Larkstrings

Violin: Jessica Belflower is an orchestral violinist, chamber musician, and educator. She is Assistant Concertmaster of Fenimore Chamber Orchestra, Principal Second Violin for Kinderhook's Concerts In the Village, a member of Glens Falls Symphony, and the violinist for Playhouse Stage Company. She frequently performs with the Albany Symphony, Albany Promusica, and Vermont Symphony. Jessica also concertizes in New York City, including symphony concerts at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Symphony Space. Equally at home in the pop music sphere, Jessica toured the West Coast with Andrea Bocelli, was featured nationally in John Tesh's PBS television special Piano • Gospel • Dance, and has played with Josh Groban, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Il Divo, among others. As an educator, Jessica is the violin faculty at Bard Simon’s Rock, works with Empire State Youth Orchestra, and maintains a private violin studio. She holds a Master's degree in violin performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder, under the tutelage of the Takács Quartet, and a Bachelor's degree from Arizona State University, where she studied with Dr. Katie McLin. Jessica lives in North Greenbush, NY with her son, Walden, and husband, James.

Cellist: Tara Hanish is a multi-genre cellist based in Upstate New York. She performs regularly as a member of the Glens Falls Symphony, Fenimore Chamber Orchestra and Catskill Symphony, and freelances throughout the region in orchestral and chamber music settings. A native of Michigan, Tara also called Cleveland and New York City home before landing in the Adirondacks. While in Cleveland, she spent a decade as Assistant Principal of the Akron Symphony (Akron, OH), and was a founding member of the Azalea Quartet, who were finalists in the Hugo Kauder and JC Arriaga International Chamber Music Competitions. With a passion for new music and exploring classical instruments in non-classical genres, Tara has long-enjoyed bringing cello and her improvising, writing and arranging skills to numerous bands and singer-songwriters. She currently writes, records and performs as cellist for You Bred Raptors?, an instrumental post-rock trio comprised of 8-string bass, cello and drums. You Bred Raptors? is based in NYC and tours often throughout the US. Tara has also enjoyed sharing the stage in support of renowned artists like Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, The Foo Fighters, Michael Buble, Kanye West, Josh Groban, Barry Manilow, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. As an educator, Tara maintains a private cello studio and is a Teaching Artist for the Empire State Youth Orchestra CHIME program. Tara holds a Professional Studies Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music (studio of Richard Aaron), Master’s Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Miami (studio of Ross Harbaugh), and Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Michigan (studio of Anthony Elliott). Further cello studies include Suzuki teacher training with Pamela Devenport, Tanya Carey and Barbara Wampner, and improvisational studies with Eugene Friesen, Mike Block, and the community of the New Directions Cello Festival. Tara performs on a modern cello made by William Whedbee.

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