Trio Solisti

This is a world-renowned Chamber Music Trio from New York
we had the pleasure to host in Ouray several times

Maria Bachmann, violin; Alexis Pia Gerlach, cello; Jon Klibonoff, piano

Trio Solisti brings together three of the most sought after artists of their generation. This internationally renowned Trio has performed at Alice Tully Hall and Weill Hall in New York, Jordon Hall in Boston, the Ambassador Auditorium in Los Angeles, The Kennedy Center and The Library of Congress in Washington, Shriver Hall in Baltimore, Spivey Hall in Atlanta, Pick-Staiger Hall in Chicago, and throughout the United States. In addition to their extremely active schedules across the country, the Trio has also appeared as featured artists in 23 countries around the world.

The members of Trio Solisti have been frequent guests of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and their collaborations have included performances with Yo-Yo Ma, Mstislav Rostropovich, Leonard Slatkin, James DePriest, Dawn Upshaw, Richard Stoltzman, Gilbert Kalish, Ani Kavafian, David Shifrin, The Lark String Quartet, The American String Quartet, and the St Lawrence String Quartet.

Trio Solisti's two debut recordings, both released in 2004, are an all Brahms CD for Marquis Classics and a CD of music by Paul Moravec which includes World Premier recordings of the composer's works, created especially for the Trio. A documentary video, “Trio Solisti Explores Beethoven”, was recently released by the Films for Humanities and Sciences. Highlights of the 2004 season include debut performances at Kennedy Center 's Terrace Theater, on Lincoln Center 's Great Performers Series at The Walter Reade Theater, and at the Tucson Sun Festival in Cortona , Italy . The Trio has also been featured recently on the nationally broadcast show “ St Paul Sunday” and NPR's “Performance Today”.

Trio Solisti has been represented by the Morgan Library in New York City in two concert series, and they present another concert series at the St Louis Museum of Art, and at Adelphi University , NY where the Trio is the resident ensemble. Other performances have included Seattle 's Meany Hall, Troy Chromatic concerts, La Jolla 's Revelle series, Milwaukee Symphony's Pabst series and the newly established Telluride MusicFest, as the founding ensemble. They have also been presented at Carnegie's Weill Hall by The American Academy in Rome .

For more information, visit Trio Solisti's website.

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San Juan Chamber MusicFest
Max Levinson - Artistic Director

MAX LEVINSON, piano
Pianist Max Levinson is known as an intelligent and sensitive artist with a fearless technique. The Washington Post writes, "You can hear gasps in the audience - Max Levinson displays technical wizardry. His playing has solid, assured technique, clarity of vision and a sense of the permanent values in music that underlie surface variations." He has performed as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Colorado Symphony, New World Symphony, Boston Pops, San Antonio Symphony, Louisville Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and in recital at New York's Lincoln Center, Washington DC's Kennedy Center, London's Wigmore Hall, Zürich's Tonhalle, the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, Jordan Hall in Boston, and throughout the US, Canada, and Europe.

Levinson's international career was launched when he won First Prize at the 1997 Dublin International Piano Competition, the first American to achieve this distinction. He then received overwhelming critical acclaim for his two solo recordings on N2K Encoded Music, and was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant in March 1999. Most recently he was awarded the 2005 Andrew Wolf Award, given biannually to a pianist for achievement as a chamber musician.

Max Levinson is a graduate of Harvard and the New England Conservatory, receiving an Artist Diploma and the Gunther Schuller Medal. His teachers include Patricia Zander, Aube Tzerko and Bruce Sutherland. An active chamber musician, Levinson has collaborated with such artists as Pinchas Zukerman, the Tokyo , Vermeer, Mendelssohn, and Borromeo Quartets, and regularly appears at major music festivals including Santa Fe , Marlboro, Tanglewood, La Jolla, Killington, and Switzerland 's Davos Festival.

He is currently on the faculty at Boston Conservatory and Brown University and is a Steinway Artist. He lives in Boston with his wife, cellist Allison Eldredge, and their daughters Natalie and Jessica.


IRINA MURESANU, violin
Irina Muresanu has won international acclaim as an outstanding young soloist, recitalist and chamber musician having already achieved top prizes in numerous international violin competitions. She is the winner of the Pro Musicis International Award, the Presser Music Award and the Arthur Foote Award from the Harvard Musical Association. The Boston Globe has come to praise her as "...not just a virtuoso, but an artist."  

She has performed as soloist with the Boston Pops, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Geneva), the Syracuse Symphony, the Metropolitan Orchestra (Montreal), the Transvaal Philharmonic (Pretoria), the Orchestre de la Radio Flamande (Brussels), the Boston Phiharmonic, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, the Romanian National Radio Orchestra, and the Miami Symphony Orchestra among others.  

An active chamber musician, Ms. Muresanu is a member of the Lewin-Muresanu Duo and the Boston Trio. She has appeared in such festivals and venues as Bargemusic in New York; the Rockport Festival in Massachusetts; Bay Chambers concert series and Bowdoin Festival in Maine; the Strings in the Mountains festival in Colorado; Maui Chamber Music Festival in Hawaii, Reizend Music festival in Netherlands; Festival van de Leie in Belgium; and the Rencontres des Musiciennes festival in France.  

Ms. Muresanu's discography includes the world premiere recording of Marion Bauer's Sonata for Violin and Piano (with pianist Virginia Eskin) on Albany Records label, and a CD featuring chamber works of Erich Korngold released by the VPRO Radio Amsterdam.   Irina Muresanu currently serves on both the faculties of the Boston Conservatory and the Music Department at MIT. A native of Bucharest, Romania, she received the prestigious Artist Diploma from the New England Conservatory in 1999, where she is currently a candidate for her Doctorate in Musical Arts.  

Irina Muresanu plays an 1856 Joseph Rocca violin and a Charles Peccat bow, courtesy of Mr. Mark Ptashne.

There is much more, including info on her CD's at Irina's website: http://www.irinamuresanu.com

ALLISON ELDREDGE, cello
Heralded as "a musician of remarkable gifts" by the Chicago Tribune, cellist Allison Eldredge has captivated audiences throughout the world with her deeply communicative tone and commanding technique. An Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, Ms. Eldredge has performed with many of the world's foremost orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Saint Louis Symphony, the Boston Pops, Montreal Symphony, the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

She has toured North America, Europe and Asia as featured soloist with such prominent ensembles as the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields , the Haifa Symphony, and leading ensembles of Japan . Other career highlights include her performance at a special concert in tribute to cellist Pablo Casals at the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico and performances with the Moscow Virtuosi and Vladimir Spivakov, which culminated in a nationally televised gala concert, at the Moscow Conservatory Grand Hall. She has appeared with Isaac Stern and Yo-Yo Ma for Japanese television and also has the distinction of being invited to play at the White House.

Sought after as a chamber musician, she has shared the stage with numerous acclaimed artists, such as Andre Previn, Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, and Gil Shaham. She has appeared at many of the major world chamber music festivals, including the Ravinia, Caramoor, Casals, Santa Fe , the Colmar Festival in France , the Davos Festival in Switzerland , the Dvorak Festival in Prague , and the Johannesen International Festival in Victoria , BC . She is also a member of the distinguished Boston Trio.

Born in New York City , Ms. Eldredge studied at the Juilliard School . Now living in the Boston area with her husband, pianist Max Levinson and their two daughters, Ms. Eldredge serves on the faculty of the New England Conservatory. She is also the Artistic Director of the Killington Music Festival.

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Willson and McKee

The nationally known duo who has entertained audiences in Ouray County many times

Willson and McKee, a nationally touring duo specializing in original as well as traditional Irish and Scottish acoustic music, has won both 1 st and 2 nd place International Songwriting Competition in 2003 and 2 nd place in 2005, at the Milwaukee Irish Festival, the largest Irish Festival in the World. They have garnered rave reviews from world and folk publications such as Dirty Linen Magazine : “Willson & McKee both have clear sweet voices… and are accomplished and versatile musicians! … Impressive and expressive!” The performance will feature blazing Celtic instruments, warm harmony vocals, and a lot of laughter. Kim moves effortlessly between her instruments and her palate includes hammered and mountain dulcimer, folk harp, accordion, guitar and bodhran. She received 15 years of classical training before turning to traditional Irish music, 25 years ago! She is the 2002 National Mountain Dulcimer Champion.

Ken Willson adds a folk flavor to their performance with his guitars (including the newest member of the family, the cardboard guitar) and Irish bouzouki. An engaging weaver of wit and tales, he can also spin a fine Ceili swing on the dance floor! Willson and McKee have been touring professionally since 1990, performing at thousands of school performances, lyceums, residencies, adult workshops, community concerts, college campuses, festivals, and just plain having fun!

A Willson and McKee concert is more than a performance. It's a gathering of past and present...and a comfortable musical evening with friends!

And even more than that! During breaks in the concert you will have opportunities to admire their unique instruments up close, ask questions of the musicians, and get treated to demonstrations and explanations that provide insight into the history and special features of the instruments.

Willson and McKee have published many outstanding CD's that showcase their amazing talents. Their recordings range from Ballads to Celtic, to Christmas songs, performed with unique and rare instruments.

Listen to samples – and order your favorites – at this site: http://cdbaby.com/cd/willkee5

And find out much more about their educational programs, funny tales from their tours, and other interesting tidbits at their website: http://www.jigheads.com/

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The Mile High 101 Rock Band

The Mile High 101 is one of the popular music components of the 101st Army Band. This nine-piece rock band covers a variety of horn driven blues and rock charts from the 70's through the 90's. The band was reestablished in 2001 due to the increasing requests for live popular music groups. Most of the members are college educated musicians that do some freelance work as civilians. The Mile High 101 mostly performs outdoor events along the Front Range, but is often requested for private military and civilian parties.

Also playing at the Concert in the Park will be the "Open Range" country band component of the 101st. Their repertoire consists of popular country music, country standards, as well as some folk songs. The ensemble will bring its own unique style of country music to venues around the state and will have audiences singing along, dancing in the aisles,
and begging for more.

In addition to the public concerts, the 101st's Ceremonial Band will entertain veterans and their families at selected VA nursing homes along their tour route. The 101st Army Band has played in communities and events throughout Colorado. It is in its 68th year, and consists of 42 guardsmen. The band has performed in concerts with The United States Army Band and The Unites States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. It routinely performs locally and regionally. The 101st Army Band is under the command of CW2 John R. Phillips.

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Central City Opera

CENTRAL CITY OPERA HOUSE ASSOCIATION

"Love Notes" are reflections on the ups, the downs, the all around magic love from operas and music theater by Mozart, Puccini, Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin and others. Performing for student and community audiences are members of Central City Opera's Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program. Recognized as one of the most effective and competitive career-entry training programs in the country, CCO's Artists Training Program has earned international renown. Graduate level students of Colorado University's Opera Studies program, directed by Dr. William Gustafson, make up the remainder of the roster for the tour.

2008 marks the 12th year for Central City Opera's “Opera in the Rockies ” award-winning touring program and the fifth year of collaboration with Colorado University (CU). The 2008 tour of “America On Stage” begins April 23 and will include appearances in Southwest Colorado communities such as Canyon City, Montrose, Ouray and Ridgway through April 25.

“Touring the state is our way of giving back to the many people who support us. We're happy to be able to partner with CU to bring opera performances to the diverse communities we visit,” states Central City Opera's Director of Education and Community Programs, Deborah Morrow. Central City Opera's Education and Community Programs have visited over 100 communities across Colorado and entertain and educate more than 60,000 people each year, making it one of the most active opera companies in the nation in education and community services.

Central City Opera’s touring programs are sponsored in part by generous grants from the Colorado Council on the Arts, CW2 Gives, a Fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation ,National Endowment for the Arts, Wells Fargo, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, and Xcel Energy Foundation.

BRIEF HISTORY AND MISSION

Flush with mining wealth, the leaders and citizens of the City of Central raised funds to build an opera house that, upon its opening in 1878, was described as “…a theater of which any city might be proud.” Fifty years later the gold rush was over, Central City had fallen on hard times, and the opera house was in sad disrepair. But once again, in 1931, in the midst of the Great Depression, patrons and volunteers rallied their resources and set to work. Thus came the night of July 16, 1932, when the world's attention turned to the stage of the beautiful, painstakingly restored opera house and, in the spotlight, Miss Lillian Gish as Camille.

With that second opening, Central City Opera revitalized the summer cultural scene in the Rocky Mountain West. Since then, and still owing to the dedication of many friends, Central City Opera House as been constant to its purpose of preserving the historical integrity of its unique mountain setting.

During its 74 th year, Central City Opera continues with marked success to pursue the four areas of activity mandated by its mission:

- To present artistically excellent, professional opera in Central City. The programming strategy established in 1996 for the Summer Opera Festival combines selections from the traditional repertoire with works that may be unfamiliar but that have proven merit and can challenge audiences and artists alike. The 2006 Opera Festival will feature the 50 th anniversary production of Moore 's The Ballad of Baby Doe ; a new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni , a 250 th birthday tribute to the great composer; and a new production of Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea , an opera which will have its debut this year at the Central City Opera.

- To offer career-entry training to help young singers make the transition from preparation to performance. The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists Training Program is recognized as among the most effective and, therefore, the most competitive in the country. In 2005, 33 young artists were selected from nearly 800 applicants, and many program alumni have established careers of international renown (including “the Voice of America,” Denyce Graves).

- To maintain education and community programs available year-round to schools and communities throughout Colorado and the region. A varied roster of programs ranges from interactive introductions to the operatic art form to concerts featuring opera excerpts complete with props and costumes. Planned in collaboration with educators and community arts organizations, programs can be made suitable for audiences of all ages, from 6 to 90, and the scope of the activity makes Central City Opera a national leader in opera education and outreach.

- To preserve and maintain the Opera House and 30 other Victorian-era properties located in the Central City/Black Hawk National Landmark Historic District. The Opera House itself, the oldest operating theater in the Rocky Mountain Region, has received awards for the excellence of its restoration. The other properties are all in use as residences for artists and facilities to support productions.

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Chameleon String Duo

Christine Embree has enjoyed playing the cello since the age of nine and has studied with cellists from the Chicago Symphony and the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago. She also attended the American Conservatory of Music to continue studying the cello. After marrying and having two daughters she decided to put aside playing and concentrate on her family. In 1986, she returned to her playing, and again resumed private study. She played with a local community orchestra and the Willow Creek Community Church Orchestra until moving to Colorado in 1999 when she joined the Valley Symphony as their principal cellist. She is also a member of the Chameleon Ensemble, greatly enjoying her experience with a wide variety of chamber music.

Mary Ella House has been an avid member of Denver 's musical community for several decades. Having started to play violin at age 6 and viola at age 15, she went on to earn an undergraduate degree in music education from Colorado State University and a masters degree in viola performance from the University of Denver.
Over the course of her career she has performed with several chamber ensembles, the Denver Symphony, the Colorado Springs Symphony and the Colorado Ballet. She has served as principle violist with the Centennial Orchestra and the Musica Sacra Chamber Orchestra with which she has toured internationally. She has also been hired to perform with such luminaries as Smoky Robinson, Ray Charles, Charo, and John Denver.
After her recent move to Ouray , Colorado , Mary Ella is continuing to teach and perform with the Grand Junction Symphony, the Valley Symphony and the Chameleon Ensemble.

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Wintersing

With Telluride Choral Society

Under the direction of Dr. David Lingle, this fine choral society will sing selections by John Gardner, Lloyd Pfautsch, Irving Berlin, and Tchaikovsky among others. Centering on the theme, “A Day for Dancing” and rejoicing in the spirit of the season, the group will perform music old and new, frolicking and tender, joyous and reverent.

WinterSing 2006 includes performances of “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day,” “Waltz of the Flowers,” “It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and a surprise rendition of the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies” from “The Nutcracker Suite.”

The Telluride Choral Society consists of the Choristers (a children's group), Omni Voce (a teen choir), Emanon (a girls' ensemble), and the full Chorale. The Ridgway concert will also include a cameo performance by another group, Men Without Rhythm.

A non-profit organization, TCS is now celebrating its 13 th season. Its mission is to enrich and expand the cultural musical experience of singers and audiences within the Telluride region and beyond through performances and musical activities.

Visit the website of the Telluride Choral Society

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Dolce Voce

Known for their shimmering vocal blend and exceptional musicianship, Dolce Voce (“sweet voice” in Italian) has rapidly become a favorite musical fixture in the Uncompahgre Valley . Hailing from Ouray, Ridgway, Montrose, and Delta, these eight a cappella singers perform an eclectic blend of music—ranging from 16th century madrigals to modern jazz, and from foot-stomping spirituals to Baroque and Romantic classics. Their premiere CD, A Dolce Voce Christmas, has been hailed by the Montrose Daily Press as “a stunning array of songs that celebrate the spirit of the human voice.”

Please find more information and music samples at their website dolcevoce.com

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Pan-African Drum and Dance Ensemble

Djeneba Sako - Mohammed Alido - Georgina Kotoka

The Pan-African Drum and Dance Ensemble in Boulder Colorado is a diverse group of West African performance artists dedicated to the preservation and exploration of the rich cultural heritage of our ancestors. It so happens that in Boulder, Colorado, there exists a small “ Mecca ” of traditional African musicians and dancers representing the arts of Mali , Guinea , Senegal , Ghana , and the African diaspora in America. Artists from these various traditions come together in this ensemble to engage in the delicate and uniquely poignant work of finding crossroads, building bridges, and communicating back and forth through and across the tapestry of these interwoven but also very distinct and beautiful traditions of song, dance, and drum.

In performance the Pan-African Drum and Dance Ensemble provides a rare opportunity for audiences to experience a wide range of African traditional music and dance with a group of professionals who are able to play the music with a depth, an intensity, and an understanding that is at once very old and very new. All of the members of the ensemble are accomplished and experienced teachers as well as performers and are seasoned in the subtleties of transmitting the complexities and the beauty of the African aesthetic to an American audience while still remaining true to its origin and spirit.

The Pan-African Drum and Dance Ensemble is directed by Mohammed Alidu, a world-renowned drummer from Ghana , who began performing there as a child. In 2000 Alidu joined Adzido, the largest pan-African dance company in Europe, and relocated to London to perform with that group. He also performed for Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee in 2002 and as a solo artist at Albert Hall in London in 2003. After moving to Boulder in 2005, Alidu joined together this group of musicians and dancers representing the arts of Mali , Guinea , Senegal , Ghana , and the African diaspora in America. All of the members of this unique ensemble are accomplished and experienced teachers as well as performers dedicated to exploring and preserving the rich cultural heritage of their ancestors.

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Mike Gwinn and the North Fork Flyers

Jazz and Blues

Mike Gwinn and the North Fork Flyers bring a new and different musical style to the Western Slope, featuring high energy jazz, rock and swing. The band covers a wide range of material form American Songbook Jazz Standards to Steely Dan and Van Morrison as well as original compositions by Mike and great original arrangements by band members.

Leader Mike Gwinn is a California transplant who sings and plays guitar. He lived in Telluride in the early 1970’s, playing in the first Telluride Jazz Festival with Sarah Vaughn, the Jazz Crusaders and Dizzy Gillespie. He got to know Paonia when his band, Michael and Megan and the Opher Band played at Joes’ bar which later became The Great Escape. He moved to Paonia 5 years ago with his wife, Pat.

Tony Peters, the newest member of the band, completed his undergrad studies in trombone theory, composition and jazz in 1980 Tony also plays bass and guitar and has performed locally over the last decade with the Jazz Renovators, Dusty Onyx, One World and Triad.

John White from Denver plays alto sax, bass and flute. White played on an album with Eric Marienthal. He lived in Kansas City for six years and toured the Midwest in the Band That Saved the World. John recorded” Stellar” with the Kansas City Boulevard Big Band on the Sea Breeze jazz label. He was recruited to play on the album by his jazz studies professor at Kansas University. John currently teaches music and band at Columbine Middle School in Montrose, Colorado.

Willie Wright plays tenor sax and flute and is the only former pro-football player in the band. He was a tight end and outside linebacker with the Arizona Cardinals. Wright is from Wyoming, then lived in Denver for five years before moving to Paonia. He is the Paonia High School Band Director. Prior to coming to Paonia he played with big bands and small groups, performing live with Billy Tolles on KUVO, a Denver jazz station. Willy also was a musician with the Carnival Cruise Line.

Willy and John play in the Western Colorado Jazz Orchestra, an 18 piece jazz big band. Once a month they perform at the Far East in Grand Junction. Both also play with Larry Sims and his Swing City Express.

Ray Taylor plays drums. In 1966 he played with the Village Idiots, the first rock and roll band to perform in Aspen. He opened for Dixieland’s Freddie Fisher who he describes as being “quite the character”. He also played in the Becker Band in Montana.

The band has performed at the Delta Blues Festival and more recently at the 2008 Telluride Jazz Celebration.

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