I started taking violin lessons in 1972 at the age of 5 with Betty Haag at the Betty Haag Academy of Music in Arlington Heights. During that time I was fortunate to travel to Europe 5 times, including performing twice in Rome at the Vatican City for Pope John Paul II, performing for Princess Margaret of England, a performance to a sold out audience in Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonic, and also on German television, and another trip to Moscow of the Soviet Union as ambassadors of Peace for the USA.
I received my Bachelor and Masters Degree in Violin Performance from the University of Illinois studying with Peter Schaffer. I won the Underg...