Jenna Barghouti

Jenna Barghouti joined the first violin section of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in September, 2019. Prior to joining the DSO, she played 4 seasons with the Houston Symphony. Barghouti earned her undergraduate degree in violin performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with Professor Mimi Zweig. She continued her graduate studies at Indiana with Professor Jorja Fleezanis before moving to Houston. In addition to her orchestral career, Barghouti plays with a quartet in Dallas with some of her symphony colleagues. She also has a private studio and teaches extensively.

Vivek Jayaraman

Vivek Jayaraman is a member of the Florida Orchestra in St. Petersburg, FL and has played with several major orchestras in the United States including The Cleveland Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the New York Philharmonic. Vivek was concertmaster of the Canton Symphony Orchestra (OH) from 2015-2017 and has performed as concertmaster with the New World Symphony under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas, the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland, and as Guest Concertmaster of symphonies in Jacksonville, Vancouver, Shreveport, and Knoxville. He received an Artist Diploma in Concertmaster Studies in 2015 at the Cleveland Institute of Music studying with Cleveland Orchestra Concertmaster, William Preucil.

In addition to his studies at CIM, Vivek received a Bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music studying with Charles Castleman and a Master’s degree in Orchestral Performance from Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Glenn Dicterow, former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. Vivek plays a modern violin built in 2005 by Roger Graham Hargrave.

The 2020 summer season includes returns to both the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland and the Sun Valley Festival Orchestra. 

Nathan Olson

A native of Berkeley, California, violinist Nathan Olson began his appointment as Co-Concertmaster with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in September 2011. He has served as Adjunct Faculty at Southern Methodist University and the University of North Texas College of Music. A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music’s prestigious Concertmaster Academy, Nathan studied with William Preucil and Paul Kantor. Currently Concertmaster of the Breckenridge Music Festival, he has participated in the Mainly Mozart Festival, the Bravo Vail Music Festival and the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival.

An enthusiastic chamber musician, Nathan is a member of the Baumer String Quartet, whose debut recording will be coming out in the next year. The BSQ serves on faculty at the Crowden Chamber Music Workshop and the Monterey Chamber Music Workshop, and has held residencies at several institutions, including Southern Methodist University, the University of North Texas, the University of South Florida, and the University of South Dakota.

A winner of the Joseph and Elsie Scharff prize in violin at CIM, Nathan has performed as soloist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Canton Symphony Orchestra, the Breckenridge Music Festival Orchestra, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, CityMusic Cleveland, the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, the Berkeley Symphony, the Oakland East Bay Symphony and the Lexington Bach Festival Orchestra.

In recent seasons, Nathan has appeared as Guest Concertmaster with the symphony orchestras of Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Toronto, Omaha, and Tucson, and as Principal Second Violin with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. While completing his Bachelors degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Nathan earned minors in both Mathematics and Music Theory.

Isabel Trautwein

Isabel Trautwein has been a member of the first violin section of The Cleveland Orchestra since September 2002. Previously, she was Principal Second Violinist of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Concertmaster of the New World Symphony in Miami, a member of the Houston Symphony and of the Naumburg-award-winning Pacifica String Quartet. In her student years she performed under Sergui Celibidache with the Munich Philharmonic and under Claudio Abbado and Zubin Mehta with the European Community Youth Orchestra in faraway places such as Africa, India and Israel.

Born in Huntsville, Alabama, USA, (her father really was a rocket scientist), she began Suzuki violin studies at age 5. When she was 12, her family moved to their native Germany, where she remained for her high school and college years.  Her undergraduate studies were at the Musikhochschule Lübeck in northern Germany followed by graduate work with Prof. Donald Weilerstein at the Cleveland Institute of Music. 

Ms. Trautwein has appeared as soloist with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, CSU Symphony orchestra, Cleveland Philharmonic and the Cleveland Women’s Orchestra. 

Alongside her orchestral work, she has performed and coached at many colleges and festivals. She performs annually at the “Wolfegger Wintermusik” in southern Germany, is a frequent coach at the New World Symphony in Miami, has been serving as adjunct faculty at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music since 2018, teaches frequently at UT Austin’s Butler School of Music and also maintains a private teaching studio. She has travelled to Armenia, Venezuala and the Domenican Republic to teach and perform alongside young musicians. 

Since 2005, Ms. Trautwein has been Artistic Director of the HeightsArts “Close Encounters” chamber music series in Cleveland, performing nearly 50 concerts with Cleveland Orchestra colleagues and faculty members from the Cleveland Institute of Music in unusual venues around Cleveland.

Passionate about teaching and creating equitable access to music and music education, Ms. Trautwein enjoys going to schools to encourage youth in music-making. In 2011/12 Ms. Trautwein launched two El Sistema programs in some of Cleveland’s most challenged neighborhoods. Today, over 60 students receive free daily orchestra training in these programs and perform annually on stage at Severance Hall. 

Ms. Trautwein has been recognized with the Cleveland Institute of Music Alumni Achievement Award (2013), the Martha Joseph Cleveland Arts Prize (2012), the Ted Horvath Prize from Rainey Institute (2012) and the Judson Smart Living Award (2013) in honor of her efforts to enrich the Cleveland community through music.

She lives with her partner Arlen and rescue-dog Daisy in a Cleveland Heights bungalow. On free days, they can be found at their historic farm on the Grand River in Geneva where she passionately enjoys hiking and farmhouse renovation projects.

Emily Kriner

Emily Kriner is a professional violinist and a certified holistic health and nutrition coach. Emily earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, with a minor in Psychology and a Master of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Emily is a co-founder of the San Francisco based unconducted orchestra, One Found Sound, now in its 8th season. She is also a devoted educator with a private teaching studio, and is on faculty at Bow & Heart and at the Lucy Moses School at the Kaufman Music Center in New York City.

As a musician she saw the deep need for prioritization of health, the mind-body connection, and self-care. She completed yoga teacher training at YogaWorks in San Francisco and then went on to study holistic health and nutrition. Emily graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition where she studied innovative coaching methods, dietary theories, and practical lifestyle management techniques with some of the world’s top health and wellness experts.

Emily is the founder of Emily K. Wellness, a health, nutrition, and lifestyle company where she offers personalized health and wellness coaching services to individuals, groups, companies, and organizations. Passionate about optimizing and harmonizing all aspects of wellbeing, Emily works with clients to achieve their ideal vision of total health and happiness.

Jonathan Solars

Jonathan studied the violin from an early age and his interest in fine stringed instruments was present throughout his development. At the age of 18, he began his studies at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied violin, baroque violin, and viola, while achieving a degree in Violin Performance. In 2004, Jonathan moved to New York City to pursue his passion for violins and in 2005, became Sales Manager for René A. Morel.

During his tenure with René, Jonathan successfully transformed Morel’s sales and collection. In the three years he was active there, he achieved over $18.5 million in sales and improved the quality of available instruments to a collection worth more than $40 million.

Upon the closing of Morel’s business in 2008, Jonathan formed his own consultancy, advising players, collectors, investors, and institutions. In 2013, Jonathan founded Jonathan Solars Fine Violin, Inc., where he enjoyed multi-million dollar successes on behalf of his clients. In 2015, Jonathan joined together with leading global expert and author Florian Leonhard to become the Managing Director for Florian Leonhard Fine Violins - New York. Together with Florian and his global team, Jonathan continues to proliferate the company’s highest standards as the leading global experts, restorers, dealers, and consultants in the field.

Jaya Varma

Houston-based violinist Jaya Varma, D.M.A, enjoys an active freelance career performing with several orchestras and musical groups throughout the United States.

Past performances have taken her to elite concert venues including Carnegie Hall, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Miami’s Arsht Center. Jaya has performed with the Louisville Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Nashville Opera, New World Symphony, Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet, and Palm Beach Symphony. Additionally, Jaya has worked in the recording industry and has played on several soundtracks for major video games, shows, and movies. She performs regularly for special events throughout Texas with Divisi Strings.

Along with her classical music pursuits, Jaya is committed to performing in diverse styles and genres. She has played with world renowned artists including Gloria Estefan, Michael Buble, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bolton, 2Cellos, Ben Folds, Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Mark O’Connor, and Terrence Blanchard.

Jaya completed her Doctoral studies at the University of Miami and holds previous degrees from the University of Michigan and Duquesne University. In addition to performing Jaya is passionate about teaching and coaching aspiring musicians. She maintains a studio of private students and is trained in the Suzuki method. Jaya performs on a violin by Florian Leonhard, London, copy of Guaneri del Gesu, Cremona, 1744 “Ole Bull”. When she isn't playing the violin, Jaya enjoys practicing and teaching yoga, traveling, and experimenting with vegan cooking.

Abby Young

An active performer and committed arts advocate, Abby Young is a violinist, violin teacher, and arts administrator in Miami, Florida. Abby is Personnel Manager and violinist for Nu Deco Ensemble, and performs regularly with the Naples Philharmonic, Florida Grand Opera Orchestra, Palm Beach Symphony, and Atlantic Classical Orchestra. A former Henry Mancini Institute Fellow, Abby earned her Master’s and Doctoral Degrees in Violin Performance at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. Her doctoral research culminated in her thesis, entitled "Job Satisfaction of Orchestral Musicians: The Effects of Non-Performance Organizational Roles." Abby is now the Managing Director of the Henry Mancini Institute, and previously served as the Ensemble Librarian for the Frost School of Music.