Solosoli - Profiles

Healy Elizabeth Henderson is currently a member of the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera Orchestra and the San Diego Chamber Orchestra where she has been acting Assistant Concertmaster for the past 3 seasons. She is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of music, where she was a student of Herbert Greenberg. Healy has also played with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Delaware Symphony, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Healy served as Associate Concertmaster of the International Orchestral Institute at Attergau in Austria, under such conductors as Valery Gergiev, Marcello Viotti, Bobby McFerrin, and Mariss Jansons. She has toured with the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra, and performed at the Moscow Conservatory Summer School and Festival. In 1998 she played Principal II violin for the Hollywood Pops Orchestra for two tours of Taiwan, which were telecast throughout the country.

In 2003, Healy was chosen as a distinguished alumnus of the Peabody Conservatory to perform for the grand opening of the Singapore Conservatory of music.

In 2005, Healy will be performing with the Percy Faith Orchestra on a tour to Japan as well as returning to the Oregon Coast Music festival and the Cascade Festival of Music.

Theresa  Tunnicliff is a member of the San Diego Symphony and was Principal Clarinet of the San Diego Opera and San Diego Chamber Orchestras. She has performed as acting Principal Clarinet with the Buffalo Philharmonic and with the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and for film and television at Paramount and Universal Studios.  An avid chamber musician, she was a member of the Santa Clarita Chamber Players and the Arioso Wind Quintet and Octet and has participated in six Music from Marlboro touring ensembles.

Ms. Tunnicliff and her family lived for three years in Florence Italy where she collaborated with Luciano Berio, Trio di Milano and Salvatore Accardo and performed with the ensemble Musicus Concentus. She has performed at many chamber music festivals in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Israel as well as the Marlboro and Mainly Mozart festivals in the U.S.A.  She has performed recitals in Milan, Florence, Turin, Naples, Rome, and in Sicily and Sardinia.  An enthusiastic exponent of new music, she has recorded many contemporary works for the Nonesuch, Crystal and New Albion labels. She has also recorded the Hindemith Octet for the Marlboro Recording Society (now released on Sony Classical) and the Mozart Clarinet Quintet for Nuova Era. 

Ms. Tunnicliff has been a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Ars Nova and Angelicum Chamber Orchestras, and the Arena di Verona Orchestra. A first prize winner of the Major Landers and Cal Arts Concerto Competitions, she has served on the faculties of the State University of New York and San Diego State University. Born in Davenport, Iowa, she is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego (BA) and California Institute of the Arts (MFA). Her principal teachers were Michele Zukovsky and David Shifrin.

Darija Hodko - is currently a member of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and previously was a member of the La Jolla Sympony, SDSU Symphony, and USD Symphony where she was Concertmistress of the orchestra.  In 2006, Darija won 1st place in the strings division of the Grossmont Instrumental Competition.  This year, she won 1st place in the senior division of the ASTA Instrumental Competition and was approved for the state level competition to be held in October 2007.  Along with performing, Darija also teaches privately.

Yao Zhao - Hailed in the New York Concert Review as “a superb cellist with intense and sensuous sound,” and described by the Los Angeles Times as “being able to handle the most intricate musical works with unblinking ease and expressive zeal,” Mr. Yao Zhao performs with a rare and captivating dynamism that has already secured him a successful career as an artist.

The Cello Principal of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Zhao has held the Associate Cello Principal position from 2005 to 2007, and prior to that, he was a member of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra.

Born in Beijing in 1976, Mr. Zhao began his studies on the cello and piano at the age of four under the instruction of his father, a distinguished cellist.  He made his first appearance in concert at the age of five, and solo debut in the Beijing Concert Hall at age nine.  That same year, he was also accepted to the China Central Conservatory of Music.  For his talent and exceptional performance in a master class held by Professor Eleonore Schoenfeld, Mr. Zhao was personally chosen by the renowned pedagogue to venture to the United States and continue his education on full scholarships at the Idyllwild Arts Academy and the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in 1991.

Since winning a top prize at the First Chinese National Cello Competition in 1987, Mr. Zhao has kept a winning streak of 13 competitions, awards and honors.  The successful solo debut at the Weil Recital Hall of the Carnegie Hall in New York has been marked as one of his career highlights. 

Mr. Zhao has performed at renowned concert halls in more than 40 cities around the world.  Some of his festival appearances have included the Grand Teton Festival, the Ojai Music Festival, and the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra in Korea and Japan which gathers top Asian artists worldwide. Mr. Zhao has been interviewed by CNN, CBS, KTLA, GreekTV, and CCTV, and as both a solo and ensemble artist on multiple recordings, his performances could often be heard on radio K-PBS and K-USC. 

Beyond a busy performance schedule, Mr. Zhao continues to dedicate himself to the education of youth in the arts.  This year marks his 9th season teaching at the Idyllwild Arts Academy and the Idyllwild Arts Summer Festival. His achievements and generous contributions to music performance and education have been recognized and highly commended by the City of Los Angeles. 

Mr. Zhao is an artist of the Asia Pacific Arts Management Ltd.