Laurie Goldman was born to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York. When she was three, the family moved to Lawrence, Kansas. A year later, her mother had a chance encounter with another mother which led to Laurie beginning violin lessons with Eleanor Allen, a Suzuki violin teacher. Mrs. Allen was an excellent teacher who had several other pupils who became professional violinists as well. Laurie attended Haverford College, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Magna Cum Laude. While in the Philadelphia area, she studied with David Arben, Philadelphia Orchestra Assistant Concertmaster. She received a Master of Music at the University of Michigan, where she studied with Camilla Wicks and Jacob Krachmalnick.

Laurie joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1991. She has made numerous appearances as a soloist in the Detroit area, appearing with the orchestras of Toledo, Dearborn, Allen Park, and Grosse Pointe among others. She made her Detroit Symphony Orchestra solo debut in 1996. Also active as a chamber musician, Laurie has performed in ensembles at Interlochen, the Grand Teton Music Festival and at venues in the Detroit area. She has appeared in several recitals to benefit the DSO Volunteer Council.

Laurie is grateful for the help of her parents and, especially, her grandparents. Although they grew up with very little indeed, they made great sacrifices to allow their children, and by extension, their grandchildren to be successful in music and otherwise.

Korean violinist Heidi Han first picked up a violin at the age of 5. Born and raised in Korea, she continued her studies with JaeKwang Song while attending Yewon School of Arts. When Heidi was 13, her family moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada, and she continued her studies with Robert Davidovici. While in Canada, she served Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra as a concertmaster and won first prize of the Kiwanis Competition, Burnaby Clef Concerto Competition, and the Young Artists of British Columbia Competition.

Heidi received both her bachelors and graduate performance diploma from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, earning the Peabody Merit Scholarship for both programs. During her time at Peabody, Heidi studied with Victor Danchenko and was the concertmaster for the Peabody Concert Orchestra. While pursuing her degrees, she won the first prize in the Marbury Competition and was awarded the Josef Kaspar Award. She was also invited to join the Keshet Eilon International Violin Mastercourse in Israel to study with Shlomo Mintz.

Currently, Heidi plays with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a second violinist and lives in Detroit, Michigan where she enjoys making great music with her colleagues and husband, Will Haapaniemi.

Shanda Lowery-Sachs was born in Porterville, CA--a small agricultural area in the central part of the state. At age 4, she picked up two hobbies that have remained important throughout her life: tennis and music. Her father, a math teacher and tennis enthusiast, taught her how to swing a racquet, while her mother, a cellist from a musical family, started her on violin and piano.

After graduating high school from Michigan’s famed Interlochen Arts Academy in 1990, Shanda enrolled at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. As her musical skills on violin continually improved, however, she turned her focus towards music. She later met the school’s viola teacher and expressed an interest in learning it on the side. Borrowing an instrument from the school, she played it only occasionally. When friends heard her impressive ability, they encouraged her to make it her primary focus.

Earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Music in 1994, Shanda purchased a viola and began graduate studies, first at the University of Maryland and later at Rice University in Houston, where she was Principal Viola in the school’s orchestra. Following graduation in 1997, she performed as a member of New York’s Hudson Valley Philharmonic; with the Virginia Symphony as Assistant Principal; and, prior to her Detroit move, with the Rochester Philharmonic in New York.

Shanda joined the DSO in July 2001.

Robert Bergman began his tenure with the DSO in the summer of 1989. He previously served as Assistant Principal Cello for two seasons with the Sacramento Symphony and has held the positions of Principal and Assistant Principal Cello of the Tanglewood Orchestra, Principal Cello with the Chicago Civic Orchestra, Assistant Principal of the Springfield (Mass.) and Hartford Symphonies.

Robert received his bachelor’s degree in 1986 from the Oberlin College Conservatory, studying cello under Richard Kapuscinski and piano with Joseph Schwartz. Also an accomplished pianist, Robert has served as dance accompanist for ballet and modern dance classes at Amherst College, Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College, Harvard University, University of Massachusetts (Amherst), and Oberlin College. When not performing, Robert enjoys teaching privately and cello building.