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.

http://www.maxlevinson.com/


CATHERINE LEONARD, violin
Catherine Leonard, “ Ireland's leading violinist” (Irish Times) “is a conspicuously gifted player.” ( Santa Barbara News Press) “Leonard has a dazzling energy and her commitment to each note is refreshingly undaunted by technical obstacles. The faster and the more dangerous the better.” (The Strad Magazine)

Catherine is now a regular guest at Ireland’s most prominent festivals and recital series, including the “West Cork Chamber Music Festival” and “Music in Great Irish Houses”. Elsewhere she has made repeat appearances at the Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music Seminar, the Perth ( Australia) International Chamber Music Festival, the City of London Chamber Music Festival, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Wigmore Hall in London.

A Principal Artist for the California-based chamber ensemble, Camerata Pacifica, she works throughout the year with her esteemed colleagues, pianist Warren Jones, violist Richard O’Neill, oboist Nicholas Daniel and cellist Ani Aznavoorian. They perform an eclectic repertoire spanning the body of chamber music, ranging from solo sonatas to larger chamber works. An advocate of contemporary Irish composers, Catherine is a particular champion of the music of Ian Wilson, whose ‘Messenger’ concerto was written for her. In 2008 she played the work with Camerata Pacifica in venues in America, Ireland and the UK, including the Library of Congress, The Morgan Library in New York and London’s Wigmore Hall “…how many violinists will bring the solo part nearer to perfection than Leonard does is harder to predict.” (Irish Times), “a very serious group of fine artists” ( London’s Daily Telegraph)

She has recorded a CD of Wilson's music with regular partner Hugh Tinney “These are exemplary performances from Hugh Tinney and Catherine Leonard, vividly recorded in the composer's presence..well worth hunting down..” (Gramaphone Magazine) The duo's RTE Lyric disc of Beethoven Sonatas has been received to great acclaim both at home and abroad. “Two of Ireland's greatest instrumentalists take us on a journey into Beethoven's poetic and dramatic genius in violin and piano. Powerful and dynamic interpretation in the first movement of the Kreutzer Sonata is carefully balanced with poignant, almost vulnerable playing in its slow movement. There are moments of freshness inspired by familiarity and frequent performance together, each player's virtuosity sparkling.” (The Sunday Tribune)

Catherine studied initially in Cork and Dublin, where awards included the Heineken Violin and bow and the Ulster Bank Bursary. Further studies followed in the US, the Netherlands and Austria, with the assistance of Arts Council bursaries and a Fulbright award. She was first prize winner in the ‘Vriendenkrans’ of the Concertgebouw “Concours” in the Netherlands, and won third prizes in both the Kulenkampff and the Scheveningen International Violin Competitions.

Since 2003 Catherine has played a Francesco Rugeri violin made in Cremona in 1672. The instrument was purchased for Catherine’s use by a Cork-based syndicate.

http://www.catherineleonard.net/

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.

PATRICK SHAUGHNESSY, violin and viola
Violinist and violist Patrick Shaughnessy has played in numerous orchestral to chamber ensembles. Mr. Shaughnessy holds degrees from Florida State University and the Boston Conservatory of Music. His teachers have been Eliot Chapo, and Irina Muresanu. Currently, Mr. Shaughnessy is a Graduate Performance Diploma student at the Boston Conservatory.

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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 Dallas Divide Bluegrass Band

Bruce Kelly - Lead singer and guitarist. 
He hails from the Chicago area and is a soloist and talented guitarist. Bruce leads the group with many songs, ballads, and bluegrass standards.
Carolyn Stiltner-  Bass player, and singer. 
Singing and playing with Dallas Divide, Carolyn adds fun solos and some great harmonies.
Don Stiltner - Banjo player.  
Don played extensively in bands in Virginia and is known for his unique use of the Scruggs Tuners. These are add-on devices, invented by famous banjo player Earl Scruggs, which add interesting effects by allowing quick de-tuning and re-tuning of the banjo while playing.
Eric Stuckey - Mandolin player. 
As the newest member of the band, Eric adds vital energy and plans to attend Berkley School of Music in Boston this winter. 
Mark Parson - Champion Fiddle player. 
Mark will be joining the band as a guest musician - a dozen years after he first jammed with them at Smokey Jeans!. 

In the summer of 1996, a newly-arrived 5-string banjo player from Virginia found a bluegrass guitar player and lead singer from Illinois outside Ridgway’s True Grit Cafe.  That meeting culminated in the formation of the Dallas Divide Bluegrass Band.  Joining the duo on bass was the banjo players' wife, Carolyn.  The following summer the trio met a champion fiddler, Mark Parson, at a jam session who briefly joined the band.  He played festivals with them that summer as well as their first local gig - Smokey Jeans' BBQ in Trail Town.   After the fiddler left to follow other musical pursuits, the band remained a trio until last summer, when a seventeen-year old mandolinist from Montrose joined them.  During the past 13 years, the Dallas Divide Band has had a six year stint at the Skyline Guest Ranch, played many gigs in Ridgway and Ouray and is currently celebrating their tenth season at the Ouray KOA. 

Learn much more about Scruggs Tuners here: http://www.beaconbanjo.com/story2.cfm

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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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David Baker and Friends

A wide range of musical treats

David Baker

David was raised in Dallas, worked in Nashville, but happily for the past 7 years calls Ouray his home. For much of his career, Baker worked as a sound tech and studio engineer in the film and video industry in Dallas, and wrote and produced underscores for countless TV spots, corporate and entertainment projects. A talented composer, he wrote the scoring for Disney Channel's "Oak Street Chronicles," as well as PBS's "Wishbone" series, and was one of a team of song-writers for "Jay Jay the Jet Plane." Since moving to Ouray, Baker has emerged as a well-known and well-loved figure in the local acoustic live music scene. Tonight’s concert was David’s idea and OCPAG is delighted to work with him to present this fine “local” program for your enjoyment.

Dee Harthan

Singer songwriter Dee Harthan has been writing her music for the past 20 years. She began performing locally in Montrose, Ridgway and Ouray six years ago and consistently gains strong reviews from a growing fan base.

Mike Hockersmith 

Irish whistle player Mike Hockersmith has been doodling on the whistle for over twenty years.  With wife Nancy Ziglar and other members of the Chameleon Ensemble, he has performed at the Silverton Folk Festival, the Ridgway Rendevous, and other numerous events in Ouray County.  When not practicing law in Ouray, he also has been known to overact in several theater productions both locally and across Colorado.

Mike Kern

Mike Kern is in his 16th season as conductor and musical director of the Valley Symphony Orchestra and he teaches as an adjunct professor at Mesa State College-Montrose.  Educational, he received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and his Master of Music degree in Music Composition at Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana.  Kern also studied jazz bass with nationally acclaimed jazz pedagogue, David Baker who is still the head of the Jazz Program at Indiana University. Kern has performed with a variety of artists including Marvin Gaye, Wes Montgomery, Freddie and Junior Hubbard, Doc Severinson, Buddy DeFranco.  Mike is currently the regular bassist with Swing City Express a Montrose based swing band. Mike retired from public school teaching a little over one year ago.

Nancy Ziglar

Nancy Ziglar has a B.A. in music education and an M.M. in music history and literature. She currently teaches chorus and music appreciation at Ouray High School and piano, guitar and dulcimer at her private music lesson school, FEAST ON MUSIC. Other interests include jamming on cello with the CHAMELEON ENSEMBLE, hiking, tai-chi and their influence on moving the mind and natural curly hair.

Ken Crombie

Ken has been a drummer / percussionist since age 9. He’s played with school and community bands in Connecticut from 10 years old on. He has Degrees in Music Production and Engineering ( Institute of Audio Research - NYC, NY), Music/Percussion performance (Berklee College of Music - Boston, MA), and Music Education (Metro State College - Denver, CO). He has been a professional drummer/percussionist and recording studio drummer in New York City, Houston, Boston, Los Angeles, and Denver since the 1980's. Currently he’s with Ouray Schools as the Music/Band Director. His Jazz Trio includes John Tuttle and Don Allen.

Jane Holmes

Jane Holmes, flutist, has lived in Ouray for over 17 years and is a current and founding member of The Chameleon Ensemble.  Prior to relocating to Colorado, she earned a bachelors degree in music at the University of Missouri-Columbia, then resided near Springfield, Missouri where she played flute in the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and founded a chamber music group called Flutes Too. She enjoys traveling, learning guitar, and spending time with her husband, Rob, and son, Eli.

Carrie Stuckert and Jennifer Lockwood

Violinist Carrie Stuckert and cellist Jennifer Lockwood often perform together as Da Capo Areato, a versatile string duo performing a variety of classical, Celtic, and modern music. They are musicians with 20+ years of experience and have performed in a variety of venues. Their classical repertoire includes works by composers such as Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Dvorak.  They also perform many styles of Celtic music including traditional Irish, Scottish, and Cape Breton pieces, as well as modern acoustic arrangements from The Beatles to Metallica.  

Kevin Vernon

Kevin grew up in a family band. He has been a professional drummer for 46 years including staff drummer for the Make A Wish Foundation  in 1989 and for Scotties International Steel Guitar Convention in 1985. He did two world tours for the troops during Desert Storm in 1990-1991 with the band "Axe Factor". He has worked on countless recordings with various artists. He helped found the band, "The Last Bus" five years ago and continues as their drummer to growing acclaim. 

Kenny Ray

Kenny first got involved in music during High School ( Olathe CO), playing tympani, bass, and singing in choirs. He has a B.A. in vocal music ( University of Northern Colorado), a Masters in Choral Conducting ( Portland State University), Kodaly Level 1 certification, and a State of Colorado K-12 music teaching license. Kenny has performed or directed in 8 countries in a variety of professional musical settings and has taught music at all levels, including University. Some career highlights include opening for Alabama, writing and recording movie soundtracks and award-winning tunes in the Northwest, studying/playing with Andrew Hill (Chic Corea, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis) and Vijay Singh at Portland State and with Joe Sample in New Orleans. After a little storm that starts with the letter "K" hit NOLA, Kenny found himself back at home in the Uncompaghre Valley, where he now teaches elementary music to over 40 classes of kindergarten through 5th graders in Montrose County.  

Barbara Boulden

A member of the renowned local octet Dolce Voce, Barbara Boulden has sung with the New York Choral Society, the San Francisco Bach Choir, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Pete Seeger, and Jesse Norman in such venues as Carnegie Hall and the ancient amphitheaters of Greece.  She is the author of three books and lives in Ridgway with her husband Craig, a wildlife videographer.

Melanie Storter

A music, art and theater lover, Melanie Storter has been performing in the Montrose area for the last 19 years. Currently, she teaches art classes at Montrose Center for the Arts and sings locally with the a cappella ensemble, Dolce Voce. She is happily married to Dave and has two beautiful children; Jeremy and Callie.

Tammy Kenning

Tammy Kenning is a local singer, elementary music teacher, member of the a cappella ensemble Dolce Voce and theatrical performer.  She has taught music in many incarnations for the last 20 years.  Tammy has directed choirs and sung in musicals and operas for the last 30 years and has enjoyed every minute. She has sung the national anthem on national television (okay she was in a choir that sang on national television).  Tamela is the mother of two exceptional musicians, and the wife to another. Thank God she hasn’t had to depend on her jobs as a musician for a life sustaining income!

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