About Us

Karen was raised in New Jersey and began studying violin seriously as a teenager. She earned a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from Ithaca College and played with the Albany Symphony Orchestra for five years. While living in St. Louis, Karen led the Canterbury String Quartet, performing at venues including the Old Courthouse for special programs, weddings, and events. She freelanced extensively, playing for ballet companies, symphonies, and shows alongside performers including Luciano Pavarotti, Natalie Cole, The Moody Blues, and Rod Stewart. Since returning to New Jersey, Karen has performed at NJPAC, Paper Mill Playhouse, Mayo Performing Arts Center, Count Basie Theater, PNC Arts Center, and Carnegie Hall. She plays with the Riverside Symphonia and Plainfield Symphony. Playing weddings always reminds Karen of her own wedding and how happy she was that day.

Linda was born in Puerto Rico, raised in Texas, and graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. She holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in violin performance. Linda toured the United States and Europe with Broadway shows and performed with Hotel Nidom String Quartet in Hokkaido, Japan. She joined Music for the Moment in 2009 and has played with the Princeton Symphony for many years.

Madeline began cello studies at age nine in Los Angeles. She attended the High School of Performing Arts in NYC and graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a B.A. in Cello Performance. A former member of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, she is principal cellist with Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea and has performed with Music for the Moment at some of the prettiest venues in the area.

Annelie Fahlstedt is a classically trained, professional violinist and teacher, with degrees in performance from Oberlin College and Northern Illinois University. Active as a freelance violinist/violist in the tristate area, she was one of the soloists in Bach’s Double Violin Concerto accompanied by the Staten Island Philharmonic and has played with the New Jersey Symphony, Oslo Radio Orchestra and Caracas Philharmonic. Annelie was a string educator and orchestra conductor in the Caldwell/West Caldwell New Jersey public schools for twenty-five years. She also has a certificate in Suzuki violin teaching from the School for Strings in New York City and maintains a private studio. Her children’s book, Fiddle Stew is available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Nancie Lederer, violinist, is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music where she was a scholarship student of Glenn Dicterow, former Concertmaster of the NY Philharmonic. As an orchestral and chamber musician, she has given concerts throughout Europe, China, the Caribbean and the United States and has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Madison Square Garden, The Paper Mill Playhouse and the Hollywood Bowl. She was a member of the Heritage Piano Trio for over 20 years and has been a string coach at chamber music festivals in NY, NJ, PA, and Vermont. Ms. Lederer is a string specialist at Montclair Kimberly Academy and maintains a private teaching studio in West Caldwell, NJ.

Laura Stuart began her cello studies at the age of 8 with her mother, cellist Madeline Schneider. She graduated from the famed LaGuardia High School of Music, Art and Performing Arts in NYC and went on to earn her Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music where she studied under Marion Feldman. Laura earned her Master of Music degree from Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts under the tutelage of Jonathan Spitz (principal cellist of the New Jersey Symphony). Laura performs regularly throughout the NY/NJ area and has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious music halls, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, to name a few. In 2008, she toured South Korea with the New Jersey Philharmonic Orchestra and has performed with Celtic Woman twice. Laura is a former member of the Paper Mill Playhouse Orchestra, performing in both the Nutcracker and several other productions and is a member of the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea and the Staten Island Philharmonic. She has taught private music lessons for the past 25 years. Laura lives in New Jersey with her husband and 3 children.