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Chicago Musicians
Amina Knapp, Violin
Amina Knapp is a violinist, teacher, chamber musician in the Chicago area. Graduated this year with a Master's degree from Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music in June, she studied Violin Performance with Jinjoo Cho. Amina’s previous teachers include Sibbi Bernhardsson, Natsuki Kumagai, Aaron Janse, and Leslie Shank. At the heart of Amina’s work is a commitment to creative collaboration, musical outreach, and equity in representation. Amina
will be a Member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago starting in the fall and is an active freelancer
throughout Illinois.
Her experience spans chamber, orchestral, and contemporary performance. Festival participation and programs include Madeline Island, Domaine Forget, Encore Music, New Music on the Point Fellowship Program, Round Top, and Taconic Music’s Chamber Music Intensive. She holds multiple appointments as concertmaster of both Northwestern’s and Oberlin’s top orchestras and is a founding member of the Eris Quartet, with whom she has completed major touring projects, including a 23-performance East Coast tour across seven cities. The ensemble’s highlights include George Crumb’s Black Angels, Quartet-in-Residence at New Music on the Point, and Bang on a Can Long Play Festival with the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble.
Amina is passionate about pedagogy and passing down her knowledge to the next generation. Since beginning her teaching journey at 16, Amina has created a diverse teaching approach shaped by experiences with various demographics, from neighbor’s kids, group classes at Chicago’s Music
House program, to inmates at an all-Men’s Prison. She strives for a positive inspiring environment so
in turn, students are motivated to improve and practice independently.
Outside of her music studies, she enjoys going to cat cafés, sight-reading chamber music,
munching “Off the Eaten Path” veggie chips, journaling, and singing karaoke with her friends.
will be a Member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago starting in the fall and is an active freelancer
throughout Illinois.
Her experience spans chamber, orchestral, and contemporary performance. Festival participation and programs include Madeline Island, Domaine Forget, Encore Music, New Music on the Point Fellowship Program, Round Top, and Taconic Music’s Chamber Music Intensive. She holds multiple appointments as concertmaster of both Northwestern’s and Oberlin’s top orchestras and is a founding member of the Eris Quartet, with whom she has completed major touring projects, including a 23-performance East Coast tour across seven cities. The ensemble’s highlights include George Crumb’s Black Angels, Quartet-in-Residence at New Music on the Point, and Bang on a Can Long Play Festival with the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble.
Amina is passionate about pedagogy and passing down her knowledge to the next generation. Since beginning her teaching journey at 16, Amina has created a diverse teaching approach shaped by experiences with various demographics, from neighbor’s kids, group classes at Chicago’s Music
House program, to inmates at an all-Men’s Prison. She strives for a positive inspiring environment so
in turn, students are motivated to improve and practice independently.
Outside of her music studies, she enjoys going to cat cafés, sight-reading chamber music,
munching “Off the Eaten Path” veggie chips, journaling, and singing karaoke with her friends.
David Caplan, Cello
David Caplan recently completed graduate studies at the University of Michigan, studying cello with Amir Eldan. Growing up in Skokie, Illinois, David has also studied with Daniel Mcdonough, Dmitry Kouzov, Jonathan Pegis, and Benjamin Whitcomb. David has served as co-principal cello of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and has performed frequently with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Grant Park Orchestra. David has also appeared live on WFMT as a recitalist for the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series, and was recently featured as soloist in the Brahms Double Concerto with conductor Michael Stern. David is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has made appearances at the Aspen Music Festival, Taos School of Music, National Repertory Orchestra, and Chautauqua Festival. As a fervent educator, David maintains a private studio in Chicago, and is a frequent clinician at Midwest Young Artists’ Conservatory and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Jackson Arnold, Cello
Jackson Arnold is a passionate cellist from Lexington, Kentucky, currently pursuing a master's degree in music performance as a Gannon Fellow at DePaul University, where he studies with Dr. Melissa Kraut. He will start in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago in the 2026-2027 Season and has also appeared as a substitute musician with the Northbrook and Oistrakh Symphonies and the Lexington Philharmonic.
In the summer of 2025, Jackson was the cello teaching assistant at the Brevard Summer Music Festival in Brevard, NC. During the festival, he helped teach high school sectionals, organized cello area events, and finaled in the Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition.
He holds dual bachelor's degrees in music education and music performance from the University of Kentucky, where he won the McCracken Scholarship for Performance in his area and finaled in the UKSO Concerto Competition. Former teachers include Benjamin Karp, Yoonie Choi-Reich, and Marsha Pendely. Jackson is proud to play a 2024 cello made on commission by his good friend Ben Mason in Lexington, KY.
In the summer of 2025, Jackson was the cello teaching assistant at the Brevard Summer Music Festival in Brevard, NC. During the festival, he helped teach high school sectionals, organized cello area events, and finaled in the Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition.
He holds dual bachelor's degrees in music education and music performance from the University of Kentucky, where he won the McCracken Scholarship for Performance in his area and finaled in the UKSO Concerto Competition. Former teachers include Benjamin Karp, Yoonie Choi-Reich, and Marsha Pendely. Jackson is proud to play a 2024 cello made on commission by his good friend Ben Mason in Lexington, KY.
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