Please feel free to review our individual bios and learn more about the personalities of our founding members in "10-Qs". If you would like to inquire further, please submit your questions.
How Sweet to Know…10 Questions for Dolce Strings
The Founders of Dolce Strings shed some light on the group’s origin and reveal their musical philosophies.
Q: How was Dolce Strings formed?
Katie: The whole idea behind the group was to have a string quartet that was unlike any other. Something a bit younger and fresher. We play classical music, but we love to jam it out once in a while with some rock tunes!
Violet: Yeah, Katie and I have been playing together since high school and the other group members we met in college. I LOVE chamber music and performing with such a great group makes it all worth it. We are all friends and have a great time making music together, which makes the whole experience fun and gratifying. It never feels like “work.”
Q: How did you come up with the name “Dolce Strings”?
K: Violet and I spent many hours passing back and forth different names we thought would capture the group’s essence. Dolce actually means sweet in Italian. We wanted a name that really was different and kind of referenced the whole all girl group thing.
V: We had been through so many names (Rouge, Bella, Adagio, Veloce). We thought of so many Italian words that are tricky to pronounce! Dolce, pronounced “Dol-chay” was perfect when I first heard it. We both looked at each other and said “Oh yeah, that’s it!”
Q: Is it an all girl group on purpose?
K: It kind of turned out that way! We work really well together since we’ve all played together for many, many years. I couldn’t ask for a better group!
V: Because we know each other so well, our music just blends perfectly. We are all pretty intuitive of each other and can interpret each others playing styles. It’s really a relationship that you develop where you know what someone is going to say before they say it and then respond accordingly.
K: Yeah, you really get to know one another when you work in such a small setting. Although we didn’t specifically plan it out as an “all-girl” group, the girls are wonderful to work with so I’m really glad it worked out that way.
Q: Do you perform regularly?
V: Pretty much every weekend is bustling with concerts and gigs.
K: Yeah, we keep ourselves busy with rehearsals, weddings, church services, concerts, and various recording sessions.
V: We also love to perform new compositions. Up- and-coming composers many times have appointed us to perform and/or record their work. It’s been really interesting to see how music has changed and where it’s going. We have also done some pretty crazy quartet combinations. Remember when we did that one with an accordion Katie?
K: It’s still not my favorite instrument, but yeah that one was REALLY interesting!
Q: Are weddings your specialty?
K: Yes. About 90% of our gigs are weddings, so we definitely have tons of experience planning and performing music to the specific needs of the bride and groom.
V: For sure, plus it’s such a happy occasion. We really enjoy taking part in the events and helping make them a success.
K: And we get to see all the brides in their beautiful dresses!
Q: What kind of music do you specialize in?
V: We were brought up in a classical background so we can definitely create that elegant ambiance that classical music generates. But what makes us different is that we can do so much more.
K: For Sure, after so many years playing that genre, how can we not love Vivaldi’s Spring? But we really love performing new things and more popular music. Just to mix it up a bit.
Q: So tell me the truth, are you any good and why should someone hire you?
K: I’d have to say yes. We all have our degrees in music performance. We put the time and hard work into each of our instruments. And after playing together for so long, it’s become really natural and instinctual for us to perform as a group. We know each others styles of playing and interact really well as an ensemble.
V: It’s also in our disposition and philosophy. We care about our clients and want them to feel comfortable with us. We know how stressful event planning can be, so we want to make this “music” part…well, easy. I consider us down-to-earth, genuine, and friendly. That’s important when working hard on such an individualized event.
K: We want our clients to feel comfortable enough to ask questions and express any concerns.
V: Exactly. We want each event to be as unique as the client is.
Q: What’s the coolest gig you’ve performed?
K: Haha, any gig with free food! Ok, in all seriousness, I think the coolest gig I performed was either the New Music concert performed with string quartet and drums or touring Europe and Japan. Getting to see all those old school concerts halls was amazing.
V: That was such an incredible tour! And to actually be able to perform there, it was truly an amazing experience. I would say my favorite gig was last weekend, when I got to play my favorite Enya song.
K: You always say that!
V: I just really love that song!!
Q: Which song is that?
V: “Only Time”. We have this great string quartet arrangement of it. It’s gorgeous. But I guess overall, I would have to say my favorite gig was the “Man” gig. We were requested to play a lot of songs with the word “Man” in them such as ‘When a Man Loves A Woman,” “Man of LaMancha,” “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring,” “Man, I Feel Like a Woman!” Just creating that play list and arranging the music was a fun experience.
Q: What’s your favorite type of music?
K: I am all over the board. I pretty much like everything from classic rock to pop to classical music. As long as I can hear talent, I’m hooked.
V: I love all sorts too….right now I really enjoy the sound of Regina Spektor and I can’t help but have Justin Timberlake on my Ipod. I think he really is bringing sexy back. We’ll see what happens!
Q: SO…The ladies on the cover of your album, are they always the ones we can find at one of your gigs?
V: Absolutely! All of the girls on the demo are the first-call musicians for all events. Once in a while one of us may have another binding gig or concert tour, get ill or have other personal obligations.
K: Yes, unfortunately this does happen. In that case, we ask a substitute musician to play with us. We carry a list of excellent substitute musicians who have worked with us before, are of equal caliber, and are familiar with the repertoire, so subbing is no problem.
A native of Nebraska, Christine has been a musician since the age of 7. After studying piano she had her heart set on becoming a violinist, but after the first day of screeching, she quickly realized she appreciated the lower and deeper tones of the viola. She holds two degrees in viola performance, a Bachelor of music from the University of Nebraska, and a Master of Music from DePaul University. A few distinguished violists whom Christine has studied under include: Rami Solomonow, Clark Potter and Charles Pikler. A highlight of her career was performing at Carnegie Hall with the National Festival Orchestra.
Christine enjoys playing orchestral music as well as chamber music. In addition to being a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, she has also played with South Bend Symphony, Rockford Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, and Northbrook Symphony, among others.
Lilianna Zofia Wosko
Lili started studying cello in Poland 18 years ago. She received her Masters in Music in cello performance from Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts Music Conservatory in 2004. Over the years, Lili has performed with many ensembles such as The Tomorrow Music Orchestra, Paderewski Symphony, and the Illinois Philharmonic, as well indie rock bands in Chicago. Besides being a member of Dolce Strings, she also recently turned her attention to free jazz and improvisation with various local jazz musicians. Her new CD, My Christmas, launched in December of 2006.
It was a performance of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall that Violet realized how amazing the violin truly is. “It is still one of my favorite classical pieces, it expresses the depths of which music can move you. Something about performing such a dramatic, telling story…this creative dialogue sparked my idea for Dolce Strings.” Having studied with Liba Shacht, Peter Schaffer, and Mark Zinger, Violet was provided a nurturing and inclusive education in music. She attended the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and DePaul University, and has concertized in Germany, England, China, and the Netherlands. She has performed with the Rockford Symphony, Illinois Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, Illinois Opera Orchestra, Peoria Symphony, the Bailiwick Theater, the Metropolis Performing Arts Center, and the Theater Building Chicago.
After watching violinists perform on WTTW Channel 11, she bugged her parents enought to let her start taking lessons. Twenty-two years later, she finds herself as a founding member of Dolce Strings. She studied at Roosevelt University with Cyrus Forough, mastering a degree in music performance. Besides performing with Dolce Strings, she frequently performs with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and Night Blue Theater Company. One thing Katie loves to do is perform popular works on string quartet. "There's nothing better than thinking outside of the box. Taking a piece of music people would never think of for string quartet and pulling it off. It really shows you that strings can do much more than the classical label has defined for them."
