Black Oak Ensemble will take you on an exciting eclectic musical journey from Bach to Balkan, presenting music
from the baroque period to the music of today and their own arrangements of ethnic tunes and beloved melodies
of the past.

It began in 2011 when Croatian guitar virtuoso Goran Ivanovic and members of the Lincoln Trio, violinist Desirée Ruhstrat and cellist David Cunliffe met for the first time and performed together to a standing room only audience on Chicago's prestigious Music In the Loft Series.

John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune said of their musical arrangements, "The flamboyant vitality of the originals lived on in the arrangements as well as the expert performances."

The three continued to collaborate when time allowed and appeared at the Latino Music Festival, Chicago Cultural Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Mayne Stage, WFMT Radio, Windy City Live as well as being chosen as the Ravinia Festival guest musical artists on their trip from Barcelona to Monte Carlo. The summer of 2014 saw the addition of their good friend violinist/violist Aurélien Fort Pederzoli of the Spektral Quartet.

The group decided to make it official and chose the name Black Oak from the beautiful tree that is native to their home state of Illinois.