SHREVEPORT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MICHAEL BUTTERMAN, MUSIC DIRECTOR
2020-21 WILLIS-KNIGHTON MASTERWORKS SERIES
THE NOEL FOUNDATION, INC. CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES Schubert’s Death and the Maiden & More SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2021—3 PM First Baptist Shreveport The Emerald String Quartet Diana Hector-Norwood & Ronnamarie Jensen, violins; Borys Smolaga, viola; Brett Andrews, cello
BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1 I. Allegro con brio II. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato (D minor) III. Scherzo: Allegro molto (F Major) IV. Allegro (F Major)
SCHUBERT String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, “Death and the Maiden” I. Allegro II. Andante III. Scherzo IV. Presto
SHREVEPORTSYMPHONY.COM · 318.227.8863 DIANA HECTOR-NORWOOD, VIOLIN Diana Hector-Norwood has performed in the Ark-La-Tex area for more than 20 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in music performance in 2005 under the instruction of Dr. Isador Saslav, and her master’s degree in 2006 under Dr. Jennifer Dalmas from SFA. She has studied with world renowned violinists Emanuel Borok, Julia Bushkova, and Dr. Igor Borodin. Diana has played concerts throughout the Ark-La-Tex area and Europe. She was soloist for the East Texas Honors Orchestra and a winner in the 2005-06 concerto competition at SFA and is a life member of Pi Kappa Lambda. She was the assistant concertmaster of the Orchestra of the Pines from 2003-2006, and principal of the SFA Chamber Orchestra since its inception in 2003-2006. Diana has played in the North East Texas Symphony, Lake Charles Symphony, Shreveport Opera (as principal), Shreveport Symphony (as principal), Longview Opera, and SFA Opera (as principal). As an active community member Diana was a founding member of the ‘Music in the Schools’ (in Tyler ISD), of the SFA chamber strings camp, as well as a founding member of the Colore Ensemble, Emerald Quartet, and Emerald Piano Trio. She has performed concertos with the Symphony of the Pines and Texarkana Symphony. Currently, Diana is concertmaster of the North East Texas Symphony, assistant concertmaster of the Texarkana Symphony, principal of the South Arkansas Symphony, section violin in the Arkansas Symphony, Longview Symphony, Symphony of the Pines, Marshall Symphony, Tulsa Symphony, Shreveport Symphony, as well as Shreveport Opera. She is also a founding member of the Emerald Piano Trio and Emerald String Quartet and personnel manager of the Texarkana Symphony. Along with playing in these different ensembles, Diana was the Head of Strings at Kilgore College, and is currently on the faculty of University of Texas at Tyler. She also has a private studio and enjoys performing masterclasses and teaching at different public and private schools.
RONNAMARIE JENSEN, VIOLIN Ronnamarie Jensen began her life as a violinist at the age of five, and after earning both a Bachelor and Master of Music degree from University of Arkansas, began to prove herself as a leader in her industry. She has held positions with North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Ft. Smith Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Rockford Symphony, New Millenium Orchestra of Chicago, Orlando Philharmonic, and Space Coast Symphony, many of which she held principal positions. Serving as First Violin in the Azalea String Quartet, Ronna took her violin onboard Holland America Cruises to sail the Inside Passage of the North American Fjordland. Ms. Jensen currently holds the position of Associate Concertmaster of Tulsa Symphony, a position she advanced to after her role as Associate Principal Second Violin. She also has the pleasure of performing as Guest Concertmaster of Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, First Violin section with Texarkana Symphony, as well as Guest Principal Second Violin with Dallas Chamber Symphony. Ronnamarie currently resides in Allen, Texas with her husband Jeff and their two sons Cameron and Chet. She is thrilled to be performing with the Emerald String Quartet as a guest violinist this spring.
BORYS SMOLAGA, VIOLA Borys Smolaga is a native of Warsaw, Poland and came to the United States in 1990. Mr. Smolaga is the principal violist with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra as well as Texarkana Symphony, South Arkansas, and Marshall Symphony Orchestra. He is also a founding member of the West Edge String Quartet and Ellerbe Quartet. His chamber music collaborations include, among others, performances with Jon Nakamatsu, Boris Allakhverdyan, and Alon Goldstein. Mr. Smolaga’s recordings with West Edge Quartet for Centaur Records have been frequently featured on NPR’s Performance Today. Other ensembles include Vosh String Quartet, Baroque Artists of Shreveport, Baton Rouge Symphony, as well as European groups Orchestra of St. Anton, New Music Forum Quartet, Warsaw Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Vistula and Sinfonia Varsovia. Mr. Smolaga holds a Master of Music degree in viola performance from Louisiana State University and a Master of Arts degree from F. Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland. During summer months he resides in Boulder, Colorado, where he performs with the Colorado Music Festival.
BRETT ANDREWS, CELLO Brett Andrews is currently principal cellist of the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra and is an active musician in the Ark-La-Tex area, frequently playing as a founding member of the Emerald Piano Quartet and Trio. He performs with orchestras across Texas, Louisiana, Colorado, and Wyoming, including Boulder Philharmonic, Shreveport Symphony, and Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. Brett is also a founding member of Dynamix String Quartet, an innovative ensemble aiming to offer popular and new music for string quartet in venues outside of the traditional concert hall. Soon after beginning his cello studies in Kilgore, TX, he became an inaugural member of the Honor Orchestra of America at age 15, performing under the baton of Scott O’Neill and Benjamin Zander with many soloists including violinist Robert McDuffie and pianist Christopher O’Reilly. After receiving his Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Northwestern State University of Louisiana studying with Paul Christopher, he continued to serve his alma mater by instructing courses in Fine Arts, and formerly directed the string programs at Parkway High School and Elm Grove Middle School in Bossier City, LA. As a soloist, he has performed with the Texarkana Symphony, Natchitoches- Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, and placed second in the 2012 LMTA Young Artists Competition. Brett was a finalist in the 2015 Rocky Mountain Concerto Competition and the 2016 UNC Symphony Concerto Competition. He also competed as a finalist in the 2017 MTNA National Chamber Music Competition in Baltimore, MD, with the UNC String Quartet. While finishing a Doctorate of Arts in Music Performance under the instruction of Dr. Gal Faganel, Brett is currently the principal cellist for the Texarkana Symphony and Operations Manager and cellist for the Shreveport Symphony.