YXE Quartet Members
The primary members of the YXE Quartet are Dru Waltz and Jacqueline Nutting
on violin, Jim Legge on viola and Scott McKnight on cello.
Jacqueline Nutting
Violin
Jacqueline Nutting was born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She obtained a bachelor degree from Mcgill Universtity in Montreal. Her graduate work was done on fellowship at the University of Michigan where she completed master and doctorate degrees in violin performance. The focus of her doctoral thesis was contemporary Canadian repertoire for the violin from 1920 to present day, which included the commission and premiere performance of a work by Canadian composer Goef Holbrook. Former teachers include Yehonaton Berick, Andrew Jennings, Ellen Jewett and Mark Gothony. In 2018, she toured the United States with her piano trio, Virago Trio. She has also concertized in Turkey and throughout Canada. She held the position of director of the violin programs at St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thomas the Apostle schools in Ann Arbor, Michigan for 10 years. During her time in Michigan, she played with the Michigan Opera Theatre at the Detroit Opera House and held a private studio. She is pleased to return to Saskatoon and join the Saskatoon Symphony as Assistant Concertmaster while also opening a violin studio and continuing with chamber music projects in Canada and the United States.
Dru Waltz
Violin
Dru Waltz was raised outside of Provost, Alberta. Dru thoroughly enjoyed music during her growing up years, performing extensively with her family band, teaching students of her own, and competing in various festivals. In the fall of 2018, Dru began studying at the University of Saskatchewan in the Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education double-degree program. After completing her music degree in 2022, Dru received the Arthur Collingwood Prize in Music, awarded to the most distinguished graduate of the music program. Currently, Dru is in her final year of the Bachelor of Education degree. She is an active member of the music community, teaching violin and piano, and playing violin regularly with the University of Saskatchewan String Orchestra (USSO) and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra (SSO).
Jim Legge
Viola
James Legge, originally from Waterloo, Ontario, moved to Saskatoon to take the position of principal violist with the Saskatoon Symphony after completing his studies at McGill University. While living in Montreal James won chamber music prizes in the Jeunesses Musicales and CIBC competitions. Jim performs regularly as the violist in the Saskatoon Symphony Chamber Players, and has been a featured soloist with the Saskatoon Symphony, the Saskatchewan Chamber Orchestra, and Prairie Virtuosi. He has been a regular performer at the Calgary’s Mountain View Festival of Song and Chamber Music, Mountain View Connection, and Ontario’s Viola Camp, and co-directs Saskatoon’s Summer String Experience, a summer camp for young string players. Jim has a private studio of approximately thirty violin and viola students and, as a registered teacher with the Suzuki Association of the Americas, teaches in the Saskatoon Suzuki String Program. When not performing or teaching, Jim enjoys spending time playing with clay and a potter’s wheel.
Scott McKnight
Cello
Cellist Scott McKnight is an active performer in Saskatoon, playing as a member of the Saskatoon Symphony, Elixir Ensemble, and Prairie Virtuosi. In addition to performing he maintains a private studio and teaches with the Saskatoon Suzuki String Program. He is also co-director of Sistema Saskatoon, a program which aims to provide orchestral training for underserved youth. Scott holds a master of music degree in cello performance (University of Ottawa), a bachelor of music in cello performance and a chamber diploma (Wilfrid Laurier University).
Depending on availability, your group may look a little different. All of our substitute musicians are of the highest level of performance, education and experience.
