Quartet
Since its formation 20 years ago in Moscow, the award-winning Veronika String Quartet (VSQ) has established itself as an outstanding ensemble, known for its versatility and “extraordinary musicianship”. The unique sound of this all-female quartet has led to success in international competitions as well in concert halls throughout the U.S. and abroad.
The Quartet distinguished itself early in its career with top prizes in quartet competitions in St. Petersburg and Moscow, leading to triumphs at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition and the Chamber Music at Yellow Springs Competition (OH). The VSQ has performed widely in the U.S., Australia, Europe, Russia, and the Middle East, and currently resides in Southern Colorado where its members are Artists-in-Residence at Colorado State University-Pueblo. The founding members of the VSQ are violinists Veronika Afanassieva and Karine Garibova, joined by Moscow-trained violist Ekaterina Dobrotvorskaia, and American cellist Mary Artmann.
The VSQ has contributed immensely to the revitalization of classical music in the Southwest, performing in a vast array of venues to a dramatically increasing audience base. Recognized throughout the state of Colorado, the quartet has appeared frequently on NPR’s Colorado Spotlight Series and regularly receives grants from the Colorado Council on the Arts for launching its own popular and critically-acclaimed concert series in Pueblo and Colorado Springs. Highlights of these exciting live performances can be found on YouTube.
Known for its innovative programming, the VSQ is committed to performing a wide range of repertoire, from beloved classics to neglected masterpieces. The VSQ has championed compositions by contemporary American composers in premieres and recordings, including works by Charles Eakin, Carlton Gamer, Lawrence Leighton Smith, and Augusta Read Thomas. Collaborations with leading chamber musicians further increase the versatility of the VSQ, and include performances with the American and Fine Arts Quartets, Martin Lovett of the Amadeus Quartet, clarinetist Richard Stoltzman, and pianists James Tocco and Ruth Laredo.
The Quartet has recorded for Warner Brothers, Narada, and Northword Press. Future projects include a CD of Russian masterworks and a CD of American Women composers.
Veronika Afanassieva
Violinist Veronika Afanassieva began violin studies at age seven.
She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Novosibirsk Music College and a Master of Music degree from Gnessin's Academy of Music in Moscow. Her principal
teachers in Russia include Mark Meinbach and Alexei Kiselev.
Ms. Afanassieva completed her studies with Ralph Evans and Kurt Sassmannshaus upon moving
to the United States. She is a founding member of the Veronika String Quartet, which began its career in 1989 under the tutelage of the Borodin String
Quartet cellist Valentin Berlinsky. She is featured on a CD of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" with the Veronika String Quartet that is available on the NorthSound
label. Recently, she performed the "Four Seasons" with the Lancaster Chamber Orchestra under Gary Sheldon. Ms. Afanassieva has performed with numerous groups,
including the Moscow Conservatory Opera Orchestra, the Kremlin Chamber Orchestra, the Skylight Opera Theater of Milwaukee and Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ms. Afanassieva has been an Artist-in-Residence at Colorado State University-Pueblo and Concertmaster of the Pueblo Symphony since 1999. A dedicated teacher,
she maintains a private studio for both violin and piano in addition to her teaching duties at the University.
Karine Garibova
Karine Garibova was born and raised in Moscow. At the age of five she started playing piano.
She started playing violin at the age of six, when Karine was accepted at the Gnesin’s Moscow Special Music School studying with Irina Svetlova and Helen Mazor.
In 1985 she was accepted to Gnessin’s Academy of Music, where she studied with Khalida Akhtyamova. In school and college Karine has shown a great interest in chamber
music. As a teenager she participated in the Concertino Prague Festival. During her college years her group won a first prize in Russian National competition of student
string quartets.
While in the US Karine has studied violin with Efim Boico and Peter Miliawsky. She studied chamber music with Henry W. Meyer, Fine Arts Quartet and Valentin Berlinsky.
Karine is the founding member of the Veronika String Quartet, which started its career in 1989. Since 1999, Karine has been an artist-in-residence at the Colorado
State University – Pueblo, formerly the University of Southern Colorado, and at the Pueblo Symphony, where she serves as Principal of Second Violins. Since 2000 Karine is also
playing with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, where she became an Associate Principal Second Violins in 2004.
Karine enjoys teaching very much. She maintains her private studios in Pueblo and Colorado Springs. She is also coaching a
student string quartet at Young Peoples Orchestra in Colorado Springs.
Karine is also performing outside of the Veronika String Quartet. She participated in a Lawrence Leighton Smith and Esteemed Friends recital in
Colorado Springs. Karine is particularly interested in performing of new music, and enjoys working with living composers. Her most recent work is a
recording of the Dinner Music of Charles Eakin with pianist Juanita DeHeart. Karine is also planning to record a Sonata for violin solo of the composer.
Ekaterina Dobrotvorskaia
Violist Ekaterina Dobrotvorskaia was born in the historic Russian town of Vladimir to
a family of musicians. She started playing violin at age five, and at age ten was accepted to the Central Music School for musically gifted children at the Moscow State Conservatory.
Ms. Dobrotvorskaia graduated from the Central Music School in viola performance in 1993. She received a M.M. in music performance from the Moscow Conservatory in 1998, with certificates
in solo, chamber, and orchestral performance. Her education also includes special training in music pedagody. She studied viola with Galina Vakhromeeva-Odinetz, one of the
leading viola professors in Moscow. Additionally, Ms. Dobrotvorskaia pursued chamber music studies with Alexander Korchagin of the Shostakovich String Quartet. She has received numerous
scholarships and awards and was selected by the Moscow State Conservatory to attend master classes in Russia and Europe.
Ms. Dobrotvorskaia's active performing career has included extensive tours of Australia, Israel, Cyprus, Switzerland, France and Germany. She has performed as a member of
the Tempera String Quartet. This quartet was selected from an international pool of applicants to represent Russia for a competition in Melbourne, Australia. Ms. Dobrotvorskaia served as
Principal Violist of the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra in Moscow. Other performing credits include the Moscovia Chamber Orchestra and the Russian Philharmonia Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Dobrotvorskaia joined the Veronika String Quartet in November of 2000. She is an Artist-in-Residence at Colorado State University–Pueblo and
Principal Violist of the Pueblo Symphony. She frequently makes solo appearances and collaborates with local musicians in chamber music performances.
Mary Artmann
Cellist Mary Artmann joined the Veronika String Quartet, in residence at Colorado State University-Pueblo,
in 2006. Ms. Artmann is an active recitalist and has recently performed recitals in Colorado, New York, Canada and Mexico. She is currently engaged in building the string and chamber music
program at the University and has a thriving cello studio. Among the innovative programs she has implemented with the VSQ are the Undergraduate Honor String Quartet Program, the High School
Honor String Quartet Festival, and a Concerto Competition for high school students. Ms. Artmann maintains a private studio in Pueblo and coaches the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony.
Ms. Artmann graduated with high distinction from the University of California at Berkeley and received a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern
California. She completed post-graduate work at Oberlin College Conservatory and Kent State University. She was twice the recipient of the Alfred Hertz Memorial Traveling Fellowship.
This award sponsored a year of study with Ronald Leonard in Los Angeles and another year of study with Siegfried Palm in Cologne, Germany. While in Los Angeles, Ms. Artmann participated
in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestral Training Program.
Ms. Artmann is a champion of new music, and also has an interest in early music performing on Viola da Gamba with the University of Southern California Early
Music Ensemble, the Oberlin Consort, and the Buffalo Consort of Viols. She is principal cellist with the Pueblo Symphony and has performed with the Buffalo and Rochester
Philharmonics. Last season she was a member of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and continues to perform with them. She is a former member of the Slee Sinfonietta and the
Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York.
Freelance activities have included a European tour with the American Sinfonietta and performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony. She was a member of the Sartory Quartet,
in residence at Kent State University, the Syracuse Symphony and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. She has taught at Mercyhurst College, Rocky Ridge Music Center,
Hartwick College Summer Music Festival and Bennington College July Program. Ms. Artmann received two grants from the New York State Council of the Arts and recorded for Radio Nuevo
Leon, Radio France, WDR (Cologne, Germany) and WBFO's Opus Classics Series (Buffalo, NY). Ms. Artmann is an avid hiker and member of the Colorado Mountain Club.