David Samuel is a violist whose love of four strings and a bow have taken him across the globe as a performer, educator, and chamber musician. A native of the Great White North, he is the violist of the Alexander String Quartet and serves as Assistant Professor of Viola at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. Before settling in Nashville, David journeyedabroad for many years, living, playing and teaching in Denmark, New York, New Zealand, Norway, San Francisco, and Toronto.

A founding member of the Afiara String Quartet, David and his colleagues quickly made their mark on the international chamber music scene, earning top prizes at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, the Banff International String Quartet Competition, and the Concert Artists Guild Competition. Their achievements also earned them the prestigious Young Canadian Musicians Award. With the Afiara Quartet, he collaborated on innovative projects that bridged classical music with new media and interdisciplinary art, reinforcing his commitment to pushing the boundaries of chamber music.

Beyond the quartet world, David has built a diverse and dynamic career. He was a member of Ensemble MidtVest in Denmark, and served as Associate Principal Viola of the Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand. His teaching career has been just as varied, having previously held positions at the University of Stavanger in Norway, San Francisco State University, SFCM Pre-College, and the University of Auckland, where he was Convenor of Classical Performance. His passion for mentorship continues to shape the next generation of violists and chamber musicians.

Throughout his career, David has collaborated with many esteemed artists, performing chamber music alongside Sergio Azzolini, James Campbell, Colin Carr, Robert Mann, Michael Tree, Jörg Widmann, Pinchas Zukerman, and members of the Emerson and Juilliard String Quartets among others. David has taken the stage at some of the world’s most legendary concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Esterházy Palace, the Berlin Konzerthaus, the Kennedy Center, and the Library of Congress. But he’s also had a blast bringing music to some more unexpected spots—like the headquarters of LinkedIn and Meta—and even on The Late Show with David Letterman.

David’s musical education reflects his deep dedication to the art of viola and chamber music. He holds a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree, and an Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School, as well as an Artist Certificate in Chamber Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. His teachers included Paul Hersh, Henry Janzen, Michael Tree, and Karen Tuttle, all of whom continue to influence and shape his approach to music making and teaching. David’s discography is as varied as his musical journey, with recordings spanning early classical masterpieces to 21st-century commissions—and even fresh takes on the music of The Beatles, Sting, and Led Zeppelin. His work can be heard on Brilliant Classics, CPO, Delos, Dacapo, Etcetera, Foghorn Classics, and Naxos labels.

Despite his many musical adventures, David’s greatest joys are his wife, violinist Yuri Cho, and their senior Kiwi cat, Milo, who regularly supervises his practice sessions with great authority (and occasional judgment).

Evan Vicic has been the Assistant Principal Violist of the Louisville Orchestra since January 2014. He frequently appears as a substitute with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In the summers of 2017 and 2019, Evan had the honor of playing in the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, California. In October 2021, Evan was featured as the violist in Erwin Schulhoff's Concerto for String Quartet & Wind Orchestra with the Louisville Orchestra. Originally hailing from Minnesota, Evan grew up studying the violin. He switched to viola prior to attending Northwestern University to study with Dr. Roland Vamos. After attaining his Bachelor’s in Music, he continued studies at Indiana University with Stephen Wyrczynski. Evan is interested in many different genres of music and performed on the NPR nationally broadcast radio show "Live From Here" with Bruce Hornsby and Chris Thile. Evan is a proud member of the NouLou Chamber Players in Louisville, KY. Evan is available to teach both violin, and viola. He also is a recording/mixing engineer and producer. See Vicic Audio & Media for details.

Jonathan Mueller, Viola, has been a member of the Louisville Orchestra since the 2006-2007 season. Mr. Mueller completed a Master of Music in Viola Performance at Rice University's Shepherd School in May of 2006 under the instruction of former Cleveland Quartet Violist, James Dunham. While at the Shepherd School, Mr. Mueller performed in master classes for the Tokyo, American, and Mendelssohn Quartets. During his time at Rice, Mr. Mueller's orchestral experience was with the Austin Symphony and the Symphony of Southeast Texas in Beaumont. Before attending Rice University, Mr. Mueller received his Bachelor of Music from Indiana University where he studied with former L.A. Philharmonic Principal Violist, Alan DeVeritch. While at IU, Mr. Mueller performed with the Evansville Philharmonic for two seasons. Mr. Mueller currently teaches Violin and Viola at Bellarmine University and lives in the Highlands with his wife, Krista, son, Everett and daughter, Coral.

Praised for her warm and beautiful sound, Laura brings enthusiasm and energy to her performances. She has enjoyed performing with acclaimed ensembles such as Chattanooga Symphony, Lexington Philharmonic, Quad City Symphony, Mankato Symphony, and is a tenured member of the Duluth-Superior Symphony. Currently, Laura holds a position with the Paducah Symphony and regularly performs with Orchestra Kentucky in Bowling Green. Laura has performed with Roberto Diaz, Leon Fleischer, Sharon Isbin, Jennifer Koh, Itzhak Perlman, Christopher O’Reilly, and The Joffrey Ballet. As a soloist, she has performed Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante at the University of Minnesota with conductor, Dr. Jeffrey Specht.

As a chamber musician who has performed across the United States and Canada, she has been a participant in chamber music festivals such as The Castleman Quartet Program, Lyricafest, North American Viola Institute, Niagara International Chamber Music Festival, Bravo!, Madeline Island Music Camp, Chamber Music Midwest, and Northern Lights Chamber Music Festival.  In 2014, Laura was the Assistant Dean for The Castleman Quartet Program and has served as junior faculty and counselor at Stringwood Chamber Music Festival and Green Lake Chamber Music Festival. Laura has participated in readings with Natasha Brofsky, Charles Castleman, Norm Fisher and Roger Tapping. She has played in masterclasses for members of Arianna, Artaria, Concord, Emerson, Julliard, Pacifica, Parker and Takács String Quartets, as well as the Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Since moving to Louisville in March 2015, Laura has kept up a busy schedule including performances with Stevie Wonder at the Yum! Center while on his Tour in the Key of Life, Louisville Ballet, and Louisville Master Chorale. As an educator, she maintains a private studio at Suzuki Stars Music Academy in addition to teaching strings at Montessori School of Louisville.

Laura holds viola performance degrees from Texas Tech University (BM) and the University of Minnesota (MM). She is nearly complete with a Doctorate of Musical Arts also from the U of M. Her most influential teachers and mentors include violists, Alice Preves, Renee Skerik, Korey Konkol; violinist Laura Bossert; and cellist Terry King.