• Bach - Violin Sonata in A
• Bach - Trio Sonata in G

The Zin String Quartet was first established under the umbella of the New Renaissance Ensemble, a group founded of Toledo Symphony Orchestra members to perform early music on modern instruments, but with historical principals and practices. Cheryl Trace and David Dyer have been playing modern and period instruments together for many years, and both Merwin Siu and Renee Goubeaux had wide experience with early music and practices in their student and prefessional carreers. They perform trios, duos, and solos from the early Renaissance to the still-being-written.

DAVID DYER, recorder, violin, viola, earned a bachelor’s degree in violin from Boston University, a master’s degree in violin from the University of Michigan, and a Historical Performance master’s degree in recorder from Oberlin Conservatory. He also spent two years at Case Western Reserve University teaching and working toward a doctoral degree in Early Music. He is core member of the violin section of the Toledo Symphony, and frequent recorder soloist with the TSO. He has also performed for the orchestra on viola da gamba, percussion, keyboard, and musical saw. He performs with and directs period instruments ensembles, including principal positions with Apollo’s Fire and the Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra, and the directorship of the Old West End Baroque Ensemble, 8 years in residence at the Toledo Museum of Art. Mr. Dyer has recorded for the Newport Classic, Onda, Koch Classics, and Naxos labels.

The Toledo Symphony’s Associate Principal Second Violinist since September 2000, MERWIN SIU has rapidly assumed a dynamic role in Toledo’s cultural landscape. Solo appearances with the TSO have ranged from performances of the Great Masters on their Mostly Mozart series to his Pops solo debut in September 2002. Area audiences also know him as a presenter and performer of recitals and concert events, with recent appearances in Mentor, Tiffin, Archbold, Oxford, and numerous Toledo venues. In recent months, Merwin made his solo debut with the Cleveland Pops Orchestra in downtown Cleveland’s State Theatre, performed as a member of the Toledo Trio at the Toledo Museum of Art’s It’s Friday! Series, appeared on WTOL’s AM Saturday show, and several times on WGTE’s Live from FM 91 concert series. He recently appeared as soloist in the TSO’s presentation of Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Violin and Percussion Orchestra, and will be featured next year as a soloist in a work by Keith Jarrett for violin and strings. Merwin also serves as the Toledo Symphony’s Artistic Administrator, coordinating artistic input from conductors, musicians, and audiences for subscription series concerts, outreach appearances, and educational performances alike.

Merwin’s commitment to music education has led to workshops at numerous Toledo Public Schools, music appreciation classes at the East Side Boys and Girls Club, and lessons and coachings with students at Earlham College and the University of Toledo. An enthusiastic teacher, his private studio includes many prizewinners of regional competitions. He is frequently asked to serve as an adjudicator for regional and statewide competitions. A chamber music devotee and an advocate of music of our time, Merwin has performed with the Kronos Quartet, Florestan Trio, and members of the Smithsonian Chamber Players, and has presented numerous world premieres. Merwin holds a Masters in Music from Indiana University and degrees in English and Music from Montreal’s McGill University.

RENEE GOUBEAUX was born and raised not far from Toledo in Columbus, Ohio. She began playing cello in a public school strings program. Her education was continued at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Western Michigan University. During her studies she often played in the sections of local orchestras as a substitute cellist. In 1997 she spent the summer playing in Lucca, Italy as part of the Opera Theatre of Lucca Festival Orchestra. In 1998, she performed as part of the musical celebrations leading up to the World Expo in Lisbon, Portugal.

Since finishing her education, Renee has enjoyed traveling and making music. Since 1999, she has been the cellist of the Lake String Quartet. This quartet spends summers in residence in Lake Yellowstone Hotel in Yellowstone National Park. In 2001, as a member of the Medea String Quartet, she competed in the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition and played concerts thoughout the Midwest as well as Krakow, Poland. In 2002 she was a young artist at the Scotia Festival in Halifax. Ms. Goubeaux spent the 2002-2003 playing in the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids Symphonies, and this summer was a fellow at the National Orchestral Institute. Renee was introduced to the lively Toledo music scene during the 2002 Aeolus Festival.