Kurt Sassmannshaus violinist and conductor, is considered one of today’s preeminent violin pedagogues. Founder and director of the Starling Preparatory String Project and Starling Chamber Orchestra, Mr. Sassmannshaus currently is chair of the string department at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. See him in action at Violinmasterclass.com.

Piotr Milewski violin professor at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Aspen Music Festival and School, won the first prize in the National Violin Competition in Poznan, Poland, and silver medals in the Paganini, Wieniawski and Queen Elisabeth international violin competitions.

Won-Bin Yim violin professor at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Aspen Music Festival and School, has served as concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Reno Philharmonic and Queens Philharmonic.

Brittany Kotheimer violin, is an alumna of the Starling Preparatory String Project and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She has performed extensively as soloist and concertmaster in Europe and the United States, and has recorded Giornovichi concerti with the Starling Chamber Orchestra for Arte Nova Classics/BMG. She works as assistant to Mr. Sassmannshaus both in Cincinnati and Aspen.

Yang Liu violin, has already established himself as the most important Chinese violinists of his generation. A first-prize winner of China’s National Violin Competition and a prize winner in the Twelfth International Tchaikovsky Violin Competition in Moscow, he was a Starling scholarship of Dorothy DeLay and Kurt Sassmannshaus at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Al Laszlo professor of double bass at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Aspen Music Festival and School, has served as principal bass of the National Chamber Orchestra of New York, I Solisti New York, and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

William Grubb serves on the cello faculty for the Starling program. He is professor of cello and chamber music at the Jordan College of Fine Arts, Butler University, and also serves on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Catharine Carroll is professor of viola at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the Aspen Music Festival and School. She is a sought-after chamber music performer and has recorded for the Hyperion label.

Nobuyoshi Ozawa teaches viola and chamber music.

Lee Fiser is professor of cello at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a former member of the renowned LaSalle String Quartet.

Ellen Scherzer teaches cello.

Orieta Dado teaches musicianship, theory and ear training for the Starling program. A native of Albania, she earned her bachelor of music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Helen Kim is a violin teacher for “Starling Kids” and also serves as librarian for the Starling Chamber Orchestra.

Alvin MacWilliams is a violin teacher and received his bachelor of music degree from Northwestern University and his master of music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Timothy O’Neill chamber music, is currently finishing up the final year of a double BM in violin and composition at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He has soloed with the CCM Philharmonia, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra, Aspen Young Artists Orchestra, and the Starling Chamber Orchestra. In March 2000, he toured China with the Starling Chamber Orchestra, performing Vivaldi's "Winter" from "The Four Seasons," which he subsequently recorded.

Pianists Sung-Ju Cho, Ina Ham, Sujung Cho, Bora Lee, Jasmin Hatem, Reiko Homan

Laraine Kaizer is the coordinator for Starling Kids.

Xiao-Xian Wang is the Starling Chamber Orchestra Librarian.