Strings for Kids and Taconic Junior Ensemble Faculty
Deanna Baasch, violin
A native of Vermont, violinist Deanna Baasch began studying the violin at the age of eight. 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 the New England Youth Ensemble, the Southern Maine Ensemble, and the Baasch Family Ensemble. She also toured extensively with the New England Symphonic Ensemble under the direction of John Rutter, both at Carnegie Hall and internationally. During this time she was a student of Joana Genova. With a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance and a Master’s in Social Work from Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, she studied under the direction of Mark Reneau and served as concertmaster of Southern Adventist University’s Symphony Orchestra. Since moving back to Vermont, Deanna has been freelancing as a violinist, performing regularly with the Manchester Festival Orchestra, the Berkshire Symphony Orchestras and the Taconic Chamber Players. Since 2013, Deanna has taught violin and viola in Manchester, VT. In addition to her musical career, Deanna is also a mental health therapist and restorative yoga teacher.
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 and Viola 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 on occasion with the Albany Symphony Orchestra and Vermont Symphony Orchestra. She also teaches General Music at Red Fox 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, and assistant conductor of Greenwich Symphony. 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
French native François Sécordel 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. François became an American citizen in 2015. François began his violin studies in France at age 10. In France, he played with numerous chamber orchestras and 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 Keene, NH and Bennington, VT. François has performed for numerous productions at the Dorset Playhouse. He has been a member of the Sage City Symphony of North Bennington for ten years and is presently Principal Second Violin. François performs locally throughout the Shires of Vermont and in Cambridge, NY and Williamstown, MA. In addition to his full-time teaching position as French teacher at the Long Trail School, he has served as the conductor of the school's string orchestra. François recently completed the Suzuki Unit 4 Violin course at the Green Mountain Suzuki Institute and is looking forward to furthering his studies next summer, when he will complete Violin Unit 5. Mr. Secordel is dedicated to the Suzuki philosophy and maintains teaching studios in Bennington and Manchester, VT and in Williamstown, MA.
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, an Adjunct at Green Mountain College and Castleton University and coaches for the Manchester and the Mountains Chamber Music Workshop. 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.