For Alex McLaughlin, a career in classical music is one that exemplifies variety and a need to perform. This drive has led Alex to seek performances in many different musical settings, from performing at Edinburgh Castle with the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers, to serving as the Acting Principal Violist of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra (ECSO), or to educating children at a small library in Blossburg, PA. Alex is a graduate of both the Eastman School of Music and the Yale School of Music, receiving the Robert L. Oppelt award from the former and being a featured artist in the Oneppo Chamber Series of the latter. Alex has appeared in several festivals in the United States, including Spoleto Festival USA, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, the Weekend of Chamber Music, and the Endless Mountain Music Festival. In addition to the ECSO, Alex regularly performs with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, and the Woodstock Symphony Orchestra. Alex is also an active chamber musician, being a founding member of the Havenwood String Quartet in New Haven, CT as well as a frequent collaborator with the Beryllium String Quartet in NYC. Alex has had the honor of working with many masters of the viola in his career, including Emily Schaad, Carol Rodland, Ettore Causa, Masumi Per Rostad, Jeffrey Irvine, and Kim Kashkashian. He currently performs on a 1970 viola by Otto Erdesz.
Favorite Composer
My violist heart belongs to Hindemith, but my favorite very well might be Maurice Ravel. I haven’t heard a single work of his I don’t love!
What inspires you to play?
I am inspired by a great deal of things in this crazy world we live in, but the first inspiration for music I had was my older brother! I would watch him in his lessons and perform in our elementary orchestra, leading me to take his violin when he wasn’t practicing and try and mimic what I saw! Eventually my mum took notice and asked if I wanted to play a stringed instrument. Viola was the only choice for me, and I haven’t stopped playing since!
Hidden Talents
I’m an amateur baker, inspired by people like Claire Saffitz, Thalia Ho, and my Grandma Mary Ann McLaughlin (pies are my specialty, though I enjoy any sort of sweetie!). Besides that, I collect rock and mineral samples and play video games from time to time (many of which have amazing soundtracks, like Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, and Omori)!
Favorite Quote
“It isn’t a sadness, but a joy, that we don’t do the same things for the length of our lives.”
– Marx Watanabe, from Gabrielle Zevin’s novel “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.”
John Biatowas, violist, has grown up playing violin and viola throughout Connecticut and the surrounding states. He received his BA in molecular biology from Colgate University and Performers’ Certificate in viola and MM in violin performance from the University of Connecticut. John has sat concertmaster of the Colgate and UConn Orchestras, as well as principal viola at UConn. He teaches privately and is a founding member of the Arioso Ensemble. John serves as orchestra librarian, personnel manager, and section violist with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, and has also performed with the New Britain and Wallingford Symphonies and the Hartford Festival Orchestra. He teaches chamber music at Wesleyan with his fellow quartet members. His teachers include Theodore Arm, Laura Klugherz, and Phoebe Barron.
Bio coming soon.
Year you joined the ECSO: 2008
Andrew Knebel is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music/University of Hartford where he was a student of Steve Larson. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in viola performance and music education. He has participated in master classes with John Largess (Miro SQ), Chauncey Patterson (Miami SQ), and Heidi Castleman. In addition to teaching violin at 4 schools in southwestern CT, Andrew is a member of the Eastern CT Symphony in New London, CT, freelances on viola and violin in Connecticut and New York and teaches privately. He has also taught with the Hartt String Project and Project Music. He is on faculty at Summertrios and The Lake Placid Chamber Seminar. He has also taught at The Young People’s Institute for Chamber Music. He is also a member of Quartetto Vivo and has played with The Living Room Players, the Spectrum String Quartet, and the Rocio String Quartet.
Year you Joined the ECSO: 1997
Carol is an active violist in the area, playing in the orchestras of Salt Marsh Opera, Opera Theater of CT, Con Brio, Mystic River Chorale, and has also played with the Hartford Symphony, Orchestra New England, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Tacoma (WA) Symphony, Waterbury Symphony, New Britain Symphony, and with various artists at Mohegan Sun casino.
Carol has a great love for chamber music, which started while a student at Hartt School of Music, inspired by the Emerson String quartet, in residence at the time. She participated in the Yellow Barn chamber Music Festival, and the New England Conservatory Chamber Music Festival. Her piano quartet ‘Genisius’ was a featured group in the Christ Episcopal Church (Norwich) chamber music series for many years. She currently plays in a quartet with members of the ECSO.
While a student at Hartt, Carol studied with Eric Rosenblith, Charles Treger, and Rafael Oruian, and continued studies with Jesse Levine of Yale.
She teaches viola and violin at Thames Valley Music School, and at home in Stonington.
Year you joined the ECSO: 2017
Steven Sergi began his musical journey at eight years old in Franklin Massachusetts. Steven continued his studies at the Boston Conservatory studying with Rictor Noren. During his time in Boston, he performed frequently as an orchestral musician. Steven was a finalist for the New York Orchestra Seminar and participated in orchestral festivals such as Round Top Festival Institute and the National Orchestral Institute. In 2014 Steven received his Master of Music Degree in Viola Performance at the Boston University College of Fine Arts studying with Karen Ritscher. As a freelance musician in the New England area he preforms regularly with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra and Atlantic Symphony. Steven teaches violin and viola privately for the Lifelong Learning Music Academy, Encore Music Academy and is on faculty at the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School in East Providence.