Faculty for Scherzo in Your Neighborhood

Our faculty is comprised of outstanding performing artists who combine concert careers as chamber players with a dedication to teaching. They are passionate about sharing their expertise in an encouraging and supportive manner to help you achieve your individual musical goals. 

Philadelphia, PA: February 1 & 2, 2025
Westchester, NY: March 8, 2025

CAL WIERSMA (violin, viola) has an impressive biography as a soloist and chamber musician that is far too extensive to include here! He was a founding member of the prize-winning Meliora Quartet and was a member of the Manhattan String Quartet for 20 years. Cal maintains an active teaching studio and performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. He is a noted performer of contemporary music and tours extensively with new music ensembles. His teaching and coaching prowess is as legendary as his keen sense of humor.

GREG HESSELINK (cello) has extensive experience as a chamber musician and has performed at venues and festivals across North America, Europe, Turkey, Japan and Indonesia. He is a winner of the Naumburg Chamber Award with the New Millennium Ensemble and has performed with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Vivaldi Consort, Talea Ensemble, Flux Quartet, Speculum Musicae, Da Capo Chamber Players, Group for Contemporary Music, American Symphony Chamber Players, and with the dance companies Cedar Lake, Mark Morris, and Merce Cunningham. 
Greg is currently on the faculty at Ithaca College and continues to perform with Locrian Chamber players, Orchestra of the League of Composers and as principal cello of Riverside Symphony. Greg has taught at Princeton, Sarah Lawrence, Hunter College, and for 20 years at Mannes preparatory division. In addition to teaching each summer at the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, he has also been on the faculty at Yellow Barn, Kinhaven, Interharmony, and Kent Music.

LIUH-WEN TING (viola) is a former member of the award-winning Meridian String Quartet and a co-founder of Ensemble Meme, which debuted at Zankel Hall to critical acclaim. She has collaborated with artists across the spectrum, including the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, the Cassatt Quartet, the Manhattan String Quartet, and most recently as a featured artist on several sold-out North American tours with the renowned Persian vocalist Shahram Nazeri.

​Her festival appearances include the Prague Spring Music Festival, Ostrava Days in Czech Republic, the Warsaw Autumn Music Festival, Primavera en la Habana international electro-acoustic music festival in Cuba. Ms. Ting performs regularly with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, American Composers Orchestra, SEM ensemble, and the Berkshire Bach Ensemble. She was a faculty at the prep division of the Juilliard school for many years and presently teaches at the prep division of the Mannes School of Music.