Academy DMSO at Home: Family Concert String Quintet

Leah Kolner Violin

Violinist Leah Kolner was born and raised in Ames, Iowa. Where she started Suzuki violin at the age of four. In high school, she was a 3-year member of the Iowa All-State program in both the orchestral and vocal divisions. After graduating from Ames High School, she attended Luther College, where she studied under the tutelage of Dr. Virginia Strauss and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Violin Performance. In January of 2003, she studied abroad in Vienna with the Luther College Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Daniel Baldwin. She is currently a 16-year member of the first violin section with the Des Moines Symphony. Leah resides in Ankeny with her husband Sam, her daughter Aubrie, and her sons Owen and Eli.

Matt Meyer Violin

Matt Meyer has degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education from the University of Iowa.  He spent two years teaching orchestra in the Iowa City Community Schools.  Meyer has taught orchestra in the West Des Moines Schools for more than ten years and also conducts the Youth Sinfonia and Preludio Strings at the Des Moines Symphony Academy.

Abby Hendricks Viola

Abby Hendricks started playing the Viola when she was 4 years old, studying under Sherida Josephson until she graduated from Valley High School in 2001. She performed with the DM Symphony her senior year of High School, 2000-2001. Abby attended Oberlin Conservatory and graduated from Oberlin Conservatory with a Viola Performance degree in 2005. Hendricks moved back to Des Moines in 2005 and attended Drake University to earn her Masters of Arts and Teaching.

Hendricks joined the Symphony Viola section again in 2006. Along with performing in the Des Moines Symphony Abby Hendricks also has been teaching Orchestra in the West Des Moines Community Schools for over 10 years. Hendricks comes from a family of musicians and teachers. Hendricks enjoys being a mom to her daughter, riding bikes, going to movies, and spending time with her family.

Michele Senger Cello

Michele Senger has been a member of the string teaching staff in the West Des Moines Community Schools since 1998. She is currently an Orchestra Director at Valley Southwoods Freshman High School and Valley High School. Michele is a member of the Des Moines Symphony and conducts the Des Moines Symphony Youth Philharmonic. She directed the intermediate and advanced orchestras for the Des Moines Area Suzuki Institute (DASI) from 2000-2009.

Prior to moving to West Des Moines, Michele taught in the Amphitheater Public Schools in Tucson, Arizona. She was also a member of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and performed regularly with “Go for Baroque” and the Marelle String Quartet. She has a Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance from the University of Arizona and a Master of Music from Ohio University. Her major professors included Gordon Epperson, Leighton Conkling, and George Sopkin.

Ashley Eidbo Double Bass

A native of Fargo, North Dakota, Ashley Eidbo began playing the bass at age ten. She earned a bachelor of music degree from the University of Minnesota as a student of Chris Brown, and a master of music degree from Indiana University as a student of Lawrence Hurst. After noticing the musical instrument accessory market was lacking products specifically designed for double bassists, she started her own line of stool cushions and accessories. She currently resides in Coralville, Iowa.