Xi Chen began studying the violin when she was eight. She was accepted by China's prestigious Central Conservatory of Music preparatory division at the age of twelve. After moving to the US, Xi earned her Bachelor's and Master's of Music degrees from Temple University under the guidance of Helen Kwalwasser. Her recitals had been live-broadcast by WFLN, the classical radio station of Philadelphia. Xi was the leader of the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. Music performance invitations have brought Xi to Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Brazil, Puerto Rico and the East Coast of United States. She has been performing as a member of the Kennedy Center/Washington National Opera Orchestra and the Washington String Quartet/Novella Chamber Players since 1998.
Violinist Elizabeth Field enjoys an active career on both period and modern instruments. She is currently concertmaster of The Bach Choir of Bethlehem and has served as a guest concertmaster in the Washington area, including for the Washington Bach Consort, The National Philharmonic, Opera Lafayette, and The Chorale Arts Society. Ms Field performs regularly with the Washington National Opera and The Sun Valley Summer Symphony. Prior to moving to Washington DC, Ms Field was an active performer in New York performing with the Orpheus Chamber orchestra, The Orchestra of St. Lukes and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. In 2007 she founded The Vivaldi Project, a period instrument ensemble, and in June, 2009 directed her first Modern Early Music Institute (historical performance practice for modern players). She also plays with numerous chamber groups, including Hesperus, Harmonious Blacksmith and the 4 Nations Ensemble as well as with her mixed modern and period instrument chamber group, Arcovoce. Ms. Field can be heard on recordings with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Opera Lafayette, Brandywine Baroque, Arcovoce and a world premiere recording of Quantz flute quartets. For more info on Ms. Field please see: http://thevivaldiproject.org and http://elizabethfield.com
Uri Wassertzug has performed in many places around the world including Alaska, the UK, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. Since 1998 he has been a member of the Kennedy Center Opera House/ Washington National Opera Orchestra, as well as the Sun Valley Summer Symphony. He has played with many other symphony and opera orchestras as well. As a chamber musician Uri has been a member and a guest performer with many groups, and appears frequently on the Kennedy Center’s Millenium Concerts series. Uri is on the faculties of George Washington University and Howard University. His own studies were at the University of Maryland, the Aspen Music Festival, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; some of his teachers included the members of the Guarneri Quartet, Robert Becker, and Isadore Tinkleman. An afficionado of coffee, Uri has been roasting his own coffee beans for several years.
Elizabeth Davis, cellist, made her solo debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony at age 15. Studying with Yehuda Hanani, she earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. For seven years she played with the Alabama Symphony. In 1992, Ms. Davis became the Assistant Principal Cellist of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and the Washington National Opera Orchestra. She plays in many chamber groups and performs frequently on the Millennium Stage concert series at the Kennedy Center.
