the members of the cahaba string quartet
Sarah nordlund Dennis
Sarah Nordlund Dennis is a founding member of Cahaba River Strings and a professional violinist. She joined the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in 2007 following positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Sarasota Opera, and Opus 119 Harlem School of Music. While growing up in Birmingham, she was a featured soloist with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra and winner of the TSO and ASO concerto competitions. Her active performing schedule includes special projects with authors, at art exhibits, touring shows, and regularly debuting new works by Alabama composers. In addition to a full-time orchestral position, Nordlund Dennis frequently performs in both liturgical and contemporary church settings and explores a wide range of music with Cahaba River Strings. She holds a Master’s Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and teaches violin to all ages from beginner to adult.
Viktor dulguerov
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, Viktor Dulgerov started playing the violin at age five. Viktor received his undergraduate degree in violin performance from the Harid Conservatory of Music at Lynn University and his graduate degree in violin performance from Carnegie Mellon University. While Viktor was in Pittsburgh he played with the Youngstown Symphony, Wheeling Symphony and Pittsburgh Ballet. Currently Viktor plays in the first violin section of the Alabama Symphony and is an active chamber musician. Viktor is also an experienced teacher of the violin, and he taught a full studio of students while he was in Pittsburgh.
lucy dulguerov
Lucy Dulguerov began playing the violin age 5, piano at age 7 and the viola at age 16. Lucy earned her undergraduate degree in viola from the University of Auckland, followed by a Master’s Degree from Penn State University, and completed the Performance Residency Program at Carnegie Mellon University. Since moving to the United States in 2002, Lucy Dulguerov has maintained an active career as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, recitalist, and teacher. She currently serves as an extra musician for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Past experience includes a tenured position with the Huntsville and Youngstown Symphony Orchestras, and multiple performances with the Pittsburgh Opera, Auckland Philharmonia and Chattanooga Symphony. Lucy has over 20 years of teaching experience and has taught private violin, piano and viola lessons in the greater Birmingham area for more than 10 years. She has a home with her husband Viktor and their two young children in Hoover, Alabama.
Hellen weberpal
Raised in a farming family in northern Illinois, Hellen Weberpal began playing the cello in fourth grade through her school district’s orchestra program. She received her bachelor of music degree from DePaul University and completed her master of music at Rice University. Ms. Weberpal won a position in the Alabama Symphony in May of 2018 and began performing with Cahaba River Strings later that year. Hellen spent time before living in Houston, where she worked as a contracted substitute for the Houston Symphony for two seasons. Also passionate about music outreach, she held the title of Houston Symphony Community-Embedded Musician for three years following, where she was one of the four inaugural musicians chosen to help build the program, which consisted of chamber music performances and orchestral education throughout the greater Houston area for people of diverse backgrounds and ages.