Eric Stinehart, 18, viola and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Millennium Winds

On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature a violist and wind quintet. Eric Stinehart just graduated from New Trier High School, where he was the Principal Violist of the Symphony Orchestra. Eric started playing the violin at the age of 5 and switched over to viola in 8th grade. Eric studies with Desirée Ruhstrat in Highland Park, IL. Eric has had many successes, including the Illinois Music Education Association’s Honors Orchestra in 2014 and 2015 as well as serving as Principal Violist of the 2015 Milwaukee Music Festival. As a soloist, Eric performed on the WFMT’s Introductions “Chinese Fine Arts Society Remembers Mimi Liu” broadcast in 2014 and has been a Gold Medalist at Northwestern University’s Festival of Music Competition in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Eric is a board member of the annual LEARN Benefit Concert which raises money for the poor and music-deprived LEARN charter schools in Chicago. He has also volunteered at the Ravinia KidsLawn instrument petting zoo for the past two summers. Outside of playing the viola, Eric is a nationally competitive figure skater. He was the 2013 Intermediate National Silver Medalist and was named a member of the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Scholastic Honors Team. Eric trains for over 15 hours a week at Twin Rinks Ice Pavilion in Buffalo Grove, IL. The Millennium Winds is a wind quintet that was founded at the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2015. Their members include flutist Megan Torti (Glenbard West High School), oboist Kayla Bull (Naperville Central High School), clarinetist Anthony Dare (Maine South High School), bassoonist Joseph Nutt (Neuqua Valley High School), and horn Dominic Davis (Valparaiso High School). The quintet received Third Prize at the Barnett Chamber Music Competition at Merit School of Music, and they have also collaborated with the Orion Ensemble. The quintet is coached by Dr. Donald DeRoche.