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The Birchwood String Quartet brings years of professional training and performance experience to your special event. The quartet has performed at hundreds of weddings and other special occasions throughout the Twin Cities, out-state Minnesota and Wisconsin, at locations as diverse as Summit Avenue mansions, the Minneapolis Basilica, private homes, even the Minnesota Zoo,. As a group they bring together their many musical interests and experiences to share with you and your guests.

Liz Decker, violin, studied music at the Universities of Ohio and Minnesota. She has performed with many professional orchestras including the West Palm Beach Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Naples Symphony and the Miami Chamber Orchestra. In the Twin Cities she performs with the Minnesota Opera Orchestra. Liz is also active as a musician in the Twin Cities' theater community, playing for shows at the Guthrie, the Children's Theater Company and Chanhassen Dinner Theater.

Maria Mimick, violin, has performed with the St. Louis Philharmonic. Classically trained, with a degree in music from the University of Minnesota, Maria also brings to our quartet her diverse experience which ranges from performing as a member of local klezmer band Prague '24 to studying fiddling in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nancy Svenddal, viola, received her music degrees from the New England Conservatory and the University of Minnesota. She has performed with a wide range of artists from Kurt Masur to Garrison Keillor, at such notable events as the Aspen Music Festival and Chautauqua Music Festival, and has toured internationally. Nancy has also performed in blues bands, as an old-time/folk fiddler and most recently with the Mandrogora Tango Orchestra.

Diane Tremaine, cello, is a very active and versatile Twin Cities freelance cellist performing frequently with the Minnesota Orchestra, Vocalessence, Minnesota Sinfonia, the Guthrie Theater and Broadway Musicals.She has played extensively with the Minnesota Opera and has also performed with several national ballet companies. In addition, she spends a great deal of time working as a recording artist, improvising on many pop and folk CD's as well as numerous classical and commercial recordings. Diane lives with her husband and four children in Minneapolis.