About Us
Sarah Foster
Sarah was born and raised in Minneapolis, growing up performing with the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony (GTCYS). Dr. Jones- former head director of GTCYS, recruited her to the University of Iowa for her undergraduate degree in violin performance, when he became director of orchestral studies at the University of Iowa. During the fall/winter/spring months she performed in the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra Iowa), Dubuque Symphony, and Ottumwa and Oskaloosa Symphonies. She was also concertmistress of the University of Iowa Center of New Music Orchestra. During the summer months, Sarah performed in many music festivals including the Aspen Music Festival (3yrs), Mark O’Connor Fiddle Camp, and Garth Newel Music Festival; and performed and arranged music for many high profile events, weddings, and educational events when she was the Assistant Outreach Director for the Aspen Music Festival. Sarah currently plays with the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in Minneapolis, and teaches a Suzuki violin studio in Hopkins/St. Louis Park.
Joan Molloy
Founder and Director of HeartsStrings Studio, Joan Molloy studied at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and at the University of Minnesota, where she received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance. She went on to study Suzuki Method pedagogy and has completed Suzuki Teacher Development Units 1 through 8, Teacher Practicum, and many Overview and Teacher Enrichment Courses.
Joan's teachers and influences include Alice Joy Lewis, Ronda Cole, Nancy Lokken, Mimi Zweig, Alex Shum, Aaron Janse, Edmund Sprunger, and Young Nam Kim. Her students have gone on to study music at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, St. Olaf, CalArts School of Music, University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota.
While Joan brings knowledge and expertise to her craft, what gives her great joy are encounters with students and their families: witnessing growth, celebrating success and finding joy in the process.
Charles Krenner
Chuck Krenner is from Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Chuck has been playing violin since the age of five. He began viola studies after high school with Thomas Turner, principal violist of the Minnesota Orchestra. Chuck received his bachelor's degree in viola performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. In Cleveland he studied with Mark Jackobs of the Cleveland Orchestra and Jeffrey Irvine. As a substitute musician, Chuck has worked with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Toledo Symphony, and the South Dakota Symphony. Chuck is currently a violist with the chamber orchestra CityMusic Cleveland and he plays with the Artosphere Festival Orchestra in Arkansas during the summer. Chuck is also a composer and an artist. Current works can be found by visiting chuckkrenner.com.
Jim Wainwright
Originally from Michigan. Studied at Interlochen Center for the Arts and University of Michigan. Has performed with The West Shore Symphony, St. Paul Civic Symphony, Roseville String Ensemble, East Metro Symphony and St. Croix Valley Symphony. Now an artist in wood by day and cellist by night. Managing and playing cello in Cavatina String Quartet and Ensemble Con Brio.