to get to know them is to go hear them perform or watch them give a lesson. That's all fine with us! But here's something you can read about them anyway. We'll be putting up more pictures soon, so please visit again. There are links to the groups they perform with on our Links Page |
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Tom Faux: guitar, banjo, bass, ukulele, button accordion
Tom is Instructional Assistant Professor of music at Illinois State
University and is currently writing a doctoral dissertation in
ethnomusicology at the University of Illinois. He has music degrees
from the University of Maine and Tufts University and has been
teaching and performing for over 20 years, including at the Portland
Conservatory of Music in Maine. He plays many different musical
styles currently performs old-time music and a curious assortment of
other things on banjo and button accordion.
Matt Croisant: guitar, mandolin
After a brief stint in Bloomington, where he received his bachelor's
degree in music composition from Illinois Wesleyan University, Matt is
happy to be back in Champaign-Urbana. In the 11 years he has spent
with the guitar so far he has had the opportunity to play folk, jazz,
heavy metal, and just about everything in between, and currently
performs with For Great Justice. He believes that the guitar has
something to offer to anyone with a love for music and the desire to
play.
Rob Krumm: guitar, bass
Rob is a devoted fan of Cajun music and makes frequent trips to
Louisiana to learn from the masters. Besides playing Cajun and
Zydeco music, Rob is well-versed in blues, western swing and more.
He loves setting down a strong rhythmic foundation for whatever kind
of music he's playing. You can find him playing bass with Creole
Stomp and country swing with the Backyard BBQ band.
Ken Holmes: bluegrass banjo
Ken was born in Lansing, Michigan, but has called Urbana home for
more than 30 years. He has been playing bluegrass-style banjo for 45
years. Before joining the locally based Prairie Dogs band some 12
years ago, Ken played with the Nonesuch Mountain String Band, the
High Cross Road band, and Hickory Wind. He is enjoying the life of a
retired U of I Veterinary Medicine professor.
Robin has enjoyed performing with professional orchestras and
teaching violin and viola since 1983. She loves to play non-classical
music too, and has performed with bands specializing in tango, old-
time, bluegrass, country, klezmer, and café music. She is the founder
and director of the Bow-Dacious String Band, and plays principal 2nd
violin with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony and The Prairie
Ensemble. One of her chief sources of delight and favorite ways to
spend time is playing fiddle and old-time viola with Oberon the
Possum King.
Jan Matthews: violin, viola
Jan Matthews has extensive experience playing in string chamber
groups and orchestras. Locally he has performed with The Prairie
Ensemble, Sinfonia da Camera, the Baroque Artists of Champaign-
Urbana, and the Champaign-Urbana Symphony. He's currently
working on his doctorate in viola performance at UIUC; he has a
masters of music degrees from UIUC and bachelors degree from the
University of Cape Town in his native South Africa. His teaching
philosophy is to always find the most effective and comfortable way to
play, to be respectful to your peers and the music, and to have as
much fun as possible!"
Amy Catron Flores: cello, bass
Amy plays cello all over central Illinois with orchestras including the
Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, Millikin-Decatur
Symphony Orchestra, and Sinfonia da Camera. She is also the cellist
with the Kirkland Piano Trio. She's been on faculty at many different
music camps and clinics and has taught applied cello, lower string
methods, and chamber music at Millikin University since Fall of 2000.
She loves teaching and can't wait to tell you all about playing the cello!
Kelli McQueen: violin, viola
Kelli has a bachelor's in music history from UIUC. Her senior research
project is on Medieval music, focusing on Hildegard von Bingen's
chants for the Trinity. She played with Balkanalia, specializing in
music from Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and surrounding regions, for
three years.
Brenda has been playing old-time fiddle at dances, jams and festivals
since 1990. She has taught soccer to first graders, French to high
schoolers, contemporary poetry to college students and fiddling to
young and old alike. She plays fiddle with the Farmers' Market Sting
Band, and believes there's nothing more fun than rockin' out on fiddle
tunes with friends!
Claire Cannon: violin
Claire has just recently joined our team. You may have seen her
playing around town with "The Duke of Uke." Please check back later
so we can tell you more about her great qualities!
| Bowed Strings Violin, viola, fiddle, cello, bass |
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