POLA BENKE
Pola Benke is a Polish-born cellist. She holds a Master’s Degree in Cello Performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee where she received outstanding orchestral training. In 2014 she finished her postgraduate studies with Marek Szpakiewicz at Azusa Pacific University. Pola has been awarded full scholarships throughout her education.
As a cellist she has participated in, and been invited to, many major music festivals in Europe (InterHarmony Music Festival, Germany and International Music Courses in Lancut, Poland) and United States (Aspen Music Festival). Pola has been in countless performances as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra member in the United States, Canada and Europe. She performed with, and for many significant musicians like Joseph Silverstein, Midori, Brett Dean, and Caroline Campbell. Pola has also appeared on GLEE.
In 2015 she moved back to Poland to play with an outstanding orchestra under the patronage of Krzysztof Penderecki; Sinfonietta Cracovia. While living in Poland she was also very involved in playing modern music. In 2017 she initiated a foundation “Cykada” where she holds the position of an artist director of the “Hello- Cello” festival.
The main goal of the foundation is to promote social tolerance and authentic dialogue within different nationalities, ethnic groups, religions, and cultures in order to create a mutual understanding between them. As an accomplished cellist she has decided to move back to the United States to pursue a career in orchestral conducting. In 2021 Pola earned Master’s Degree in Conducting at the Azusa Pacific University with the guidance of Professor Christopher Russell. She was recently one of 12 conductors selected worldwide to participate in master classes with renowned conductor Nemee Jarvï. She is currently working with the Westside Youth Orchestra and Glendale Youth Symphony.
OLGA IVANENKO
Olga Ivanenko was born in Kyiv, Ukraine. She started her violin studies at 8 years of age, which soon became the most important thing in her life. Olga attended the R. Glier’s Kyiv Institute of Music in Ukraine, and by the age of 17 graduated with a diploma, Young Specialist Degree in Music. Following her college graduation, Olga auditioned for and was accepted in the orchestra “I, CULTURE” in Poland. Her violin professors included, Victoria Pavlova, Alexander Pavlov, Paul Abegg, Witold Swoboda, Krysztof Smietana. After moving to the United States, Olga continued her music studies at Dixie State University in Saint George, Utah, and, she was chosen to be one of the participants for the “I AM DIXIE” campaign 2014. Olga’s commercial “I AM Dixie State University” went nationwide in the US, and was she was subsequently presented with a tuition music scholarship for continued studies at Dixie State University. In 2018, Olga won an award, “Entertainer of the Year” from Dixie State University, and graduated with her Bachelors in Music. Shortly thereafter, she was invited to work at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in Ivins, Utah presenting her with an opportunity to work with Broadway artist musicians and actors from New York.
Currently, Olga has been performing in Los Angeles in a variety of productions as a soloist and in ensemble settings, i.e., Santa Monica Orchestra, San Fernando Valley Orchestra, Synthesia Sinfonietta, Southland Symphony Orchestra to name a few. She continues to perform for “Concerts in Motions” series based in New York performing with Juilliard graduates.
ANNE CHERCHALI
Anne Cherchali, French violinist and cellist grew up in a musical and multicultural family. She started taking violin lessons at age 6. She began the cello in her early teens, when her high school orchestra teacher gave her an old cello that the school was going to discard, and encouraged her to learn this instrument as well. Anne later graduated from the National Conservatory of Music of Nancy, France, with honors in Violin Performance, Cello Performance and Chamber Music, while pursuing a Masters Degree in Economics, Actuarial Science and Statistics at the same time. During her college years, she entered some international music competitions and attended numerous master classes and summer programs such as the Nice International Music Academy, the Guerande International Festival and the International Mirecourt Strings Academy. Before moving to the US, Anne worked as a freelance artist and played in a number of European orchestras including the Lille National Orchestra, the Geneva Symphony (Switzerland), the Ile-De-France National Orchestra and the Paris Opera Orchestra.
An avid chamber music player, she also participated in a variety of quartet and trio recitals in Europe. Now a busy mother, Anne spends most of her time these days taking care of her family and working as a consultant and actuary. In her spare time, she maintains a small studio of hand-picked string students, and teaches violin and cello at the Beverly Vista Middle School. Two of Anne’s children are members of the Westside Youth Orchestra, and because of Anne’s rich background in music, the orchestras’ director invited her to join the artist faculty and help coach the cello section on Wednesday rehearsals. In addition to being a musician, Anne loves photography, hiking, skiing, cycling and spending time with her family.
