Mother Lode String Quartet

Esther Bulger, Violin

Esther Bulger is a violinist in Tuolumne County. She began playing violin around the age of 12 and never looked back. She began formal music instruction at Merced College, where she studied with Tim Johnson and Shoanie Young. After transferring to Fresno State, she studied under Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman, where she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Performance.

Throughout her education she continued a thriving performance career, performing with many local groups including the Fresno Philharmonic, Mariposa Symphony Orchestra and the Verrinder String Quartet. She also had the exciting opportunity to perform at Disney Hall with the Fresno Orchestra and Opera Summer Academy.
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In addition to performing, Esther also teaches violin and beginning piano lessons as well as Musikgarten classes. Esther firmly believes that you are never too young (or too old) to enjoy the benefits of music. Visit her website here: http://www.estherbulgerstudio.com/

Gary Osias, Violin

Gary Osias began playing violin at the age of nine studying with William Pinchon (San Francisco Ballet).  Violin study stopped at age 17 because of “other interests”.  After becoming an optometrist, Gary picked up violin again and joined the Chabot College Orchestra.  The conductor, Jim Shallenberg, (San Francisco Ballet) became his new violin teacher as well. 

When the Chabot College Orchestra folded because of lost funding, Gary joined the Prometheus Symphony Orchestra in Oakland for a season.  Gary played for many years with the Temple Beth Sholom Shabbat ensemble. Other experiences include playing with Mariachi Alegre and the Alegre String Quartet.  Most recently, Gary is a principal violinist with the Columbia College Orchestra, and frequent violinist with the Columbia College Choir.

Kayla Ireland, Viola

Kayla grew up in St. Louis, Missouri but has since lived in Illinois, North Carolina, Texas and now resides in Dorrington, California. She grew up playing in the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Innsbrook Institute Summer Music Festival, and played chamber music with the Amici String Quartet.

Kayla attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, studying viola under Rudolf Haken. There she participated in the University of Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, the Lyric Theatre Opera, and the Hot Springs Music Festival, before switching career paths to become a geologist.

She has since traveled the country, playing in every community orchestra she can find along the way including the Houston Heights Orchestra. She now often plays with the Columbia College Community Chorus and Columbia College Orchestra.

Alice Williams, Cello

Cellist Alice Williams is a transplant from Atlanta, GA; she retired to Murphys, CA twenty years ago to enjoy the beauty and peace of this region after
playing cello in the Bear Valley Music Festival each summer for many years.

Alice received a Bachelor of Music degree from Stetson University in Florida and did postgraduate work at Indiana University and Georgia State University. In her former life she was on the faculty of the Georgia Academy of Music for 35 years, teaching around 50 students each week while also performing with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, the DeKalb Symphony and the Metropolitan String Quartet. She was a sought-after free-lance performer, working with the Atlanta Pops, various churches, and artists ranging from the Moody Blues to John Denver. She was personnel manager of both the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and Atlanta Chamber Orchestra for 15 years.

Since moving to California, Alice has become happily involved in a wide variety of both musical and non-musical activities. She performed with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra until retirement in 2019, and with the Bear Valley Music Festival Orchestra through the 2022 season. She played in various Mother Lode Friends of Music chamber ensembles, for the Columbia College Community Chorus, for the Sunday services at St. Clare’s Episcopal Church in Avery and the Taize services at Murphys and Union Congregational churches. She was also the orchestra librarian for the Bear Valley Music Festival for 14 years. Non-musical activities include pottery, knitting, hiking, book club, bridge, Red Hats and travel. She enjoys volunteering for Habitat for Humanity Calaveras and Sierra Repertory Theatre and can often be seen kayaking on Lake Alpine with her dog.