The Girsky String Quartet members performed for Classical Tuesdays March 5, 2019

Violinist Artur Girsky: Born in Riga, Latvia, into a family of violinists, Artur Girsky began playing violin at age 5. He studied with Maya Glezarova at the Moscow Central Music School and with Felix Andrievsky at the Royal College of Music in London. Girsky won Third Prize at the International Violin Competition of Naples and he served as Concertmaster of the Moscow Soloists chamber orchestra under the baton of world-renowned violist Yuri Bashmet. In 1997 Girsky joined The Florida Orchestra as Principal Second Violin. He has been a member of the Seattle Symphony since 2006 and is also a member of ODEONQUARTET.

Violinist Natasha Bazhanov: Born in Ekaterinburg, Russia, Natasha Bazhanov began playing violin at the age of 5. After winning several regional youth competitions, she made her solo debut with Ural State Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 9 and later was invited to Moscow Central Music School to join the class of professor Belenky. She was one of five people chosen to participate in Sir Yehudi Menuhin's masterclass during his historic visit to Moscow. After graduating with honors, Bazhanov was accepted to the Moscow conservatory and was touring extensively throughout Europe, taking part in festivals such as Schleswig- Holstein, Evian, Bonn, Schloss Ort. After moving to the United States, she became a member of the Florida Orchestra's violin section and later the principal second violinist. In 2006 she relocated to Seattle to join the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra and also plays regularly with Seattle Opera.

Violinist and violist Timothy Christie is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival. He serves on the music faculties of the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, and the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.
The solo violist of Brave New Works since the group's inception in 1997, Timothy has performed and premiered numerous solo and chamber works of the 20th and 21st centuries. Timothy currently with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra (Germantown, Tennessee), the Seattle Symphony, and the Seattle Opera. He also plays in numerous chamber music series throughout the Northwest.

Rowena Hammill, cello: Originally from Australia, cellist Rowena Hammill graduated with a master’s degree from Indiana University where she was teaching assistant to Janos Starker. She has held professorships at the University of Northern Iowa and California State University Northridge and was Associate Principal Cello of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Presently, she divides her time between her positions as Associate Principal Cello of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and Artistic Director of Vashon Chamber Music in Washington state.In Los Angeles, she has performed with the Gold Coast Concert Artists, Pittance Chamber Music, and for the Guild Series. In the Seattle area, she curates and performs concerts for Club Shostakovich, and with the Girsky Quartet presents the Vashon Beethoven Quartet Project, performing all the quartets of Beethoven over three years, 2015-2018.In 2016, she directed the inaugural Vashon Island Cello Camp, a summer camp for students ages 14 and older. Vashon Chamber Music is now in its eighth season, bringing chamber music concerts to the residents of beautiful Vashon Island in Puget Sound as well as outreach concerts in schools and senior centers all over the Seattle area.

Join us again for our 15th season! with a Concert in the Park on Saturday September 14 at 4:00pm.