Strings for Kids and Taconic Junior Ensemble Faculty
Deanna Baasch, violin
A native of Vermont, Deanna Baasch began studying violin at the age of eight with Bill Cridge. By the time she was 17, Deanna had performed both violin and flute in more than 30 countries including China, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, and throughout Europe as a member of New England Symphony Ensemble, New England Youth Ensemble, and Southern Maine Ensemble. During this time she was a student of Joana Genova at the Michael Rudiakov Music Academy. Deanna holds Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance and Master’s in Social Work from the Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, where she studied with Mark Reneau and served as concertmaster of the symphony orchestra. Since moving back to Vermont, Deanna has been freelancing as a violinist in regional orchestras, regularly performs with Taconic Chamber Players, and holds a position with Berkshire Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her musical career, Deanna is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in private practice in the community.
Vesela French, violin and viola
A native of Bulgaria, Vesela received her bachelor's degree in Viola and Music Pedagogy from the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv. As a member of the Plovdiv Chamber Orchestra and Plovdiv Symphony Orchestra, she has toured throughout Europe. Vesela settled in Manchester in 2001. She created the student string program at the Mettawee Community School and, in addition to teaching violin and viola, maintains a private piano studio.
Joana Genova, violin and Taconic Junior Ensemble
Bulgarian-born violinist Joana Genova has built a diverse career as a chamber and orchestral musician, soloist, and pedagogue. She is Adjunct Professor at Montclair State University, Artist Associate at Williams College, Violin Instructor at Bennington College and served as Assistant Professor at The University of Indianapolis from 2017 until 2022. Joana is Co-Artistic Director of Taconic Music and second violinist of The Indianapolis Quartet. She concertizes with Taconic Chamber Players, appears as a frequent guest at festivals and concert series and has performed internationally in Bulgaria, Holland, Germany, and Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy. Joana made her solo debut at age 12 with the Plovdiv Chamber Orchestra and is a top prizewinner of the National Competition in Bulgaria. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and her master’s in chamber music at the Rotterdam Conservatory. Joana is passionate about music education and organizes all outreach programs of Taconic Music: Strings for Kids lessons and recitals, Music in Action at local schools, cafes and libraries, family concerts, summer camps and more.
Heather Münch, violin
Born and raised in Poultney, Vermont, Heather Münch began playing the violin at the age of five, studying with Rhoda Diehl in Castleton, Vermont. Heather has performed in a variety of settings, including orchestral music in Carnegie Hall, and on tour across North America, Europe, and Asia. She has held concertmaster positions for the Purchase Symphony Orchestra, Champlain Philharmonic, and the University of Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Heather has performed in masterclasses by members of the Kronos Quartet, Emerson String Quartet, Trio Solisti, and Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society. Education and access to music are Heather’s key focuses as a musician. Her teaching experience includes being on faculty for Face the Music, the country’s only youth ensemble dedicated to studying and performing compositions by living composers; Heather’s favorite teaching experience was with the Charlotte Symphony’s El Sistema-based program, Project Harmony. Currently, Heather can be found performing locally with Taconic Music, the Berkshire Symphony and Vermont Symphony Orchestra. She also teaches General Music at Red Fox Community School and group violin and ukulele classes at Green Mountain Community School. Heather received a BM from Castleton University, with a concentration in Violin Performance where she studied with Joana Genova, and a MM from Purchase Conservatory, where she studied on scholarship with Deborah Buck.
Ariel Rudiakov, viola
Violist and conductor Ariel Rudiakov is co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of Taconic Music. He is Music Director and conductor of Danbury Symphony Orchestra and Yonkers Philharmonic, assistant conductor of Greenwich Symphony and Viola Instructor at Bennington College. From 2017–2022 Ariel was Adjunct Faculty at the University of Indianapolis coaching chamber music and conducting the chamber orchestra. Born in Indianapolis, IN and raised in Riverdale, NYC, Ariel comes from a musical family going back three generations. He holds viola performance degrees from SUNY Purchase (BM) and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (MM). Former member of the New York Piano Quartet and Equinox String Quartet, founding member and president of SONYC (String Orchestra of New York City), Ariel was Artistic Director of the Manchester Music Festival (VT) from 2000 to 2016. Resident and guest conducting positions have included the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra, Metropolitan Symphony, Bergen, and Yonkers Philharmonics, Antara Ensemble, Manchester Chamber Orchestra, Harlem Chamber Players, Sage City Symphony and recording sessions with Dance Theater of Harlem.
François Sécordel, violin
François Sécordel, a native of France, emigrated to the United States in 1996. He later moved to Vermont and has been a faculty member of the Long Trail School in Dorset, Vermont since 2004. Mr. Sécordel became an American citizen in 2015. Mr. Sécordel began his violin studies in France at age 10. In France, he played with numerous chamber orchestras and has performed frequently with choruses specializing in works before 1750. He continues pursuing his passion for the choral repertoire as a member of the choral societies in Cambridge, NY and Bennington, VT. Mr. Secordel has performed for numerous productions at the Dorset Playhouse. He has been a member of the Sage City Symphony of North Bennington, VT for fifteen years. In addition to his full-time teaching position as French teacher at the Long Trail School in Dorset, VT, he has served as the conductor of the school's string orchestra. Mr. Sécordel recently completed the Suzuki Unit 5 Violin course at the Green Mountain Suzuki Institute and is looking forward to furthering his studies when he will complete Violin Unit 6. Mr. Secordel is dedicated to the Suzuki philosophy and maintains teaching studios in Bennington and Manchester, VT.
Jared Shapiro, cello
Jared Shapiro holds a BA in Music and Natural Science and an MFA in Cello and Composition from Bennington College. He studied composition with Henry Brant, Vivian Fine, Allen Shawn, and Louis Calabro and improvisation with Milford Graves. His interest in world music has led to ongoing collaborations and performances with musicians from diverse international music cultures. In 2014, Jared commissioned Norwegian composer Bjørn Bolstad Skjelbred to write a duo for cello and bayan (Russian button accordion), sponsored by the Norwegian Composer’s Fund. He has been playing in the eclectic trio Natural History since 1973. He is an active freelancer and has been an instructor on the faculty of Castleton University of Vermont State University since 2009 where he teaches cello, World Music Cultures, and Music Appreciation. Jared was on the faculty of the Manchester Music Festival’s Michael Rudiakov Music Academy for 13 years and currently teaches for Taconic Music's Strings for Kids as well as privately in East Dorset and Manchester, Vermont.