Vesselin
Demirev – Concertmaster
Photo Credit for Picture: “Gittings
Portrait”
Vesselin Demirev was born in Varna, Bulgaria and
began his musical studies at the age of four. He is an MA graduate
of the prestigious
National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria and has an Artist
Certificate in Violin Performance from Southern Methodist University
in Dallas. Mr. Demirev has been concertmaster of the New Symphony
Orchestra in Sofia and Abilene Philharmonic, and is currently
concertmaster of Irving Symphony Orchestra and Plano Symphony Orchestra.
He has
performed to critical acclaim with major orchestras and in numerous
concerts and solo recitals, which have taken him to concert stages
in Austria, Hungary, Holland, France, Italy, Spain and the United
States. He has recordings under the Gasparo label in New York
and the Balkanton label in Sofia. He teaches violin performance,
orchestral
repertoire, and chamber music at the Meadows School of the Arts
at Southern Methodist University.
Julia Bushkova, co - Concertmaster
Julia combines her highly successful solo career with a rewarding
commitment to teaching aspiring violinists at the University of
North Texas (UNT). Born into a family of renowned violinists in
Moscow, Bushkova began studying the violin at age five and made
her concerto debut at age fifteen in Poland. Since her arrival
in the United States, she has appeared as a soloist with numerous
orchestras and in solo and chamber music recitals throughout the
U.S. and Europe. Bushkova is principal second violin of the Plano
Symphony Orchestra.
April Kondrat - Assistant Princpial Viola, Music Librarian, Director of Education
April wears many hats for the Plano Symphony Orchestra. After joining the viola section 5 years ago she became the music librarian and then the Director of Education. April was born and raised in Texas and began playing viola at age 10. After high school, she went to the Eastman School of Music for her Bachelor's in music and then to Colorado for her Master's degree. She began her professional career with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago before moving back to Texas where she is assistant principal viola in the Irving and Plano Symphonies. She also performs frequently with the Fort Worth Symphony and other various musical ensembles. As Director or Education, April travels around the community performing "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" to the delights of many preschoolers. Read more about these performances in the "Kids Corner" section of this website.
Susan Frazier, Principal Horn
Performing experience includes the Plano Symphony Orchestra, Irving
Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Wind Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony
along, Dallas Symphony Orchestra and many others. She received
a Master of Music in Horn Performance from Southern Methodist
University and a Bachelor in Musician Horn Performance and Sound
Technology from Northwestern University.
Todd Goranson, Principal Bassoon
Todd is currently working on his
DMA in bassoon performance from West Virginia University. Goranson
earned a Bachelor of Music degree in both bassoon and saxophone
performance as well as his Master of Music degree in saxophone
performance from the University of Idaho. As an accomplished
saxophonist, Goranson has performed with Ray Charles, Sandi
Patti, Lionel Hampton,
and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. As a bassoonist Goranson has
played for the Washington-Idaho Symphony, Kingsport Symphony
in Tennessee,
and Westmoreland and Virginia Symphonies. Recently married
in June, Goranson spends his free time with his wife, is active
within his
church, and loves playing soccer.
Eugene Osadchy, Principal Cellist
The New York Times hails Osadchy as having "the most refined and balanced string playing". Newsday has called him a "paragon of Russian élan". Born in Kiev to a family of professional musicians, Osadchy started his musical education at age five on piano and a year later began the cello. He has participated in numerous chamber music series and festivals around the world and performed at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Lincoln Center in New York and Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Other music credits include the composition of two film scores and the release of several CD's on Melodia and CBS labels. Currently Associate Professor of Cello at UNT, Osadchy is Co-Artistic Director of the Vetta Chamber Music Series and Principal Cellist with both CBC Radio Orchestra and Plano Symphony Orchestra.
Thomas Zieba, Cello
Thomas began playing the cello 23 years ago in Krakow, Poland.
After attending the Krakow Academy of Music, Zieba earned a Bachelors
of Music degree in cello performance from TCU. Zieba is pursuing
a Masters of Music degree from Southern Methodist University,
where he received his Artist Certificate Diploma. In addition
to being associate principal cello for the Plano Symphony, Zieba
serves as principal cello for the Irving Symphony and plays for
the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra. Previously, he played for
the Fort Worth Symphony and the Krakow Philharmonic in Poland.
Though he enjoys playing soccer and chess in his off time, he
believes that “Music is the world’s greatest language
... To understand, all you have to do is listen. It is very simple,
and simple often is a beauty.”
