InnoVox Ensemble

Andrew Borkowski (cello) performs regularly as soloist/chamber musician and with orchestras throughout New York City, as well as the Western New York area. He has participated in master classes with world-renowned artists including Eric Bartlett, Fred Sherry, and Chris Finckel, and has studied with such legendary performers as Benjamin Karp, Jonathan Golove, Stephen Harrison, and Marcy Rosen. He holds a B.A. in Cello Performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and an M.A. from the Copland School of Music at Queens College.

He has participated in music festivals throughout the world including the Schlern International Music Festival, performing as soloist and chamber musician in the Dolomite Mountains of the Italian Alps, as well as taken part in various orchestral training programs including the Brevard Music Center, where he collaborated with renowned orchestral players including Brinton Averil Smith and William Preucil.

In 2008 he was the winner of the UB Symphony Orchestra Concerto competition, and has appeared with such prestigious groups as the Argento Chamber Players, pioneering exciting new works from composers like Todd Machover and Eric Lindsey. An ardent supporter of new music, he is a co-founder of the InnoVox Contentempoary Ensemble, a pierrot-plus-percussion ensemble aimed at changing the way today’s audiences experience and appreciate contemporary music. He also appears regularly with Manhattan Symphonie, and has performed extensively in New York City’s premier concert venues, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher, Symphony Space, and Barge Music, among others.

An avid educator as well as performer, Andrew serves on faculty at the Harbor Conservatory, Eastern School of Music and Arts, and Sage Music at the LIC Music School. He has also teaches at the annual summer festival, Chamber Music Institute, at the University of Maine.

Read more about Andy at andrewborkowski.net.

Joe Tucker (percussion), a native of Detroit, Michigan, recieved his BA in instrumental performance and recording technology at Western Michigan University under the tutelage of Judy Moonert, David Colson, and Jeff Moehle. Currently in pursuit of his MM, Joe is currently studying with Michael Lipsey, Matthew Ward, and David Cossin at Queens College in NYC.

A multi-faceted percusionist, Joe has held positions in the Southwest, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Chelsea, St. Marks, and Queens Symphony Orchestras; as well as playing playing with contemporary groups, including Talujon percussion quintet, the S.E.M. ensemble, Elevator Rose, Quiet City, the Ghost Ensemble, The IFCP ensemble,the Ackbar percussion trio, and the Birds on a Wire ensemble.

Aside from classical music, Joe also held a position as an accompanist in the San Francisco based modern dance company “ODC”, and plays in various jazz and rock groups throughout New York City and Detroit. Joe has collaborated with composers David Colson, Jonathan C. Cook, Bob Becker, Dennis DeSantis, Daniel Levitan, Howie Kenty, Daniel Fine, and Luke Schwartz, as well as many others.

When not practicing or performing, Joe enjoys building and repairing percussion instruments.

David Valbuena (clarinet) is a versatile musician that is equally passionate about the contemporary and classical repertoires. Born and raised in Queens, David has performed in many of New York’s most prestigious venues, including Weil Recital Hall, Avery Fischer Hall, Le Poisson Rouge, and Merkin Hall. As a chamber musician he has premiered many works, including ASCAP award winning composer Eric Nathan’s “Threads”. David is also an active orchestral musician and has been performing with the New York Youth Symphony since 2011 under the baton of Ryan Mcadams. For two summers in a row, David was invited by the Grammy nominated wind quintet, Imani Winds, to attend their summer festival as a fellow. As a member of InnoVox, David hopes to explore more of the standard 20th century repertoire while continuously promoting and performing new and adventurous works by up and coming composers. In March 2013, David will collaborate with composers from the Queens College New Music Group to premiere a set of miniature pieces for clarinet and bass clarinet.

David has studied privately with the principal clarinetist of the New York City Ballet, Steve Hartman. He is now working towards a bachelors degree in clarinet performance at The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College studying with Charles Neidich.

Monika Haar (piano) is an advocate of new music and frequently collaborates with a variety of composers. As a member of Whitney George’s contemporary chamber orchestra, “The Curiosity Cabinet”, she was featured in the 2013 Composers Now Festival in New York City, and recently recorded her radio drama, “The Crimson Hand”. She was invited to perform in Melinda Faylor’s month-long Cage Hop festival in 2012, which celebrated John Cage’s centennial anniversary throughout various venues in NYC. During the same year, she attended the Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice at the New England Conservatory of Music. There, she worked with resident composer, Christian Wolff, and collaborated with members from Stephen Drury’s ensemble, The Callithumpian Consort. This April, Monika will perform with members of InnoVox to premiere a piece by Daniel Liot Fine as a part of the annual NYC ElectroAcoustic Music Festival. She regularly performs for composers in the Queens College New Music Group, and will premiere their pieces with Todd Reynolds later this Spring. She attended the Oberlin Conservatory and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, where she studied with Robert Shannon, Robert Durso, and Ursula Oppens. She is originally from Honolulu.

Blanca Gonzalez (violin) is originally from Bogotá, Colombia. She is the concertmaster of the Reona Ito Chamber Orchestra, and has served as the concertmaster of the Queens College Symphony Orchestra. Together with pianist and composer Jesse Elder, she created the collaborative project 1in2. They released their debut album Creature Ventures in March 2012, after which the ensemble made their first concert tour in Chicago and Michigan. The group performs regularly in the New York City area.

Blanca has won several competitions, including the 2009 Queens College Concerto Competition, the 2008 LIC International Music Competition (NY) (2nd prize), the 2006-2007 La Guardia Concerto Competition, and the 2007 Ambler Symphony Concerto Competition (PA) where she was a recipient of the Elmer & Louise Menges scholarship award. As a winner of these competitions, she has performed as a soloist with the Queens College Orchestra (Paganini Concerto), the Philadelphia Orchestra Society (PA), the Ambler Symphony, and the La Guardia Highschool for the Performing Arts Orchestra. She has attended Music@Menlo (CA), the Killington Music Festival (VT) and the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival (VT). She has participated in masterclasses with Donald Weilerstein, David Finckel, Wu Han and Charles Castleman among others, and has performed in many prestigious venues in New York, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and the Blue Note.

Blanca holds a bachelor degree in violin performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College (NY) where she was a student of Arik Braude with whom she has studied since 2002. In fall 2012, she began her graduate work at the Juilliard School where she studies with Lewis Kaplan.

Lauren Wuerth (flute) is a student of Judith Mendenhall at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. As principal flutist of the Queens College Orchestra, she has performed in Lefrak Concert Hall, Colden Auditorium, Bohemia Hall, Symphony Space and the Church of the Heavenly Rest. She also thrives as a chamber musician, soloist and teacher. She regularly performs with the Chamber Orchestra at Queens College, Nota Bene, the new music group at Queens College, and many smaller ensembles. In November, 2012, she performed at the Asia Society Gala with percussionist and composer Kyaw Kyaw Niang. Lauren has performed in master classes for Nicolas Duchamp, Bonita Boyd, Lorna McGhee, Keith Underwood, Amy Porter, Brad Garner, Gary Shocker and Judith Mendenhall. She teaches flute privately and has interned at the Chamber Music of America Conference. Before attending Queens College, Lauren attended the pre-college program at the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Susan Deaver.