OUR FACULTy

Ruslan Apostolov

Director, Violin, Viola

Violinist Ruslan Apostolov graduated from the National Music School “Lubomir Pipkov” and the National Music Academy “Pancho Vladigerov” in his native Sofia, Bulgaria, where he studied violin with the renowned Professor Yosiff Radionov. He is also a violin graduate of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London. Ruslan continued his violin studies towards “Master of Interpretation” and “Master Soloist” degrees at Haute Ecole de Musique in Lausanne (Switzerland) in the class of Professor Sergiu Schwartz; and “Artist Diploma” at Schwob School of Music of Columbus State University (USA) in the class of Professor Sergiu Schwartz. Among professors with whom Ruslan has studied are Mincho Minchev (Germany), Bartek Niziol (Switzerland), and Gerhard Shultz (Vienna - Austria).

Ruslan has been concertmaster of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra in Sofia (Bulgaria); concertmaster and soloist of the Academic Orchestra Sofia (Bulgaria); soloist of Lausanne Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland); concertmaster and soloist of the string chamber orchestra "Orfey" (Bulgaria); soloist of the Sliven Symhony Orchestra (Bulgaria); soloist of Razgrad Symphony (Bulgaria); soloist of Vidin Symphony orchestra (Bulgaria); and soloist of Columbus State University Symphony orchestra. He has recorded for the Bulgarian National Radio and Bulgarian National Television and has participated in the International Music Festival "Sofia Music Weeks" and in chamber music projects between Konservatorium Privatuniversität Wien (Vienna), Royal Conservatory of Liege (Belgium), and Haute Ecole de Music de Lausanne (Switzerland).

Ruslan Apostolov is a winner of national and international competitions, including “Musica Insieme” (Italy) – first prize; Winner of Schwob concerto competition; international competition “ProfessorNedyalka Simeonova” (Bulgaria) - special prizes; international competition “Hope. Talents. Masters” (Bulgaria) - first prize; international competition “Vasko Abadjiev” (Bulgaria) – special prize. He has attended master classes with professors Mincho Minchev, Yossif Radionov, Angel Stankov, Eszter Haffner, Emil Kamilarov, Dina Schneiderman, Georgy Pauk, Bartolomej Niziol, Pavel Vernikov, Gerhard Shulz, and Donk Suk Kang.

Recently Mr. Apostolov has given a Master class in Atlanta GA (USA).

Ruslan has performed in Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, France, Italy, Austria, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and the United States.

Emma J. Markel

Violin, Violin- Suzuki method

Emma is a developing young artist, praised for her beautiful tone and lyrical voice. She is a member of the Lagrange and Columbus Symphony Orchestras under maestros Richard Prior and George Del Gobbo, and performing regularly throughout Georgia and Alabama. She teaches violin in Columbus, GA where her goal is to bring quality lessons and a well-rounded introduction in music to her students.

She was born in Griffin, GA near Atlanta where she began violin at the age of 6. She studied and attended master-classes under artists such as Dawn Black, Renata Jaffe, and Kathy Saucier. Emma has been the recipient of numerous scholarships from high school through college, regularly performed at the renowned Spivey Hall in Atlanta as Concertmaster of the Southern Crescent Youth Orchestra, and has participated in countless community concerts since 2008.

Emma attended Gordon State College where she studied with Dr. Betul Soykan; she was a member of the Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra, and participated in Georgia Philharmonic concerts. In 2015, she continued her studies at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music where she completed her bachelor's and master's degrees(summa cum laude) in musical performance under Sergiu Schwartz and Boris Abramov, and performed in the Philharmonic under the batons of Paul Hostetter, Kellen Gray, and Ying Xu.

In the course of her performance career, Emma has appeared with many significant venues including Porsche Experience, Michael Bublé, Michael Bolton, Quey Percussion Duo, Henry Kramer, and Texas Guitar Quartet.

Emma enjoys teaching students in her private studio, the Koart Academy, Everything Musical in Columbus, GA, and Lagrange Symphony's Youth String Program in Lagrange, GA. Her passion is playing for public and private events; and helping students to think critically and encouraging their musical growth.

Ina Apostolova

Cello

Ina Petkova-Apostolova began her professional musical education at the age of 6 years. With 13 years she won her first prize from an international competition “Young musical talents”- Sofia (Bulgaria). Ina Petkova graduated the National High School of Music in Sofia (Bulgaria) and continued her Bachelor and Master studies at the Vienna Conservatory Private University (Austria) with Walther Schulz and Lilia Schulz-Bayrova. She studied as well at “Concervatoire a rayonnement deparemental”- L’hay les roses – Paris (France) with Romain Garioud. Ina Petkova-Apostolova received Master Interpretation at Haute Ecole de Musique – Lausanne (Switzerland) with Xavier Phillips and a certificate for Artist Diploma program at Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University - Columbus (USA) with Wendy Warner. She participated in master classes of: Heinrich Schiff, Young Chang Cho, Marc Coppey, Marko Ylönen, Richard Hirschl, Stephen Balderston, Stefan Popov, Ventseslav Nikolov, and others.

Ina Petkova-Apostolova won several 1st prizes on international and national competitions. She was selected as principal cellist in orchestras as: Young Philharmonic Sofia (Bulgaria), Young Philharmonic Vienna (Austria), Sinfonietta Sofia (Bulgaria) and Sinfonietta dell’Arte (Austria). Since 2009 Ina Petkova is a member of the chamber music ensemble “Trio Consenso Vienna” (Vienna- Austria). Recently she performed as a soloist with the Radio Symphony Orchestra - Vienna in the big hall of Konzerhaus (Vienna/Austria). She has performed on the stages in Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, Slovakia, Greece, Canada and the Unated States.

Nancy McKee

Piano

Nancy McKee has been a church musician since the age of 15 here in Columbus, and in Spartanburg, South Carolina where she received her Master in Piano Performance. She has countless performances in the community of Columbus, GA and Atlanta, GA, performing alongside with renown musicians as Sergiu Schwartz, Tatiana Muzanova, Susan Hoskins, Alina Bennet ect.

Ksenia Kurenysheva

Piano

Pianist Ksenia Kurenysheva was born in Moscow.  She graduated from the Moscow College-Conservatory in 2006 and from the Gnesin State Music Academy in 2012.  After graduating she relocated to the United States, completing graduate degrees in Piano Performance at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music, where she studied with Professor Alexander Kobrin.  In 2016, she enrolled at the University of Georgia and is currently a doctoral candidate in Piano Performance at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, piano studio of Professor Evgeny Rivkin.

An avid chamber music performer, she has given recitals with artists from Spain, Poland, Serbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Russia and the United States. Her repertoire includes a wide variety of styles and embraces music from Baroque to the modern era.

Ksenia has earned several honors and awards for her playing, including the Vincenzo Scaramuzzi International Music Competition (Italy), Benditsky Regional Music Competition (Russia) and Russian Open Music Competition of young performing musicians (Russia).  She was also a 2001 grant holder of the ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, and participated in the International Keyboard Institute and Festival (New-York 2009, 2010, 2011). Ksenia was an alternate in the Georgia MTNA Competition in 2012, winner of concerto competition at the Schwob School in 2013 and received an outstanding performance recognition in the Atlanta Music Teacher's Association Romantic Music Competition in 2014.  Most recently Ksenia became a Concerto Competition winner at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at UGA, performed with the University of Georgia Orchestra in early 2017, and received Chopin Society of Atlanta scholarship. In 2019 Ksenia received scholarship from Atlanta Music Club and University of Georgia Outstanding Teaching assistant award.

In addition to performing, Ksenia is also an experienced educator, having taught both one-on-one lessons and group piano courses at Columbus State and the University of Georgia.  In 2019 she returned to Columbus State University, and is currently an adjunct faculty member at the Schwob School of Music with teaching duties in piano and collaborative performance. In Fall 2021 Ksenia received an invitation to join the Koart Academy of Music at First Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia, where she will serve as a piano teacher.

Angie Bolivar

Viola

Colombian violist Angie Bolivar, recently selected as one of the 2022 Emerging Artists to perform in the American Viola Society Festival, is considered a remarkable example of a rising performer involved in the versatility of chamber music and creativity of twenty-first-century music repertoire. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Conservatory of Universidad Nacional de Colombia. She completed her Artist Diploma and Master’s Degree in Music Performance under Dr. Katrin Meidell at the Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University, and is a present Music Teacher Certificate student under Dr. Michelle Folta at the same institution. Former member of the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia and Orquesta Filarmónica Juvenil de Bogotá. Currently, Angie is a freelance performer of the Making Music Matter Program by Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the viola Instructor at the Koart Academy, the Preparatory Division of the Schwob School of Music, and the Music Assistant at the First Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia. In June 2022 she premiered a commission for Viola and Piano by Mauricio Arias-Esguerra at the International Viola Congress, AVS Festival 2022. You can hear her on Sutton Foster’s Take Me to the World album.