Daniel Kujala

Music Director Daniel Kujala undertakes his seventh season conducting the Bryn Athyn Orchestra following three years as its principal cellist. He has a diverse musical background that spans a range from the symphony and opera to musical theater and commercial jingle recording.  A native of Chicago, he studied cello with Margaret Evans and Frank Miller of the Chicago Symphony, and Karl Fruh at Roosevelt University’s College of Performing Arts where he earned his bachelor’s degree.  He received additional instruction in orchestral conducting from Gordon Peters of the Chicago Symphony and Pier Giorgio Calabria at Roosevelt University.

 Mr. Kujala has served as principal cellist of the Cedar Rapids Symphony where he collaborated with pianist Emanuel Ax and baritone Simon Estes, was a frequent substitute performing and recording with the Chicago Symphony, and has appeared as a soloist with several Midwest orchestras. His many engagements with pop-artists have included tours with Burt Bacharach & Dionne Warwick, Paul Anka, and the Mantovani Orchestra. Theatrical highlights include appearances on stage accompanying Marilyn Horne in the Lyric Opera production of Handel’s Orlando, and on screen with Sean Young in the PBS American Playhouse production of Under the Biltmore Clock.

 A resident of Abington, local audiences have heard him in chamber music concerts and as a soloist performing the Dvorak Cello Concerto and Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Ambler Symphony, and the Haydn Cello Concerto in D with the Bryn Athyn Orchestra. He has also performed Bloch’s Schelomo, the Elgar Cello Concerto and Richard Strauss’ Don Quixote with the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia. In addition to freelance activities throughout the Delaware Valley, he serves as principal cellist of the Warminster Symphony.

 Mr. Kujala holds a master’s degree in education from Arcadia University. He was formerly an adjunct instructor at William Rainey Harper College and now, in addition to his private teaching and solo performances, is a public school instructor. He has directed orchestras and string programs in the Central Bucks School District and is currently on the faculty at Souderton Area High School where he conducts the symphony orchestra and chamber ensembles.

David Zaychik

Concertmaster David Zaychik was born in Baku, Azerbaijan.  He began his musical studies at age eight with Dr. Zakaryan, Professor of Music at the Leningrad Conservatory.  When David was ten, his family moved to Odessa, Ukraine, and David continued his studies at the Stolyarsky School of Music with violin Professor Dr. Bessel.  He graduated with honors in 1953. From 1954 through 1959, David studied at the Odessa State Conservatory of Music with Professor Mordkovich.  He graduated from the Conservatory with honors in 1959 with the degrees of Orchestra Soloist and Violin Instructor.  After graduation, David taught violin at the College of Music and The First Music School in Zaporozhie, Ukraine.  From 1960 through 1994, David was a member of the orchestra of Odessa Theater of Opera and Ballet, first as violinist and then as a soloist and concertmaster.

 In 1988, David founded Stolyarsky String Quartet of Jewish Music with whom he successfully performed across the country and appeared regularly on television.  From 1994 through 2001, David was a member of Odessa State Philharmonic Orchestra.  With the Orchestra, David toured many countries including Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Australia, China and the United States of America.

 David has been concertmaster of the Bryn Athyn Orchestra since the Fall of 2002.