Judy Lin - Pianist of the Bakken Trio, has performed solo recitals in Chicago, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh and has appeared with the Minnesota Chamber Symphony, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony. She received degrees from Indiana University and is on the keyboard faculty at MacPhail Center for the Arts. Her awards include the Kimball Bosendorfer Piano Competition and the Young California Competition.

THE BAKKEN TRIO has established itself as an ensemble that challenges the conventions of a tradition-based form. Known for ambitious yet accessible chamber music, the Trio has a history of presenting a breadth of repertoire that combines traditionally standard chamber music with daring twentieth century works.

Thomas Rosenberg is nationally known as a dynamic teacher, chamber music coach, and performer. A resident of Saint Paul, Minnesota, he is cellist of the Artaria String Quartet with whom he concertizes, records and presents numerous educational workshops. Recipient of the 2004-5 McKnight Performing Artist Fellowship Award and the 2003-4 "Master Studio Teacher Award" from the Minnesota chapter of the American String Teachers Asssociation, he is on the faculties of the University of Minnesota where he is Coordinator of the String Chamber Music Program and coaches numerous ensembles and Macalester and Carleton Colleges where he teaches cello. He also maintains a busy private studio of cellists and chamber ensembles. He has received top chamber music prizes at the Munich (Germany), Portsmouth (England) and Chicago Discovery Competitions, and is a three-time Naumburg Award finalist. Since 1981, Tom has been Artistic Director of the prestigious Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and has been named "Arts Educator of the Year" by the Michiana Arts and Sciences Council. Previously, he was a founding member of the highly acclaimed Chester String Quartet with whom he made numerous recordings and for twenty years, appeared on concert stages and live radio coast to coast in the United States, Canada, Central America and Europe. He has been solo cello of the New York Chamber Ensemble and appeared at many music festivals including Tanglewood, Aspen, Newport, Banff, South Mountain, Cape May, the Grand Tetons, and the International Music Festival in San Jose, Costa Rica. As a soloist, he has been noted by the Boston Globe as displaying "beautifully inflected, noble playing with a gorgeous dark tone."

THE ARTARIA STRING QUARTET
Ray Shows, violin
Nancy Oliveros, violin
Annalee Wolf, viola
Thomas Rosenberg, cello

A warm, rich sound is the hallmark of The Artaria String Quartet. Named after the Italian family that published the premier issues of many of the Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven quartets, Artaria's refined and thoughtful playing has brought them critical acclaim in Europe and throughout the United States. The Boston Globe has described Artaria as "exquisitely balanced and sonorous" and that "their musical understanding was first-rate". The Quartet is the 2004-5 recipient of the prestigious Performing Artist Fellowship Award from the McKnight Foundation.

Formed in Boston in 1986, the quartet was mentored by members of the Budapest, La Salle, Kolisch, Juilliard, and Cleveland Quartets. They have recorded numerous compact discs, appeared on television and live radio, and performed at major venues in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Cleveland and Boston. They have also been featured at the Banff Centre in Canada, Festival de L'Epau in France, and the Tanglewood Music Center.

Nationally recognized as dynamic teachers and for their commitment to education, the Artaria String Quartet served as Ensemble-in Residence and Artist/Teachers at the world-renowned Tanglewood Institute and was awarded two highly sought after "Millennium Grants" for outreach activities from the National Endowment for the Arts and Chamber Music America. The quartet has had a profound impact on chamber music education in Minnesota where they have founded the Stringwood summer chamber music camp, Winterstrings adult chamber music workshop and regularly coach area students in the art of chamber music. They possess the rare ability to offer outstanding performances in both concert and educational outreach settings and have performed hundreds of programs to thousands of students throughout the United States.
Honored as recipients of the first Rural Residency Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the quartet resided in Tifton, Georgia in 1992 where they established a strong string program for that community. In the mid-1990's, Artaria held dual residencies at Boston College and Viterbo University. The quartet resides in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where its members maintain active careers in performing and teaching on the faculties of St. Olaf, Macalester and Carleton Colleges and the University of Minnesota.

Firmly rooted in the great traditions of the chamber music masterpieces, the Artaria String Quartet is also a staunch advocate of contemporary music. They are active in commissioning and premiering a wide array of new works and were the featured string quartet at the 2002 "Works Festival", which highlighted the past 20 years of music commissioned by "Meet The Composer". The quartet's performances are recorded on Centaur Records and Aequebis Recordings. More information about Artaria's performing and educational activities and its individual members can be found at www.artariaquartet.com