Stephenson Memorial Concert Series 2001-2002 Previous Stephenson Memorial Concerts Stephenson Memorial Concert Series 2001-2002

Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, England The Stephenson Memorial Con- Cantilena Piano Quartet with Brenda Boozer cert Fund was established in 1987 with by the late Louis B. Stephenson Jr. Mystical Arts of Tibet Sacred Music, Sacred Dance Thursday, October 11, 2001 and Edna M. Stephenson in mem- 8 o’clock ory of their daughter, Nancy Anne, Dorian Wind Quintet with Billy Childs Phelps Stokes Auditorium a pianist who died early in her life. Following his death a few months Jean Ritchie with George Pickow after his retirement, the concerts Khac Chi Ensemble were designated as also honoring Zivilli: Dances and Music of the Southern Slavic Nations Music from Vietnam their son, John B. Stephenson, Thursday, November 15, 2001 President of Berea College, 1984- The Ahn Trio 8 o’clock 1994. Phelps Stokes Auditorium In many ways, the multiple pro- The Waverly Consort grams each year are chosen to refl ect the interests of Nancy Anne, Maxwell Street Klezmer Band The Western Wind in the piano as a solo and ensemble A Musical Celebration of Light instrument, and of John, in tradi- Rosalie Sorrels Thursday, December 6, 2001 tional world and ethnic music and 8 o’clock dance that foster an understand- A Scottish Christmas featuring Bonnie Rideout Phelps Stokes Auditorium ing of diverse cultural traditions, in contemporary themes that expand The Men of the Deeps with Rita MacNeil (Coal Miners’ Chorus, Nova an awareness of frontiers, in humor Scotia) and story telling, and in the explora- Chatham Baroque tion of a sense of place - whether Españoleta Roscoe Lee Browne and Anthony Zerbe in Appalachia or Scotland. Many Thursday, January 10, 2002 thousands of students will come to 8 o’clock Kartik Seshadri, sitar with Arup Chatterjee, tabla appreciate the fruits of this memorial Phelps Stokes Auditorium series. Coulter-Phillips Ensemble Anglin Falls, pictured on the cover, is found at one end of a protected Dmitri Ratzer, piano Nexus, global music, master percussionists wooded gorge - a living memorial to Thursday, April 11, 2002 Photo credits: John B. Stephenson. In March 1997, 8 o’clock Tibetan Lamas poured colored Phelps Stokes Auditorium Holly Near Mike Rogers sand from a sacred mandala into Khac Chi Khac Chi The Western Wind The Western Wind the stream to carry healing energies Chatham Broque Jim Schaffer throughout the world. The series Primadonna Dmitri Ratser Dan Hubbard this year continues to represent dif- starring Mary Lou Fallis Mary Lou Fallis Mary Lou Fallas ferent world perspectives. Thursday, April 25, 2002 8 o’clock Cover photo Alan Mills Phelps Stokes Auditorium Layout concept Eric Crowden John Crowden, Coordinator of Convocations Holly Near with John Bucchino Primadonna starring Mary Lou Fallis Thursday, October 11, 2001, 8 o’clock Thursday, April 25, 2002, 8 o’clock Phelps Stokes Auditorium Phelps Stokes Auditorium

International Festival, the Wesford Holly Near is a unique combination Opera Festival, and the Edinburg of entertainer, teacher and activist. International Festival. She was born to parents from North She is probably best known as Dakota and New York who were the creator of five one-woman political activists, ranchers and sup- shows: Primadonna, based on her porters of culture in the rural com- own life as a singer and its sequel munity of Ukiah, . Holly Primadonna’s First Farewell Tour; moves comfortably in this blend Emma, Queen of Song about the of western sensibility and eastern real-life Canadian diva, Emma Al- sophistication. An immense vocal bani; the Mrs. Bach Show hosted talent, Near’s career as a singer by Anna Magdalena, the wife of J.S. has been profoundly defi ned by an Bach; and Ms. Mozart, the story of unwillingness to separate her pas- Nannerl (sister of the more famous sion for music from her passion for Wolfgang). human dignity. Mary Lou Fallis teaches at the Touring worldwide, Holly Near is University of Western Ontario an ambassador for peace inviting Uruguay, Vietnam, El Salvador, combining it with her performing the audience to its best self. Near Mexico, and the . She activities. Over the past two years, is a skilled performer who brings has received numerous awards for Ms. Fallis has been heard on CBC to the stage an integration of world her work for social change, includ- Radio Two’s “Take Five Show” on consciousness, spiritual discovery, ing honors from the ACLU, the Na- Toronto-born Mary Lou Fallis Friday afternoons reading from and theatricality. Her strength as a tional Lawyers Guild, the National made her operatic debut at 15 years The Primadonna’s Diary in which performer lead to creative collabo- Organization for Women, and Ms. of age as the Second Spirit in a she documents travels, real and rations with such artists as Ronnie Magazine (Woman of the Year). In CBC-TV production of Mozart’s The imaginary, across Canada. Gilbert, , , 2000, Near received the Legends Magic Flute. After obtaining the fi rst Anyone loud, grand and tempes- , Bernice Johnson of Women’s Music Award for her Master’s degree in Performance tuous enough, including men, may Reagon, Inti-Illimani, Bonnie Rait, pioneering work in feminist music. and Literature from the Faculty earn the designation of “prima- , Jill Eikenberry, In 2000, Near began to release her of Music, University of Toronto, donna”. Behind it lies the larger- Michael Tucker, and . out-of-print recordings, starting with her career has encompassed than-life image of the grand opera In 1972, Near founded Redwood Musical Highlights which contains perfor-mances of major oratorios star. In Primadonna, Ms. Fallis Records which was a major force songs she sang in a one-woman and choral works with leading has lots of infectious, mischievous in alternative music for nearly 20 play she wrote and performed in orchestras. Her operatic roles have fun, spoofing and impersonating years. Redwood Records was dedi- regional theaters and off-Broadway. ranged from Despina in Cosi Fan that queenly attitude while offering cated to recording and promoting Next, she celebrated the feminist Tutte to Zerbinetta in R. Strauss’s samples of the musical tradition that music by politically conscious artists movement with Simply Love: The Ariadne auf Naxos. In addition to gave it to us. Her mockery is more from around the world. Near helped Women’s Music Collection. Holly is her North American engagements, of self than the art of music. support the work of artists from Ni- also the author of a children’s book, Ms. Fallis has toured extensively in caragua, Chile, Australia, Canada, The Great Peace March. the United Kingdom, appearing in England, Argentina, Cuba, London’s West End, Covent Garden Dmitri Ratser Khac Chi Ensemble Thursday, April 11, 2002, 8 o’clock Thusday, November 15, 2001, 8 o’clock Phelps Stokes Auditorium Phelps Stokes Auditorium

Dimitri Ratser attained status in The Ensemble’s performances the pantheon of Russian musicians offer an intriguing glimpse into the when he was added to the roster incredibly rich and sophisticated entitled “Soloists of the Moscow musical traditions of Vietnam. Philharmonic” in 1990. A First The timbral palatte of their instru- Prize winner in Budapest’s Liszt ments immediately captivates the International Jubilee Competition, ear, drawing one in closer to a mu- he distinguished himself with sic which is unmistakenly distinct, top prize in Moscow’s All-Union yet at the same time somehow Rachmaninoff Competition in 1983. familiar. But even more than the He is one of the few internationally haunting lyricism, the energetic acclaimed pianists who includes rhythms and fascinating timbres, the complete works for piano and what invariably wins audiences orchestra of Sergei Rachmaninoff in over is the infectious exhuberance a regularly performed repertoire. and joy that the musicians bring to Born in Moscow in 1953, Dmitri proved true, arrangements were The Khac Chi Ensemble features sharing the music of their native Ratser comes from a family of immediately begun for the 1990/01 premiere performers of the exqui- Vietnam. professional musicians. Adjudged concert season. He has returned to sitely beautiful music of Vietnam. Khac Chi is Vietnam’s premiere at an early age to be possessed of the U.S.A. annually since his debut Their viruosity and superb musi- virtuoso on the dan bau. His skill an unusually fi ne talent, the young with the Austin Symphony Orches- cianship have won them numerous and mastery is unparalleled and artist became one of the select few tra. During the 1993/94 concert awards, as well as many invitations his innovative developments on the to study at the Moscow Conserv- season his tour consisted of some to perform internationally. instrument have led to numerous atory under its famed pianistic forty concerts, including a perfor- The Ensemble makes extensive invitations to perform internation- pedagogue Flier. mance at and at the use of rare and unique musical ally. As a result, Chi has appeared Discovered by American impre- Kennedy Center with the National instruments and performances in solo concerts and with his en- sario and artists manager Maxim Symphony Orchestra under the specifi c to the mountain peoples semble, on tours to Italy, Germany, Gershunoff while on a trip to Mos- direction of Mstislav Rostropovich. of Vietnam, paired or interspersed Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, cow in 1989, Mr. Ratser was ap- Dmitri Ratser has been consistently with the haunting melodies of the Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Singa- pearing on “World Radio-Moscow” re-engaged to perform in consecu- dan bau, a one-string zither from pore, and Canada. in a “live” broadcast which Mr. tive seasons in over three-quarters northern Vietnam. Extremely versa- Ngoc Bich is an exceptional Gershunoff thought was a record- of the venues in which he has ap- tile, the Khac Chi Ensemble takes vocalist, arranger and multi-instru- ing of Vladimir Horowitz. When the peared in the United States. The you on an adventure in sound. Their mentalist. She specializes in the performer and the circumstance reasoning for this popularity can concerts may include a combination dan bau and a number of very rare were announced, the American perhaps be found in the words from of styles or feature any one style instruments from Vietnam’s rural manager proceeded to contact the a review in the : of Vietnamese classical, folk or and mountainous regions . artist and auditioned him to reas- “Ratser’s performance took one’s contemporary music. They are as Both Chi and Bich have been sure himself that the artist he had breath away with its mesmerizing equally comfortable performing solo landed immigrants of Canada since heard on the radio and Dmitri Ratser single-mindedness, its inexorable chamber concerts, or as guest solo- 1992. were one and the same. When this force, its stunning virtuosity.” ists for symphony orchestras. The Western Wind Chatham Baroque Thursday, December 6, 2001, 8 o’clock Thursday, January 10, 2002, 8 o’clock Phelps Stokes Auditorium Phelps Stokes Auditorium its dazzling variety, has been ex- plored over the last few years -- in Spanish harp virtuoso Becky Baxter join Chatham baroque in this toe- Since 1969 The Western Wind vo- collaborations featuring narrators tapping program of favorites of a cal ensemble’s deeply felt, virtuosic Theodore Bikel, Jerry Stiller, To- Baroque audience . performances of a vast repertoire vah Feldshuh and Leonard Nimoy, Julie Andrijeski (violin and dance) have delighted audiences around among others. The Western Wind’s maintains an active freelance ca- the world. The Ensemble has been recordings of The Chanukkah Story, reer, holding principal positions acclaimed at many of the finest The Passover Story, and others with Apollo’s Fire and Cecilia’s stages such as La Fenice in Ven- have received widespread critical Circle. She holds a B.M. from the ice, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie acclaim, and are frequently heard University of Denver, an M.M from Hall, , the Ordway on radio. Northwestern University and is a Theater, Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Past overseas activities include doctoral candidate at Case Western Forum, the Jewish Museum, Fol- the taping of early and contempo- Reserve University. Julie serves on ger Shakespeare Library, Library rary music for German National the faculty of the Oberlin Baroque of Congress, and the Cleveland Radio in Cologne and several Performance Institute and the Stan- Museum of Art. triumphant tours of northern Italy, Hailed by National Public Radio ford Baroque Dance Workshop. The Ensemble’s wide-ranging performing Italian Renaissance as and the National Association of Emily Davidson (violin) is a found- backgrounds and interests inform well as American music. At the Record Merchandisers as the “1999 ing member of Chatham baroque its music making: from Renaissance request of the State Department, Breakthrough Artist of the Year,” and a graduate of the North Caro- motets to Fifties rock ‘n’ roll, from the ensemble performed American Chatham Baroque is the ensemble- lina School of the Arts and the San Medieval carols to Shaker tunes, and Latin American music through- in-residence at Chatham College Francisco Conservtory of Music. from complex works by avant-garde out East Asia. A series of National and WQED-FM Pittsburgh. The en- She has performed with many of composers to the simplest folk Radio holiday specials have been semble tours throughout the United the country’s leading early music melodies. heard nationally since 1989. States and has been a vital force ensembles. The world of Jewish music,with A Celebration of Light features Sephardic in Pittsburgh’s cultural community Patricia Halverson (viola da gam- songs, medieval car- since 1991. Chatham Baroque’s ba) is a founding member and has ols, Renaissance and first CD for Dorian Recordings served on the faculty of the Viola contemporary music was awarded a fi ve-star rating by da Gamba Society of America’s from Spain and Latin Europe’s Goldberg magazine, a Summer Conclave. She received America, fi rst for any American ensemble. her B.A. from Brandeis University songs of Solstice, and The focus of Chatham Baroque’s and her Doctor of Musical Arts Early traditional Chanukah Españoleta is the rich world of Music Performance Practice from songs, and carols of dance, one of the fi nest sources Stanford University. the season. of Spanish ensemble music in the Scott Pauley (lute, theorbo and early Baroque. Chatham Baroque’s baroque guitar) holds a doctoral Scott Pauley points out that en- degree in Early Music Performance semble music was popular in the Practice from Stanford University. period, but what is really lacking Scott performs with Hesperus and is a surviving repertoire.Guest Appolo’s Fire and teaches lute at percussionist Danny Mallon and Case Western Reserve University.