Radford University Chamber Players to Perform

     Sunday, March 15, at 2:30 p.m., the Radford University Chamber Players will perform at West Market Street United Methodist Church, hosted by the church and The Music Academy of North Carolina.  The recital will be held in the church sanctuary and the public is invited to attend.  Admission is free.
      The Chamber Players is comprised of Radford University music faculty members Dr. David Allen, clarinet and saxophone; Jenice Riebe, soprano; and Dr. Robert Trent, guitar.  The program will include traditional and contemporary works by Dominick Argento, Johann Kaspar Mertz, Bruce Mahin, and Franz Schubert.
     Dr. David Allen, instructor of clarinet and saxophone at Radford University, is an active freelance musician and performs regularly with the North Carolina Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, and The Opera Company of North Carolina Orchestra. He has performed in chamber music concerts and recitals in Europe and the Middle East including a performance at the Usedomer Musikfestival in Germany with the Pan Wind Quintet. In July 2005, he performed at the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest in Japan as a member of the Una Voce Quartet and was a semifinalist in the ICA Orchestral Audition Competition in 2008.  As a winner of the Annual Concerto Competition at UNCG in 2006, Dr. Allen performed the Hindemith Clarinet Concerto with the University Orchestra. David Allen holds the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master of Music from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Allen also studied chamber music at the European Mozart Academy in Poland.
     Soprano Jenice Riebe is a featured soloist throughout the southwest Virginia region having appeared with the Blacksburg Master Chorale, Salem Choral Society, Radford University (RU) Chorus for Virginia All-State Conference, and the Roanoke Children’s Chorus.  Last season Ms. Riebe’s performances included the Brahms’s Liebeslieder quartets in collaboration with RU faculty and participation in RU’s Olivier Messiaen Centennial Celebration singing with tenor Donald George. Winner of the Virginia NATSAA Competition in 2004, Ms. Riebe obtained a M.M. at the University of Minnesota where she coached extensively with Margo Garrett.  She spent her undergraduate years at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and studied vocal pedagogy with the acclaimed Richard Miller. Ms. Riebe has performed the operatic roles of Monica in The Medium, Ynoild in Pelléas et Mélisande, The Page in Argento’s Christopher Sly and Jenny Diver/Lucy Lockitt in The Beggar’s Opera (Britten). A dedicated and gifted teacher of singing, Jenice Riebe has served on faculty at Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing Michigan, and University of Alaska Fairbanks Summer Fine Arts Camp.  She currently serves on faculty at Radford University.
     Dr. Robert Trent has performed on the continents of North and South America and in Europe on modern guitar, Renaissance lute, and historic instruments of the nineteenth-century. He performs regularly with the Virginia Commission for the Arts Touring Roster ensemble Duo Firenze (with fortepianist Pamela Swenson). A first prize winner in numerous National and International competitions including; the Webb National Guitar Competition, the Masterworks Young Artist Competition and the chamber music prize at the International Competition  “Arturo Toscanini” in Italy, his awards include:  two career grants from The Johns Hopkins University (Peabody Conservatory), Faculty Development Grants from Radford University and is a three-time grant recipient from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
     Holding the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in guitar performance from the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Trent begins his sixteenth year as director of Guitar and Renaissance Lute studies at Radford University where he is in his 8th year as director of Radford University’s Annual International Guitar Festival.  A recording artist for Dorian Records© (with Duo Firenze) in “Italian Nocturnes: Music for Fortepiano and Guitar” he is also featured on the new CD “Traveler’s Tales” TownHall Records (CPS-8776) works by American Composer Byron Petty. This summer saw performances at the International Festival di Coros in Sardinia, The Bethlehem Music Festival, The North Carolina School for the Arts and The National Flute Association Convention which premiered the release of a third CD with flutist Leslie Marrs on the Oasis label, entitled, “Robert Fruehwald: Flute and Guitar Music”.
     The Radford University Chamber Players tour is sponsored by the Graduate College of Radford University.

10th Annual Cello and Violin Competition

     The Music Academy of North Carolina hosts its 10th Annual Cello and Violin Competition, honoring Elizabeth Hoffman Ragan March 6 - 7, 2009.  Guests judges and clinicians are Wesley Baldwin, Nancy Bargerstock, and John Kaboff.  A recital featuring Wesley Baldwin, John Kaboff and Brad Clark is Friday, March 6 at 7:00 pm and tickets costs are: $15 - adults; $8 - children 6 to 12 years of age; free - children 5 and under. MANC registered families will receive a $3 discount on each ticket.
     Recital to Feature Winners of the 10th Annual National Cello and Violin Competition Saturday, March 7, at 7:00 p.m., The Music Academy of North Carolina will host an Awards Recital with the winners of its 10th Annual National Cello and Violin Competition.  The recital will be held in the Preyer Hall at the Greensboro Historical Museum in downtown Greensboro.  Admission is $5.  Children 5 and under are admitted free.
     The Cello and Violin Competition is the only competition in North Carolina for cellists and violinists ages 5 through adult.  In its 10-year history, it has attracted over 300 participants from 50 cities in 11 states, including Florida and New York.  The event honors the late Elizabeth Hoffman Ragan, a High Point resident who was the youngest charter member of the North Carolina Symphony.
     The two-day competition provides master classes, workshops, and recitals by internationally known guest artists John Kaboff, Wesley Baldwin, and Nancy Bargerstock; and provides an opportunity for musicians to compete with their best peers and learn from professionals in their field.  Contestants receive constructive comments from professionals during the auditions and master classes, and vie for cash prizes in various age categories:  Primary, Elementary, Middle, Senior, and Adult.
     Registration and auditions of participants begins Friday morning, followed by an evening recital by guest cellists John Kaboff and Wesley Baldwin, with pianist Brad Clark.  Saturday continues with registrations and auditions with master classes and workshops by guest clinicians Kaboff, Baldwin, and Bargerstock interspersed throughout the day.  In the evening, the recital by the winners in each category will be held, after which there will be a presentation of trophies, certificates, and cash awards.

Cello Master Classes with John Kaboff and Wesley Baldwin

     Saturday, March 7, The Music Academy of North Carolina will host cello master classes with Washington, DC cellist John Kaboff and Tennessee cellist Wesley Baldwin.  The Kaboff master class will be 9:30-11:00 a.m. and the Baldwin master class will be 12:30-2:00 p.m. in the Allen Recital Hall of The Music Academy of North Carolina in Greensboro.  Admission for each of the master classes is $5.  Children 5 and under are admitted free.
     Kaboff, a well-known cellist and teacher in the Washington area, has performed abroad at the Kleinezaal of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, The Adelaide Towne Hall in Australia, and The Cologne Museum of Modern Art in Germany. Mr. Kaboff has been invited by the Suzuki Association of Australia to conduct workshops, master classes and solo recitals, and has also been an Artist-in-Residence at the Flinders Street Conservatorium in Adelaide, Australia.  He also toured Australia with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and appeared with the Melbourne Symphony.  Nationally, he has performed at The United States Department of State, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, The Embassies of New Zealand and France, The Church of Epiphany, Dunbarton House, The National Gallery of Art, and Strathmore Hall.
     Students of John Kaboff frequently garner prizes in national and regional competitions, and have been principal cellists in both the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra and the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra associations. His students have been invited to perform at numerous festivals, such as the Cello Viva! in Switzerland, the Kronberg Academy in Germany, and the 2001 and 2000 World Cello Congress where they were featured in an internationally broadcast workshop with world famous cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.  Kaboff has also been invited to conduct workshops, master classes, and solo recitals throughout Australia and England, Indiana University, and Michigan State University.
     Tennessee cellist Wesley Baldwin performs throughout the United States and Europe as cello soloist and chamber musician. Internationally, he has performed in Italy, France, Monte Carlo, Spain, Austria, Brazil, Japan, Scotland, England, Argentina, and Costa Rica.  Nationally, he has appeared with the Laredo Philharmonic, the Oregon Mozart Players, the Symphony of the Mountains, the Oak Ridge Symphony, and the Wintergreen and Hot Springs Festival Orchestras. He has collaborated with principal string players from the Utah, Philadelphia, Saint Paul Chamber, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestras; with the Miami String Quartet; and with many prominent solo artists.  He has performed chamber music at the Aspen, Cazenovia, Ojai, Sandpoint, Mainly Mozart, May in Miami, Skaneateles, and Subtropics Music Festivals. He was the founder of the Plymouth String Quartet, with whom he was a top prizewinner in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and a finalist in the Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition. Other honors include the Prix Mercure at the Mercure Wettbewerb in Vienna and the first prize in the Homer Ulrich Performance Award Competition.
     Dr. Baldwin currently serves as associate professor of cello at the University of Tennessee, where he received the Provost's Award for Professional Promise in Research and Creative Activity. Wesley also serves as cellist of the James Piano Quartet, the resident ensemble at Sweet Briar College, with whom he performs throughout the Northeastern United States. He is also an artist-in-residence at the State University of New York at Oswego, as a member of the Upstate X-tet.  Dr. Baldwin has led workshops and master classes throughout the US, and is the founder and director of the Tennessee Cello Workshop, an annual three-day seminar for young cellists.

Violin Master Classes with Nancy Bargerstock

     Saturday, March 7, The Music Academy of North Carolina will host a violin master class with Nancy Bargerstock, 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Allen Recital Hall of The Music Academy of North Carolina in Greensboro.  Admission is $5.  Children 5 and under are admitted free.
     Violinist Nancy Bargerstock has enjoyed an extensive performing career as soloist and chamber musician on radio and television with performances throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle and Far East.  Highlights of her career include eight inaugural concerts with the Brandenburg Ensemble at the Pablo Casal’s Hall in Tokyo, Japan and as soloist, the world premiere of the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by Christos Samaras with the Thessalonica State Orchestra in Thessalonica and Athens, Greece.
     In addition to performing, Bargerstock has held collegiate teaching positions at Moravian College (Bethlehem, PA), the American College of Greece (Athens, Greece) and since 1999, appointment at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC where she is String Coordinator and Associate Professor of Violin.  Her educational background includes Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Juilliard School in New York City, a Soloist Diploma in Viola from the Orpheo Conservatory in Athens, Greece, and a Doctorate in Violin Performance from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.
     A CD of the Complete Works for Violin and Piano by Serge Prokofiev with collaborator, Bair Shagdaron, was released in February 2007.  A more recent CD with the Deree Piano Trio (2008 Athens, Greece) is forthcoming which includes works of Mendelssohn, Mozart, and Piazzolla.

The Music Academy presents Faculty Performances

     Each Tuesday in the month of February, the faculty from The Music Academy of North Carolina (MANC) will perform at West Market Street United Methodist Church at 302 West Market Street in Greensboro. Each 30-minute performance will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the church sanctuary, followed by an optional lunch in the church fellowship hall for $5.
     Feb. 3, MANC guitarists Kevin Dollar and Dr. Carey Harwood will offer a diverse program of classical, bluegrass, Brazilian, parlor banjo, and gypsy jazz music on three types of guitars (classical, steel-string, and gypsy guitars) and banjo.
     Feb. 10, MANC guitarist Ken Brown will perform several original works and “For God is Our Righteousness” for guitar and organ by Chris Deblasio.  Organist Jimmy Jones will perform with Mr. Brown, in preparation for their performance at the Arizona Musicfest on Feb. 22nd.  Mr. Brown will perform “Cumulus,” a composition he wrote for guitar, organ and french horn, which premiered in 2007 at the Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre in New York City.  Mary Pritchett Boudreault will join Mr. Brown on french horn for this piece and on a duet Mr. Brown wrote for horn and guitar, “Nostalgic Studies No. I.”
     Feb. 17, MANC violinist Wayne Reich will perform on the fiddle, accompanied by MANC guitarists Kevin Dollar, Dr. Carey Harwood, Chip Newton in the Hot Club style or the style of pre-WWII French jazz, also known as gypsy jazz.  The style is guitar and fiddle based and is derived from the early American jazz styles of the 20's and 30's.  Well known guitarist Django Reinhardt is considered the father of gypsy jazz and remains to this day one of the most famous jazz guitarists in history.  Tuesday's performance will be announced from the stage, and will feature several well-known standards of the gypsy jazz repertoire including jazz standards and traditional folk tunes that were commonly performed in this style.
     Feb. 24, MANC pianist Susannah Steele will present a varied program of well-known piano works from different musical periods.

The Music Academy of NC Hosts Its 4th International Guitar Competition

     Friday, November 14th through Sunday, November 16th, The Music Academy of North Carolina will host its 4th International Classical Guitar Competition and the only centrally located guitar competition in the fall for the state of North Carolina.
     The weekend activities begin with competition registration at 9a.m. Friday at The Music Academy of North Carolina at 1327 Beaman Place in Greensboro, and end Sunday afternoon with a 1:30 p.m. Winners’ Recital at the Greensboro Historical Museum.
     Competition admission fees range from $10 to $40, depending on the five entry categories that include comments-only, elementary, middle school, high school, and college.  The three day competition has competition auditions and master classes interspersed throughout each day, with a recital at the end of each day.  Guest clinicians include Patrick Lui, Lily Afshar, Valerie Hartzell, and Michael Nicolella.  Any portion of each day’s activities may be attended by students and/or teachers at individual session prices.
     Friday afternoon there will be a 4 p.m. master class by judging clinician Michael Nicolella at The Music Academy and a 7:30 p.m. a concert by Valerie Hartzell and Lily Afshar at the Greensboro Historical Museum.  Admission is $10 at the door for the afternoon events, and $15 at the door for the evening event; $8 for children under 12.
     Saturday morning there will be a 10 a.m. master class with Lily Afshar at The Music Academy and a 7:30 p.m. concert with Patrick Lui and Michael Nicolella at the Greensboro Historical Museum.  Admission is $10 at the door for the afternoon event, and $15 at the door for the evening event; $8 for children under 12.
     On Sunday there will be a 10 a.m. master class with Valerie Hartzell at The Music Academy, and a 1:30 p.m. Competition Winners’ Recital and College Finals at Greensboro Historical Museum.  Admission is $10 at the door for the morning events, $8 for children under 12; and the afternoon recital is free and open to the public.