Violin

Margaret Cooke

Violin
Margaret Cooke has been playing the violin and piano since she was seven years old, and has been in orchestras since she was nine. Classically trained on both instruments, she studied piano performance under Elizabeth Eschwe, while studying abroad in Vienna, Austria, in 2000. She received a B.A. in Music and a B.A. in English from Sewanee: The University of the South in 2001. In 2004, Margaret received an M.A. in English Literature (cultural studies) at the University of Virginia, writing her thesis on music subcultures and political protest. Margaret has been teaching both piano and violin for the past three years. Margaret’s latest obsession is Scottish fiddling, but she also teaches bluegrass and old-time fiddle and mandolin.

Rick LaRue

Violin, guitar, bass, mandolin, viola, cello and piano

Rick LaRue is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Music with violin as his principal instrument. Over the years he has taught violin, guitar, bass, mandolin, viola, cello, and piano. He has performed with fiddle legend Vassar Clements, jazz great Ira Sullivan, former Dizzy Gillespie bassist Chris White, and Grammy award winning band The Mavericks. In addition to being a member of the Miami Symphony and Lynchburg Symphony he has recorded with the Florida International University Jazz Band and Celtic rock band The Volunteers. He has also directed orchestras and taught strings, jazz band, guitar, improvisation, fiddling, and music theory in Florida, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York private and public schools. Rick currently performs with the Lynchburg Symphony, The Acme Swing Band www.swingco.net, The Toad Mamas contradance band www.toadmamas.com, The Bella/LaRue Jazz Project, guitarist Peter Richardson, and the The LaRue/Donahue Classical Duo. He teaches the following styles on all string instruments including guitar: classical, jazz, rock, blues, bluegrass, and Irish.