Matthew Allison, flute

Matthew Allison has performed extensively in a variety of classical and contemporary venues including delivering a solo recital on Kansas Public Radio, performing with members of the Louisville Orchestra and the Louisville String Quartet, soloing with the Alton Symphony, and performing with a wind trio at the Grand Hotel Lijiang Opera House in Kunming, China. He performs as a recitalist, chamber collaborator, and in local orchestras recently including the Harrisburg Symphony and the Allegro Chamber Orchestra of Lancaster. 

Currently the Chairman of Winds at the Pennsylvania Academy of Music, he has been a guest artist and teacher at several schools, including the University of Louisville, KY, MacMurray College, IL, Bellarmine University, KY, Luther College, IA, Washburn University, KS, The College of New Jersey, NJ, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis, MO.  Matthew Allison received both his Doctorate and Masters in Music from the University of Kansas with a focus on flute performance and pedagogy.

Christopher Brooks, violin

Christopher Brooks was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York where he began studying the violin at PS 8 in Brooklyn Heights, the Third Street Music School in Manhattan, the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Department, and during the summer attended the arcadian Kinhaven Music School.

Attending the New School of Music in Philadelphia Mr. Brooks studied violin with Jascha Brodsky and Geoffrey Michaels. He has played chamber music and has been a member of numerous orchestras in the USA and Europe including Orquesta Bética Filarmónica de Sevilla (concertmaster), the Frysk Orkest in the Netherlands, and the Reading, York, and Harrisburg Symphonies (concertmaster). Throughout his performing career he has continued to teach privately (in English, Spanish and Dutch).

In 1988, Mr. Brooks embarked on a successful career as an architectural acoustics consultant. He still actively performs as a violinist with the Allegro Chamber Orchestra, the jazz-avant-guarde group sphere, and The Triune Trio.

Mary Huesken, cello

Mary grew up in suburban Philadelphia, the daughter of two pianists. She began studying the cello at age seven with Grace Parisano and then with Bert Phillips, member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She was an active student musician and was a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. She attended Susquehanna University on scholarship as a member of the university’s string quartet and received a Bachelor of Music degree in Education. She has contiued her training by receiving multiple levels of certification in Orff, Kodaly and Suzuki training. Mary currently teaches strings at the Wyomissing Area School District in Berks County.

Mary has been a member of the Harrisburg, Pottstown and Schukyll Symphonies and has performed in the area with artists such as Vince Gill, Johnny Mathis and Ray Charles. She is currently a member of the Lancaster Symphony and is also a founding member of the Camerata String Quartet.

Mary lives in in Lancaster County with her husband Gerry and cat Gussie.