Julie Fox-Henson -- Violin
Julie Fox-Henson has played in a string quartet most of her life. She was a founding member of the Montclaire String Quartet, which formed at the University of Colorado at Boulder and went on to win national competitions and concertize across the U.S. She was a member of the Pioneer Quartet here in Des Moines for six years and is now in her eighth year with the Belin Quartet. She is the Assistant Concertmaster of the Des Moines Symphony and enjoys an active teaching studio in Ames and Des Moines.

John Helmich -- Violin
Mr. Helmich, a Davenport, Iowa native, received his Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance and his Master of Music degree in Violin Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. While there, he was awarded the Howard Hanson Scholarship and graduated with High Distinction. His primary teachers included Oleh Krysa and Timothy Ying. During his studies at Eastman, he was coached extensively by the Ying Quartet with additional master classes and coachings with Zvi Zeitlin, Ilya Kaler, Marilyn McDonald, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and the Tokyo String Quartet.

An avid soloist, as well as chamber musician, Mr. Helmich has performed in concerts and recitals throughout the United States. He is currently a member of the Des Moines Metro Opera and the Des Moines Symphony. In addition, he teaches violin and coaches chamber music groups at the Des Moines Symphony Academy and the Drake University Community School of Music.

Tracy Engman Finkelshteyn -- Violin
Violinist Tracy Engman Finkelshteyn, a Des Moines native, returned to Iowa in June, 2004. She earned Bachelor of Music Education and Doctor of Music degrees from Northwestern University and a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music. Ms. Finkelshteyn was a member of the first violin sections in the Winnipeg Symphony and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and has served on the faculty of several Universities including Northwestern, St. Olaf College, Carleton College and North Carolina State University. She was also the first violinist of the Aurora String Quartet, based in Minneapolis and of the North Carolina Symphony Quartet. The 2007 season marks her fourth year with the Belin Quartet and with the Des Moines Symphony.

Sherida Josephson -- Viola
Sherida Josephson received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in viola performance and pedagogy from the University of Iowa.  She has studied with William Preucil, Allen Ohmes, and Charles Traeger. Sherida taught viola at both the University of Iowa and Drake University.  Since 1982, Sherida has been principal viola of the Des Moines Symphony.  She also performs with the Mozaiques Chamber Ensemble and other musical groups in Des Moines.  Sherida has a private teaching studio and is co-director of the Des Moines Area Suzuki Institute.

Mary Pshonik -- Cello
Mary Pshonik, a member of the Des Moines Symphony since 1993, and the Belin String Quartet since 2005, earned her Bachelor of Music in cello performance from Iowa State University. While at Iowa State, she began performing regularly with Basically Baroque (a quartet featuring baroque oboe, flute and continuo). Soon after, along with flutist Rebecca Stuhr and harpsichordist Lynn Zeigler, she founded the Lyremar Trio which recorded sonatas of Marcello, available from Centaur Records. Mary was a member of the Pioneer Quartet for six years, and is an active freelance musician. Mary maintains a private studio in the Des Moines area, has served as the cello instructor at Drake University , and also teaches cello, coaches chamber music, and leads the Temple Cellists , a group of adult classical music aficionados, at the Des Moines Symphony Academy .