Allison Willet, violin
Allison Willet has appeared as a soloist with the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, the Winston-Salem Symphony and the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra. She has also served as concertmaster of the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra and the Philharmonia of Greensboro, principal second violin for the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra and associate principal second violin for the Western Piedmont Orchestra. Allison performs regularly with the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, Raleigh Camerata, the Bach Society of Charleston, and Mallarmé Chamber Ensemble.
Allison graduated summa cum laude from Appalachian State University in 2006 with a degree in violin performance. She went on to graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and in 2008 earned a master's degree in violin performance.
Allison also teaches violin, viola, and piano. For more information see allisonwillet.com
Cortney Baker, violin
Dr. Cortney Combs Baker, violinist in the Triangle String Quartet, has been teaching Suzuki violin and viola for over 25 years. She began her string studies at the age of three at the University of Georgia Pre-College Suzuki program. Dr. Baker received the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Furman University in 1995 and the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997 and 2002, respectively. She was the winner of the University of Texas Concerto Competition in 1999. Dr. Baker has performed with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, The Corpus Christi Symphony, the Abilene Philharmonic and the Victoria Symphony, where she was principal second violinist for several seasons. She presently performs with the NC Opera orchestra and the Orchestra Pro Cantores at Duke University.
From 1995-2002, she was Assistant Director of the University of Texas String Project, a teacher training program in Austin. In this capacity, she taught applied violin and conducted the String Project’s orchestras. As a guest clinician, she served on the faculty of Furman University Band and Orchestra Camp for 14 years and is currently on the faculty at the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute. From 2002-2007, Dr. Baker was Co-Director of the Sunshine Suzuki Strings in Davie, Florida. From 2009-2013 she served as Co-Director of the Suzuki Institute at Furman University. Currently she is the Director of Pineland Suzuki Strings in Cary, NC.
Katie Miller, viola
Katie Miller, the violist in the Triangle String Quartet, is a freelance musician in Raleigh, NC. She plays viola in the NC Opera orchestra, and is a substitute violist with the North Carolina Symphony. She received her master’s degree in viola performance from East Carolina University, and bachelor’s degree in viola performance from The University of North Carolina Greensboro. Katie lived in California from 2006–2011, where she played viola in the Dolanc String Quartet. As a freelance musician in California, Katie played frequently with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, Sacramento Philharmonic, Sacramento Opera Orchestra, North Bay Opera Orchestra, Napa Valley Symphony, Solano Symphony, and Berkeley Symphony. Katie also has a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from San José State University. She lives in Raleigh with her husband and two children.
Katie teaches viola and violin lessons at her home in Raleigh, NC. For more information, see katiemillerviola.com
Matthew Holt, Cello
Matthew Holt, cellist of the Triangle String Quartet, is a former educator in the North Carolina Public Schools system. He previously taught for seven years as an associate director of Orchestras at the Durham School of the Arts and as the Director of Orchestras at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Matthew is also the conductor of Triangle Youth Music’s Triangle Youth String Sinfonia. Holt studied cello with Lisa Olsen, Lila Ainsworth, Andrew Rammon, and David Meyer. In spring of 2020, Holt received the North Carolina Symphony Musicians Award becoming the Honoree for 2019-2020.
Holt currently performs as the interim principal cellist for the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (BM '15) with emphasis in cello, baroque music, and conducting. Additionally he holds a Master of Music (MM '21) in Music Education. Holt also works directly with the Raleigh Music Collective teaching cello, conducting, and music theory. Holt lives in Clayton, NC with his wife and two dogs. He currently is the full time Music Director at NewHope Church in Durham, NC.
Triangle String Quartet Alumni:
Founders
David Prudon and Jayne Seymour, violin
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David Prudon, along with his wife, Jayne Seymour, formed the Triangle String Quartet in 2013. As a professional music arranger, Dave provided much of the music that is played by the quartet and he served as the quartet’s first violinist until 2023. Prior to 2013, for a period of 35 years, Dave was the Assistant Concertmaster of the Grand Rapids Symphony in Michigan. During that time, he was also the 1st violinist of the Dorian String Quartet and an ensemble called Beyond Classical.
David obtained his bachelors & masters degrees in Violin Performance from Michigan State University and started his professional career in Chicago as a member of the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra. In North Carolina, Dave has played part-time in the North Carolina Symphony and the NC Opera Orchestra. Dave is now retired and lives in Raleigh with his wife, Jayne Seymour.
Jayne Seymour, along with her husband, David Prudon, formed the Triangle String Quartet in 2013. Jayne served as the quartet’s second violinist until 2021 and its Business Manager until 2022. Prior to 2013, Jayne provided 30 years of service in Michigan’s Public Schools, primarily in Allegan. She was the Principal Second Violinist in the Kalamazoo Philharmonic for three years and has played violin in the Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and West Shore Symphony orchestras. Jayne served as a faculty member at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and Blue Lake Community School of the Arts in Muskegon, MI. In addition, Jayne was the assistant conductor for the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Youth Symphony tour of Europe.
Jayne earned her bachelors degree from Michigan State University as a String Specialist in Music Education and pursued graduate studies through MSU and WMU. Jayne is now retired and lives in Raleigh with her husband, David Prudon.
Triangle String Quartet Alumni: Founder Ariana Dewar, cello
Ariana Dewar is a professional cellist based in the greater Portland, Maine area. Mrs. Dewar received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in performance from Converse College and Florida State University where she studied with Kenneth Law and Gregory Sauer. At Converse College Mrs. Dewar was a member of the Honors Undergraduate String Quartet and while at Florida State she played as principal and assistant principal with the University Symphony Orchestra.
Before relocating to Maine she was a founding member of the Triangle String Quartet, the principal cellist of Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, and a regular soloist at White Plains United Methodist Church. She was also a member of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hayes Barton Baptist Church Festival Orchestra. As a freelance cellist she has had the pleasure to accompany not only operas and musicals but artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Zuill Bailey, The Eagles, Weird Al Yankovic, Mannheim Steamroller, and the Ten Tenors.