Richardson String Award Winners Announced

Marta Bagratuni started playing cello at the age of four under the direction of her cellist parents Natalia Khoma and Suren Bagratuni. She is now a student of Richard Aaron at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In June of 2009, for the second summer in a row, she will be attending the Aspen School of Music on full fellowship. Miss Bagratuni's instrument has been graciously loaned to her from the collection of Ray A. Carlsen of Bellevue, WA.

Elizabeth Soukup has been playing bass since she was eleven years old.  After studying with Virginia Dixon for six years, she began studying with David Murray at Butler University.  There she received her Bachelor of Music degree and is now in her first year at the University of Michigan studying with Diana Gannett.  She has also spent 3 summers learning the technique of Gary Karr at his camp in Victoria, B.C., Canada.