Liudmila Lebedeva
Liudmila Lebedeva started cello at 7 years old in the state music school, giving her first solo recital at 12 years old. Later, she won several regional competitions and was enrolled into Kirov State Music College (professional associate degree). At 18, she started her professional career as a principal cellos of the State Symphony Orchestra and as a member of the Vyatka Chamber Orchestra. She received a Master of Music degree in cello and chamber music performance in the State Conservatory of Nyzhny Novgorod (Russia) in 2004 and Saint-Petersburg State University, Smolny Institute (Russia) in 2009. She served as a guest performer with various orchestras of Central Russia in Nyzhny Novgorod, Arhangelsk, Penza, Kostroma, and Kirov.
The spectrum of her musical interests covers contemporary, baroque, classical, and romantic periods. As a result of working with contemporary composers and experimental contempoary ensemble projects (with drums, bayan, voice, choir, branss ensembles, symphony orchestra), she premiered music for international festivals 'Kafka in Music' (Russia, Austria, 2004) and 'Pictures from Exhibition' (Russia, Switzerland, 2005).
In 2009, Liudmila was invited and granted to join the UNI School of Music for the international exchange program "Quintet from Saint-Petersberg", and in 2012, she graduated from the Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences of the University of Northern Iowa with a Master of Music degree. More recently, she was a member of the cello section in the Des Moines Symphony, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, and was a principal cellist of the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra. Besides symphonic ensembles, Liudmila participated in chamber groups for projects in Woodstock (New York), Indiana State University (Indiana-Solomon chamber orchestra), and the Hearst Center (Iowa).
Mrs. Lebedeva teaches private cello lessons at Wartburg College, Des Moines Symphony Academy, and Music Hill Studios. She also leads the cello section of the Wartburg Symphony Orchestra, and recently created a chamber ensemble called "Muziq Trio" with clarinetist Ranee Lei and pianist Dan Reynolds. Finally, as art and handcrafting have always been a part of Liudmila's life since childhood, she has also joined the Hearst Center team as an art and education instructor since the Summer of 2001.
Jesse Luke
Jesse Luke began studying the cello at the age of three in Iowa City at the Preucil School of Music. After bouncing around the U.S. and Germany in a military family, Jesse found his way back to the Preucil School at the age of fifteen, and completed his high school studies there.
In 2001, Jesse went on to study at the University of Northern Iowa with Dr. Jonathon Chenoweth and became a member of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra which he still plays in today. While playing in the symphony, Jesse has worked with incredible performers such as Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, and Yo Yo Ma. In 2004, Jesse was selected to solo with the infamous and elite UNI Jazz I under the direction of Chris Merz.
Amalgamating all of his influences (classical, rock, jazz, fusion, reggae), Jesse joined a cosmic rock and roll group in 2008 called Daylight Savings Account and plays cello and bass in this group currently. The group released their first full-length LP in March 2013 called 'Safely Something'. He is also the bass guitarist with local country band Dry Run Creek.
Alexander VanDorpe
Alexander began cello lessons at age 3 with an instrument that measured only 29.5" from top to bottom! Developing his musical skills at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City afforded him the opportunity to travel to 7 foreign countries by the age of 18 with various musical groups. Playing for the Prince of Japan, winning Principal Cello of the Iowa All-State Orchestra, and placing 3rd in the American String Teachers Association National Competition were major accomplishments that propelled him to audition and be accepted at the Eastman School of Music.
Graduating from Eastman in 2005 with a BM in Cello Performance, Alexander returned to Iowa and won positions as Assistant Principal Cello with Orchestra Iowa and Section Cello with Des Moines and Quad Cities Symphonies. Soon after, however, he made the decision to leave the professional music world for a time to support his parents who were battling Parkinson's Disease and Breast Cancer.
Alexander has served as Guest Principal Cello with the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony and spent 7 years playing with the Des Moines Symphony, "retiring" last year when he moved with his family from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids. Always having had an interest in the business world, he decided to start his own company in 2010. Soon after, he became close friends with, and eventually married, his beautiful wife Rebecca, whom he first met at the Iowa State Fair when he won the Bill Riley Talent Show in 2003. Together they own and operate Royale Flush Gaming, a casino party company, and Becca's Gluten Free Bakery. Both businesses have clients in Eastern Iowa and the Des Moines area as well. Running two businesses and raising two boys keeps everyone in his family very busy, but Alexander loves making time to provide music for weddings, receptions, and other special events!