Bios

  • Krista Broadway Swider, Manager, Violinist and Violist

    Krista Broadway Swider, Manager, Violinist and Violist

    The manager of Sonorous Strings, Krista has performed on the violin for over 19 years. She began studies on the viola in college, at the University of Houston, where she earned her undergrad in Violin Performance. Among her favorite teachers to work with are Andrzej Grabiec, Mary West, Jennifer Bourinanoff and Beth Blackerby. Krista performs in all of the Sonorous Strings Ensembles, on 1st violin in the string quartet and violin and viola in the Red Rose Trio and Broadway Swider Duo. Krista is an enthusiastic violin, viola and chamber music teacher who has taught at many music schools in the twin cities, including St Joseph’s School of Music, K and S Conservatory, and Minnesota Valley Academy of Music. She now has a studio in her home where she teaches private lessons and coaches chamber music. Krista often arranges popular music for her chamber groups that she shares with Sonorous Strings.

  • Jeremy Swider, Violinist

    Jeremy Swider, Violinist

    Jeremy is a violinist and violist as a well as a teacher, composer, and arranger of music. He has been teaching violin and viola at the MacPhail Center for Music for the past 11 years at their Minneapolis and Apple Valley locations in Minnesota. He also serves as the chamber music coordinator and the coordinator of adult chamber music camps at MacPhail. Jeremy has been featured in the MacPhail Spotlight Series, performing with pianist Gail Olszewski, along with numerous appearances on MacPhail faculty recitals. This past summer, Jeremy joined forces with cellist Will Richardson, pianist Gail Olszewski, and violinist/violist Krista Broadway Swider to present “Concert for a Cure,” a fundraising event that benefitted CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. Jeremy can also be heard playing in his church’s worship team at Bethel Christian Fellowship in St. Paul. He is a former member of the Woodlands Symphony Orchestra and the Brazos Valley Symphony, both in Texas. Jeremy has a Bachelor of Music degree in applied violin and music composition from the University of Houston and a Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Minnesota, where he served as one of the concertmasters of the orchestra. He has also attended many music festivals including: Round Top Festival-Institute, the American Sinfonietta Performance Academy; the ENCORE School for Strings; and the University of Minnesota BRAVO! Summer String and Keyboard Institute. Jeremy’s instructors have included Andrzej Grabiec, Young-Nam Kim, Judith Ingolfssohn, David Russell, Helen Richards, and Mary West. Jeremy performs as the second violinist in the Sonorous String Quartet in addition to playing violin in the Red Rose Trio and the Broadway Swider Duo. Jeremy also serves as one of Sonorous Strings’ arrangers to help create custom arrangements of popular musical selections for string ensembles. Jeremy’s interests outside of music include running, hiking, and photography.

  • Karena Ferrier, Violist

    Karena Ferrier, Violist

    Karena Ferrier, who plays the violin, viola and piano is a Suzuki violin teacher and piano accompanist at the Augsburg College Suzuki Talent Education Program. She has also been a faculty member of the Early Childhood Music program at MacPhail Center for Music since 1998, teaching primarily Musical Trolley. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from St. Olaf College in Northfield and has done graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, studying violin performance with Sally O'Rielly and Suzuki Pedagogy with Mark Bjork. She has also studied Suzuki Pedagogy at the American Suzuki Institute at the University of Stevens Point, WI. Her studies also include summers at the Aspen Music Festival, the Chatauqua Institute in New York, Bravo! Summer Music Festival at the Univeristy of Minnesota. Karena loves the opportunity to perform as the resident violist in the Sonorous String Quartet. Her favorite things are her husband John, her daughter Haley Rose, and her golden retriever, Lucy.

  • Jacqueline Ultan, Cellist

    Jacqueline Ultan, Cellist

    After graduating from Yale University with a Master's Degree in performance, Jacqueline Ultan's unique versatility as a cellist, composer and collaborator has put her in demand among today's world renowned jazz, new music, and rock artists, including the Jayhawks, and a recent studio session with Grammy winning singer/songwriter/producer Dan Wilson. Jacqueline is also in demand in the theater and dance worlds and works regularly with storyteller/humorist Kevin Kling, and recently co-wrote the music for a presentation with BLM Dance Company for a TED Talks event this past February 2012. Jacqueline currently performs and composes in four unique and acclaimed projects: Jelloslave, the popular quartet she co-founded with fellow cellist Michelle Kinney; Saltee, an urban, organic, neo classical trio, featuring cello, beat box and guitar; The Starfolk, a psych/folk/rock quartet; and Antigravity, a free improv ensemble. Jelloslave has released two critically acclaimed CD's including the debut Touch It', and the more recent Purple Orange. Saltee released their live debut CD in February 2011, and recently celebrated the release of their first studio CD CrossPolyNation in May 2012. The Starfolk released the Lemon-Lime EP CD and are currently working on a full-length studio record. Jacqueline has been awarded several grants including most recently a 2013-14 MN State Arts Board Touring Grant for her band Jelloslave; The 2011 premiere season of the Cedar Cultural Center's 416 Club Commissions program, funded by the Jerome Foundation; and a Subito Grant from the American Composer's Forum. A dedicated teacher for years, Jacqueline serves on the faculty at the Macphail Center for Music, the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, and also runs her own home teaching studio. Jacqueline performs on cello for both the Sonorous String Quartet and the Red Rose Trio.