Delores Stevens, piano, is recognized as an internationally distinguished concert soloist. In the United States, Ms. Stevens has performed with such renowned ensembles as the L.A. Chamber Orchestra, the L.A. Philharmonic, the Montagna Trio, the New Music Group, the Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble, the Debut Orchestra, and at the popular Ojai Festivals. She is the Founding Director/Pianist of the famed Martha's Vineyard Chamber Music Society (MVCMS) and the popular Chamber Music Palisades, as well as a Trustee of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammy). Ms. Stevens directs chamber music for the Yound Musicians Foundation and Mount St. Mary's College, and is the Piano Department Chair at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Recent performances in Queensland, Australia, were by the invitation of the Second World Indigenous Pathways Conference, whose members included The Honorable Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile, Premier of Africa's Eastern Cape, and a representative of Nelson Mandela. Ms. Stevens gave the tributary premiere and critically hailed subsequent performances of Emma McChesney, a piano concerto composed for her by Maria Newman (composer of the acclaimed MVCMS commissioned work Chilmark). The Delores Wunsch Stevens New Music Foundation at the University of Kansas commissioned the concerto in Steven's Honor.
Edward Zilberkant Piano
Recognized as one of today's most gifted artists, and enjoying an active career as both pianist and conductor, Eduard Zilberkant has been received enthusiastically by audiences and press alike throughout Europe and the United States. He has performed in such halls as The Academy of Music and Curtis Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Artur Rubinstein Hall and Warsaw Philharmonic Hall in Poland, Volgograd Opera House in Russia, and Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage. A grand prize winner of the Young Keyboard Artist International Piano Competition in the United States, and a prize winner at the Santander International Piano Competition in Spain, Eduard Zilberkant gained critical acclaim at the 1985 Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland. This resulted in concerts with the Lodz Philharmonic and recitals at the International Chopin Festival in Dusznicki, Poland. This past year Eduard Zilberkant was invited to conduct the Czech National Symphony Orchestra both in Prague, and on tour to Germany. He also played recitals at the Assisi International Piano Festival in Italy, and at the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York City.
Eduard Zilberkant was born in Russia and gave his first recital live on Russian Television at the age of seven. He made his American Debut at the age of twelve performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1, resulting in an invitation from conductor Robert Shaw to perform the Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Since then he returned to perform with that ensemble more than twenty times. Robert Shaw, Louis Lane, Robert Spano, Carl St. Clair, Peter Baberkof, and Mary Woodmansee Green, are just a few of the internationally renowned conductors with whom he has collaborated.
Eduard Zilberkant's recent CD, Zilberkant Plays Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky, was recorded on the ACA label and release to high critical acclaim. The American Record Guide stated, "...the artistic approach of this Russian pianist emphasizes a strongly colored rhetoric, supported by a passionate and sensitive temperament.... Zilberkant reveals a brilliant sense of the construction of the work while infusing it with a breath of recreation; Zilberkant's pianistic and musical qualities are found not only in his speed but also in his ability to distill the slow tempos by drawing them out to the extreme...Zilberkant offers a passionate interpretation...." Radio France, Polish Radio and Television and PBS Radio and Television in the United States have also broadcast his performances. Music critics have asserted that as pianist he "possesses a remarkable keyboard mastery; plays in the style of the old romantic masters; he knows how to extract quite a palette of colors from the piano; his playing is subtle and passionate at the same time; he has the equipment that makes for pianist greatness;" and as a conductor he "brought admirable intelligence to his reading of the piece...and sculpting the individual lines into a monumental and heroic structure; his weaving of the finale's awesome counterpoint show him to be a musician of significance whom we hope to hear again; he made an impression for feeling the nuances of tempo, pauses, and accents...; he brought out new colors and romantic feeling with full balance of the sound from the orchestra."
Eduard Zilberkant has studied with such renowned teachers as Vitally Margulis, Jerome Rose, Leon Fleisher, Theodore Lettvin, Harvey Wedeen and Irina Petrovna Penyayeva. He has collaborated in recitals with international artists such as Paul Rosenthal, Daniel Avshalomov, Andres Diaz, Erez Ofer, Samuel Mayes, Donald McInnes, Nitzan Haroz, Frederick Hemke, as well as Prague and Kairos String Quartets. Presently he is a member of the Alaska Trio, and the Alaska Chamber Players.
A Fulbright Scholar in Germany, Eduard Zilberkant received a Solisten Diploma from the Freiburg Musik Hochschule. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Temple University and served on faculty of Temple University, Villanova University, and Breisach Jugendmusikschule in Germany. He has been a guest artist at the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York City, Assisi International Piano Festival and Orazio Frugoni Music Institute in Italy, Icicle Creek Music Center in Washington, International Summer Music Festival in Switzerland, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Summer Fine Arts Camp. Presently, he is Associate Professor of Piano and Head of Keyboard Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Music Director and Conductor of the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, the Arctic Chamber Orchestra, and the Fairbanks Youth Symphony.
Jaclyn Newman Piano
Jaclyn Newman, pianist and film music supervisor, graduated summa cum laude from California Lutheran University in 2007. In 2006 she heavily researched and produced concerts based on the symphonic film music of her late Academy Award-winning grandfather, Alfred Newman, in which she served as narrator and piano soloist.
Miko Kominami Piano
Pianist Miko Kominami gave her New York Solo Debut Recital at Carnegie's Weill recital Hall, as a result of winning the Artists International Award. New York Concert Review described her as "both a virtuostic and a musicianly performer." Since then, she has concertized throughout North America, and been broadcast live on Maine Kishwaukee Symphony, the Cedar Rapids Symphony, the Danbury Symphony, and the Indiana University South Bend Philharmonic. She performs in the Murasaki Duo, a cello/ piano ensemble, which released its debut compact disc on Centaur Records. Ms. Kominami has won numerous awards including a Canada Council Arts Grant, and First Prize as the 1996 Concerto Soloists' Competition. Her degrees are from Juillard School. She teaches piano at Luther College on Decorah, Iowa, and she is principal keyboardist of the Cedar Rapids Symphony.
Hal Ott Flute
Hal Ott, flute, is on the faculty of Central Washington University and is well known as an innovative pedagogue, exciting flute and baroque flute soloist, and a beloved and respected clinician throughout the world, including Eurpope and the People's Republic of China. He most recently recorded Maria Newman's Sonata for Flute and Piano, Pennipotenti, and the Pied Piper, for the Montgomery Arts House Modern Masterworks Label. An active writer, Dr. Ott collaborated on the well-known textbook "Teaching Woodwinds" published by Schirmer. He is principal flute of the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra and the Yakima Symphony Orchestra.
Amanda Walker Clarinet
Paula Hochhalter Cello
Paula Hochhalter, cellist, graduated with honors from USC, where she coached with Aaron Copeland and was a member of the USC String Quartet. In 1977 she became a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. She has since gone on to perform in countless motion pictures, television shows, radio programs, well-known concert series and music festivals around the globe (both classical and jazz), and is truly a delight on the concert stage. A 'cellist of great freedom and passion, she has been likened to the late great Jaqueline du Pre, establishing herself as a favorite among world-class chamber music collaborators and as a soloist. A mother of four highly gifted children, Ms. Hochhalter is married to award winning actor/screenwriter Geoffrey Lewis, who worked closely alongside Clint Eastwood for many years.
Maurice Grants Cello
Andrew Shulman Cello
Andrew Shulman, first British winner of the 'Piatigorsky Artist Award', comes from London, England. Shulman's careers as 'cellist and conductor have taken him all over the world. As soloist, he has directed and performed all the major 'cello concertos with the Philharmonic Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the City of Birmingham Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, the Singapore Symphony and orchestras all over Europe, the United States and the Far East, as well as giving recitals in such places as the Wigmore Hall, London "Debussy's 'Cello Sonata, played with fastidious poetry of phrase and technique" (The Times), The Royal Palace in Stockholm, and Buckingham Palace, London (performing 'The Swan' with the Prima Ballerina of the Bolshoi, in the presence of The Prince of Wales). He has also performed Strauss' great tone poem 'Don Quixote' twice at the Royal Festival Hall, London (with Sir Simon Rattle and Benjamin Zander) "The Don Quixote was the finest I have heard" (The Sunday Times) and the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles (with Esa-Pekka Salonen) "Philharmonic principal 'cellist Andrew Shulman's Quixote was always eloquent and passionate" (Los Angeles Times). Last season he gave several performances of Barber's notorious 'cello concerto "And making his Utah Symphony debut is Andrew Shulman, who gave a fabulously nuanced and impassioned performance of the (Barber) concerto...Shulman's interpretation was of the highest caliber in terms of articulation and delivery. His technical mastery was such that he made short work of the demands Barber placed on the soloist" (Salt Lake Tribune) (click this link to hear the live recording of this performance) He also performed Bloch's 'Schelomo' at two days notice "Cellist Andrew Shulman joined the CRSO and Tiemeyer for an intense, spirited performance of Ernest Bloch's "Schelomo", Hebraic rhapsody for cello and orchestra...His flawless performance of "Schelomo" was eloquent and passionate" (Cedar Rapids Gazette) (click this link to hear the live recording of this performance)
Born into a family of professional musicians (his father plays Contrabass and his mother is an opera singer) Shulman studied 'cello and composition at the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Music in London and after winning the major 'cello prizes there, in addition to the "Madame Suggia Gift" and the "Royal Society of Arts" prize, was appointed solo 'cello of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, before being offered the first chair position with London's Philharmonic Orchestra, at the age of 22, by conductor Riccardo Muti. He has performed as soloist with Sir Simon Rattle, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Semyon Bychcov, Franz Welser-Möst and Esa-Pekka Salonen, amongst others. He has also recorded over twenty-five CD's as 'cellist of the Britten Quartet (exclusive to EMI Records), Vivaldi 'cello concertos for Virgin Classics (click this link to hear this recording "One of the high points of the disc for me is Andrew Shulman's cello playing in the elegiac Concerto in C minor (Vivaldi RV401); and he is sensitively supported by the (London Chamber) Orchestra" (The Gramophone Magazine), Janacek's 'Pohadka', again for EMI, (click this link to hear this recording) 'cello works by Delius (a world premiere recording) and was solo 'cello on Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind 1997', a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, the highest selling single of all time.
Shulman was bestowed with an 'Honorary RCM' by The Queen Mother in 1986, and subsequently became a professor at the historic Royal College of Music in London. He has since given master classes all over the world, including Western and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, The Ukraine, The USA, South America, The Far East and New Zealand. In 1990 he won the prestigious 'Piatigorsky Artist Award' at the New England Conservatory in Boston, and returned to the USA on numerous occasions to teach and give concerts. Since coming to Los Angeles he has given many classes, among them those at the University of Southern California (USC), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Corwin Awards Master class at the Los Angeles Music Center, as well as playing and teaching at the Aspen, Blue Mountain, Ojai, Las Vegas and San Diego's 'Mainly Mozart' festivals.
As conductor, he has performed extensively in the UK, Germany, Ireland and Scandinavia. This season he makes his US conducting debut. His performances have included the symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Haydn, Mahler, Mozart, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky "The conductor Andrew Shulman really carried the orchestra along...like a British Leonard Bernstein whose brilliance was still burning in Haydn's 'Philosopher' Symphony. This was of a quality for which one may search but rarely find" (Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung) and major orchestral works by Bartok, Debussy, Dvorak, Elgar, Holst, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Strauss and Stravinsky. He has given performances of Haydn's symphonies under the auspices of H.C. Robbins Landon at the Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh, with the Britten-Pears Orchestra, and has conducted the world premieres of several major works, as well as collaborating with some notable soloists, including Rafael Wallfisch, Colin Carr and Bernard D?Ascoli. He was invited by the Britten-Pears Foundation to conduct the first performance of an important early work by Benjamin Britten, with the Britten-Pears Orchestra at Britten?s ?Snape Maltings? in Suffolk, England. He is a regular guest conductor with the Haydn Chamber Orchestra (London), the Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra (Bristol), the Saloman Orchestra (London), the Jonkoping Orchestra (Sweden), the Ambache Chamber Orchestra (London), the Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra (London), the Royal College of Music Chamber Orchestra (London), the RCM String Ensemble (London) and the Ulster Youth Orchestra (Ireland), as well as directing the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the London Chamber Orchestra in concerto performances from the solo cello chair. In the field of opera, he has conducted Mozart's 'Marriage of Figaro' (1998) and 'Cosi Fan Tutte' (2000) in successful new productions at the Theatre Royal, Bristol.
In 1999 he was appointed first chair cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic "The new principal 'cellist, Andrew Shulman, whose influence on the string section is beginning to make itself heard...The 'cellos, brilliantly powerful" (Los Angeles Times) and also resumed his activities as one of the most sought after solo 'cellists working in the TV and Movie music industry. At the end of 2002 he left the Philharmonic in order to expand his solo, chamber music, teaching and conducting activities still further, having made his family's home in the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains. In 2007 and 2008 he recorded three new cello concertos written specially for him, composed by Christopher Stone, Nathaniel Levisay and Maria Newman. Shulman also composes, and recently premiered his own ?Smaller Music For Strings? in the UK, as well as collaborating with the legendary German rock/classical guitarist Uli Jon Roth in performances in Hollywood, California. His electric cello instrumental 'H.A.N.D' was a winner in the International Songwriting Competition of 2007, and in 2008 he was appointed principal cello of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
Eric Kutz Cello
Cellist Eric Kutz has captivated audiences across both North America and Europe. He has been on the Luther College faculty since 2002 as Assistant Professor of Music, where he maintains a large cello studio. He is active as a teacher, a chamber music musician, an orchestral musician, and a soloist. His diverse collaborations cut across musical styles, and have ranged from cellist Yo-Yo Ma to jazz great Ornette Coleman. Mr. Kutz is also a founding member of the Murasaki Duo, a cello and piano ensemble that is residence at Luther College. The Duo recently released its debut compact disc on the Centaur Records label. It has performed at leading festivals, such as the Niagara International Chamber Music Festival, the Icicle Creek Music Center, and Lutheran Summer Music, and it has been broadcast on public radio stations throughout the country. As an orchestral musician, Mr. Kutz summers in Chicago as a member of the Grant Park Symphony's cello section. He has also appeared in the section of the New York Philharmonic. In 1997 Mr. Kutz traveled to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow as a visiting artist, performing new chamber works by American composers. He has premiered over two-dozen works, and has been broadcast live on WQXR and WNYC, both of New York City, as well as nationally on PBS television?s Live from Lincoln Center. Mr. Kutz holds degrees from the Juilliard School and Rice University
Brian Schuldt Cello
Brian Schuldt, a native of Seattle, has given recitals in Washington, California, Indiana, as well as Germany and Italy. Brian was the cellist of the Arcadia String Quartet, which twice won the prestigious Michael Kuttner String Quartet Scholarship and grand prize of the 1995 Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition. He has soloed with the Owensboro Symphony, Eastern Sierra Symphony and the Chamber Orchestra "Cantelli" of Milan. He was principal cellist of the Owensboro Symphony and "Cantelli". Brian studied with Toby Saks at the University of Washington and continued under Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Janos Starker at Indiana University, where he earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees. From 1994-1996, Brian held the appointment of Assistant Instructor of Cello at Indiana University. He is currently Executive Director of Chamber Music Unbound, director of the Sierra Chamber Workshop and conductor of the Eastern Sierra Chamber Orchestra.
Rebecca Hang Violin
Rebecca Hang was born in Germany and began her violin studies at the Peter-Cornelius-Conservatory in Mainz. From 1987 until 1990 she lived in Israel where she studied with the concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Chaim Taub. Rebecca continued her musical education in the classes of Atar Arad and Paul Biss at Indiana University, Bloomington, where she received her Bachelors of Music "with high distinction" and a Masters of Music in violin performance. As member of the internationally renowned Felici String Quartet, she won first prize in the 1992 Michael Kuttner Competition at IU, the MTNA Competition in Indianapolis, the Russell Award of the 1993 Coleman Competition and was a prize winner of the International String Quartet Competition in Osaka, Japan, in the same year. In June of 1993 she gave her New York solo debut in Lincoln Center's Juilliard Theater performing Mozart?s Sinfonia Concertante. With her husband, Brian, Rebecca spent the 1997-98 concert season as member of the International "Guido Cantelli" Chamber Orchestra in Milan, Italy, before accepting a CMA rural residency grant with the Felici Piano Trio in Mammoth Lakes, CA.
Maia Zander Violin
Maia Zander, violin, is one of the most exciting talents on the concert scene, and is one of this country's most creative pedagogues. She has concertized and presented master classes throughout Europe and the U.S., and has partnered with many of today's finest artists. She has served as Co-Concertmaster\ soloist of the Eastern Sierra and Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestras. Ms. Zander earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from Boston University, and continues to perpetuate her knowledge and magnetic teaching abilities as Co-Director\ Founder of the Malibu String Academy.
Steve Zander Violin
Steven Zander, violinist, has performed globally to critical and audience acclaim, and has garnered many coveted awards and honors. He received a Master's Degree from Rice University's famous Shepherd School of Music, and has gone on to perform with some of the world's most well known chamber music collaborators. Locally, Mr. Zander has served as a frequent concert soloist with the Eastern Sierra Chamber Orchestra, the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Ventura Music Festival. Along with his wife Maia, he is the Co-Founder\ Director of the Malibu String Academy.
Lynn Grants Viola
Kris Wildman
An eclectic performer in Southern California and beyond, Kris Wildman has had several roles in regional music theatre and operetta, including ?The Mother Abbess? in SOUND OF MUSIC at the San Gabriel Valley Music Theatre as well as many years as principal soprano with Opera a la Carte, the nationally touring Gilbert and Sullivan opera company. Choral and solo work also with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, LA Opera, LA Chamber Orchestra, and Southern Oregon Repertory Singers. In 2006, Kris received her Master of Fine Arts in Vocal Performance at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, specializing in new song literature and chamber music, particularly the work of recent and living American composers. This led to roles in operatic premieres such as WET by Anne LeBaron in 2005 and SEXTUOR, L?Origine des espèces, by Georges Aperghis, North American Premiere, 2006. She is a founding member of the female vocal trio Elemental Harmony, performing a cappella vocal harmony from throughout history and around the world. Kris continues her work in modern song and chamber music with several colleagues from CalArts in their ensemble, Night Wanderers, and is very excited to begin work with the amazing musicians of the MCMF. Kris lives in Burbank with her husband Jeff, a Disney Imagineer, and their blended cat family.
Terry Lieberstein Alto
Terry Lieberstein, alto, is a singer/songwriter and a canatorial soloist with an eclectic vocal background, including performance experience in classical a cappella, folk, gospel, jazz, and children's music. Terry has produced two CD's of her original compositions: "Center of the Storm," a compilation of inspirational music; and "Turkey Burps and T-Ball," a collection of family songs.
Duanna Ulyate Soprano
Duanna Ulyate, soprano, attended CSUN, graduating with degrees in Vocal performance and Languages. She was offered a full scholarship to AIMS in Graz and an apprenticeship in the Strasbourg Opera. In 1988 she joined the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Los Angeles Opera. She has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and was the featured soprano soloist for Maria Newman's large scale mass, "Requiem for the Innocents," which she recorded to great critical acclaim for the Raptoria Caam record label. Ms. Ulyate is married to trumpeter Andrew Ulyate of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra.
