Maria
Potapov, a native of St. Petersburg, Russia, grew up in a family of
musicians. Her mother, Elena Nikulshina-Fray is an opera singer who
performed with many leading opera companies of Russia as well as United
States. Her brother, Michael Potapov, is an accomplished pianist. Maria
began studying violin at age 8 with professor Polonskaya at the Music
Academy no. 16 of St. Petersburg. Upon graduation she began taking lessons
with Vladimir Gentselt of St. Petersburg Philarmonic.
Moving to the United States in 1999, she started studying with
world-renowned professor Vadim Voyler. During that time Maria became a
member of Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestra, won two first place awards in
instrumental competitions, and participated in All State Orchestra.
Currently Maria is studying with Inez Redman at UNCA majoring in music and
psychology. She is presently a member of Asheville Symphony Orchestra and
Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra. For the past two years Maria has been a
member of the UNCA Scholarship String Quartet, and a member of a recently
created Asheville ensemble Bella Corda.
Paul Stroebel: Violinist
Paul is from Augusta, GA, where he studied the Suzuki
Violin Method from the age of three until graduating high school from
Davidson Fine Arts. At Davidson Fine Arts, he was concertmaster of the
Chamber Orchestra and led various string quartets, playing for weddings,
banquets, and chamber concerts. Paul also plays regularly with jazz
and rock bands in Asheville, Augusta, and Athens, GA. He is a
sophomore at UNCA and plays with the Blue Ridge civic orchestra, UNCA string
ensemble, and the Spartanburg Symphony.
Kara Poorbaugh: Violist
and Violinist
Kara is a
graduate of the Eastman School of music in Rochester, NY. She
contributes her viola skills to the Asheville, Hendersonville,
Greenville and Spartanburg SC symphonies. Kara is currently pursuing
an academic degree at UNCA in sociology and psychology.
Ryan Kelly: Cellist
Ryan began
her career as a cellist at the age of 10, and has grown to become a
passionate lover of music and fine arts. She has contributed her talents to
such places as the Johnson City Symphony and the Blue Ridge Orchestra.
At UNCA, she is pursuing a degree in cellular and molecular biology for
medical research with plants.
Elena Saladukha: Pianist
Elena Saladukha
was born in Minsk, Belarus. She began to play piano at the age of seven at
the Philharmonic Music School of Aleksandrov where she studied with
Professor Kulikovskaya. Upon her graduation with honors she continued taking
private lessons and becoming more advanced in her technique, while also
concentrating on studies in Economics and becoming admitted as a student to
one of the best Universities of Belarus at the age of sixteen. A year later
she moved to the United States, where she began a new chapter in her piano
career by becoming a student of a world-renowned professor Dr. Hwa-Jin Kim
at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. Currently Saladukha holds
two Bachelor degrees in Economics and Mathematics and is continuing her
education by working to become a Certified Public Accountant. In the past
few years Saladukha has performed numerous solo recitals as well as
participated in recent performances with UNCA Concert Band under the
direction of Dr. John Entzi. Saladukha has recorded several CD’s including
solo works for piano, duets for violin and piano and accompaniment for
mezzo-soprano Theresa Veach. Currently Elena gives private piano lessons at
her home studio in Asheville, and has students that have won prizes on
Asheville Area Piano Forum Competition.