Martine Benmann is an active free-lance performer and teacher. She has performed with chamber ensembles in Europe, Russia and the United States. She has collaborated in new productions, including instrumental, theatrical pieces and film scores. Martine is a member of the Lincolnwood and Bach and Beyond chamber orchestras. She has performed with the CUBE Ensemble, Ars Musica Chicago, Syntagma, and has served as principal cellist with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. She regularly collaborates with colleagues, performing at the University of Chicago, Sherwood Music School, Blackstone Public Library, Montgomery Place, Self-Help Home, PianoForte"Schubertiades"and PianoForte Salon Series broadcasts on WFMT.

Martine is an Artist Diploma graduate from Roosevelt University. She received an Advanced Certificate in Cello Performance from the Moskow Conservatory of Music (Russia), a Master ‘s Degree from the American Conservatory of Music ( Chicago), and a Bachelor’s Degree (Kuenstlrische Abschlusspruefung) from the Folkwang Hochscule ( Essen, Germany).

Her teachers include Kim Scholes, Natalia Chakhovskaya, Nathaniel Rosen, Maria Kliegel and Jean Deplace. She is an SAA certified Suzuki teacher. She is founder of the Cello Suzuki program, co-founder of the Suzuki Program and the founder of String Fest at Sherwood Community Music School.

Iva Murray, soprano

Iva Murray was born in the Czech Republic. Growing up, she sang at many events, including baptisms, weddings, etc. and also played piano and clarinet. She was always fascinated by opera singers and wanted to study voice, but her father was against it. After the revolution Iva moved to Germany, where she lived for five years, working first as a midwife and then as a registered nurse. In 1999, she came to the United States to visit her brother, a musician, who subsequently persuaded her to stay and perform with the rock band RAVENHOUSE, of which they are both still members to this day. Iva also returned to her passion for classical voice and began lessons with Davin Youngs and Kayleen Sanchez.

When not working on her classical repertoire or performing with RAVENHOUSE (with whom her talents also extend to keyboard and flute), Iva enjoys singing in musicals and has performed in the Czech musicals Pied Piper, Marilyn Monroe, Secret, and Madonna Mia. Additionally, Iva has also performed with various choral groups throughout the city of Chicago: Ecclesia, Old St. Patrick’s Concert Choir, FUMC at the Chicago Temple, Schola Laudis — The Monasteries of Holy Cross Choir-in-Residence, and even Too Hot To Handel, the Jazz-Gospel Messiah. She has been a member of CCA since 2014.

Danuta Kuzminska Berger studied piano and harpsichord at the Conservatory of Music in Warsaw, Poland (currently The Chopin University School of Music) where she received her Master’s Degree in Harpsichord Performance. During her studies, she won a gold medal for her harpsichord playing in a prestigious Piano Festival in Slupsk, Poland. She went on to earn a Diploma de Merito from the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy, where she studied harpischord with the late Maestro Ruggero Gerlin, former student of legendary harpsichordist Wanda Landowska. Danuta performed with various ensembles, as well as soloed on radio and television.

Danuta toured worldwide as a harpsichordist with the Polish Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Jerzy Maksymiuk. Danuta emigrated from Poland to the United States in January 1983 because of family and political reasons. The harsh nature of an early emigrant life prevented her from continuing her carrier as a concert harpsichordist. Nevertheless, her passion for music and harpsichord were ignited again after duties of raising three children and working in a nonmusical field were fulfilled.

Aside from teaching, Danuta serves as the assistant music director at Unity Church in Oak Park, Illinois. She is a freelance accompanist, recitalist, and chamber player. When she is not performing, she is an avid gardener and enjoys hiking.