Violin

Ching-Yi Lin

Dr. Ching-Yi Lin is Assistant Professor of Violin and Director of the WKU Pre-College Strings Program at Western Kentucky University. Recent performances and masterclasses have taken her to the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Norway, Shenyang and Xi'an Conservatories in China, Northwestern University, University of British Columbia, Louisiana State University, and University of North Texas. During the summer months, Lin serves on the faculty at the Indiana University Summer String Academy, String Explosion (WKU), and has also served on the faculty of the Sommersymfonien i Kristiansand in Norway. In 2013, Lin was presented with the prestigious Jefferson Award for Public Service in Washington, D.C., recognizing her work in bringing music into the lives of young people throughout her community.

Lin was appointed Associate Instructor of Violin at Indiana University in 2008 while also working as a teaching assistant to Professor Mauricio Fuks. At the pre-college level, she has taught as an instructor for the IU String Academy, working closely with her mentors Professor Mimi Zweig and Dr. Brenda Brenner. In 2008-2009, Lin acted as co-researcher, violin instructor, and piano accompanist for the Fairview Project – a research project designed to assess how underprivileged children can benefit academically and socially from learning the violin.

In addition to performing and teaching students of all ages, Lin also has a true passion for mentoring young pedagogues. Her dissertation topic, "An Undergraduate Pedagogy Curriculum for Teaching Beginning Violin Students," was chosen primarily due to her strong desire to train aspiring teachers. She is actively engaged in presenting seminars at various conferences such as the American String Teacher's Association National conference, the Kentucky and Tennessee Music Educator's Association conferences.

Lin earned her BM, MM, and DM in Violin Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and studied in the Vienna Conservatory from 2001–2003. Her principal teachers include Mauricio Fuks, Boris Kuschnir, Fredell Lack, and Nelli Shkolnikova. She plays on a violin made in 1863 by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume.

Cello

Sarah Berry

Sarah Berry has been on the music faculty oat Western Kentucky University since 2005. In her time at WKU, she has been involved in many areas of string education – teaching and developing the Bowling Green City and Warren County Public School Strings Program, directing WKU's Summer String Explosion Camp, founding the Symphony String Contest, and performing as Principal Cellist with the Symphony and the Baker Chamber Players. Passionate about string education, Sarah is a frequent guest adjudicator and conductor for area string programs. An active chamber musician, Sarah is a founding member of the cello / percussion duo, Col Legno and The Tzedakah Trio. Mrs. Berry received her Masters in Cello Performance from Rice University and her Bachelor of Music degree from Vanderbilt University with majors in Cello Performance and German. Her principal teachers include Felix Wang, Norman Fischer and Grace Mihi Bahng.

Viola and Violin

Andrew Braddock

Andrew Braddock, a native of Lakeland, Florida, began his viola studies at the age of 12. He is actively engaged in many facets of the musical world, including solo, chamber, and orchestral performances, in addition to teaching violin and viola. Andrew has given recent solo and chamber performances in Israel, Austria, Bloomington (IN) and Aspen (CO). He is currently a member of the Evansville Philharmonic and Owensboro Symphony Orchestras, and has served as assistant principal violist in the IU Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras, and principal violist in the Vanderbilt Symphony.

Andrew has studied violin and viola pedagogy with Mimi Zweig at Indiana University and has taught in the IU String Academy. He recently graduated from Indiana University with a Masters in Viola performance, under the tutelage of Atar Arad. He also holds a Bachelors of Music (summa cum laude) from Vanderbilt University, where he was awarded the Jean Keller Heard Prize for Excellence in string performance. His principal teachers are Atar Arad, Kathryn Plummer, and John Graham.

Violin and viola

Alyna Bloecher

Alyna Bloecher, violin, is an accomplished performer and teacher. She was a featured soloist for the 2013 China Tour with the Symphony at WKU, and has also performed with the Fairbanks Opera Theater. She has performed multiple chamber music recitals in and around Bowling Green, Kentucky. Alyna is also an active violin pedagogue, having taught for numerous studios in Bowling Green and Fairbanks, Alaska. She is a faculty member of the WKU Pre-College Strings Program, where she teaches violin and viola lessons, and group classes.

Alyna received a bachelor's degree in music education from Western Kentucky University (WKU) in 2013. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in violin pedagogy. While at WKU, she received multiple scholarships, including an award from the national music honorary society, Pi Kappa Lambda. She served in a leadership capacity in WKU's ASTA chapter. Alyna studied performance and pedagogy under Dr. Ching-Yi Lin, and viola under Mr. Andrew Braddock.

Violin

Steven Stewart 

Steven Stewart is currently pursuing a masters in violin pedagogy at Western Kentucky University.  He previously received a bachelors in music education from WKU. He studies violin with Dr. Ching-Yi Lin and is an instructor in the WKU Pre-College Strings Program. For the past two years, he was won awards in WKU's Concerto Competition--including the First Prize in 2011--resulting in two solo performances with The Symphony. A native of Kentucky, Steven was raised in Grayson County where he learned how to play violin through the study of Bluegrass music. He also teaches at the "Music is Me" program in Glasgow, KY, and volunteers his time leading violin sectionals for local school orchestras.

Cello

Shelly Burgess 

Cellist Shelly Burgess is pursuing a degree in music education at Western Kentucky University. She studies cello with Sarah Berry and is an instructor in the Pre-College Strings Program. In addition to serving as principal cellist in the WKU Symphony, Shelly was the principal cellist of the Kentucky Ambassadors of Music in 2012 where she traveled to England, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, and Germany. During her high school years, she was performed in the National Honor Orchestra of America and Kentucky All-State Orchestra. While growing up in Mayfield, Kentucky, Shelly played in the Paducah Symphony Youth Orchestra under the direction of Douglas Van Fleet. Shelly is a member of American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and Alpha Gamma Delta.