About Us
Our mission is to bring together Knoxville’s exceptional musicians with dedicated audience members to create inspirational chamber music experiences.
Meet the May 16th Artists
Evie Chen
Evie Chen is a violinist engaged with classical and contemporary repertoire. A native of Palo Alto, she made her solo debut at age eight with the Fremont Symphony Orchestra after receiving the Nafisa Taghioff Award. She has appeared with ensembles including the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonia, and Houston Symphony Orchestra.
Her work integrates performance, pedagogy, and new music advocacy. She founded the UTK String Project (2021) and presents masterclasses across the U.S. Her teaching emphasizes ergonomic technique and individualized instruction. Chen also promotes inclusive programming and premieres.
She holds a DMA and MM from Rice University (with Paul Kantor), and degrees from the University of Rochester and Eastman School of Music (with Mikhail Kopelman).
Hillary Herndon
Violist Hillary Herndon has earned a national reputation for her brilliant playing, insightful teaching and creative programming. She has been heard on NPR and PBS and has collaborated with some of the world’s foremost musicians, including Carol Wincenc, James VanDemark and Itzhak Perlman, who described Hillary as “having it all… a gifted teacher and an excellent musician.”
Ms. Herndon teaches at The University of Tennessee, Montecito Music Festival and the Viola Intensive Workshops. She has recently been elected to serve on the American Viola Society Executive Board and has published teaching articles in the American String Teacher Association Journal and the Journal of the American Viola Society.
Ms. Herndon’s 2-CD set of recordings by women composers, La Viola, is on the MSR Classics label. Ms. Herndon holds degrees from Eastman and Juilliard.
Wes Baldwin
Cellist Wesley Baldwin holds degrees from Yale College, New England Conservatory, and the University of Maryland. He performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, with concerto appearances across numerous U.S. orchestras. His repertoire foregrounds both canonical and underperformed concerti, including works by Giovanni Sollimaand Alan Shulman; his recordings (Albany, Naxos, Centaur) have received critical recognition.
A founding member of the Plymouth String Quartet and former cellist of the James Piano Quartet, Baldwin is a prizewinner at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and a finalist at the Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition. He served as principal cellist of the New World Symphony, touring internationally and receiving its Community Board Award.
Baldwin maintains an active festival presence (Aspen, Ojai, Wintergreen) and combines performance with pedagogy. He is Professor of Cello at the University of Tennessee, founder of the Tennessee Cello Workshop, and a leader in regional youth and Suzuki programs.
Dario Martin
Dr. Dario Martin, a Havana-born pianist, maintains an international career across solo, chamber, and collaborative contexts. A prizewinner in multiple competitions, he received first prizes in the Americas and performed Piano Concerto by György Ligeti at Indiana University, securing the 2018 concerto competition. His orchestral activity includes engagements with Cuban and Mexican ensembles, alongside recitals in Europe and the United States.
He serves on the piano faculty at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville and directs activities at the Austrian-American Mozart Academy in Salzburg. His training includes doctoral studies under Arnaldo Cohen and earlier work with Joaquín Achúcarro. His discography features award-winning and collaborative recordings.
