Meet the Musicians

Ali Cook, bass. Ali’s dream of earning a spot in the double-bass section of a major orchestra ground to a halt when she was seized by a painful syndrome that rendered her arms useless at times. Forced to confront this fork in the road, Ali emerged from the experience healed, and in the process, discovered a trove of music and poetry within her waiting to be shared with the world. She now focuses on launching her career as a singer/song-writer, and enjoys side projects and engagements, including teaching, arranging, playing in QuinTango, and appearing with the National, Baltimore, and Detroit Symphonies. Read more about Ali.

Susanna Mendlow, cello. Susanna is happiest when surrounded by a field of dogs. She has introduced her two small fluffy companions to the art of tango and would bring them to concerts if she could. Susanna believes strongly in connecting with audiences through performance and strives to break the fourth wall by vividly sharing her passion for tango on stage. When not playing cello, she enjoys rock-climbing and hiking with her husband and dogs. Read more about Susanna.
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Sasha Mikhlin, violin. A classically trained violinist, Sasha immigrated to the United States at age sixteen with her parents and her violin. Since then she has embraced all the aspects of classical music - symphonies of Mozart and Beethoven to operas of Verdi and Menotti to quartets of Elliott Carter. She is excited to be expanding her musical horizons by joining QuinTango. Dance has always fascinated Sasha; if she weren't a violinist she would be a professional dancer. Sasha shares her passions for baking, travel and theater with her husband Marcus and their three children, Katya, Misha and Nadya. Read more about Sasha.

Joan Singer, violin. Joan, QuinTango's founder and director, wakes up every morning knowing there'll be fires to put out, pipers to pay, and glorious tangos to play. Thanks to a chance meeting with a Dutch tango musician some twenty-plus years ago, Joan combines a love of music with her Scotch-Irish story-telling talents, Quaker-based desire for global connections, and her weakness for glitz. She’s made hundreds of friends and enriched thousands of lives in the process. Read more about Joan. 

Julie Huang Tucker, piano. Julie brings the same driving force to the piano that she uses to scale cliffs by her fingertips, careen down trails in competitive mountain bike races, and keep up with her toddler, Zoë. Years after stiletto heels put a slow but sure end to her ochos and sacadas, her passion for dancing tango is now channeled into the keyboard for QuinTango. Julie balances playing this unequivocally fiery music by directing the sacred music program at the historic Falls Church. Behind all her endeavors is her husband Scott’s unwavering support. Read more about Julie.  
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Emmanuel Trifilio, bandoneon. “La vida es loca,” proclaims Emmanuel, sipping his mate tea, contemplating Amado Nervo’s poetry, and considering his life. A career-ending injury on the soccer field in his native Argentina allowed him to pick up his guitar and lose himself in music. Before long, the discovery of a bandoneon in a second-hand shop piqued his interest in tango and set him on the path to the United States. With the right instrument at the right time, Emmanuel has taken to the world stage as an acclaimed composer/arranger, founder of the Trifilio Tango Trio and charismatic performer and collaborator with QuinTango.

QuinTango Members Emeriti

Founding Members
Libby Blatt, double bass
Irma Field Cripe, cello
Rachel Schenker, violin 
Bruce Steeg, piano 

Other Emeriti
​Paula Akbar, violin
Eva Cappelletti-Chao, violin
Luisa Casasnovas, violin
Jorge Espinoza, cello
Phil Hosford, piano

​Jon Nazdin, bass
​Jennifer Rickard, violin
Lukasz Szyrner, cello
Kerry Van Laanen, cello
Jeffrey Watson, piano

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