Kim Fleuchaus enjoys a diverse career in both classical and world music. She has performed with the Milwaukee, Charlotte, Elgin, Rockford and South Bend Symphony Orchestras, the South Carolina and Illinois Philharmonic Orchestras, Fifth House Ensemble, Cube Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and the Goodman Theatre. In addition, she has appeared as soloist with the South Carolina Philharmonic and the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony. Her work also includes commercial jingles, video game music, numerous studio albums, live radio broadcasts and film scores. She received a B.M. from Northwestern University and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from Bethel University, after which she began playing the Egyptian nay. Her study of Arabic music has led to performances with various Middle Eastern ensembles throughout the U.S. and Canada for nearly 20 years, including dozens of live theatre performances and concerts at the White House and Kennedy Center, as well as her work with the Salaam-Shalom Music Project – an interfaith music collaboration. She lives in Lincolnshire with her three children, two bernedoodles, and one very supportive husband. Visit Kim's website for more info.

Allison Baker Wehrle holds degrees in oboe performance from Illinois Wesleyan University, the University of Illinois, and the University of Michigan. Upon moving to Chicago, Allison worked as an editor for the Instrumentalist Magazine and later contracted some writing, proofing, and editing work with GIA Publications. Her published articles and interviews have appeared in The Instrumentalist and the Double Reed Journal. Upon leaving the publishing world, Allison amassed a large private teaching studio that took her to far-flung suburbs such as Schaumburg and Naperville and began subbing with several orchestras in the tri-state area. She has been a regular member of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Chicago Bach Ensemble, and the Bel Sonore Chamber Ensemble. Allison also taught at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL, where she was a featured soloist with their wind ensemble in 2015. She was a reed maker for Midwest Musical Imports in Minneapolis, MN for more than 15 years. Allison currently lives in Chicago with her husband and two young daughters.

Anna Najoom performs frequently with orchestras throughout Chicagoland area and the Midwest including the Chicago Philharmonic, Rockford Symphony and Paramount Theater. As a member of the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Najoom has performed at some of the most prominent venues in Chicago including Symphony Center, Auditorium Theater, and Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. With the Sapphire Woodwind Quintet, she performed a live recital on WFMT 98.7 FM as part of the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series. Najoom is a passionate music educator who serves on the faculty of the Merit School of Music and maintains a private teaching studio in Park Ridge. She earned a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from the University of Minnesota, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI.
 

Angela Cordell Bilger is the newest member of the quintet. She recently relocated from Philadelphia where she was second horn with Opera Philadelphia. She played frequently with the Philadelphia Orchestra and spent the 2008-2009 and 2016-2017 seasons as acting fourth horn. During her years as a freelancer in New York City, Angela performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and in many Broadway shows. In addition, she spent several summers at the Marlboro Music Festival and toured with Musicians from Marlboro. Angela has served as adjunct faculty at Montclair State University, Drexel University, and Temple University. She currently coaches chamber music at Northwestern University and at the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory. Angela is the founder of the website Musician’s Well which showcases stories of musicians’ injuries and their recoveries. She lives on the North Shore of Chicago with her husband, trumpet player David Bilger, and their two children.

Click here to visit Angela’s website

Christine Breeden is a Chicago-based bassoonist and contrabassoonist active in performance, education, arts administration, and advocacy.  She is Second Bassoon with the Great Falls Symphony in Great Falls, Montana, and she teaches private lessons while freelancing throughout the Midwest.  She has performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Illinois Symphony, and Champaign-Urbana Symphony, among others. She also holds a position as Instructor of Bassoon at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL, and serves as the Executive Assistant of the International Double Reed Society.

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As a soloist, Christine won the 2021 Thomas J. Smith Solo Competition at the University of Illinois with her performance of Weber’s Concerto in F major, Op. 75.  She was also a featured soloist on Dai Fujikura’s Mina, performing with the University of Michigan Philharmonia Orchestra in 2022.

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Christine holds her Master’s in Bassoon Performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance where she studied with Dr. Jeffrey Lyman, and her Bachelor’s from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign under the teaching of Timothy McGovern.