About KAIA

Violinist Victoria Moreira, founding member of the Kaia String Quartet, has performed extensively throughout the USA and her native Uruguay in venues such as the Chicago Cultural Arts Center, Jay Pritzker Pavillion, Harris Theater, United Nations and Teatro Solis, Montevideo Uruguay. She has also performed at the Orford Center for the Arts in Canada and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, among other venues in China.

First Prize winner of Viva El Tango Agustin Carlevaro Competition, Moreira’s diverse musical background keeps her involved internationally in the Tango scene. Her latest recording project as co-producer of Mark Sonksen’s Vicisitudes with Tangata Ensemble is expected to be released in 2012 being her third tango record collaboration. Previous projects include Sonksen’s Postales del Sur and Argentina tango on stage, with Carlos Marzan and his ensemble in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has also performed in the Chicago Latino Music Festival since 2007 with ensembles such as the Latin American-focused ensemble, Ondas and has been involved with the Chicago Tango Festival and American Tango Institute since 2006.

Moreira has been involved as a solo, chamber and orchestral musician in Chicago as concertmistress of Oistrakh Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Concertmaster of Northbrook Symphony. In addition to her membership with the Ondas Ensemble, she has also collaborated with the MAVerik Ensemble, a Chicago-based group focusing on contemporary classical music. She was also winner of the 2010 DePaul Concerto Competition.

As a faculty member at DePaul University Community Music Division Moreira maintains a studio at the institution as well as a private studio in the Chicago area. Some of her educational projects include Tango workshops for violinists at Old Town School of Folk Music and outreach concerts of Tango and Latin American Music in public schools through Evanston in School Music Association.

Moreira studied at Escuela Universitaria de Musica, Montevideo Uruguay under Jorge Risi, received her Bachelor of Music at Roosevelt University under Vadim Gluzman and her Master of Music and Artist Certificate at DePaul University under Ilya Kaler.

Violinist and co-founding member of the KAIA String Quartet, Naomi Culp is a dedicated performer and educator in the greater Chicago area. Culp has performed extensively throughout the United States and world wide in notable concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Perth Concert Hall in Australia, Jay Pritzker Pavilion and Symphony Center in Chicago. As first prize winner of the 2003 National Fine Arts Festival Competition in Washington, D.C., she performed in front of the U.S. Capitol Building.

In 2011, Culp was invited to perform Schubert’s Cello Quintet with Yo-Yo Ma for Chicago Symphony’s Citizen Musician’s Week at the Fortnightly Club of Chicago. As a member of the KAIA Quartet, she has worked with the Muir String Quartet and renowned composer, Joan Tower, during her residency at Utah Symphony’s Deer Valley Music Festival.

With an extensive orchestral career, Culp served as Concertmaster of the Chicago Composer’s Orchestra, Assistant Concertmaster of Miami Symphony, and as section player with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and Camerata Chicago. Culp is an alumna of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago where she had the privilege of working with world renown conductors such as Bernard Haitink, Ricardo Muti and Gustavo Dudamel. Currently she performs as Principal Second with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago as well as the Northbrook Symphony.

Outside the classical world, Culp enjoys collaborating with other ensembles and artists in jazz, independent rock, folk, and world music projects. She has also performed with touring and local musical theatre productions in the Midwest area.

In addition to her performance career, Culp maintains a studio at DePaul University Community Music Division as well as her private studio in Northern Chicago. She has recently accepted the position of Academy Coordinator and Orchestra Manager for the Music Institute of Chicago Academy.

Culp holds a Master of Music degree from Northern Illinois University and Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Roosevelt University’s Conservatory of Music. Her principal teachers include Betty Haag, Desiree Ruhstrat, Yang Liu, Ilya Kaler and Mathias Tacke.

Violist James Kang is a versatile performer and educator who is deeply committed to collaboration, community, and music as a shared experience. James is the founding violist of the Abeo Quartet which was formed at Juilliard in 2018 and has been featured at Alice Tully Hall, The Kennedy Center, and Marlboro. James is currently pursuing his DMA studies at Northwestern University as the Teaching Assistant of Prof. Helen Callus, and received his bachelor’s degree at the Juilliard School as a proud recipient of a Kovner Fellowship.

As a soloist, James has received the American Opera Society of Chicago Centennial Award and has also received top prizes at both the American Viola Society Solo Competition as well as the ASTA National Solo Competition. In 2025, he competed in the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and was selected to perform on the Competition Highlights Recital for his interpretation of the commissioned work, The Bridges of Newcastle by Garth Knox. Recent recital appearances include the Plymouth Place Concert Series, the Wilmette Public Library Concert Series, and the Driehaus Museum. In 2023, he performed Hindemith's Der Schwanendreher with the University of Delaware Symphony Orchestra. James has also appeared with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Lyric Opera Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, and Chicago Philharmonic, and has served as principal violist of the Juilliard Orchestra, Symphony in C, and NYOUSA All Stars.

James maintains an active chamber music career, performing with several ensembles as both a full-time member and guest artist. Alongside his work with Abeo Quartet, he will join the KAIA String Quartet as violist for the 2026-27 season and has performed with ensembles including Green Room Ensemble, Juliani Ensemble, and Fulcrum Point New Music Project. Recent highlights for Abeo Quartet include a 2026 spring residency at Marlboro Music, returning to perform at the Kennedy Center, performing on the Shriver Hall concert series, and being the 2023-24 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence at Caramoor which entailed a yearlong residency that included outreach to young listeners. Abeo Quartet also served as the Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Delaware, where James completed his Master of Music degree under the tutelage of the Calidore String Quartet. The quartet has competed at the Banff International String Quartet Competition and Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, won first prize at the Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition, and received silver medals at both the Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. James has collaborated with musicians such as Itzhak Perlman, Joseph Kalichstein, Donald Weilerstein, and Dover Quartet.

James is devoted to teaching and is currently on the Violin/Viola and Chamber Music Faculty of Music Institute of Chicago. In 2019, he taught young violists in Brazil as a guest faculty artist in partnership with Guri Santa Marcelina. Dedicated to cultivating joy in his audiences, James is also active in community outreach and has participated in engagement concerts with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Meet the Music!, “If Music Be the Food…,” and United Nations Chamber Music Society. His festival appearances include Music@Menlo, Perlman Music Program, North Shore Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, NYO-USA, Yellow Barn YAP, and La Jolla SummerFest.

Cellist Hope Shepherd Decelle enjoys a varied career as a chamber musician, orchestral musician and teacher. As a member of the KAIA String Quartet, she performs across the United States, Mexico, and South America showcasing the vibrant musical heritage of Latin America . Beyond performances, Hope extends her passion for chamber music by mentoring young ensembles and fostering a love for the string quartet among elementary school students through the quartet's educational partnerships.

As an orchestral musician, Hope has worked with some of the country’s leading conductors. Notable positions include serving as principal cellist of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and as a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. During these engagements, she had the opportunity to play under Riccardo Muti, Herbert Blomstedt, Jaap van Zweden, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Sir Andrew Davis. Previously a member of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Hope now performs regularly with the Joffrey Ballet, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Milwaukee Symphony as a substitute cellist.

Complementing her performing career, Hope is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians as a dedicated Suzuki teacher. In addition to her faculty positions at the Merit School of Music and DePaul University's Community Music Division, Hope maintains a private cello studio. Her students have received many accolades, including the highest awards and honorable mentions in local concerto competitions.

Hope's musical journey is underscored by a dedication to excellence and lifelong learning. She holds a Master’s degree from Rice University where she studied with Brinton Averil Smith and a Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University under the tutelage of Thomas Landschoot.