Your 1st Website
1st Vlog of the Year – Brenton Alston
Brenton Alston
Brenton F. Alston
Visiting Instructor of Symphonic Conducting- Conductor of the FIU Wind Ensemble
At FIU, Dr. Alston conducts the FIU Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds in addition to teaching Private Graduate Conducting Lessons, Basic Undergraduate Conducting and Symphonic Literature courses.
Prior to coming to FIU Alston served as Director of Instrumental Music and Conductor of the Wind Ensemble at the famed New World School of the Arts High School (Miami, Florida) as well as Visiting Director of Bands at Radford University (Radford, Virginia).
Dr. Alston has been conferred with the Doctorate of Musical Arts and Advanced Artist Diploma in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Miami- Frost School of Music (Coral Gables, Florida), Master of Arts in Music with a concentration in Conducting from Radford University (Radford, Virginia) and Bachelor of Arts in Music with concentrations in Music Education and Performance from Catawba College (Salisbury, North Carolina).
Dr. Alston retains memberships in the Conductors’ Guild, College Band Directors National Association and Pi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
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Chatt(ing) with Sarah
In Sarah’s first VLOG post, she introduces you to herself and takes you on a tour of her favorite music spaces in Chattanooga!
Sarah Marczynski
Sarah joined the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera in 2010 working part time with the Marketing and Development staffs and recently began working full time as the Community and Patron Engagement Manager. In this role, Sarah creates opportunities for CSO Ensembles and musicians to perform in community spaces, manages CSO volunteers, manages CSO social media and websites, and coordinates opportunities for patron engagement including Play Along with the CSO.
She holds a Master's of Public Administration focusing in Nonprofit Arts Management from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where her capstone and other work under Dr. Christopher Horne examined attendance patterns in high-art cultural institutions and network relationships between local arts agencies and cultural partners. She also holds a Bachelor's of Vocal Music Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she studied under Dr. Kevin Ford and Ron Ulen.
Sarah has been active in the Chattanooga arts community, working with the Chattanooga Boys Choir, the Choral Arts Society, the Hunter Museum of American Art, the Chattanooga Bach Choir, and the Holmberg Arts Leadership Institute.
All posts from Sarah Marczynski
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Video Blog – A Start to a Year
Elaine Li
Elaine Li is the current Bands Collection Librarian at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Her position centers around serving all performing groups, conductors, and conducting GTAs with their music needs including acquisition, research, creation of part folders for student performers, creating edited parts, assembling scores, preparing materials for band related classes, and maintaining one of the world's largest performance collections of band repertoire. She also manages certain responsibilities centered around performances and touring including program copy and concert PR support.
Ms. Li received her master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2012. She also holds a master’s degree in violin performance from the University of Miami and bachelor's degrees in music performance and English from the University of Florida. Prior to her appointment at the University of Illinois Bands, she was Orchestra Librarian for Sinfonia da Camera, a graduate assistant at the University of Illinois Archives, and an Ensemble Library Intern in the Frederick and Elizabeth Ludwig Fennell Library at the 2012 Interlochen Arts Camp. She was a library fellow at the 2011 Tanglewood Music Center in the Ozawa Library, working closely with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Juilliard School, and was a librarian during the Aspen Music Festival 2010 season, working as Aspen Opera Theatre Company librarian and assistant librarian for the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen. From 2008 to 2010, Ms. Li was the Head Librarian of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony. She continues to perform violin locally with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera, and other ensembles around Central Illinois.
All posts from Elaine Li
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Back to concert season! First rehearsal – Fairfax Chamber Ensemble
Natalie Spehar
"Yet another wonderful example of the tremendous versatility of the cello in the right hands, which Natalie Spehar’s clearly are." - Susan Scheid, Prufrock's Dilemma
An accomplished classical, rock, and folk cellist, Natalie has performed as a member of several ensembles, including most recently the Great Noise Ensemble, Écouter, the Low End String Quartet and the Washington, D.C. based cello rock ensemble, Primitivity. With a strong interest in contemporary music, Natalie has enjoyed mastering and premiering new and experimental works for cello, including several recent projects with live electronics and tape.
Natalie has performed as a soloist with Graham Reynolds in The Kennedy Center’s presentation of The Difference Engine, with the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and University of Maryland Percussion Ensembles, and with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, and has presented world premiere performances in venues including Ravinia, Severance Hall, and the National Gallery of Art. She has also been awarded several scholarships, among them a USA Projects grant, the Canton MacDowell Club Scholarship and the Howard Hanson Scholarship toward her studies at the Eastman School of Music. In the summer of 2009, Natalie was one of five American performers selected to participate in Northeastern University’s Fusion Arts Exchange, a program and concert tour funded by the U.S. Department of State that featured young musicians from six countries, and in 2011-12 she participated in the inaugural New Music on the Point contemporary music festival as well as the inaugural Fresh Inc. Festival led by Chicago’s esteemed Fifth House Ensemble. An enthusiastic presenter of new music, Natalie has premiered new cello works by composers Tomek Regulski, Finola Merivale, Orie Sato, Keane Southard, Andrew Watts, famed Syrian recording artist Malek Jandali, and her 2011-12 season featured her in premieres of works by renowned composers Zoe Keating, Sarah Lipstate, Cornelius Dufallo and Hannah Lash. Natalie also recorded an original soundtrack for the television documentary Through the Eye of the Needle, as well as composed and recorded the solo cello original soundtrack for the award-winning animated film Test Anxiety.
Natalie holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance as well as a Certificate in Arts Leadership from Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Alan Harris. An avid supporter of music outreach, Natalie has recently served as an Arts & Learning Intern for Young Audiences, Inc., an educator with Music For Life, and a performing member of the MacDowell Music Club, all national organizations dedicated to encouraging and providing community music education. She currently resides in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and looks forward to the upcoming season, in which she will present several solo cello premieres in the Washington, D.C., Ohio, and New York City areas, as well as record her solo debut CD.
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Sharing music with the Youth of Georgia!
Lauren Denney Wright
Dr. Lauren Denney Wright is the current Director of Wind Ensemble activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Berry College where she conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches clarinet. Prior to her arrival at Berry College, Dr. Denney Wright was the Director of Bands, clarinet instructor, and taught Instrumental Music Education courses at Oklahoma Baptist University.
A native of Marietta, Ga., Dr. Denney Wright earned her bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the master of music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the bachelor of music degree in music education from Kennesaw State University. Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in instrumental conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women’s basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant. In addition, Dr. Denney Wright will be making her international debut conducting chamber music with members of the Berlin Philharmonic this summer in Aix-en-Provence, France.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
Educational Background:
B.M., Vanderbilt University
M.M., University of North Carolina at Greensboro
B.M., Kennesaw State University
D.M.A., University of Miami Frost School of Music
A native of Marietta, Georgia, Dr. Denney Wright earned her Bachelor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Vanderbilt University, the Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Kennesaw State University. Prior to her appointment at Oklahoma Baptist University, Dr. Denney Wright completed her doctoral studies in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music under the mentorship of Gary Green, where she conducted the Frost Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Chamber Winds and Concert Band. In addition, she taught conducting courses, worked with the Band of the Hour marching band and ran the men and women's basketball pep bands. Dr. Denney Wright has worked with such composers as John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Michael Daugherty, John Mackey and Steven Bryant.
Dr. Denney Wright holds professional memberships with College Band Directors National Association, College Music Society and Music Teachers National Association. In addition she is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma, a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University, and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
All posts from Lauren Denney Wright
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I travelled to Woodstock, Georgia, and visited a second grade class (my Mom’s!) at Bascomb Elementary where I shared my love of music!
Vlog #1 Intro
http://youtu.be/ytl2G9gPQLQ
Domenic Salerni
Domenic Salerni is the first violinist of the Vega String Quartet, quartet-in-residence at Emory University. He is also a laureate of the 2009 Sion-Valais International Violin Competition. Since 2008, Domenic has performed with the chamber ensemble Sejong on tour in the US and Korea. He has performed in such venues as Zankel Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Severance Hall, and has recorded for the Innova, Canary Classics, and Naxos labels, and has collaborated with such artists as William Preucil, Gil Shaham, Robert Spano, and Christopher Rex.
Domenic was a featured performer at the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, ENCORE School for Strings, the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, and joined Sejong in their residency at the Great Mountains Music Festival in the summer of 2010. He has also performed as a member of the Vega Quartet at the North Georgia Chamber Music Festival, the Brevard Music Center, and the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival. In addition to his activities with the quartet, Domenic has collaborated with performer/composer Andy Akiho on a number of projects, and can be heard on Andy’s album “No One to Know One.” He will be performing with Andy this August at the Noguchi Museum.
All posts from Domenic Salerni
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Hi! I wanted to introduce myself and give a little background of what I’m up to this season with the Vega String Quartet!
Meet Concert Pianist Jade Simmons…and her recurring themes!
Concert Pianist Jade Simmons talks about what’s ahead and you’ll meet her recurring themes.
Jade Simmons
Jade is committed to expanding the boundaries of Classical music and its presentation. From 2006-2010 she served as the inaugural New Music/New Places Fellow for the prestigious Concert Artist Guild organization. She offers a diverse mix of repertoire from the Classics to the cutting edge. Audiences have come to expect creative projects backed by riveting performances like her program Kandinsky and Scriabin: Hearing Color, Seeing Sound which focuses on links between visual art and music, as well as The Rhythm Project, an exploration of pieces that exploit the more percussive nature of the piano. Ms. Simmons, a Yamaha Artist, has toured the US extensively, highlighted by concerts on Ravinia’s Rising Stars series, the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, the University of Washington World Series in Seattle, Merkin Hall and the Detroit Institute of Arts. In 2012, she will return to Ravinia’s Bennett Gordon Hall and will release Playing with Fire, an EP on her newly launched record label Superwoman Records.
Jade’s multiple talents make her a true Renaissance woman of the millennium taking her in the direction of arts presenter, writer, lecturer and creator of Emerge Already!, career-building platform for emerging artists including videos, blogs and books. Most recently, she has been invited to write for the Huffington Post’s Arts section and she has served as the webcast host for both the Van Cliburn and the Tchaikovsky International music competitions. An artist with a social conscience that moves her to action, Jade serves as an advocate for America’s youth, presenting arts outreach and addressing groups across the country on sensitive issues such as youth suicide prevention and mental health awareness. Jade has been recognized two years in a row by Symphony Magazine for her work on and away from the stage. In light of these achievements, she was listed as one of Ebony magazine’s Top 30 Leaders under 30 and was proclaimed Houston’s Best Arts Ambassador by the Houston Press.
All posts from Jade Simmons
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Vlog #1 – Introduction
Ashley Danyew
Active as a collaborator, chamber musician, studio teacher, and music entrepreneur, Ashley Danyew is dedicated to teaching and learning and creating new opportunities for music.
Ashley received her B.A. in Music, cum laude from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia. She completed an M.M. in Music Education at the Eastman School of Music and received the Certificate in Arts Leadership from Eastman’s Institute for Music Leadership. Ashley’s primary piano instructors include Edward Eikner, Dr. Evgeny Rivkin, Louise Barfield, and Dr. Jean Barr. Additionally, she studied organ with Dr. Fletcher Anderson and Dr. Jolene Davis and voice with Dr. Liana Valente. Ashley has performed in masterclasses with George Shirley, Norman McLean, Nadine Whitney, Victor Rosenbaum, Tony Arnold, and Håkan Hagegård.
Ashley performs regularly in a saxophone/piano duo with her husband, Steve Danyew. Together, Ashley and Steve are committed to community education and innovative performance practice through the presentation of classical duo repertoire and transcriptions of vocal art songs. They have presented individual works, recitals, and lecture programs in New York, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Ashley has several years of teaching experience in community music schools, private studio settings, and at the college level, having recently served on the faculty of Fitchburg State University. Ashley also co-founded and currently serves as Co-Artistic Director of the Westminster Chamber Music Workshop, a series of engaging, educational music events. Currently, Ashley is pursuing a PhD in Music Education at the Eastman School of Music.
All posts from Ashley Danyew
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Hello there! I’m Ashley Garofalo – church musician, adjunct professor, and piano teacher. I just finished my M.M. degree and moved to a small town in North/Central MA. Get to know me and follow along with my adventures this year! Thanks for watching!
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