA, Kent Blossom, the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and the Vandor Vegh Chamber Music Academy in Prague. He has been a recipient of numerous scholarships from the Atlanta Symphony and other local organizations. He recently received the Mary Hale Lovett Travel Fellowship from Rice University. Robert has worked with many renown chamber musicians including John Perry, Sergiu Luca, Lynn Harrell and David Geringas.