Joyce Wohlgemuth, Violin I

Ms. Wohlgemuth earned admission into Sun-Wha Art High School in Seoul, a very selective school commonly recognized as the best art high school in Korea. There, she participated in masters classes with artists such as Victoria Mullova, Aaron Rosand, and Pittsburgh pianist Earl Wild. After graduation, she came to the U.S. to continue her studies and also began performing professionally in orchestras under well-known conductors such as Charles Bontrager, David Zinmann, and Loren Mazel. Ms. Wohlgemuth served as Concertmaster with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra and played in many Western Pennsylvania orchestras. Her teachers included Sung-Gwon Koh, Charles Stegeman (current Concertmaster of Pittsburgh Ballet and Opera Orchestras), Huei-Sheng Kao (Assistant Concertmaster with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra), and Alison Peters Fujito (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra). In 1992, she earned a BM in Violin Performance from the School of Music at Duquesne University and has continued performing in small ensembles and teaching privately, in addition to her work at the Pittsburgh Youth Pops Orchestra coaching the Violin I section.

Erika Pierce, Viola

Ms. Pierce attended Oberlin conservatory as a viola performance and music education major. She holds a Master of Teaching as well as a Master of Arts in Writing from Chatham College. Erika also holds Suzuki, Montessori, and Music Together certifications. She has considerable experience with coaching and conducting string ensembles, teaching theory, and private string instruction. Ms. Pierce was a National Solo Competition Semi-Finalist in 1992, and has held numerous principal Viola positions. She has played under the direction of Leonard Slatkin, David Lobel, and Kirk Muspratt. Ms. Pierce has also studied with Thomas Dumm and Jeff Irvine. Currently, she is Principal Violist with the Pittsburgh Philharmonic, and is a violist for the Three Rivers String Quartet. Ms. Pierce is currently on faculty of The Glenn Montessori School as a string, piano, and music teacher. In addition, she enjoys working with her extensive studio of private Violin and Viola students.

Younga Reitz, Cello

Mrs. Reitz holds a Bachelor's Degree Cum Laude and Master's Degree from Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music. She also studied Music Therapy as a graduate assistant and served as the librarian for Duquesne Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Reitz was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society in 1997. She earned an Artist Diploma in 2001 from the same institute. As the first prize winner of the Korean Music Education Association, Mrs. Reitz made a solo appearance with Les Arts de Baroque Orchestra at Hoahm Arts Hall for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Korea in 1994. Her solo and chamber music performance was heard in Switzerland, Holland, and the U.S. Her performances include the winner's recital of Pittsburgh Young Artist Series in 1999. Mrs. Reitz has studied with Misha Quint, Anne Martindale Williams, Jennifer Langham, Sung Yon Lee, and Lauren Mallory. She is currently on the faculty of CAPA High School, and also teaches at Musik Innovations and Quaker Valley High School's after school program. Mrs. Reitz has been on the faculty at the City Music Center and Jewish Community Center, and has taught orchestral studies, chamber music and private lessons at Westminster College, Geneva College, Seton Hill College, Fox Chapel Area High School, Waldorf School of Pittsburgh, Beaver Area High School, Pittsburgh Chamber Music Festival, Musik Innovations Chamber Music Camp, and Pine Richland School District's summer String Program. She has played in the Wheeling Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, Altoona Symphony, Johnstown Symphony and Butler Symphony.