Festival Quartet-in-Residence
Chiara String Quartet: Rebbecca Fischer - violin, Julie Yoon - violin, Jonah Sirota - violin, & Gregory Beaver - cello  The Chiara String Quartet is at the forefront of a new generation of exceptional American quartets. Awarded the 2003-2005 Lisa Arnhold Residency at the Juilliard School, the quartet also won First Prize at the 2002 Fischoff Competition, Second Prize at the 2002 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, and in the same year won the Astral Artistic Services National Auditions, placing it on the Astral roster of outstanding young artists launching major professional careers. In the words of Tim Smith of The Baltimore Sun, "...the award-winning foursome clearly has what it takes to make a lasting mark in the chamber music world. " The Chiara has thrilled audiences with its performances, recently including a live appearance on N.P.R.'s Performance Today, an electrifying Alice Tully Hall debut, and a special concert at the American Academy in Rome. It has collaborated with Dawn Upshaw, Norman Fischer, Paul Katz, and James Tocco, as well as members of the Orion, Cavani, and Ying Quartets. Highlights of the 2004-2005 season include New York concerts at Carnegie Hall's Weill Hall (under Astral's auspices), Alice Tully Hall, and Columbia University's Miller Theatre, as well as performances across the United States and in Europe.
The Chiara is well known both as an interpreter of the established quartet repertoire, and as a champion of great new pieces from today's most interesting composers. Upcoming world premieres include 2003 Rome Prize-winner Jefferson Friedman's String Quartet No. 3 (commissioned by the Brooklyn Friends of Chamber Music) and G. Schirmer composer Gabriela Lena Frank's new piano quintet, Ghosts in the Dream Machine, written for the Chiara Quartet and pianist Simone Dinnerstein (co-commissioned by Astral Artistic Services). The quartet will also inaugurate New Voice Singles in the fall of 2004 with a series of CDs each containing a world premiere recording of a new work, starting with Robert Sirota?s Triptych, a powerful 9/11 tribute.
The Chiara Quartet's commitment to building new audiences for chamber music goes far beyond the confines of the concert hall. The members of the quartet help to introduce diverse audiences to the power of quartet music through performance in schools and communities. They have given masterclasses at Cincinnati College-Conservatory, Rice University, Musicorda, and the University of Notre Dame. In addition, they mentor the next generation of gifted musicians through their teaching at Juilliard, Greenwood, Chamber Music at Snowmass, and at their new summer festival, Red River Chamber Music in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It is in that community that the quartet started its career as recipient of a 2000-2002 Chamber Music America Rural Residency. Chiara [key-ARE-uh] is an Italian word, meaning clear, pure, or light. Please visit their website at http://www.chiaraquartet.net
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Rictor Noren - violin/viola
 M.M., graduated with distinction from theIndiana University School of Music on violin with Josef Gingold, viola with Abram Schernick, and viola and violin pedagogy with Mimi Zweig. He has performed in recital in the United States, Europe and Japan including the prestigious Evian Festival in France with Mistaslov Rostropovich; the Token Creek Festival where he premiered works for viola by the renowned composer, John Harbison; and at the University of Sapporo, Japan. Mr. Noren has been featured as soloist with numerous orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic, the Indiana University Orchestra, and the American Youth Symphony. His orchestral engagements include the San Francisco Symphony, the Milwaukee Symphony, the American Sinfonietta, Bellingham Festival Orchestra, principal violist and soloist with the Naples Philharmonic, acting principal violist with the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, and the New York String Orchestra. As a teacher, Mr. Noren directed the strings development and orchestra programs at the Irvine Conservatory of Music, and was assistant instructor of viola and violin at Indiana University School of Music, as well as director of orchestras for the Montessori school system in Southern California.
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Jonathan Golove - cello
 Jonathan Golove is a native of Los Angeles, California and a resident of Buffalo, New York, where he serves as Assistant Professor in the University at Buffalo's Music Department. Dr. Golove is a member of the Baird Trio, artists-in-residence at UB, and has been featured as soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Slee Sinfonietta. Summer festival appearances have included the Sebago-Long Lake and Roycroft Chamber Music Festivals, as well as the Pacific, Rome, and Sarasota Festivals. Dr. Golove received his Ph.D. in composition, and his works have been performed in a variety of locations in North America and Europe.
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Mary Artman - cello
 Mary Artman, cello, is active as an orchestral and chamber musician in the Buffalo area. She performs frequently with the Buffalo Philharmonic and is a member of the Slee Sinfonietta and the Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York. Her freelance activities have included a European tour with the American Sinfonietta and performing with the Pittsburgh Symphony. She was a member of the Sartory Quartet, in residence at Kent State University, as well as the Syracuse Symphony and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. She has taught at Mercyhurst College and at the Bennington College July Program. Festival appearances include the Roycroft, Bellingham, June in Buffalo, Blossom, Yellow Barn, and Kneisal Hall Festivals. Ms. Artmann has recorded for Radio France, WDR, and WBFO's Opus Classics series.
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Carina Voly - RRMC Music Director and cello (both YAS and JSS)
Carina Voly is also Music Director at Rocky Ridge Music Center. A native of Argentina, Ms Voly earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in cello from the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music & Dance, and a Master of Music in Cello performance & Pedagogy from UW-Madison. Ms. Voly has performed and taught extensively in the U.S, Argentina, Israel and Europe. She is currently the Chamber Ensembles Director for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, teaches a large private cello studio in Madison, Wisconsin, and is a founding member of the Crossroads Trio, with whom she performs world chamber music.
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Norman Paulu - violin/chamber music
 Norman Paulu has had a long and distinguished career as first violinist in string quartets, symphony orchestra concertmaster and soloist in recitals and concertos. A native of the United States, but of Czechoslovakian ancestry, he was given a violin at the age of 5 and with much parental encouragement flourished as a young student. After a summer as concertmaster of the National Music Camp Orchestra at Interlochen, MI, he elected to embark on studies leading to a career in music. In six years at the prestigious Eastman School of Music he completed the work for a Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree and received a Performers Certificate and the seldom conferred Artists Diploma.
After completing his formal education, Mr.Paulu was required to give military service to his country and had the great good fortune to fulfill that obligation by serving in the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble based in Stuttgart, (West) Germany. He functioned as one of the concertmasters and soloists and was also first violinist of the string quartet.
Immediately following that assignment, he was appointed concertmaster of the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra, a post he held with great success for twelve seasons. Paulu's ultimate goal in music had always been to lead a fine professional quartet; to that end he formed a quartet of principal players in the Oklahoma orchestra. The group, which was later known as the Lyric Quartet, was highly acclaimed and was a finalist in the inaugural Naumburg Competition for String Quartets.
In 1967 Norman Paulu was summoned by the Pro Arte Quartet of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to lead that well-famed ensemble as first violinist. For 28 years he guided the quartet through a prodigious part of the repertoire and performed hundreds of concerts through much of the world, a total of 33 countries in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. He retired from his position as Professor of Music and Artist in Residence in 1995 but continues an active career playing for numerous festivals and as a recitalist. The instrument used in his concerts is a most remarkable Cremonese violin built by Nicolo Amati in 1656, one of the finest examples of Amati's "grand pattern" style.
Since November of 2002, Mr. Paulu has served as President of the Rocky Ridge Music Center foundation. |
Martha & Richard Blum - violin/chamber music
 Martha Blum began her violin studies in Los Angeles with Vera Barstow and Louis Persiinger. Soon after graduating from UCLA she became a member of the San Antonio Symphony where she met her husband. Later she was a principal player with the Dallas Symphony and the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago. As a founding member of the "Capitol Quartet" she toured throughout Wisconsin presenting for grades 4th, 5th and 6th. In 1972 she earned an MA at the University of Wisconsin majoring in contemporary solo violin literature. From 1974 to 1988 she was the second violinist of the Pro Arte Quartet. In 1991 she joined the "American Sinfonietta, and played for 9 tours of Germany and Austria. She is presently Principal of second violins with the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
Richard Blum recieved an Artist Diploma from the Eastman School of Music. Principal viola in the San Antonio Symphony, Dalas Symphony and the American Sinfonietta. For thirty four years Professor of viola and member of the Pro Arte Quartet at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Presently principal viola in the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
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Junior Student Seminar: Strings Faculty |
David Neely - violin
David Neely, violin, is Assistant Professor of Violin and Chair of the String Division at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, where he also serves as coordinator of the string chamber music program. Formerly, Mr. Neely was on the faculty at the University of South Dakota and a member of the Rawlins Trio. He has concertized extensively throughout the United States, Switzerland, and Germany. In 1999, he was artist-in-residence at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland. He holds degrees from California Institute of the Arts and Iowa State University, with additional study at Indiana University.
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Jame Przygocki - viola
 James Przygocki, viola, is an assistant professor of music at the University of Wyoming. He teaches viola, violin, and music education courses. Przygocki has taught at the String Academy of Wisconsin, Lawrence University, and the University of Indianapolis the University of Alabama, and IU. He has performed throughout the Midwest and in Spain in the Hawthorne Quartet. Mr. Przygocki is also an active conductor of young orchestras as well as violist in the University of Wyoming String Quartet.
As a founding member of the Rocky Mountain chapter of the American Viola Society, he is active in promoting the viola among students and audiences. He is also President of this organization, which sponsors regular concerts, masterclasses and workshops in the region. Mr. Przygocki can be heard in recording on the CRI label. His transcriptions for the viola are published by One World Strings. |
Carina Voly - Music Director and cello (Description located above in Young Artist Seminar section)
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David Carter - cello
 David Carter, cello, Associate Professor of Music at St. Olaf College, is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Indiana University, and the University of Illinois. His cello teachers have included Robert Jamieson,Janos Starker, Gary Hoffman and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. A finalist in the Emanuel Feuermann Cello Competition, Dr. Carter frequently performs solo recitals and chamber music nationally, and maintains an active schedule as Artistic Director of the Bridge Chamber Music Festival and faculty artist at the Red Lodge Music Festival in Montana. He is also cello editor for String Notes magazine. An interest in Baroque and contemporary music has led Dr. Carter to program recitals of the complete Bach Suites for Solo Cello, as well as works of Benjamin Britten, David Diamond, Elliot Carter, George Crumb and George Rochberg. He has served on the faculties of Wichita State University and Illinois Wesleyan University, and has been Principal Cellist of the Wichita Symphony.
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James Vaughn
 James Vaughn, double bass, is the Principal Double Bass with the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the UNC Faculty Jazz Quintet. He has held principal positions with the Denver Chamber Orchestra, the Breckenridge Music Festival and has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the western United States. Mr. Vaughn also maintains a busy performance schedule with a diversity of performing arts organizations such as Colorado Ballet, the Mercury Ensemble and national touring Broadway productions at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Other performing credits include five seasons as a member of the Colorado Springs Symphony and engagements with the Colorado Symphony, Colorado Music Festival and Opera Colorado. Since 1985, Mr. Vaughn has participated in "Inside the Orchestra," a music appreciation program that is in popular demand throughout Denver metro-area schools, churches and synagogues. He is a recipient of the Junior Symphony Guild's "Clef Award" for his dedication to introducing young audiences to classical and symphonic music.
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