Janet Ahlquist has garnered many honors and an impressive list of acclaimed performances in her career as outstanding artist-performer. She has performed in numerous solo and chamber music recitals in such venues as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Recital Hall, Library of Congress, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Rockefeller Mansion, and the French Embassy. Internationally she has performed in Russia, Norway, France, and Portugal.

Educated at Juilliard and Eastman School of Music, she was awarded the prestigious Performer’s Certificate and the Artist Diploma from the Long School. Additional honors include a top prize at the French Piano Institute’s Festival International in Paris; the Wyoming Governor’s Art Award, and inclusion in “Who’s Who of American Women.” Her CD recordings “The Soul of Russia”, “Portuguese Classics”, and “A Live Recital on the Main Line” have received critical acclaim. The New York Times wrote, “Ahlquist has made a name for herself as a champion of Portuguese keyboard music. She plays with vigor and strength.” New York Recital Associates wrote, “Ahlquist displayed delicate and glistening tone colors and assured musicality.”

Currently Ms. Ahlquist is an adjunct faculty member at Immaculata University, performs as a soloist, is a founding member of Trio International, and frequently joins musicians of the Bryn Mawr Chamber Music Society. She recently presented lecture-recitals at Temple University and Duquesne University. Immaculata students have benefitted from her creative approach ImS/Ecumenical Choir Concert with the Beethoven Choral Fantasyto recitals and master classes.

Distinguished as the first American cellist to perform in Hanoi since the Vietnam War, Stephen Framil has performed as concert soloist around the world: including Carnegie Weill & Avery-Fisher Halls (New York), Hong Kong City Hall, with the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra (Hungary), Volgograd Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia), Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra (Italy Tour 2007), Manila Philharmonic Orchestra (Philippines), National Philharmonic of Moldova, Oltenia State Filarmonica (Romania), Zaporozhye Symphony Orchestra (Ukraine), Vratza Philharmonic Orchestra (Bulgaria), Viêt Nam National Symphony Orchestra, Bombay and Bangalore Chamber Orchestras (India), Redlands Symphony Orchestra (CA), Nashville Chamber Orchestra (TN), Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series (“Live” Broadcast on WFMT - Chicago), Brunei Music Society, and the Hong Kong Chamber Music Society, among others.

As a cellist Stephen Framil (DM, Indiana University) has given masterclasses at the Shanghai Conservatory (China), Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (Singapore), University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana), DePaul University (Chicago), Longy School of Music (Boston), Vanderbilt University/Blair School of Music (Nashville), University of Arizona, Roosevelt University/Chicago College of Performing Arts, University of Reno, Volgograd Conservatory (Russia), Moldova Academy of Music, University of Hong Kong, Silliman University (Philippines), and the Hanoi Conservatory (Vietnam), to name a few. Dr. Framil has adjudicated the 2004 Hong Kong Schools of Music Festival, and the 2007 Schadt String Competition (Cello) in Allentown, PA.

Dr. Framil has been an Assistant Professor of Music at Andrews University in Michigan (1994-2002), and a Visiting Professor at the University of Delaware (2003-2004), Lincoln University in Pennsylvania (2005-2006), and Towson University in Maryland (2008). An advocate of urban music education, Dr. Framil is the Music Director at the West Philadelphia Catholic High School, Conductor of the South Philadelphia Youth Orchestra/Gabriel’s Music (MUSICOPIA) and the All-Philadelphia Middle School Festival Orchestra, and Founder & Director of the West Catholic Conservatory of Philadelphia: a community music school that provides free private music lessons to pre-high school youth.

Recordings by Stephen Framil for RADIO 4 HONG KONG include the complete J.S. Bach Suites for Solo Cello, as well as the works for solo cello by Zoltán Kodály and Gaspar Cassadó. In April 2006 he recorded the two Haydn Cello Concertos with Paul Freeman and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra: this recording was released in 2007 under CENTAUR RECORDS.

Born in Southern California of Asian-American heritage, Dr. Framil grew up in a musical family – his mother a pianist/organist, an older brother a violinist, and his father an ever appreciative listener. His formative years were a balanced combination of cello and piano lessons, school, varsity volleyball, after-school and summer work as a painter and construction worker (sheet metal), and occasional mischief. Enrolled as both a music major and a pre-med student at Atlantic Union College (MA), young Stephen soon realized the degree of dedication his lifelong passion for music required if he was to succeed at the highest levels, and went on to graduate school at the Indiana University School of Music. Upon completion of his education and newly-wed, Dr. Framil came to Philadelphia in 2002. He and his wife Natalia share their home with the ever affectionate Simon Birman, and rambunctious and sometimes destructive Lucy Labrador and Toby Shepherd.

Alice Quirk, a graduate of Immaculata University, Ms. Quirk is a student of Ardeth Belzer, highly respected performer and teacher of viola and violin, and faculty instructor at Immaculata. Ms. Quirk’s musical talent extends also to her vocal performance. In addition to her membership in the Immaculata Chorale she also sings with the Madrigal Singers. Indeed, a song seems always ready on her lips and frequently floats forth!

During her musical career, Ms. Quirk has enjoyed many well-earned opportunities, including her participation in the 2005 All-Eastern Honors Orchestra, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and the 2007 Jazz Honors Choir. Successes since arriving at Immaculata have included being awarded the ImS Orchestra Scholarship, and the Almira Doutt Music Scholarship. She has represented Immaculata well in musical presentations at the SEPCHE (Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium of Higher Education) Honors program (2006-2008) and also merited election to Delta Psi, IU’s chapter of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. Additional academic success and participation in the Honors Program led to her induction into the University Honor Society and the Theology Honor Society.

Ms. Quirk’s varied interests include active participation with the Philadelphia Archdiocese Office for Youth and Young Adults and, currently, performance with a Celtic band for pure pleasure. A native of Havertown, Pennsylvania, Ms. Quirk is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Quirk and sister to younger Sandra and Renee who both share their sister’s talent for music.