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Alyssa Beckmann : Viola

Alyssa Beckmann

Violinist and violist, Alyssa Beckmann is an active performer and teacher. Mrs. Beckmann has a B.M. from Vanderbilt University, and an M.M. from Boston University. She was raised a Suzuki student and has done extensive training with William Preucil, Louise Behrend, Teri Einfeldt and her mother Julia Hardie. For the past decade, she served as Upper Strings Coordinator of the Greenwich Suzuki Academy, where she maintained a large studio. Mrs. Beckmann has served on committees for the SAA national conference and chapter affiliates, and has taught at the Point Counterpoint and Heartland Summer Festivals. She performs with the American Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony and Kansas City Symphony. Mrs. Beckmann loves gardening and cooking with her husband, cellist Matt Beckmann and their son Miles.

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Meredith Blecha-Wells : Chamber Music Coaching and Cello

Wells.Meredith.BlechaMeredith Blecha currently serves as Assistant Professor of Cello at Oklahoma State University.  She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music where she served as the teaching assistant to Distinguished Professor Alan Harris. Additionally, she holds both a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Cello Performance from Indiana University’s Jacob School of Music where her teachers included Janos Starker and Helga Winold. Dr. Blecha has been a recipient of a number of awards including the E.H. Claus and the Eva Heinitz Memorial Cello Scholarships.  Festival appearances include the Taos School of Music, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, Spoleto Festival USA, Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, and the Artur Balsam Ensemble Classes.

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Lauren Cless : Chamber Music Coaching and Violin

Lauren ClessLauren Cless is a member of the faculty at the Western Springs School of Talent Education and the Chicago Center for Music Education. She holds a Master of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music where she completed long-term Suzuki teacher training with trainer Kimberly Meier-Sims. She has since done additional teacher training with Ed Kreitman, Nancy Jackson, Nancy Lokken, and Doris Preucil. From 2010-2012, she served on the Suzuki Strings faculty of the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C. In addition to being an enthusiastic Suzuki pedagogue, Ms. Cless enjoys an active performing career. She currently holds positions in the Elgin Symphony and Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, and previously performed three seasons as a full time member of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.