Jennifer Humphreys and Pianist Anastasia Markina In Recital

repertoire and speaking from the stage. 
The focus of the Aronson Cello Festical this year is Women in Classical Music. 
Jennifer Humphreys joined the cello section of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in September of 2014.  Before coming to Dallas, she was a section member of the Atlanta Symphony and Assistant Principal of the Charlotte Symphony.  The oldest of three in a musical family, Jennifer began taking cello lessons at the age of six in Owensboro, KY.  After graduating from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, she went on to study at Rice University, where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees as a student of Lynn Harrell and Brinton Smith.  Jennifer also performs with the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music and the Grand Teton Music Festival. 
Jennifer has had the privilege of performing with many orchestras around the country including the Baltimore, Houston, Charleston and Huntsville (AL) Symphonies, The Florida Orchestra and the Colorado Music Festival.  She has served as principal cellist of the National Repertory Orchestra and the National Orchestral Institute, and traveled to Graz, Austria to participate in the American Institute for Musical Studies. Since 2016 she has served as Adjunct Faculty at Texas Christian University. Jennifer also enjoys cycling, cooking, gardening and yoga. 

Born and raised in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, Anastasia Markina started playing piano at the age of four, and gave her first public performance at the age of 10, when she won her first piano competition. Her talent has been recognized at numerous international piano competitions, and she has received top prizes in Europe, Russia, and the United States, including 1st prize at the 1st Maria Yudina International Piano Competition, 1st prize in both solo and chamber music at the "Beach of Hope" International Music Competition in Dobrich-Albena, Bulgaria, 1st prize at the International Peter the Great Music Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, 1st prize at the San Angelo Sorantin International Music Competition, 1st prize at the 1st Boesendorfer International Piano Competition, 1st and Grand prize at the Yound Texas Artist Music Competition, 2nd prize at the 1st, 2nd and 4th Jose Iturbi Music Competitions. 

Ms. Markina has performed with the Jalisco Philharmonic under Joolz Gale in Guadalajara, Mexico; the San Angelo Symphony under Lawrence Golan. She has performed solo, orchestral, as well as chamber music works in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Russia, including performances in the Barge Music Series and Summit Music Festival in New York City, NY; ISB Convention in Rochester, NY; Sitka Festival in Anchorage, AL; concerts in Los Angeles and San Diego, CA; and Vetta Chamber Music Series in Canada. Other collaborations include, among others, recitals with Paul Rosenthal, Mark Peskanov, James Galway, Alexander Kerr, Emmanuel Borok, Bonita Boyd, and Joseph Alessi. In collaboration with the cellist Eugene Osadchy she recorded two CDs - "Russian Romances" and "Nacht und Traume".