Hilel Kagan
Conductor and Artistic Director
Mr. Kagan was born to a family of opera singers in Riga, Latvia. His parents, both opera stars in the Riga Opera, gave him a love for theater, music and drama. Mr. Kagan attended the Riga Conservatory and graduated with a degree in violin performance. He became an active violin performer in many cities throughout the Soviet Union. Mr. Kagan also studied stage directing at the St. Petersburg Conservatory (formerly the Leningrad Conservatory). He was then Stage Director for the Musical Theatre in Riga.
Before leaving for the United States in 1975, he was a college professor in Riga, teaching both violin and chamber music.
After arriving in the United States, he became an active chamber player, founding the Riga Quartet. Shortly thereafter, he became the principal second violinist of the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago, a position he held for more than 30 years.
In 1980, Mr. Kagan joined the faculty of DePaul University, where he taught violin and chamber music. He also conduced the Depaul University Chamber Orchestra.
In 1985, he founded Concertante di Chicago, a major chamber orchestra in Chicago that has gained much critical acclaim. He first led the orchestra as concertmaster, then as conductor. In February of 1999, the Chicago Tribune wrote:
Kagan is not just a conductor but an engine thrumming with
energy. He conducts from a tense crouch as if ready to
spring, and his gestures seem to lavish attention on every
bar. With an orchestra that reflects his style as this one
does, the result is a treat to hear.
In February of 1998, Mr. Kagan conducted the Orchestra Metropolitana
of Lisbon, and in 1999 he led the Hungarian Chamber Symphony of
Budapest.
In March of 2001 he conducted the Kristiansand Chamber Orchestra
in Norway and in April 2001, once again conducted the Orchestra
Metropolitana.
In April 2004, Mr. Kagan taught master classes and conducted student
orchestras at the Roubaix Conservatory.
In October 2006, Mr. Kagan started the youth string orchestra Canzonetta in Wilmette, Illinois.
In April 2007, Mr. Kagan travelled to France to conduct the student orchestra at the Roubaix Conservatory.
In October 2007, students from the Roubaix Conservatory will travel to the United States to play with Canzonetta's advanced ensemble.
[Insert sentence]
In 2008, Canzonetta's advanced ensemble traveled to France to play with French students at the Roubaix Conservatory.
Helia Schramm
Artistic Director
Helia Schramm is a masterful violinist and violin teacher. She appeared as soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at ages 10 and 12 in its Youth Series. She has been Concert-mistress of Civic Orchestra and first violinist of Arcturus String Quartet, performing many concerts in Chicago and throughout the midwest. She was principal second violinist of the Philharmonic Orchestra at the Aspen Music Festival and served on the faculty of the Suzuki Institute at Stevens Point, Wisconsin. She also served on the faculty of Music Institute of Chicago for 25 years. Ms. Schramm was founder and director of the Lincolnwood school of Music.
Dee Hagari, Cello Instructor
Using a Suzuki-based method, Dee Hagari teaches private and semi-private cello classes. She currently teaches with Music For Youth of Arlington Heights and maintains her private studio in Skokie, teaches with the Wilmette Park District and performs with the 1-800 VIOLINS ensembles, Arioso Trio and the Evanston Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with American Ballet Theatre and Orchestra of Illinois as well as the Northwest Indiana and Dubuque Symphonies. As a student of the late Karl Fruh, she received her Bachelor of Music Performance at Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University and has since taken six units of Suzuki training.
