Renowned pianist Eteri Andjaparidze, Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) principal woodwind musicians Mathieu Dufour (flute), Alex Klein (oboe) and David McGill (bassoon), and celebrated tenor Neil Rosenshein have joined the faculty of DePaul University’s School of Music this fall.

“These new hires bolster a faculty already rich in professional music talent,” said Donald Casey, dean of the School of Music. Casey noted that the 115-member faculty includes many musicians from the CSO, Lyric Opera of Chicago, prominent classical and jazz ensembles, among others.

“Eteri Andjaparidze is a virtuoso pianist who will be a great inspiration for DePaul’s music students,” he said. “Mathieu Dufour, Alex Klein and David McGill join a faculty that already includes CSO principal clarinet Larry Combs, which means that our students have an opportunity to study with each of the principals of the CSO’s woodwind section. For our voice students, Neil Rosenshein is a welcome addition to a stellar faculty that already includes internationally acclaimed soprano Catherine Malfitano and mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer.”

Andjaparidze, who moved to Chicago from New York in August, will present her debut recital as a faculty member at 8 p.m., Nov. 14, at the DePaul Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden Ave. The concert, featuring works by Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms, is free and open to the public. “I faithfully trust that contributing to the fields of art and knowledge is the highest form of serving humanity,” Andjaparidze said. “With great enthusiasm I am joining the DePaul School of Music, where a dynamic collaboration of a team of extraordinary personalities, shepherded by the remarkable leader, radiates that creative energy and spiritual freedom so essential for a truly artistic and educational environment.”

Andjaparidze has gained international recognition as a versatile artist with a vast repertoire that encompasses all genres of piano playing. She is a Grammy nominee, Tchaikovsky and Montreal music competitions’ laureate and has been honored with the Republic of Georgia’s highest national distinction, the People’s Artist of Georgia title.

A native of Tbilisi in the Republic of Georgia, she was raised in a musical family. Her father was a leading tenor with the Bolshoi Theatre and her mother was a distinguished pianist. She was trained at the Tbilisi Special Music School for Gifted Children and, by the age of nine, had performed her debut recital and made her first appearance as a soloist with an orchestra. In 1974, as a 17-year-old high school student, Andjaparidze won fourth prize in the Fifth Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow. Two years later, she became the first Soviet pianist to win the Grand Prix at the Montreal International Piano Competition. She was the youngest participant in both competitions.

After completing her studies at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Andjaparidze has enjoyed a distinguished career as a recitalist and soloist with major orchestras in Russia and abroad, and she also has conducted master classes throughout the world. In 1992, she moved to the United States and settled in New York City, where, in addition to concert engagements, she taught young musicians at the State University of New York. Andjaparidze was nominated for a Grammy award in 2000 for her CD, “Zez Confrey: Piano Music,” a collection of 24 piano pieces by Edward Elzear “Zez” Confrey (1895-1971), a popular jazz pianist-composer from Peru, Ill.

Andjaparidze succeeds faculty member Dmitry Paperno, the acclaimed Chopin Competition laureate and author of “Notes of a Moscow Pianist, ” who became professor emeritus of piano in June.

Klein has been the principal oboe with the CSO since 1995. Like Andjaparidze, he began his musical studies at an early age. He performed his orchestral solo debut at age 10 in his native Brazil and at 11 joined Camerata Antiqua, one of Brazil’s foremost chamber ensembles, with which he performed, recorded and toured extensively.

After a year of musical study at Oberlin College, Klein won first prize at the Lucarelli International Competition for Solo Oboe Players at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Following this, he won numerous prestigious awards and competitions worldwide. He has performed as soloist with the CSO, Philadelphia Orchestra and Orchestre de la Suisse. McGill began his tenure as principal bassoon at the CSO in 1997.

He has previously been principal bassoon for the Cleveland Orchestra, Toronto Symphony and Tulsa Philharmonic. He has performed as a soloist with these orchestras, as well as the Oklahoma Symphony, Orchestra London, Symphony New Brunswick and Colorado Philharmonic. Under the direction of the late CSO conductor Sir George Solti, McGill was principal bassoon for the World Orchestra for Peace in 1995 and participated in the Solti Orchestral Project at Carnegie Hall. He has performed at the Marlboro, Tanglewood, National Repertory Orchestra and Aspen music festivals. McGill won first prize in 1983 at the Fernard Gillet music competition sponsored by the International Double Reed Society. A native of Tulsa, McGill holds a bachelor of music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Paris-born Dufour was only 26 when the CSO named him principal flute in 1999 upon the retirement of the highly respected Donald Peck, who held the position for 42 years. At DePaul, Dufour will again succeed Peck, who is retiring from the faculty after 36 years of service. Dufour came to the CSO after three seasons as principal flute with the Paris Opera orchestra. From 1993 to 1996, he held the same position with France’s Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse. He studied at the National Conservatory of Music in Lyon. His awards include second prize at the Jean-Pierre Rampal International Flute Competition, third prize at the International Flute Competition in Budapest and second prize at the International Flute Competition in Kobe, Japan. Rosenshein has sung in every major opera house in the United States, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he performed regular engagements, as well as the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Houston Grand Opera. He has also appeared abroad at the Australian Opera, Paris Opera and opera companies in Japan.