Mara Finkelstein studied cello at the Gnessin College of Music and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow before coming to te U.S. in 1989. She serves as Principal Cello of the Northwest Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra and Federal Way Philharmonic. Mara has performed with Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Cornish Chamber Series, Silsbee Piano Trio the Seattle International Music Festival, the Fear No Music Twentieth Century Ensemble, and she appears regularly with Music of Remembrance since its inaugural year.
Peter Williams has been the director of cello at the Suzuki Institute in Seattle since 2000. He is a member of the Tacoma Symphony, principal cellist of the Northwest Symphony Orchestra and is an active freelance cellist in the area. A Seattle native, Peter started playing cello at the age of five as a Suzuki student, and has studied with Richard Aaron, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and Rajan Krishnaswami. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cello Performance from the University of Washington School of Music in 1999, after starting his undergraduate studies at Indiana University. Peter is an active participant and teacher in area workshops and camps such as Marrowstone in the City, Seattle Consevatory of Music, Seattle Youth Symphony, Tacoma Youth Symphony, Vivace Chamber Players and is the founder and director of the (206) Cello Octet. When he is not doing music, Peter enjoys giving “blanket rides” to his son.
Foothills Cello Festival 