Liz Kovalchuk

Elizabeth Kovalchuk was born in Riga, Latvia and moved to Canada as an infant just before the collapse of the Soviet Union. Inspired by an artistic family, Liz began playing cello at the age of 9 at Runnymede Public School. Studying music led her to undergrad work at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University where she studied with Chicago Symphony cellist Richard Hirschl. In her junior year, Liz had the great opportunity to study at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. Her Master’s degree was at Ball State University studying with, and being a graduate assistant to, Dr.Peter Opie.

As a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player, Liz has performed throughout North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. From 2014-2016, Liz was a solo cellist in the International Tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. In January 2017, Liz toured Japan with the Hollywood Festival Orchestra as principal cellist. She has worked with dozens of professional orchestras such as the New York Chamber Players, the Marion Philharmonic, Anderson Symphony, Muncie Symphony, L’Orchestre de La Francophonie, and the Sibelius Academy Orchestra. 

As a soloist, Ms.Kovalchuk has produced and performed numerous solo recitals in Toronto, Chicago, New York City, Moscow, Riga, Cremona and Helsinki including the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto in Toronto, in Chicago with the Etobicoke School of the Arts Orchestra. Very recent solo performances have been with the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra performing the Elgar Cello Concerto. As an enthusiastic session musician, Liz has recorded at Avatar Studios, ManMade Music Productions, and Premier Studios for PBS. She has collaborated with YouTube sensation Robyn Adele Anderson, as well as Emmy award-winning (and former Saturday Night Live Music Director) Katreese Barnes.

Liz Kovalchuk is a passionate educator and finds great fulfillment contributing to the development of young musicians. She has been a counsellor at the Cremona International Academy in Italy and taught undergraduate students at Ball State. Locally she has coached chamber music groups and taught lessons at Lord Lansdowne Music Summer School and led cello sectionals at the Etobicoke School of the Arts.

Also an accomplished singer, Liz has sung in the Oratory Choir and in the Redeemer Choir. In the non-classical realm, she leads the Liz K cover band.

Joining CELLA in 2019, Liz is excited to collaborate with fellow cellist and long-term friend Amber in this dynamic passion project.

Amber Walton Amar

Amber was born in the North West Territories of the Canadian Arctic to artist parents Maureen Walton and Michael Amar. She spent her youth growing up in rural Eastern Ontario where she began playing cello at age three. During her formative years as a cellist she lived in Holland, and studied in Italy and Germany. Later, she earned her BA at the University of Toronto, and her MA from DePaul University, in cello performance.

Performing on a commissioned cello made by David Wiebe, Amber’s career has included touring Canada, Europe and China with various symphonies and ensembles.  She toured Canada with the Thin Edge New Music Collective with whom she released a full length album recorded at Glenn Gould Studios. Her many collaborations include artists and ensembles such as KYGO, SYML, Shawn Mendes, Leif Vollebekk, and Classic Albums Live. Other performance highlights include work with TIFF and TedX.  As a freelance cellist, Amber has performed for Prime Ministers, Presidents, dignitaries and movie stars - at storied venues such as Roy Thomson Hall, Koerner Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, Amsterdam Paradiso and Berlin’s Kesselhaus.

When not performing, Amber teaches cello to adults and children – holding multiple certifications through the Suzuki Association of the Americas, the Royal Conservatory of Music, and the Creative Ability Development method for improvisation. She has held teaching positions at Chicago’s Columbia College, Valparaiso University, Royal Conservatory of Music, the North York Suzuki Conservatory as well as teaching privately at her home studio in Toronto’s St. Clair West neighbourhood.

Another recent Toronto project is She Plays Inc. – an all-female, strings-dominant musical events company. Playing across the music spectrum, She Plays is in demand for classical repertoires at refined and formal occasions (weddings, ceremonies) - as well as for killer electric sets of recent hot hits for less formal special events. Demure in white, or excite and ignite as sirens in black – if you can dream it, She Plays it.

Launched in Chicago in 2009, Amber is the original founder of the electric cello duo formerly known as Me and Her Cellos. This dynamic project has attracted the attention of clients such as Rogers, BMO, Lamborghini, and Coca-Cola. Re-envisioned in 2019 as CELLA, this electric cello duo is designing new performances and finding new boundaries to cross.