Susanna Hilliard, oboe, received her bachelor’s degree in Musical Performance from the New School of Music in Philadelphia. She studied privately with Philadelphia Orchestra members Stevens Hewitt and Louis Rosenblatt, Eric Barr from the Dallas symphony and Elaine Douvas from the MET. Susanna performed concerts in Los Angeles, California, and New York with orchestras such as the Desert Symphony, the Peninsula Chamber Orchestra, the Glendale Chamber Orchestra, the National Orchestra of New York, and the New Amsterdam Symphony. She also played with various ensembles and orchestras in Boston including the Boston Civic Orchestra and the North Shore Symphony. She performed in Florence Italy with the chamber groups Solisti a Fiato di Firenze and Solisti dell’Ensemble Cameristico Pistoiese, and a unique recital at the historic Villa Corsi Salviati in Sesto Fiorentino.

In 1994, Susanna and her family moved to North Texas, where she launched her teaching career. She currently has a studio of 20 students and is a member of the Irving Symphony, Plano Symphony, and San Angelo Symphony. In Texas, she has also played concerts with the Dallas Winds, Lyric Stage, and the Corpus Christie, Amarillo, Wichita Fallas, and Fort Worth Symphonies.  Susanna is a co-founder of the chamber music ensemble Mélange Musical (www.MelangeMusical.com) which performs concerts in the DFW area.

Estonian-born violist Dr. Iris Messinger has achieved recognition as a performer both in the United States and abroad.  Currently an active musician in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dr. Messinger performs with numerous chamber ensembles and orchestras including the Plano, San Angelo, Lewisville and Irving Symphonies, and the Melange Musical Chamber Ensemble. She has also previously played with the Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Symphony and the Texas Chamber Orchestra. Dr. Messinger has toured in Europe, North America and the former Soviet Union and has performed in such halls as St. Martin in the Fields in London, Opera de Bastilles in Paris, the Glinka Hall in St. Petersburg and the White House in Washington, D.C. 

Dr. Iris Messinger’s career in music began in her native country of Estonia where she began her string studies in violin at the age of 7. After graduating from Tallinn Music High School, she pursued and received her Diploma in Viola Performance from Tallinn Conservatory where she won the most prestigious string scholarship award, the Johannes Paulsen scholarship.  She appeared in many broadcasts on Estonian radio and television and also recorded for the Melodija label with the Estonian Chamber Orchestra.  In addition to her work with orchestras, she was active as a chamber musician.  In 1991, performances with the Estonian String Quartet brought her to the Unites States, where she was awarded the Meadows Scholarship to continue her studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. There she earned both an Artist Certificate and a Master of Music degree. Dr. Messinger then continued her studies at the prestigious Eastman School of music, receiving a Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance and Literature. Iris maintains a teaching studio and is an adjunct instructor at Tarrant County College. She is co-founder of the non-profit chamber music ensemble Mélange Musical.