Gregory Sioles is Assistant Professor of at LSU and has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards including an Atwater Kent Grand Prize and a Fulbright Scholarship for study in London. He has performed on three continents at such venues as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Purcell Room on London’s South Bank, Berlin’s Amerika Haus, and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China. He has appeared nearly annually on the Phillips Collection Sunday Concert Series as both recitalist and chamber artist. He also participated in the Smithsonian’s celebration of the piano’s 300th year, and has given chamber performances at Strathmore Hall, the French Embassy, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

His principal teachers were Gyorgy Sebok, Maria Curcio Diamand, for whom he served as a teach- ing assistant, Victor Aller, and Aube Tzerko. He holds the Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA and the Master of Music degree from Indiana University, where he was both a fellowship recipient and, subsequently a guest lecturer in piano for five years. More recently, Sioles has taught on the faculties of the University of Maryland, the Peabody Conservatory, and the Levine School of Music in Wash- ington, D.C. His solo CD (Centaur, 2002) was praised by Fanfare: “The same qualities that make his The Pelican State Clementi spring to life also illuminate his Schubert--namely, nimble, lucid finger work and a deep affection for the glowing beauty and wisdom of the music.” Series The Pelican State Chamber Music Series thanks the following sponsors for their 2008-2009 Season generous support of these concerts:

TheArts Council of Greater Baton Rouge Program 1 The Louisiana Division of the Arts PPC Mechanical Seals The Pointe Coupée Historical Society

The Julien Poydras Museum and Arts Center New Roads , Louisiana Sunday, October 19, 2008, 3:00 pm

This program was supported in part by funds from the Louisiana State Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts and by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge throught the Decentralized Arts Funding Program Rachel Taratoot Ciraldo is the principal flutist of the Baton Rouge Our French Folk Music Tradition Symphony and Instructor of at Southeastern Louisiana University. She is also currently serving as interim professor of flute at Louisiana State University and most recently she won third prize and the award for the Best Rachel Ciraldo, flute Performance of the Newly Commissioned Work in the 2007 National Flute James Ryon, oboe Association’s Young Artist Competition. Her primary teachers include Jill Felber, Marianne Gedigian, and Thomas Robertello. She regularly performs Tasha Warren, with guitarist and husband Nicholas Ciraldo in the Ciraldo Duo, and they Gabriel Beavers, bassoon reside in Hattiesburg, MS.

Gregory Sioles, piano James Ryon serves as Principal Oboist with the Baton Rouge Symphony as well as Associate Professor of Oboe at LSU where he Program is a member of the Timm Wind Quintet and the Burle Marx Trio. He holds the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Quatuor for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon (1933) Jean Françaix Juilliard School, a degree in Engineering & Applied Science from Yale University and has received performance fellowships at the Aspen, (1912-1997) Berkshire, Blossom, Kneisel Hall and New College Music Festivals. He I. Allegro has also served as Principal Oboist with the Caracas Philharmonic, the Florida Orchestra, the Akron Symphony and as Professor of Music at II. Andante the University of Akron, where he was a member of the Solaris Qiuintet. III. Allegro molto His CD of 20th Century Brazilian Chamber Music for Oboe, Cello and Piano with the Burle Marx IV. Allegro vivo Trio has been released by Jeanné Digital. His two recordings with Solaris may be found on Capstone Records.

Suite of Six French Folk Songs of the 15th Century Willard Elliot Gabriel Beavers, bassoon, studied with Matthew Ruggiero at for Oboe, Bassoon & Piano (1978) (1926-2000) Boston University and with Wilfred Roberts at Southern Methodist University where he received his master’s degree in music. Mr. Beavers has performed at the Kent Blossom Music Festival as I. Fortune a tort well as the Chautauqua Music Festival and has been a participant II. Je suis trop jeunette in the National Orchestral Institute in College Park, MD. He is currently the Principal Bassoonist of the Baton Rouge Symphony III. Reveillez vous Piccars and has performed as Principal Bassoon with the Virginia Symphony, the New World Symphony, IV. En regardant vo gratieux mantieu the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jacksonville Symphony, as well as Acting Second V. J’ames d’amoureax couart n’orrey bien dire Bassoon with the Milwaukee Symphony. In addition to his orchestral career Mr. Beavers has performed with many chamber music groups including the Missouri Quintet, the Norfolk Chamber VI. Ma seulle dame sur ma foy Consort, and the Sheridan Chamber Players as well as the Intermezzo Chamber Music Series in Salt Lake City, UT. intermission Tasha Warren, clarinet, is an avid performer of contemporary music, having premiered numerous solo clarinet and chamber works. She was named winner of Indiana University’s 2006 Woodwind Concerto Com- Rustiques for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon (1946) Joseph Canteloube petition with her performance of Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto and in March 2007 premiered Yoomi Paick’s Black Lines, for solo (1879-1957) clarinet and string orchestra. She has worked closely on performances I. Pastorale with composers and conductors including Shulamit Ran, Augusta Read II. Rêverie Thomas, Cliff Colnot, and Oliver Knussen, Warren has performed extensively with the I.U. New Music Ensemble, Columbus Indiana III. Rondeau à la française Philharmonic, Midwest Contemporary Consort and chamber ensembles such as Mirabai and MOSAIC. Festival performances include June Caprice on Danish & Russian Airs, Op.79 Camille Saint-Saens in Buffalo, Banff, and Scotia Festivals, and a recent appearance on Korean television with Jihye Chang and Ben Sung. She has recorded with Innova, Alba, and SCI for flute, oboe, clarinet and piano (1886) (1835-1921) Records, as well as with the I.U. New Music Ensemble, Hal Leonard Productions and CBC Radio. Her recording of David Dzubay’s Clarinet Concerto “American Midlife” with the Slovak Radio Orchestra was released in April of 2005, and she is currently working toward the release of her 2008 CD of unaccompanied clarinet repertoire composed in the US in since 1950. Don’t miss our concerts on

Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 3:00 pm and The Pelican State Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 3:00 pm Chamber Music Series The Pelican State Chamber Music Series thanks the following sponsors for their 2008-2009 Season generous support of these concerts:

TheArts Council of Greater Baton Rouge Program 2 The Louisiana Division of the Arts PPC Mechanical Seals The Pointe Coupée Historical Society

The Julien Poydras Museum and Arts Center New Roads , Louisiana Sunday, November 23 , 2008, 3:00 pm

This program was supported in part by funds from the Louisiana State Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts and by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge throught the Decentralized Arts Funding Program Karen Bentley Pollick has performed as violinist with Paul Dresher’s Electro-Acoustic Ensemble since 1999. She performs a wide range of solo repertoire and styles on violin, Hommage to Fiddlers viola, piano and Norwegian hardangerfele. A native of Palo Alto, California, she was concertmaster and conductor of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra and studied with Camilla Karen Bentley Pollick, violin Wicks in San Francisco. While attending Indiana University she studied violin with Josef Gingold and Rostislav Dubinsky Dennis Parker, cello and graduated with a Masters of Music Degree in Violin Performance. She has several recordings of original music, including Electric Diamond, Angel, Konzerto and Succubus Program and Ariel View, for which she has received three music awards from Just Plain Folks, including Best Instrumental Album and Best Song. On her own record label Ariel Ventures she has produced Dancing Suite to Suite and . Ms. Hommage to Fiddlers (2006) Jan Vicar Pollick has also recorded for Bridge Records, Albany Records, (b. 1949) Mode Records, Numinous Records, CRI, Sony, RCA and Camel Productions. Ms. Pollick was concertmaster of the New York String Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in 1984 and has participated in the June in Buffalo and Wellesley Composers Conferences. She has performed in recital at the American Academy Duo for Violin and Cello (1925) Erwin Schulhoff of Rome, throughout the Czech Republic in the 2007 and 2008 American Spring Festivals and (1894-1942) in England at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. She has appeared as soloist with Redwood Symphony in the world premiere of Swedish composer Ole Saxe’s Dance Suite for 1. Moderato Violin and Orchestra, the Alabama Symphony and orchestras in Panama, Russia, Alaska, New York 2. Zingaresca-Allegro giocoso and California. Recent collaborations have been with LSU cellist Dennis Parker, Russian pianist/ composer Ivan Sokolov, Emory University pianist William Ransom, the Chamber Players, 3. Andantino the Ensemble for the Romantic Century and appearances at the Amelia Island Chamber Music 4. Moderato Festival, and the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival. Intermission Dennis Parker, Professor of Cello and Coordinator of String Chamber Music at LSU since 1988, was born in New York City and began his cello studies at the age of Duo for Violin and Cello (1999) Viktor Kalabis six. He received his early training with Channing Robbins (1923-2006) of the Juilliard School, and later earned degrees from Indiana University and Yale University, where he worked 1. Introduzione with Janos Starker and Aldo Parisot, respectively. Inspired 2. Dancetta by a variety of musical activity, Parker appears frequently as soloist, recitalist, collaborator, and guest professor 3. Serenata at numerous universities and festivals. He is actively 4. Finale involved in the expansion of the existing cello repertoire, and has transcribed many works for his instrument. A former member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Parker Duo for Violin and Cello (2001) Scott Eggert has also served as Principal Cellist of the Alegre Symphony Orchestra in Porto Alegre, . He has re- (b.1949) cently recorded for DVD the first complete performance of 1. First Ragtime David Popper’s “High School of Cello Playing” and is the author of the accompanying manual, “Popper Manifesto”. 2 First Tango He has also released CD’s with the Centaur label: Cello Matters features crossover music for cello 3. Second ragtime and piano by Liduino Pitombeira, Daniel Schnyder, David Baker, and Astor Piazzolla; Uplifting Discoveries from a Generation Lost is a recording of chamber music by composers who perished 4. Third Ragtime in the Holocaust (Erwin Schulhoff, Gideon Klein, Viktor Ullmann and Hans Krasa). Volume 1 of 5. Intermezzo Stolen Sonatas with pianist, Jennifer Hayghe will be released in Spring 2007. This latest recording includes his own transcriptions of Debussy’s Sonata for Violin, Poulenc’s Sonata for Flute, and 6. Second Tango Enesco’s Sonata No.3 for Violin. This past season, Parker’s concert tours have taken him from Brasilia, Brazil, where he premiered the Cello Concerto by Walter Burle-Marx, to Nanjing, China, where he was soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra. Matthew Daline enjoys an international career as a chamber musician and viola soloist. He began his studies on violin with Michele Auclair of the Conservatory, and continued his studies on the viola with Martha Strongin Katz and Marcus Thompson of the New England Conservatory. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from The Juilliard School where he was a Teaching Assistant for Karen Tuttle and his Master’s Degree from Yale University where he studied with Jesse Levine. While pursuing the Doctorate of Musical Arts at The State University of New York, Stony Brook, Daline has worked with Katherine Murdock and served as a Teaching Assistant. Daline was the top prizewinner at “The Artists International Competition, 1999”, in New York City which provided a debut recital in Carnegie Hall. He has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and principal violist in most of The Pelican State the major concert halls of North America including recent performances in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and at Carnegie Hall. Daline performs on a Brescian Viola from the 17th century, labeled Gasparo Da Salo in Brescia. Chamber Music Series

Dennis Parker is Professor of Cello and Coordinator of String Chamber Music at LSU. He appears frequently as soloist, recitalist, collaborator and guest 2008-2009 Season professor at numerous universities and festivals. He has been on the LSU faculty since 1988 and he was principal cellist of the Baton Rouge Symphony from 1988 to 1998. He is a former member of the Detroit Program 3 Symphony Orchestra and served as Principal Cellist of the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Mr. Parker received his early training with Channing Robbins of the Juilliard School in New York City. He was also a student of Janos Starker at Indiana University and Aldo Parisot at Yale where he served as Mr. Parisot’s teaching assistant. In recent years, Parker has researched, performed and recorded works of composers who perished in the Holocaust. His recording “Cello Matters” featuring works by Pitombeira, Schnyder, David Baker and Piazzola is available from Centaur. The Julien Poydras Museum and Arts Center New Roads , Louisiana The Pelican State Chamber Music Series thanks the following sponsors for their generous support of these concerts: Sunday,February15, 2009, 3:00 pm The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge The Louisiana Division of the Arts PPC Mechanical Seals The Pointe Coupée Historical Society

This program was supported in part by funds from the Louisiana State Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts and by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge throught the Decentralized Arts Funding Program The Artists Mostly English James Ryon serves as Principal Oboist of the Baton Rouge Symphony as well as Associate Professor of Oboe at Louisiana State University, where he is a James Ryon, oboe member of the Timm Wind Quintet and the Burle James Alexander, violin Marx Trio. He has appeared internationally as soloist and recitalist, most recently performing the Strauss Matthew Daline, viola Oboe Concerto with the Sinfonica Brasileira in Dennis Parker, cello Rio de Janeiro. He holds the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School, a degree in Engineering & Applied Science from Yale University and has received performance fellowships at the Aspen, Program Berkshire, Blossom, Kneisel Hall and New College Music Festivals. He has also served as Principal Oboist with the Caracas Philharmonic, the Fantasia a 4 for Oboe & Strings Henry Purcell Florida Orchestra, the Akron Symphony, as an extra with the Pittsburgh (1659-1695) Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Louisiana Symphony, and as arr. James Ryon Professor of Music at the University of Akron, where he was a member of the Solaris Qiuintet. His CD of 20th Century Brazilian Chamber Music Trio in B Flat Major, D. 581 Franz Schubert for Oboe, Cello and Piano with the Burle Marx Trio has been released (1797-1828) by Jeanné Digital. His two recordings with Solaris may be found on Capstone Records. Phantasy Quartet for Oboe & Strings (1935) (1913-1976) Violinist James Alexander has performed in many ______countries as a soloist and chamber musician. A former student of Yfrah Neaman and Ivan Galamian, “The Seductress” for Oboe, Violin & Cello (2008) John Lawless he is a recipient of the Concert Recital Diploma (b. 1984) (Premiere Prix) from the Guildhall School of Music I. Temptation in London as well as the Diploma of Excellence II. Passion from the Romanian Government. Alexander III. Manipulation has performed concerts in Austria, Japan, , IV. Realization Switzerland, Serbia, Brazil, , Romania and throughout the United States. His performances have been broadcast on radio and television. He is a member of the Burle Marx Trio and Quartet for Oboe & Strings (1956) Arnold Cooke the Alexander Soares Duo, both of which are dedicated to music of the (1906-2005) Americas. James Alexander has been on the faculty of Louisiana State I. Allegro ma non troppo University for the past nine years. Beginning in the Fall of 2007, he began II. Adagio the new String Program at Nicholls State University, an intensive course III. Allegro moderato of study for promising young string students. He is also an instructor at the String Quartet Seminar in Ernen, Switzerland and has given Masterclasses in Brazil, Switzerland, Romania and the United States. He is also the Director of the new Nicholls Music Academy which provides Our concert on Sunday, March 29 at 3 pm pre-college instruction for students in the area. will include the music of Schubert and Brahms. Faina Lushtak, who serves as Dowman Professor of Music at the Newcomb Department of Music of Tulane University in New Orleans, La., has studied piano and composition since childhood. She graduated from the Stoliarsky School for Musically Gifted Children in Ukraine, later earning degrees in piano performance and composition from the Tchaikowsky Conservatory, where she became a faculty member. Lushtak has performed recitals across the U.S., Western Europe and Canada. She also has performed as a guest artist for state conventions The Pelican State including Pro Mozart Society in Atlanta, Ga., the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and in 2004 she recorded Fryderyk Chopin’s Mazurkas for a Centaur Records-produced CD. Chamber Music Series As a teacher, Lushtak has presented master classes throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. She is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and is an active participant in the Music Teachers National Association, National Guild of Piano Teachers and New 2008-2009 Season Orleans Music Teachers Association. At Tulane University, she heads the piano division and serves as music director of Tulane’s Concert Piano Series. Lushtak is a faculty member at the Schlern International Music Festival in Italy. Program 4 Also a gifted composer, she has created music for piano, chamber groups, voice and violin. Her compositions have been published by Boosey and Hawkes, Ltd. (London); The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (London); Willis Publishing Company (U.S.); Marsile Music Co. (New Orleans); and in the Soviet Union. The Julien Poydras Museum and Arts Center New Roads , Louisiana The Pelican State Chamber Music Series thanks the following sponsors for their generous support of these concerts: Sunday,April19, 2009, 3:00 pm The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge The Louisiana Division of the Arts PPC Mechanical Seals The Pointe Coupée Historical Society

This program was supported in part by funds from the Louisiana State Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts and by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge throught the Decentralized Arts Funding Program The Artists Violinist James Alexander has performed in Two Titans of Trio many countries as a soloist and chamber musician. A former student of Yfrah Neaman and Ivan Galamian, he is a recipient of the Concert Recital Diploma (Premiere Prix) from the Guildhall James Alexander, violin School of Music in London as well as the Diploma of Excellence from the Romanian Government. Dennis Parker, cello Alexander has performed concerts in Austria, Faina Lushtak, piano Japan, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia, Brazil, Uruguay, Romania and throughout the United States. His performances have been broadcast on radio and television. He is a member of the Program Burle Marx Trio and the Alexander Soares Duo, both of which are dedicated to music of the Americas. James Alexander has been on the faculty of Louisiana State University for the past nine years. Beginning in the Fall of 2007, he began the new String Program at Trio in C Minor, Opus 1, Nr 3 Ludwig van Beethoven Nicholls State University, an intensive course of study for promising (1770-1827) young string students. He is also an instructor at the String Quartet Seminar in Ernen, Switzerland and has given Masterclasses in I Allegro con brio Brazil, Switzerland, Romania and the United States. He is also the II Andante cantabile con Variazioni Director of the new Nicholls Music Academy which provides pre- III Menuetto, Quasi Allegro college instruction for students in the area. IV Finale, Prestissimo

A Short Intermission Dennis Parker is Professor of Cello and Trio in D Minor Felix Mendelssohn Coordinator of String Chamber Music at LSU. (1809-1847) He appears frequently as soloist, recitalist, collaborator and guest professor at numerous I Molto allegro ed agitato universities and festivals. He has been on the LSU II Andante con moto tranquillo faculty since 1988 and he was principal cellist of III Scherzo, Leggiero e vivace the Baton Rouge Symphony from 1988 to 1998. IV Finale, Allegro assai appassionato He is a former member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and served as Principal Cellist of the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Mr. Parker received his early training with Channing Robbins of the Juilliard School in New York City. He was also a student of Janos Starker at Indiana University and Aldo Parisot at Yale where he We hope to see you next season for the served as Mr. Parisot’s teaching assistant. In recent years, Parker has researched, performed and recorded works of composers who 2009-2010 Pelican State Chamber Music Series! perished in the Holocaust. His recording “Cello Matters” featuring works by Pitombeira, Schnyder, David Baker and Piazzola is available from Centaur.