Bella Corda String Ensemble Performers

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 Maria Potapov: Violinist

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.

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