POLA BENKE
Pola Benke is a Polish-born cellist. She holds a Master’s Degree in Cello Performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee where she received outstanding orchestral training. In 2014 she finished her postgraduate studies with Marek Szpakiewicz at Azusa Pacific University. Pola has been awarded full scholarships throughout her education.
As a cellist she has participated in, and been invited to, many major music festivals in Europe (InterHarmony Music Festival, Germany and International Music Courses in Lancut, Poland) and United States (Aspen Music Festival). Pola has been in countless performances as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra member in the United States, Canada and Europe. She performed with, and for many significant musicians like Joseph Silverstein, Midori, Brett Dean, and Caroline Campbell. Pola has also appeared on GLEE.
In 2015 she moved back to Poland to play with an outstanding orchestra under the patronage of Krzysztof Penderecki; Sinfonietta Cracovia. While living in Poland she was also very involved in playing modern music. In 2017 she initiated a foundation “Cykada” where she holds the position of an artist director of the “Hello- Cello” festival.
The main goal of the foundation is to promote social tolerance and authentic dialogue within different nationalities, ethnic groups, religions, and cultures in order to create a mutual understanding between them. As an accomplished cellist she has decided to move back to the United States to pursue a career in orchestral conducting. In 2021 Pola earned Master’s Degree in Conducting at the Azusa Pacific University with the guidance of Professor Christopher Russell. She was recently one of 12 conductors selected worldwide to participate in master classes with renowned conductor Nemee Jarvï. She is currently working with the Westside Youth Orchestra and Glendale Youth Symphony.
ANNE CHERCHALI
Anne Cherchali, French violinist and cellist grew up in a musical and multicultural family. She started taking violin lessons at age 6. She began the cello in her early teens, when her high school orchestra teacher gave her an old cello that the school was going to discard, and encouraged her to learn this instrument as well. Anne later graduated from the National Conservatory of Music of Nancy, France, with honors in Violin Performance, Cello Performance and Chamber Music, while pursuing a Masters Degree in Economics, Actuarial Science and Statistics at the same time. During her college years, she entered some international music competitions and attended numerous master classes and summer programs such as the Nice International Music Academy, the Guerande International Festival and the International Mirecourt Strings Academy. Before moving to the US, Anne worked as a freelance artist and played in a number of European orchestras including the Lille National Orchestra, the Geneva Symphony (Switzerland), the Ile-De-France National Orchestra and the Paris Opera Orchestra.
An avid chamber music player, she also participated in a variety of quartet and trio recitals in Europe. Now a busy mother, Anne spends most of her time these days taking care of her family and working as a consultant and actuary. In her spare time, she maintains a small studio of hand-picked string students, and teaches violin and cello at the Beverly Vista Middle School. Two of Anne’s children are members of the Westside Youth Orchestra, and because of Anne’s rich background in music, the orchestras’ director invited her to join the artist faculty and help coach the cello section on Wednesday rehearsals. In addition to being a musician, Anne loves photography, hiking, skiing, cycling and spending time with her family.
SASHA CHANDLER
Violinist Sasha Chandler is a performance and recording artist based in Los Angeles. Sasha attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and received her degree in Music Performance from the University of Oregon. Sasha has studied chamber music with noted musicians including Lawrence Dutton, Roger Tapping, David Salness, Mark Sokol, Jodi Levitz, the Miami Trio, and the Cavani String Quartet. Sasha has played with ensembles such as the Eugene Symphony (in the role of Assistant Principal Second Violin), the Oregon Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, and the San Bernardino Symphony, performing with artists such as Yo Yo Ma, Gustavo Dudamel, ABBA, Itzhak Perlman, and John Williams. Sasha has over twenty years of teaching and coaching experience.
SARAH WILKINSON
Violist Sarah Wilkinson, originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, began playing the violin at a young age and switched to the viola as her primary instrument at age 11 after becoming enthralled with the warm sound and timbre of the instrument. She is a member of the American Youth Symphony and has played with the Downey Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Thornton Symphony Orchestra, and the Lamont Symphony Orchestra. Sarah is also an active chamber musician and his given recent recitals with various ensembles at venues such as the Huntington Garden and ESMoA Art Museum. In past summers, Sarah has enjoyed participating in the Aspen Music Festival and School, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Marrowstone Music Festival, and InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy. In addition to her career as a performer, Sarah enjoys teaching viola and violin at 88 Keys Music Academy and the Santa Monica Conservatory of Music, as well as her own private studio. She is also an artist faculty member of the Westside Youth Orchestra in Culver City. Sarah received her Bachelor of Music degree in viola performance from the University of Denver, where she studied with Basil Vendryes and graduated Cum Laude in 2019. Sarah received her Master of Music degree and Graduate Certificate in viola performance at the University of Southern California, where she studied under Karen Dreyfus and graduated Summa Cum Laude.
