Strings
Winds & Brass
Piano & Organ
Voice
|
Quintet Attacca
The Chamber Singers of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum
|
Artist Biographies
Karina Canellakis has played regularly in the Berlin Philharmonic for two years as a member of the Karajan Academy, and has performed on tour with the orchestra in China, Japan, Korea, Holland, Germany, and New York, under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle.
She began playing as soloist with orchestra at the age of 12 and has since appeared with orchestras including the Hartford Symphony, Cincinatti Chamber Orchestra, Haddonfield Symphony, Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, Westmoreland Symphony, Manhattan Philharmonic, Queensborough Orchestra, and the Curtis Chamber Orchestra on tour in Japan. She has performed solo recitals in Germany, Canada, Italy, New York, Philadelphia, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Her performances have been aired on CBC Radio-Canada, NPR, and New York’s classical radio station WQXR.
Ms. Canellakis has been a participant at the Marlboro Music Festival for the past three consecutive summers and will go on tour with Musicians from Marlboro in February 2009. She has performed numerous chamber works in the Philharmonie in Berlin. In June 2008, she will make her debut performing with the Chicago Chamber Musicians. Other performances include BargeMusic in New York City, Music From Angel Fire, Taos School of Music, Verbier Festival and Academy, St.Barths Music Festival, Zermatt Festival, and the Spoleto Festival in Italy. She has also participated in Isaac Stern’s International Jerusalem Chamber Music Encounters in Israel.
She was Concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra for the 2003-4 Season, and the 2004 New York String Orchestra, in Carnegie Hall. She was on full fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival, and received the Starling Award at the Encore School for Strings. Other honors include awards from the National Foundation of the Arts, National Society of Arts and Letters Violin Competition, Stulberg String Competition, Friday Woodmere Music Club and Queens Symphony Competitions, and Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society’s Young Musicians Competition.
Ms. Canellakis graduated in May 2004 with a Bachelor of Music Degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Ida Kavafian and Jaime Laredo. She subsequently studied with Donald Weilerstein and Ronald Copes at the Juilliard School as the recipient of the C.V.Starr Scholarship. Chamber music coaches include Pamela Frank, Steven Tenenbom, Joseph Silverstein, Arnold Steinhardt, David Soyer, and Michael Tree.
In addition to her accomplishments as a violinist, Ms.Canellakis has conducted the New Symphony Orchestra in Sofia, Bulgaria as a participant in the International Conducting Workshops 2004 and 2005, studying with Gustav Meier. She conducted Brahms Serenade No.2 in Berlin, played by members of the Berlin Philharmonic and Academy, and has appeared with orchestras as soloist and conductor in Mozart’s Concerti Nos.4 and 5.
….back to artist roster.
Joseph Genualdi is one of the Chicago Chamber Musicians’ founding members. His performing career began at the age of twelve and has taken him throughout the United States and many foreign countries. Mr. Genualdi was the founding first violinist of the Muir Quartet and a member of the Los Angeles Piano Quartet. He studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts, The Curtis Institute of Music and Yale University as a Wardwell Fellow. Mr. Genualdi’s mentors and teachers include Ivan Galamian, Varton Manoogian, Rudolph Serkin, Felix Galimir, Oscar Shumsky, and Menahem Pressler. He is a recipient of numerous awards including the first prizes of the Naumberg Award for Chamber Music and the Concours D’Evian. He has had a long association with the Marlboro Music Festival and has also appeared at the Cheltenham, Nimes, Spoleto, Angel Fire, Ravinia, Bravo Colorado, Kneisel Hall and Taos festivals. He has recorded for Angel-EMI, Sony Classics, Marlboro Recording Society, Pickwick, Cedille, Musical Heritage, CRI, and Albany Records. Mr. Genualdi has been a professor and artist-in-residence at several universities and currently teaches violin and chamber music at the North Carolina School of the Arts
…..back to artist roster.
Rene Izquierdo is currently a professor of classical Guitar at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As a concert artist, Rene has performed throughout North America, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Europe as solo recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra. He has received wide critical acclaim for his performances, and is recognized as one of America’s classical guitar virtuosos. Rene has shared the stage with prestigious guitarists Eliot Fisk, Benjamin Verdery and Jorge Morel, renowned flutist Ransom Wilson, soprano Lucy Shelton, Carlo Aonzo, The Quintet of the Americas, David Jolley and recorded with Paquito d’ Rivera, among others. Composers such as Jorge Morel and Carlos R. Rivera have dedicated works to him. A native of Cuba, Rene graduated from the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory and Superior Institute of Art in Havana. In the United States, he earned a Master of Music and Artist Diploma degrees from the Yale University School of Music.As one of the world’s leading classical guitarist Mr. Izquierdo is recipient of numerous awards. He is a winner of the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Competition in 2004, Extremadura International Guitar Competition, and Stotsenberg International Guitar Competition among others.
….back to artist roster.
Jasmine Lin, violin, began musical studies at age four. Since then she has appeared as a soloist with leading symphony orchestras from Chicago to Singapore, Brazil and Uruguay, as well as in recital in Chicago, New York, Nova Scotia, Rio de Janeiro, and Montevideo. The New York Times describes her as an “unusually individualistic player” with “electrifying assertiveness”. Ms. Lin has been a participant of the Marlboro Music Festival and the Steans Institute for Young Artists at Ravinia. Chamber music tours include North America, China, and Taiwan. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Lin received prizes in the 1996 International Paganini Competition and the 1998 International Naumburg Competition and was appointed Second Assistant Concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Lin is currently a member of the Chicago Chamber Musicians.
…back to artist roster.
In 2001 cellist Clancy Newman won the coveted first prize of the prestigious Walter W. Naumburg Competition; Naumburg presented him in recital at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, a performance that garnered enormous critical acclaim. He was also named the recipient of a 2004 Avery Fisher Career Grant. A winner of Astral Artistic Services’ year 2000 National Auditions, he was the first Astral artist presented in recital in Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Astral presents him this season in a performance of piano trios (with Astral violinist Ayano Ninomiya and renowned pianist Claude Frank) and in his recital debut at New York’s Merkin Concert Hall.The recipient of many competition prizes, Mr. Newman received his first significant public recognition at the age of twelve when he won the Gold Medal for Strings at Australia’s Dandenong Youth Festival, competing against instrumentalists twice his age. A member of Chamber Music Society Two of Lincoln Center, he has appeared as soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and with the Juilliard Orchestra in Avery Fisher Hall. He participated for several seasons in the Marlboro Music Festival, and frequently tours as a part of the Musicians from Marlboro series. Mr. Newman also developed an interest in composition at an early age; under Astral’s auspices his String Quartet, Sonata for Cello and Piano, and The Four Seasons (for cello and chamber orchestra) received their world premieres.
…back to artist roster.
Yukiko Ogura joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2001. Born in Nara, Japan, Ogura began violin studies at the age of three. After earning a bachelor’s degree in music at Kyoto City University of the Arts in 1995, she performed chamber concerts throughout Japan, winning a position with the Kobe City Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Gerhard Bosse. In 1998, on the recommendation of Mazumi Tanamura, Ogura turned her attention to playing viola, leading to worldwide chamber and solo engagements, including an appearance with the Saito Kinen Orchestra under director Seiji Ozawa. In 2000 she left Japan to pursue viola studies in the United States with Li-Kuo Chang, assistant principal viola of the CSO. The following year, she auditioned for the CSO and was appointed to the viola section.
Ogura is a much-sought-after performer and recording artist who has recorded with the Nagaokakyo Chamber Ensemble directed by Yuko Mori and released a CD in 2001. She is a founding member of the Eusia String Quartet, first-prize winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 2001, which also performed and recorded a CD at Round Top in 2005 with James Dick and the Eusia Quartet, and released a CD in Japan on the N&F label in 2006. She appeared on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts series in 2006,and also performed with the Vermeer Quartet as a special guest in Mozart’s Viola Quintet in C major that same year. In addition, Yukiko Ogura regularly appears at the Winter Chamber Music Festival at Northwestern University.
…back to artist roster.
Kenneth Olsen, cello, joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal Cello in 2005.
Mr. Olsen is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and a winner of the Institutes prestigious Concerto Competition. Other awards received by the 24-year-old cellist include first prize in the Nakamichi Cello Competition at the Aspen Music Festival and second prize at the 2002 Holland-America Music Society competition. Mr. Olsens teachers have included Richard Aaron, Cleveland Institute of Music; Joel Krosnick, Juilliard School of Music; and Luis Garcia Renart, Bard College. He has also been a participant at The Steans Institute for Young Artists, the Ravinia Festivals professional studies program for young musicians, and Boston Universitys Tanglewood Institute.
A native of New York, Mr. Olsen is a founding member of the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO), a group of talented young musicians from orchestras and ensembles all over the county.
…back to artist roster.
Rami Solomonow is a graduate of the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel-Aviv, Israel where he studied with Oedoen Partos. He was a member of the Israel Chamber Orchestra until 1972 and received prizes in viola and chamber music from the American-Israel Foundation. In 1973 Mr. Solomonow moved to the US where he studied with Shmuel Ashkenasi at Northern Illinois University.From 1974 to 1995 he served as Principal Violist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In 1995 he left the Opera to become a founding member of the Chicago String Quartet which was the quartet-in-residence at DePaul University and Taos School of Music until 2004. Currently Mr. Solomonow is a member of The Chicago Chamber Musicians.Mr. Solomonow has been a faculty member at DePaul University since 1981. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in numerous concerts and music festivals in the US and in Israel, Japan and South America. Mr. Solomonow has performed on live television and radio broadcasts and has been a guest artist with many string quartets; in recent years Mr. Solomonow has performed chamber works with Menachem Pressler, Gil Shaham, Christoph Eschenbach, Shlomo Mintz, Midori, Robert McDonald and members of the Guarneri and Julliard Quartets.Mr. Solomonow has recorded with the Chicago String Quartet, The Chicago Chamber Musicians, Vermeer Quartet, and the Serenade for Viola and Chamber Ensemble by George Perle with the DePaul Wind Ensemble…..back to artist roster.
Elizabeth (a.k.a. Betsy) Start holds degrees in mathematics and cello performance from Oberlin College and Conservatory, master’s degrees in cello and theory/composition from Northern Illinois University, and a PhD in composition from the University of Chicago. Following the completion of her doctorate, she spent 10 years free-lancing as a professional cellist, composer and teacher in the Chicago area, teaching at institutions including DePaul University, Columbia College, McHenry County Music Center, and Elgin Suzuki Academy. She also served three years as national Secretary for the Regional Orchestra Players’ Association (ROPA), a conference of the American Federation of Musicians. She returned to her hometown of Kalamazoo (MI) in 2001, and plays in the Kalamazoo Symphony, while continuing her activities in Illinois with the Elgin Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic (formerly Symphony II), and Chicago Composers’ Consortium. In June, 2004, she was named the Executive Director of the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music, a biennial festival which celebrates diverse faiths through their music. She is also Community Arts Liaison for First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo, and has taught cello and composition, and conducted the orchestra for the Suzuki Academy of Kalamazoo.
As a performer, she has premiered over 80 works. As a composer working in acoustic, electronic, and mixed media, she has had numerous commissions and grants, and over 120 performances of over 60 works in the U.S. and abroad. Performances in 2004 included 25th Bowling Green New Music and Art Festival, Sacramento New American Music Festival, and 20th Conference of the International Society of Hildegard von Bingen Studies. The 2005-06 season included 3 performances in California, one in Germany, many in Chicago including two premieres, and many in Kalamazoo, including her “Echoes” for mridangam (South Indian drum) and strings (performed for about 15,000 school children during the KSO youth concerts) and the premiere of her “Water Music” (settings of Con Hilberry poems) for mezzo-soprano, bass-baritone and mandolin & guitar orchestra. The 2006-2007 season included 20 performances of her works, 8 of them premieres, in Budapest, Edinburgh, Texas, Illinois, New York (Bargemusic), Indiana, and Michigan. On November 16-18, 2007, Start performed her arrangement of Steppenwolf’s Magic Carpet Ride for electric cello and orchestra with the Elgin (IL) Symphony. The 2007-2008 season has seen more performances of “Echoes” and “Early Reflections” for mridangam and orchestra, new works for mridangam and violin, in addition to multiple performances of her works, including 4 premieres.
…back to artist roster.
Born in New York and raised in San Antonio, Brant Taylor began cello studies at the age of 8. His varied career has included solo appearances and collaborations with leading chamber musicians throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as orchestral, pedagogical, and popular music activities.
After one year as a member of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Taylor was appointed to the Chicago Sympho
ny Orchestra by Daniel Barenboim in 1998. In Chicago, Mr. Taylor has performed recitals for the Dame Myra Hess Concerts (live radio broadcasts), the First Monday concerts, Rush Hour Concerts at St. James, and the Ravinia Festival‘s Rising Stars recital series. He has also performed regularly with the renowned Chicago Chamber Musicians and appeared on the CSO’s contemporary music series, MusicNOW. Mr. Taylor performs frequently as a member of the Lincoln Quartet, a group formed 7 years ago with colleagues from the CSO. The Chicago Tribune wrote of one recent performance: “the lush expanses of melody seemed to have been written for Taylor, who brought a throbbing lyricism, incisive attack and idiomatic characterization to the cello part.”
From 1992-97, Mr. Taylor was cellist of the award-winning Everest Quartet, prizewinners at the 1995 Banff International String Quartet Competition. The Quartet performed and taught extensively in North America and the Caribbean, and gave the world premiere performance of a work by Israeli-American composer Paul Schoenfield. Mr. Taylor has also been a member of the Whitney Trio since 1994, an ensemble dedicated to bringing chamber music to audiences of all ages in rural areas across the U.S.
In 1997, Mr. Taylor was a member of the New World Symphony. He has returned to appear as soloist with that orchestra under the batons of Michael Tilson-Thomas and Nicholas McGegan, as well as to teach and participate in audition training seminars. Other solo appearances with orchestra include the San Antonio Symphony, Raleigh Symphony, Midland-Odessa Symphony, and Racine Symphony.
At home in the world of pop music, Mr. Taylor performs with the band Pink Martini. With this eclectic 11-member ensemble, he has appeared with the orchestras of Seattle, Rochester (NY), San Antonio, Utah, Milwaukee, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Austin, Jacksonville, Portland (OR), and Eugene (OR), in addition to performing 2 concerts at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in the summer of 2002.
Mr. Taylor is a frequent performer and teacher at music festivals, including the Festival der Zukunft in Ernen, Switzerland, the Portland Chamber Music Festival, the Shanghai International Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, the Mammoth Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Music Festival Santo Domingo, Michigan’s Village Bach Festival, and Music at Gretna in Pennsylvania, where he has made repeated appearances as a concerto soloist.
Active as a teacher of both cello and chamber music, Mr. Taylor serves on the faculties of DePaul University’s School of Music and Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. In addition, he is a faculty member at Northwestern University’s National High School Music Institute, and has led classes on orchestral repertoire at the University of Michigan. Mr. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, where he won the school’s Concerto Competition and performed as soloist with the Eastman Philharmonia. His Master of Music degree is from Indiana University. Mr. Taylor’s primary teachers have been János Starker and Paul Katz.
…back to artist roster.
Yang Wei began his musical education at the early age of 6, receiving instruction in the playing of various classical Chinese instruments. At the age of 13, he made the decision to concentrate his considerable talents upon mastering the pipa. As a developing musician, Wei was taught by the pipa Master, Liu Dehai. At 18, he performed as a pipa soloist with the national Shanghai Orchestra and his young career blossomed. In 1989, he was awarded the ART Trophy first Prize for the International Chinese Musical Instruments Competition, in the Young Professional Pipa Section.
Wei’s performances have been celebrated worldwide, inspiring audiences throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. From the year 2000, Wei has toured with the acclaimed, high profile Silk Road Project, performing alongside world famous cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. Wei has toured from coast to coast in the United States, additionally, performing at such known venues as the Ravinia International Music Festival, the Kimmel Center, the Lincoln Center and the Chicago Symphony Center. In addition to these performances and appearances, he has served as artist-in-residence for the Chicago’s Art Institute and has led international music lectures. He has been instrumental in commissioning new works by Chinese composers such as Bright Sheng, Huang Ro, and Lu Pei. His participation in such musical ventures serves to enrich the already grand legacy of Chinese music.
In 1996, Wei moved to the United States. With a desire to honor the musical heritage of his homeland China, but also, to express himself in Western themes in the U.S., Wei strives to share his native musical heritage, exploring the creative possibilities of blending his Eastern background with Western influences of his new home. He continues to develop his art through diligent study, as well as through his involvement in timely new collaborations. He is ever committed to sharing his music with the community around him.
For more information on Yang Wei, please visit his website at PipaSensation.com.
…back to artist roster.
Bernard Zinck, violinist, is currently on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Merit School of Music in Chicago. A graduate of the Paris Conservatory (first Prize Winner in violin and chamber music), the Juilliard School (Fulbright Scholar, BM and MM), and Temple University (DMA), Dr. Zinck started his concert career after winning the 1992 Yehudi Menuhin Trust Award in Paris. He performs regularly in Europe (Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Lizst Academy in Budapest, Mozarteum in Salzburg), the United States (Weill Hall in NYC, Cultural Center in Chicago, National Gallery and Phillips Collection in Washington D. C.), South America (Porto Alegre, Uberlândia, Belo Horizonte, and Sâo-Luis in Brazil) and Asia (Oji Hall in Tokyo) both as a soloist and chamber musician. His Szymanowski and Live from France recordings have received critical acclaim from the International Press (The Strad Magazine, Strings magazine, Diapason, Fanfare, High Fidelity). As a pedagogue, Dr. Zinck has served on the faculty of the Cologne Hochschule fur Musik summer program in Montepulciano and the International Lyric Academy of Rome, Italy, and he has given master classes throughout North, Central (Mexico) and South America (Brazil) and Asia (Korea, Japan).
Bernard Zinck performs on a Giovanni Battista Rogeri violin, dated 1690 – a purchase made possible through the generous support of the Bass family.
…back to artist roster.
Larry Combs, having been previously a member of the orchestras of New Orleans and Montreal and of the Santa Fe Opera, joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1974 and was appointed principal clarinet by Sir Georg Solti in 1978. He has since appeared as soloist with the Orchestra on numerous occasions in works by Copland, Mozart, Brahms, Berio, Corigliano and Rouse. He also has been featured many times on CSO tour concerts performing Morton Gould’s adaptation of Chicago for clarinet and orchestra.
An avid chamber musician, he is a founding member of the Chicago Chamber Musicians, and has appeared with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Smithsonian Chamber Ensemble. In addition, he has recorded as soloist and chamber musician on the Erato, Sony, Cedille, Crystal, and Summit labels. Some of his recent chamber music experiences have included joining CSO Music Director Daniel Barenboim and cellist Yo-Yo Ma in Brahms’s Trio in A minor, Op. 114, at Orchestra Hall, and performances with Ravinia Music Director Christoph Eschenbach at the Ravinia Festival.
In addition to orchestral playing and chamber music, Larry has had a lifelong interest in jazz. He appeared with Chicago pianist Larry Novak at the 1999 Chicago Jazz Festival and joined the Chicago Jazz Orchestra in its Tribute to Benny Goodman concert in September 1999. He also has performed and recorded with Bill Russo’s Chicago Jazz Ensemble and participated in the Tribute to Duke Ellington CD on the Teldec label with Daniel Barenboim.
In 2002, Larry was awarded his second Grammy Award for his recording of Richard Strauss’ Duett-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon, strings and harp, with David McGill and Maestro Barenboim conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
…back to artist roster.
Mathieu Dufour is principal flute of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 1999. Before coming to Chicago, he was principal flute solo of the Paris National Opera Orchestra from 1996 to 1999. Prior to his appointment there, he served as principal flute solo of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse for three years.
Dufour began his flute studies at the age of eight with Madeleine Chassang at the National Regional Conservatory in his hometown of Paris, France. At the age of fourteen, he was awarded the school’s gold medal by unanimous vote. He subsequently studied with Maxence Larrieu at the National Conservatory of Music in Lyon, where he was unanimously awarded first prize in 1993. Additional awards include second prize at the Jean-Pierre Rampal International Flute Competition (1990); third prize at the International Flute Competition in Budapest (1991); and second prize at the International Flute Competition in Kobe, Japan (1997).
Dufour frequently appears as soloist in recitals and concerts around the world. He made his Carnegie Hall and Lucerne Festival debuts as soloist with the Chicago Symphony under Daniel Barenboim in 2002, and he also has performed under conductors Pierre Boulez and Christoph Eschenbach, among others. He is in demand as a coach and teacher, and has led master classes in Canada, Japan, Europe, and the United States. As a member of the Georges Cziffra and Juventus foundations, Dufour has given many recitals and concerts as part of their Young European Soloists Ensemble. He is a member of the Chicago Chamber Musicians, and he serves on the faculty at Roosevelt University in Chicago.
Dufour’s discography includes a recently released solo recital of sonatas by Prokofiev, Martinu, and Hindemith; Poulenc’s complete chamber music; and the complete works for flute by Roussel.
Mathieu Dufour first appeared as soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at a special donor appreciation concert in May 2000, in Devienne’s Seventh Flute Concerto with William Eddins conducting. He made his debut as soloist on subscription concerts in November and December 2000, in Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major, with Sarah Bullen as harp soloist and Daniel Barenboim conducting. Dufour most recently appeared as soloist on subscription concerts in June 2002, in Bach’s Fourth Brandenburg Concerto with Daniel Barenboim conducting. He first appeared as soloist with the Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival in June 2000, in Jolivet’s Flute Concerto with Christoph Eschenbach conducting, and most recently in July 2002, in Mozart’s First Flute Concerto with Christoph Eschenbach conducting, and in Bach’s Second, Fourth, and Fifth Brandenburg concertos with Nicholas McGegan conducting.
…back to artist roster.
Robert Morgan is the solo English horn and Assistant Principal Oboist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestra. He is a founding member of the Rembrandt Chamber Players and is Principal oboist of Music of the Baroque, Chicago Opera Theatre and the Chicago Philharmonic. An active teacher as well as performer, Mr. Morgan coaches chamber music at Northwestern University and maintains a private studio. Mr. Morgan has been the featured soloist with Music of the Baroque on numerous occasions, performing concertos of Vivaldi, Bach and Mozart and has been the soloist with other area organizations in concertos of Vaughn Williams, Strauss and performed the Chicago premiere of Joan Tower’s Island Prelude.” He has also performed with the Guarnieri Quartet. An avid supporter of new music, Mr. Morgan has commissioned and performed works by David Schrader, Jon Polifrone and Ilja Hurnik. He is a graduate of Indiana University where he received the coveted Performers Certificate. He has studied with Jerry Sirucek, Ray Still, March Lifschey and John Mack.
….back to artist roster.
Sandra Morgan, flute, is a graduate of Northwestern University where she studied with Walfrid Kujala. She also studied extensively with Murray Panitz, former Principal Flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She is a founding member of the Rembrandt Chamber Players and serves as the Artistic Director and Educational Coordinator. Ms. Morgan has been a member of the orchestra of Music of the Baroque for over 30 years and has appeared as a soloist with them on several occasions. She is a member of the Ars Viva Orchestra and is an active performer in the Chicago area. She has appeared as soloist on several occasions with Bach Week in Evanston and the Chicago String Ensemble. Before returning to the Chicago area, she was a member of the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra. In addition she maintains a private flute studio and coaches chamber music.
….back to artist roster.
Bruce J. Barber, II, was appointed Director of Cathedral Music in January 2004. Prior to joining the staff of St. James, he served as Canon Precentor & Director of Cathedral Music at the Cathedral Church of St. John, the Diocese of the Rio Grande, Albuquerque, New Mexico, for 10 years. At the Cathedral Church of St. John he developed a highly respected and internationally known music program consisting of a large choral program for both children and adults, various multi-faceted concert series and an organ recital series.As an orchestral musician, Mr. Barber has performed with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Symphony Orchestra, the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and since moving to the Midwest, has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of such notable maestros as James Conlon, David Zinman, Helmuth Rilling, Semyon Byshkov, Kent Nagano and Duane Wolfe. An avid conductor, he has conducted a wide range of sacred music, orchestral literature and concerto repertoire ranging from Bach to Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart, Brahms to Duruflé, Bernstein and Stravinsky. He has made two CD recordings with the Musicians of St. Johns Cathedral, To the Creator of Light: Choral Music from the Cathedral Church of St. John and All This Time: Music for Advent and Christmas, both of which have been critically acclaimed. While in New Mexico, the St. John’s Cathedral Choir was directed by such notable Anglican choral directors as Dr. Gerre Hancock, Sir David Willcocks, Dr. Murray Forbes Somerville, and Bruce Neswick.Trained as a choral and orchestral conductor, an organist and cellist, Mr. Barber holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida, and a Master of Music Degree from the Yale School of Music and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. With Bernard Zinck, Professor of Violin at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he performs concerts for organ and violin both in the United States and Europe each year.
His professional affiliations are as a member of the Association of Anglican Musicians for which he is the Region V Coordinator, and as a member and Past Dean of the American Guild of Organists.
…back to artist roster.
Equally at home in front of a harpsichord, organ, piano, or fortepiano, David Schrader is “truly an extraordinary musician … (who) brings not only the unfailing right technical approach to each of these different instruments, but always an imaginative, fascinating musicality to all of them” (Norman Pellegrini, WFMT, Chicago). A performer of wide-ranging interests and accomplishments, Mr. Schrader has performed at the American Guild of Organists’ national convention on four occasions performing as a featured artist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Schrader has appeared as a soloist on organ and on harpsichord with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra having performed under the direction of Sir Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim, and Pierre Boulez. He has also appeared with the and Chicago’s Grant Park Symphony under Carlos Kalmar, and with many other orchestras throughout the United States and Canada.
In addition, Mr. Schrader has appeared at the Brooklyn Academy of Music as the repetiteur and principal harpsichordist in Chicago Opera Theater’s highly acclaimed production of “Orfeo” under Jane Glover. He was the featured performer at the prestigious Irving Gilmore Keyboard Festival, performing concerts on organ, harpsichord and clavichord. And, Mr. Schrader appeared as a soloist at the Ravinia Festival under the direction of Nicholas McGegan performing all six of the Bach Brandenberg Concertos.
Mr. Schrader has appeared at numerous music festivals throughout the United States and Europe. He performed as the Artist of the Year at the Oulunsalo Soi Music Festival in Oulu, Finland. He was the harpsichord soloist with the Nagaokakyo Chamber Ensemble in a tour of Japan under Yuko Mori and the Canadian baroque orchestra Tafelmusik in a European tour. He has also performed at the Aspen Music Festival, the Michigan Mozartfest with Roger Norrington, the Connecticut Early Music Festival, the Manitou Music Festival, and the Woodstock Mozart Festival where he performed as soloist and conductor.
A resident of Chicago, Mr. Schrader leads an active musical life at home. He performs with Baroque Band (Chicago’s period instrument orchestra), Music of the Baroque, the Newberry Consort, and Bach Week in Evanston. Mr. Schrader has appeared with Chicago Chamber Musicians, Contemporary Chamber Players, Chicago Baroque Ensemble, and The City Musick. He is a frequent guest on WFMT radio (Chicago) on recordings and in live broadcasts as part of WFMT’s “Live From Studio One” programming.
Mr. Schrader’s recording with Grant Park Symphony of music for organ and orchestra by American composers is the first recording of the Casavant Frères organ in Chicago’s Symphony Center which was described by John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune as a “rich palette of sounds and deft rhythmic interplay … Schrader’s 17th recording for the Chicago-based indie label may be his best yet. Go for it.”
Mr. Schrader’s other recordings include concerti of J. S. Bach with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, and continuo with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for both recordings of Sir Georg Solti’s “Creation”, and the “St. Matthew Passion” and “Messiah”. Mr. Schrader has many releases of solo repertoire on the Cedille label, including the music of J.S. Bach, Soler, Franck, Vivaldi, Dupre and Domenico Scarlatti. His recording of Soler “Fandango & Sonatas” was described thus “We have never heard more beautiful, natural, realistic harpsichord sound … The playing? Excellent … There is no better recording on CD” (American Record Guide). “The popular ‘Fandango’ has perhaps never received so exhilarating a reading” (Chicago Tribune). “His recording of J. S. Bach “Fantasies & Fugues” “captures the sense of improvisatory, virtuosic energy that is to be found so plentifully in this music.” (Continuo) Mr. Schrader has also recorded for the Centaur and CRI labels.
Mr. Schrader is on the faculty of Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts - Music Conservatory for performance and academic studies where he has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses since 1986. From 1993 through 1995 he also directed the Collegium Musicum at Northwestern University. He has also taught at the Music Institute of Chicago (formerly know as The Music Center of the North Shore.) Since 1980, he has been the organist of the Church of the Ascension, whose liturgies command a national reputation for musical integrity.
Mr. Schrader received a Doctor of Music degree in organ from Indiana University as well as the coveted Performer’s Certificate. He received a Bachelor of Music in piano and a Bachelor of Music in organ from the University of Colorado. His principal teachers have been Storm Bull, Abbey Simon, Oswald Ragatz, Anthony Newman and Everett Jay Hilty.
…back to artist roster.
Deborah Sobol is a concert pianist and music educator with a distinctive background and outlook. She attended Smith College, where she studied with Lory Wallfisch, graduated magna cum laude and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Her post-graduate studies were done in Vienna at the Hochschule für Musik with Hans Petermandl and at London’s Royal College of Music with Carola Grindea. She has performed in solo and duo recitals, concerto performances, and chamber music concerts with internationally renowned artists and has recorded for Cedille and Summit records. She is a much sought-after teacher of piano and chamber music coach and has been on the faculty of the Longy School of Music and the Northwestern University School of Music. Her publications have appeared in Clavier and London’s Piano Journal.
She was one of The Chicago Chamber Musicians’ original Artistic Co-Directors and its founding Executive Director. An advocate for improving arts education in the community, she was instrumental in initiating CCM’s fellowship program for young musicians and its outreach programs to Chicago Public Schools and senior centers. Ms. Sobol is the founder and Artistic Director of the summer “Rush Hour Concerts” series at St. James Cathedral in Chicago.
…back to artist roster.
Emily Lodine, mezzo-soprano, recently made her Carnegie Hall debut in Handel’s Messiah under the baton of conductor and composer John Rutter. She has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Philip Glass Ensemble, and the symphonies of Omaha, Milwaukee, Detroit, Jacksonville, Syracuse, Indianapolis and Phoenix. Lodine created the role of Verena Marsh in Stephen Paulus’ opera Summer for Berkshire Opera and has performed in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia with Lyric Opera Cleveland, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with Anchorage Opera, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Grand Rapids, and Verdi’s Falstaff with the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Recent engagements include Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Houston Masterworks Chorus, Mahler’s Symphony No.2 with the South Dakota Symphony and Bach’s Mass in B Minor with the Peninsula Music Festival. She graduated magna cum laude from Indiana University with a degree in music theory and has received a Pi Kappa Lambda scholarship as well as numerous Margaret Hillis fellowships.
…back to artist roster.
Quintet Attacca, Grand Prize Winner of the 2002 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, is one of Chicago’s most dynamic chamber music ensembles. Quintet Attacca is one of only two wind quintets in the 33-year history of the Fischoff Competition to have received the coveted Grand Prize. In that same year, the quintet was also invited to be a finalist for Chamber Music Society Two at Lincoln Center.
Quintet Attacca is an ensemble dedicated to bringing the unfamiliar sounds of the wind quintet to all types of audiences; to this end, the quintet has played in venues across the Midwest, with extensive programming in Chicago. In fall 2002, Quintet Attacca toured Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois. In February 2003 they traveled to Minneapolis and participated in a Music da Camera taping for Chamber Music Minnesota and gave a concert at the University of Minnesota’s School of Music. The summer of 2003 marked the quintet’s European debut, with concerts at the Emilia Romagna Festival and the Catania Musica Estate Festival in Italy. Recent seasons have seen Quintet Attacca continue to expand its reach with debut performances on Chicago’s classical radio station’s Live from WFMT, a New York debut on the Schneider Concert Series at the New School in January of 2005, and a Detroit debut on the Cranbrook Music Guild Series. Numerous new music projects have included a master class of young composers’ works and performance on the New Music Marathon at Northwestern University in 2004 and a call for scores in 2006, culminating in a recital at Lake Forest College of Chicago-area composers’ works for wind quintet. In the spring of 2006, Quintet Attacca completed its first year in residence at Lake Forest College and will continue that relationship in the 2006-2007 season. In addition to performances on WFMT, on the Music Institute of Chicago’s Passports series, and the Fermilab Gallery Chamber Series in Batavia, IL, Quintet Attacca has begun a two-year relationship with The Chicago Chamber Musicians in CCM’s Professional Development Program.
Quintet Attacca delights in bringing music education to all ages and abilities. Using the differences in the individual instruments of the quintet as an advantage, the educational programs of Quintet Attacca bring understanding to the unexpected. The group has performed educational programs at libraries, elementary schools and middle schools in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana, including the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival in Dowagiac, Michigan and throughout the Chicago Public Schools. The group has given master classes to young performers and composers at Northwestern University, Eastern Michigan University, Sherwood School of Music, Northeastern Illinois University, and the Merit School of Music.
Priding themselves on their innovative programming, Quintet Attacca enjoys presenting concerts that are both accessible and cutting-edge. A wind quintet is unusual by design and QA seeks to make the unusual worthwhile through music that challenges the performers while engaging the audience. Programs by the quintet have included works by Roberto Sierra, Eric Ewazen, Elliott Carter, Miguel del Aguila, Paquito D’Rivera, John Steinmetz, John Harbison, and Gyorgy Ligeti. In addition to these composers, two works have been written for the quintet: Collin Anderson’s Tangram, written for Northwestern University’s New Music Marathon, and Two Episodes for Wind Quintet, written for the ensemble by Dana McCormick. To create balanced and entertaining programs, Quintet Attacca combines the challenges of today’s most difficult works with gems from the past.
…back to artist roster.
Bassoonist Collin Anderson attended the Eastman School of Music earning a Bachelor of Music Degree in bassoon performance in 1989 under the tutelage of David Van Hoesen. He completed a Master’s Degree in performance in 1991 at Kent State University where he studied with David DeBolt and was awarded a graduate assistantship. Collin earned a Master of Music degree in composition in 1996 from DePaul University where he was the recipient of the Raymond Hubbell/ASCAP Composition Scholarship. In 2003 he completed a Doctoral degree in composition at Northwestern University in 2003. He has played bassoon and contrabassoon with the Canton (OH) Symphony, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra (Italy), and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Collin is a member of the Lake Forest Symphony and appears frequently with the Elgin Symphony, Rockford Symphony, and Chicago Opera Theater. He has performed with the Chicago Lyric Opera and on the Chicago Symphony’s MusicNOW contemporary series. Collin teaches bassoon at Lake Forest College, Northeastern Illinois University, and Harper College. His own works have been performed by Quintet Attacca and at numerous universities and festivals including the Aspen Music Festival, New Music DePaul contemporary concerts, and the International Double Reed Society Annual Conference.
…back to artist roster.
Erica Burtner Anderson, oboe, is an accomplished artist and teacher. She has performed throughout Chicago, including performances with the Chicago Philharmonic, Music of the Baroque, and MusicNOW at the Symphony Center. As a chamber musician, Ms. Anderson has been featured at Midsummer’s Music in Door County, Wisconsin, and at the Music Institute of Chicago series. A former student of Richard Killmer, she teaches at Lake Forest College and the Music Institute of Chicago.
…back to artist roster.
Flutist Jennifer Clippert is a DM degree recepient from Northwestern University and a Chicago-area performer. She is the winner of a number of competitions including the 2001 Musicians Club of Women Farwell Award and the 2000 Flute Talk Competition. In addition, Ms. Clippert has been a finalist and prize winner in the National Flute Association Young Artist Competition, the NFA Performers Masterclass and Piccolo Masterclass Competitions, and the Wisconsin Public Radio Young Artist Competition. Ms. Clippert played with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 1996-1998 where she received regular coachings with Donald Peck. She currently freelances with several area groups including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater and the Chicago Chamber Musicians. A sought-after teacher, she is a faculty member at DePaul University. Jennifer received her BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and her MM from Northwestern University where she studied with Walfrid Kujala.
…back to artist roster.
Barbara Drapcho, clarinet, holds both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from Northwestern University, where she studied with Russell Dagon and Charlene Zimmerman. She is currently a member of the Chicago Arts Orchestra, new Philharmonic, and DuPage Opera Theater and was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2000 – 2002. Ms. Drapcho developed her passion for chamber music through the Civic Orchestra’s MusiCorps Program and her interest in contemporary music from many premiere performances for the American Composers’ Forum. As a freelance clarinetist, Ms. Drapcho frequently performs with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra as well as many local opera companies. She has worked with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Alabama Symphony, and Illinois Philharmonic. A devoted teacher, Ms. Drapcho maintains a large teaching studio and is currently on faculty at Lake Forest College and the Merit School of Music.
…back to artist roster.
Hornist Jeremiah Frederick is currently a freelance horn player in Chicago and Northern Indiana. He holds the positions of Second horn with the Green Bay Symphony and Associate Principal horn with the South Bend Symphony. In addition, Jeremiah has played with other fine ensembles including the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Lake Forest, Northwest Indiana, Elgin, and Omaha Symphonies, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Philly Pops Orchestra in Philadelphia. He enjoys new music performance and to this end has played with contempo at the University of Chicago and on the Chicago Symphony’s MusicNow series. As a soloist, Jeremiah was awarded third place in the American Horn Competition in 2001. Solo engagements have included performances of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and Jacob’s Concerto For Horn and Strings at Northwestern University.
An avid chamber musician, Mr. Frederick is a member of the Stonegate Brass, Third Coast Brass and the Millar Brass Ensemble. He is also a founding member of Quintet Attacca, a wind quintet and winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition’s Grand Prize in 2002. Following this great honor, Quintet Attacca has toured extensively in the Midwest, been an ensemble-in-residence at Italy’s Emiglia Romagna Festival and made their New York debut at the Schneider Concert series at New School University. Quintet Attacca is currently in residence at Lake Forest College and with the Chicago Chamber Musicians in CCM’s Professional Development Program.
Jeremiah graduated from Northwestern University in 2000 with a Masters’ Degree in horn performance and received his Bachelor’s in performance from Lawrence University. His teachers have included Gail Williams, Bill Barnewitz, Dale Clevenger, and James DeCorsey.
…back to artist roster.
Third Coast Percussion is an exciting new group dedicated to the performance of new and classic works for percussion. This dynamic quartet is committed to breaking down barriers between classical and popular art forms, and is equally at home in concert halls, theaters, and rock clubs.
Originally formed in 2004 as a satellite of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago chamber music program, Third Coast has since come into its own with recent activities including a performance at the 2006 Percussive Arts Society Convention in Austin, concerts and master classes at the California Institute of the Arts, the University of Chicago, and Northeastern Illinois University, and the recent release of the group’s debut album, “Ritual Music”. The upcoming 2007-2008 season promises to be Third Coast’s busiest and most exciting yet, with performances at the Northwestern University Summer Percussion Seminar, and tours of Florida and California.
Third Coast Percussion has quickly established a strong commitment to the very highest performance standards for new music. In addition to performances of classic works by John Cage and Steve Reich, Third Coast has commissioned and premiered pieces by many of today’s leading up-and-coming composers.
This unique chamber music group has continued to blur the lines between musical styles with performances such as those at the edgy Neo-Futurarium Theatre in Andersonville and the iconoclastic rock club the Empty Bottle. No matter what the venue, Third Coast Percussion brings the same energy, finesse, and dedication to the exciting music they play.
…back to artist roster.
Owen Clayton Condon made his solo debut in 1996 with the Louisville Symphony Orchestra after winning the orchestra’s Young Artist Competition. In 2000 he won the New England Conservatory Concerto Competition, and performed with the Conservatory’s Symphony Orchestra in Jordan Hall. Most recently he was a finalist in the 2003 PASIC Solo Marimba Competition. He has performed with the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the University of Chicago’s Contempo series, and as a guest artist with the Eighth Blackbird contemporary music group. Recently, he performed on behalf of Northwestern University at the Kennedy enter in Washington D.C. He holds a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Frank Epstein and Will Hudgins. Owen is completing his Doctorate of Music at Northwestern, where he studied with Michael Burritt and James Ross. He is currently the Director of Percussion Studies at Northeastern Illinois University.
…back to artist roster.
Robert Dillon is a founding member of the Third Coast Percussion Quartet and an active performer and teacher in the Chicago area. He has performed as a substitute with the Boston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, and has performed numerous times on the Chicago Symphony’s contemporary music series, Music- NOW. From 2004 to 2006, Robert was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony. He has also performed with the Madison Symphony, Rockford Symphony, Chicago Arts Orchestra, Lira Ensemble, Gardner Chamber Orchestra and Hingham Symphony. He was a member of the Lucerne Festival Academy, in Lucerne, Switzerland, led by Pierre Boulez and members of the Ensemble Intercontemporain, from the Academy’s creation in 2003 through 2005. He has been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and a member of the Spoleto Festival USA, National Repertory Orchestra, Chautauqua Summer Music Festival and Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. Robert holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Music from New England Conservatory, where he received the John Cage Award for Outstanding Contribution to Contemporary Music Performance for his work in organizing and coaching a complete performance of Steve Reich’s “Drumming.” His teachers include Michael Burritt, James Ross and Will Hudgins.
…back to artist roster.
Peter Martin has concertized as a percussion soloist and chamber musician across the globe. He has been a featured artist at the Jeju Summer Music Festival of Korea, the Leigh Howard Stevens Summer Marimba Seminar, the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the CJYPE Concert Series, the Long Island Day of Percussion, and the Kansas Day of Percussion. Peter is also on high demand as a guest clinician and performer at music schools worldwide. Recent appearances have included those at Seoul National University, Bryn Mawr University, St. Cloud State University, Colorado State University, and Iowa State University. Peter Martin has enjoyed competition success as the first prize winner at the 2003 Percussive Arts Society International Marimba Competition.
Since 2004, Peter has been an artist/ endorser for Kp3/Malletech Co., making him the youngest artist on their roster. As an ensemble musician, Peter has performed with the Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra, the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, the Longmount Symphony Orchestra, the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra, the Stampede Group Inc., the Summitt Theatre Group, and the Exit 9 percussion group and is an active freelance performer and educator in the Chicago area. Peter Martin holds a Masters in Percussion Performance from Northwestern University where he is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Music Degree. His teachers include world renowned percussion soloist Michael Burritt, She-e Wu, and marimba virtuoso Leigh Howard Stevens.
For more information on Peter, please visit: www.newmarimba.com.
…back to artist roster.
David Skidmore is active as both a performer and composer of percussion music. David is a founding member of the Third Coast Percussion Quartet, the Lucerne Festival Percussion Group, and the Collide Trio, and has premiered over a dozen new works with these groups over the past two years alone by composers such as Dai Fujikura and Dmitri Tymoczko. Solo performances include appearances with the Pacific Soundings series in Sapporo, Japan, the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, and the Chicago Civic Orchestra LaSalle Bank Chamber Music Series. David has performed as a member of the Lucerne Festival Academy, the Pacific Music Festival, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the National Repertory Orchestra and the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, and he has also performed with the New World Symphony and the Breckenridge Music Institute. He has played under such conductors as Pierre Boulez, Valery Gergiev, Lorin Maazel, David Robertson, and Michael Tilson Thomas.
David’s original works for percussion are performed regularly in concert halls and universities across the country. He has received commissions from David Herbert (San Francisco Symphony), Dr. John Parks and the Florida State University Percussion Ensemble, the Spindrift Percussion Quartet, and Peter Martin. He was awarded 1st prize in the 2005 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest and 2nd prize in the 2004 contest. His piece “Whispers – for 9 Percussionists” was a finalist for an ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award in 2005, and has been recorded by the Northwestern University Percussion Ensemble. In May of 2007 his latest piece, “Unknown Kind”, will be premiered in Carnegie Hall.
David completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Northwestern University where he studied with Michael Burritt and James Ross. He is currently pursuing the Master of Music degree at the Yale School of Music where he is a student of Robert Van Sice.
For more information on David, please visit his website at davidskidmorepercussion.com.
…back to artist roster.
The Chamber Singers of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum
Founded in 1993, the Chamber Singers are the subset ensemble of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, Harvard’s select mixed choir. The student-conducted group explores choral works in an intimate musical atmosphere and is devoted to creating an ensemble of the highest caliber. The Chamber Singers focus primarily on a cappella repertoire, performing sacred and secular classics from all musical eras, but particularly the early Renaissance. Throughout the year, the group performs throughout Boston and Cambridge and also tours in the United States and abroad, having previously appeared in Montreal, France, Spain, Portugal, and Australia. The 2008 season is a very active one for the Chamber Singers, featuring a return to New York in January, a master class with Edward Wickham and the Clerks’ Group, and a series of clinical sessions with Scott Metcalfe, director of Boston’s Blue Heron Renaissance Choir. In June, the Chamber Singers are excited to embark on a ten-day tour of Chicago.
Matthew Hall, conductor
Matthew Hall, a junior at Harvard College, studies music and linguistics. In addition to serving as the director of the Chamber Singers, he is the founder and director of the Harvard Bach Camerata, a baroque chamber ensemble, and music director of the Harvard Early Music Society, Harvard’s early opera company. Matthew studies voice with Michael Barrett and harpsichord with Peter Sykes.
…back to artist roster.
CAPRICCIO, flute & harp duo
Donna Milanovich & Stephen Hartman
“A stand-out treasure” - Westport News, CT
”Passionately controlled” - Chicago Reader, IL
“Impressive playing” “Wonderfully nimble”- Chicago Tribune, IL
“Capriccio was stunning in its beauty and perfect meld of tone colors…ravishing, a gem…I would describe the entire concert that way.” - Richland Observer, WI
The sparkling sound of the flute and the magical quality of the harp combine to form music of unparalleled grace and charm. Internationally acclaimed harpist Stephen Hartman and award wining flutist Donna Milanovich are on the roster of the Illinois Artstour Touring Program, Arts-in-Education Residency Program and the Heartland Arts Fund Community Connections Program. They have performed at such diverse concert venues such as the National Flute Association in Orlando (FL), Woodstock Opera House (IL), Lincoln University (MO), Shenandoah Music Association (IA), Arkansas State University (AR), Kalamazoo Community Arts Series (MI), Richland Center (WI), and WFMT’s Live Form Studio One. They met while touring with Bugs Bunny and the Warner Brother Symphony Orchestra in 1991! Their CD CAPRICES is a delightful mix of traditional flute and harp repertoire and their own unique arrangements. Capriccio creates a striking atmosphere that engages and delights audiences everywhere.
Donna Milanovich, flute
Donna Milanovich made her New York Debut at Weil Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall as a winner of the Artist International Music Award. Her CD, Sounds of the Seine, is available on the Delos International Label.
She is a member of the Chicago Philharmonic and the Ravinia Festival Orchestra. She has performed as an extra player with the Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Grant Park Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and is on the faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her private students have continued their studies at leading music schools throughout the country. In addition to playing as flutist with the Capriccio, she performs with the The Glorian Duo.
Among her many awards have been grants from Chamber Music America, a distinguished artist award from the Bronx Council of the Arts, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, and competitive selection by the National Flute Association to perform at its Washington, Boston, Orlando, Columbus, and Chicago Conventions. In 2000 she was a prizewinner in NFA Chamber Music Competition.
David Diamond, William Bolcom, and Vaclav Nelhybel, amount others, have written works for her. She has articles published in Flute Talk Magazine, Chamber Music America, and has music editions published by Southern Music Company.
Stephen Hartman, harp
Stephen Hartman is solo and principal harpist with the Elgin Symphony, has performed with such ensembles as the American Ballet Theater, Chicago Opera Theater, and as an extra harpist has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at home and on tour in New York, Japan, Switzerland and Germany.
He has recorded and toured with the late composer William Ferris to the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music at the Vatican in Rome, and has toured the Elgin Choral Union to Wales and England. His 1996 recording of Leo Sowerby1s Concerto for Harp and Small Orchestra with the Monadnock Music Festival was the premiere CD for this concerto. He has recorded Christmas CDs with the Glenn Ellyn Children1s Chorus, the Milwaukee Children’s Choir and Tick Tock Harp Duo’s, Carols of the Winter Solstice.
Mr. Hartman schooled at Interlochen Arts Academy, and received both Bachelor and Master of Music performance degrees from Indiana University with Peter Eagle and postgraduate studies with Susann McDonald and Sarah Bullen. He has served on the faculty of DePaul University and North Park University, currently has a private studio and is an international agent for Lyon & Healy Harps.
….back to artist roster.
Fifth House Ensemble is a Chicago-based versatile and dynamic group whose performances engage audiences through its connective programming and unexpected performance venues.
Performances are aimed at highlighting relationships between classical music and art forms as diverse as film, dance, gourmet food, theater, winemaking and visual art, as well as creating new sounds through collaborations with artists of other music genres.
Fifth House’s innovative educational endeavors have resulted in a residency at the Walt Disney Magnet School in Chicago, as well as performances at the Woodstock Opera House. Programs are customized to the curriculum of each school, with the goals of promoting active listening skills and connecting music to a wide variety of subjects.
Members of Fifth House Ensemble are also active as orchestral musicians, having performed with ensembles including the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, New World Symphony and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Also active as educators, members of Fifth House serve on the faculties of Carthage College, the Merit School of Music, the People’s Music School and the LaGrange Conservatory.
…back to artist roster.
Jennifer Woodrum, born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago , maintains a busy schedule playing and teaching clarinet throughout Illinois . Jennifer holds a bachelors and masters degree from Northwestern University , where she studied with Russell Dagon. Her other principal teachers have included Aris Chavez and Leslie Grimm. Ms. Woodrum holds many awards from local competitions including, the Evanston Music Club, the Farwell award from the Chicago Musicians’ Club of Women, the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation, and the American Opera Society. Jennifer has been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the Rockford Symphony. She has performed with the Elgin Symphony, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the South Bend Symphony, and the Grant Park Symphony. Over the years, solo competition awards have kept Jennifer very active as a recital artist, doing several recitals a year in Chicago and surrounding areas. Jennifer is the proud parent of a pit bull pointer mix, named after one of her favorite vocalists, Miss Peggy Lee. When not involved in clarinet activites, you’ll probably find Jennifer at the Evanston Pooch Park or singing karaoke at the nearest karaoke bar.
…back to artist roster.
Cellist Herine Coetzee, originally from South Africa, holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from the Indiana University School of Music, where she was a student of Janos Starker and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. Ms. Coetzee has appeared as a featured soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Nittany Valley Symphony and the National Repertory Orchestra, as well as in recital as a soloist and chamber musician thoughout the East Coast and in the Mid-West. Her master class performances include those for Yo-Yo Ma, Anner Byslma, Truls Mork, and Orlando Cole. In 2002 she was a prizewinner in the Indiana University Cello Concerto Competition, playing Ernest Bloch’s Schelomo – Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra. Herine has held titled positions in such groups as the National Repertory Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. As a teacher, she serves on the faculties of the Merit School of Music and the People’s Music School. Herine is a founding member and education director of the Fifth House Ensemble, a group dedicated to presenting innovative performances and interactive programs to audiences throughout Chicago. She resides on the North side and enjoys taking on the Viking Breakfast at Svea’s in Andersonville and training her pet betta fish to do tricks.
…back to artist roster.
Pianist, lecturer and crossword enthusiast Adam Marks is garnering critical acclaim for his innovative and impassioned performances. A staunch supporter of contemporary music, he developed his series of Curated Concerts™ —interactive and informal programs—to contextualize even the most complicated pieces. As a recitalist and speaker, he has performed throughout the United States , as well as in France and The Netherlands. Also an active educator, Adam has taught at New York University , and has been a guest lecturer at The Juilliard School, Mannes College of Music, and Yale University . Adam currently serves on the faculty for New Triad for Collaborative Arts, where he teaches audience engagement, public speaking, and coaches musicians as they craft theatrical recitals. Other recent collaborations include multi-media works with performance artist Connie Beckley and video artist Jenny Perlin. Adam holds degrees from Brandeis University and the Manhattan School of Music. A former EMT and professional puppeteer, he is currently a candidate for the Ph.D in piano performance at New York University .
… back to artist roster.
CINCO, a Chicago-based brass quintet, was founded in 1998 at Northwestern University. In addition to receiving their undergraduate degrees from Northwestern, CINCO members hold degrees from Rice University, the San Francisco Conservatory and Roosevelt University. As active participants in summer festivals and competitions, the group has received fellowships to the Aspen Music Festival (2002) and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival (2000, 2001). They have also been semi-finalists in the Fischoff, Carmel and Coleman Chamber Music Competitions.
In the Fall of 2003, after spending two years performing in the Houston area, CINCO relocated to Chicago and subsequently became the first ensemble to participate in the Chicago Chamber Musicians’ (CCM) Professional Development Pilot Program. This residency has partnered CINCO with members of CCM on several subscription concerts as well as on live radio broadcasts on WFMT (98.7).
CINCO’s relationship with CCM put the ensemble in contact with many other Chicago-based arts groups. In 2006 CINCO joined the roster of the International Music Foundation, an organization committed to bringing the arts to Chicago public schools. CINCO has also partnered with the Jane Addams Hull House, and in 2007 completed a grant from Chamber Music America to perform concerts and music classes in underserved communities and schools affiliated with the Jane Addams Hull House.
In 2006 CINCO was invited to Indiana for a “mini-residency” through the Fischoff Chamber Music Association. This week-long residency focused on music education and entertainment by setting a children’s book to music. The project was very successful, and in 2007 CINCO was invited back to create another program using a different book.
While based primarily in Chicago, CINCO’s members teach and perform throughout the country. Members hold positions in the Syracuse Symphony, New World Symphony Orchestra, South Bend Symphony, and Northeastern Illinois University.
CINCO has performed all over Chicago, most notably on the main stage at Millennium Park, the Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier, the Rush Hour Concert Series, and the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series at the Chicago Cultural Center. CINCO is the resident brass quintet at St. James Cathedral.
… back to artist roster.
