Amati Quartet

Marla Cole, violin, is a founding member of the University of Saskatchewan Amati Quartet which recently performed for Queen Elizabeth II, and made their international debut with four concerts in Holland, as well as Rome, and Cremona.  Marla received a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance at the University of Saskatchewan, and was an Artist-in-Residence for one year at the Banff Centre for the Arts. She was a scholarship and award-winning student at the Royal College of Music in London, England where she received both the ARCM performer’s diploma and a Master of Music degree in violin performance. She has freelanced with many major London orchestras and has performed chamber music in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Hungary, Italy, Holland, and Austria in various ensembles.  She performed with the Saskatoon Symphony for 12 years, serving two years as Principal Violin.  Marla has also performed as both Concertmaster and Principal Violin with the Saskatoon Opera.  She has enjoyed adjudicating throughout the province for the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association. Marla has been recorded and broadcast by CBC radio, and can be heard on the CD ‘Songs of Woods, Rock and Water’ which features the music of Saskatchewan composer Gareth L. Cook.

Currently, Marla enjoys performing, private teaching, adjudicating throughout the province for the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association, and her new business the Saskatoon String Ensemble which provides chamber music for a multitude of events in Saskatchewan.

Evan Barber, violin, is in his fifth season with the University of Saskatchewan Amati Quartet. He began his musical studies with Philip Kashap and the Saskatoon Suzuki program at the age of three. He is an alumnus of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and a former member of the Saskatoon Symphony. Evan has performed with various chamber ensembles, including the “Mesh Quartet” which won first place in their category at the Canadian Music Competition. He has been recorded and broadcast by CBC radio. Evan has completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry and is in his second year of medical school. He is a recipient of the Governor General’s Academic Medal and a U of S Greystone Scholar.

Geoff Cole, viola, is a founding member of the University of Saskatchewan Amati Quartet. Geoff studied at the Trinity College of Music in London, England, where he was a scholarship and prize-winning student, receiving a Performance Diploma with merit in 1994 and a Postgraduate Diploma with distinction the following year. He also attended the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies. Geoff was a freelance musician with several major London symphonies and a member of the Capriccio Quartet, which toured Europe and recorded for BBC television.  Geoff was a member of the Saskatoon Symphony for seven years. He is currently working in the computer industry as a Director of Information Technology. Geoff and Marla live in Saskatoon with their two young children.

Terry Sturge, cello, was born in Toronto, Canada in 1952 and moved to Victoria, B.C. in 1975 where he studied cello with his principal teacher, James Hunter at the University of Victoria, graduating in 1979 with a degree in cello performance.  He has also participated in masterclasses with Zara Nelsova, William Pleeth and Janos Starker. While in Victoria, he taught at the conservatory, played in the Victoria Symphony and performed in several chamber groups.  He has performed throughout Canada and in the U.S. with orchestras, as chamber musician and recitalist. Terry moved to Saskatoon in 1986 where he was artist-in-residence and principal cellist of the Saskatoon Symphony for three years.  Resigning that position in 1989, Terry has enjoyed a busy career as a freelance cellist and teacher. He is married to flutist Randi Nelson and they have two children.