Bergonzi Trio
Trio in D major, Op. 70, No. 1
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
I. Allegro vivace e con brio
II. Largo assai ed espressivo
III. Presto
Piano Trio No. 5 Troubled Times
Elena Ruehr
I.
II.
III.
Intermission
Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
I. Allegro
II. Andante con moto
III. Scherzo: Presto
IV. Finale: Allegro giocoso
Scott Flavin
Violinist Scott Flavin enjoys a remarkably versatile musical career. Since 1998 he has been a professor of violin at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, where he is first violinist of the internationally acclaimed Bergonzi String Quartet, as well as Resident Conductor for the Henry Mancini Institute. He is Concertmaster of the Symphony of the Americas, and is violinist of the PULSE Trio and, of course the Bergonzi Piano Trio. As a composer and arranger, his works have been heard on “Performance Today” and have been recorded by the Bergonzi Quartet. As conductor, he has appeared on the podium with such diverse artists as Joseph Siverstein, Bobby McFerrin, Mark O’Connor, and Chick Corea. His recordings include chamber music on the Naxo, M&W, and Centaur labels, and commercial recordings on Sony, EMI, and Warner Brothers, including appearances on over a dozen Grammy Award-winning albums. He has written four plays, and his book, “Complete Scales for Violin” is available through M&W Music. He has recorded two solo CD’s, “Great Violin Solos of the Opera and Ballet” and the Brahms violin sonatas, and his CD “Trésors Oubliés: Unknown Treasures of the Franco-Belgian Violin School” is currently in production.
Lindsay Garritson
Dr. Lindsay Garritson has performed throughout the United States and abroad since the age of four. She has appeared on stages such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Place des Arts (Montreal), and has been featured as soloist with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra (Texas), Orchestre Métropolitain (Montreal), Atlantic Classical Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica Barra Mansa (Brazil), the Yale Philharmonic Orchestra, and the European Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
An award-winning performer, Lindsay has received top prizes at the Montreal International Piano Competition, USASU Bösendorfer International Piano Competition, and the Mozarteum International Chopin Competition (Salzburg). She was selected as a participant in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition as well as a finalist for the German Piano Award in Frankfurt, Germany.
An avid chamber musician, Lindsay has performed with Ani Kavafian, Elmar Oliveira, Carter Brey, Ettore Causa, and Ian Rosenbaum, among many others. She is currently a member of the Bergonzi Piano Trio with violinist Scott Flavin and cellist Ross Harbaugh, and their first album of Beethoven and Brahms trios was released in the summer of 2021. Since 2018, she has been a collaborative pianist for the prestigious Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival.
Lindsay is a passionate advocate for new music, and her Carnegie Hall solo recital debut in November 2019 featured the world premiere of Carl Vine's Piano Sonata No. 4, a work written for her. Additionally, her second solo album titled “Aphorisms: Piano Music of Carl Vine” was released in 2020. She has also recorded the complete works for flute and piano by Samuel Zyman (Albany Records, 2020), and premiered works by composers David Ludwig, Nick Omiccioli, and Polina Nazaykinskaya.
Lindsay holds degrees from Principia College (B.A. in Music), Yale School of Music (M.M. and Artist Diploma), and the University of Miami (D.M.A.). Her piano teachers include Santiago Rodriguez, Boris Berman, Luiz de Moura Castro, Choong-Mo Kang, Zena Ilyashov, Emilio Del Rosario, the late Jane Allen, and Jennifer Lim Judd. She currently resides in Florida.
Ross Harbaugh
Ross Harbaugh is Professor of Cello at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. His distinguished teachers include Janos Starker and Leonard Rose in the United States and Andre Navarra at the Paris Conservatory, and chamber music study with the Juilliard Quartet. As a founding member of the New World String Quartet he won the Naumburg Prize, a Prix du Disque, and recorded 20 records and CD’s for Vox, MCI Classic and IMP Masters, CRI, Centaur, Fleur de Son, and Musical Heritage labels.
Performing throughout Europe and the United States, he has appeared in concerts at the Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Alice Tully Hall, and Wigmore Hall in London. He has soloed with the Atlanta Symphony, Cincinnati and Toledo Symphonies, among many others. His teaching experience includes stints at Harvard University, University of Michigan, and Interlochen, with master classes at Yale and Brown Universities. Mr. Harbaugh presents workshops in ensemble communication, Tai Chi for Cello, and gives cello workshops throughout the country at such venues as the 7th American Cello Congress in Tempe and the ASTA National Conventions. He has authored numerous articles for American String Teacher, The Strad, and appears regularly on National Public Radio. He has served as judge for the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, Stuhlberg Competition, and Fulbright Competition for Graduate Study Abroad. He performs and teaches in numerous summer festivals including his beloved Pine Mountain Music Festival. His book entitled Chamber Music Excerpts for Cellists will be available in 2024.
2024 UPStarts!
Grace Bergstrom, tuba
Marlee Matthews, oboe
Darrius Morton, tenor
Accompanied by Susie Byykkonen
Darrius, In des Lebens Fruhlingtagen, from Fidelio, Beethoven
Marlee, Fantasiestücke, Op. 2, I. Romance, II. Humoresque, Carl Nielsen
Grace, Illusions, 3 movements, Robert Langenfeld
Darrius, Nyet tolko tot kto znal (None but the lonely heart), Tchaikovsky
Darrius, O nyet, molyu, ne ukhodi!, Rachmaninoff
Grace, Arioso Gloria, Barbara York
~Intermission~
Darrius, Cantique, Nadia Boulanger
Darrius, C, Francis Poulenc
Marlee, Wood Song, Jenni Brandon
Grace, Wild Geese for Tuba & Electronics, Grace Bergstrom
Darrius, Ad un fiume, Angelo Mariani
Grace, Blue Grace, Claire Sievers
Marlee, Deep River Sonata, Samuel Coleridge Taylor/Althea Talbot-Howard
FINALE
Darrius Morton
Darrius Morton received a Bachelor of Music degree at St. Olaf College ‘20, where he had opportunities to perform as a soloist throughout the greater Twin Cities area, most notably with the Minnesota Opera, Theatre Latté Da, Rochester Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist at Orchestra Hall. Darrius has sung as a Young Artist at Des Moines Metro Opera and with the Houston Grand Opera (YAVA). Mr. Morton moved to Marquette in 2021, was married at First Presbyterian Church and currently attends St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with his wife and son. During the 2023-24 season, Darrius performed with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, Marquette Choral Society and as a recitalist for the benefit of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Darrius is very thankful to sing for wonderful audiences in Marquette, and across the Midwest. In the 2024-25 season, Darrius’ season begins with a recital in collaboration with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, which features solo vocal works composed by Nadia Boulanger, Francis Poulenc, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Angelo Mariani.
Grace Bergstrom
With degrees in Tuba Performance and Music Education from the University of Iowa, Grace Bergstrom has cultivated a broad view of musicianship, actively composing, arranging, and performing as a soloist, chamber musician, and in large ensembles. She has appeared with the University of Iowa Symphony Band, the Mostly Modern Festival Orchestra, Nexus brass at the International Trumpet Guild Competition in 2023, and Collegium Tubum at their performances at regional and international conferences.
Ms Bergstrom is from Houghton, MI, and grew up with a love of the outdoors that has carried into her musical life, performing pieces inspired by nature and composing using themes and poetry centered on the outdoors. As a soloist, Grace has prioritized performing music written by contemporary composers, often exploring unaccompanied works or pieces with accompanying electronics.
Grace enjoys hiking, baking, and embroidery in her free time.
Marlee Matthews
Marlee Matthews is a recent graduate from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, with a degree in Oboe performance. She has been playing the oboe for 12 years and has performed all around Marquette, where she grew up; Appleton, and even Helsinki Finland. She also studied in London, England in 2022 and got to study oboe with Emily Pailthorpe, a world renowned oboist.
She has played oboe since she was in 6th grade. Along with oboe, she is a saxophone player, singer & guitarist.
She has also played in a woodwind quintet, and performed two solo recitals at Lawrence University, was 1st oboe in Lawrence Symphony Orchestra and in Lawrence Wind Ensemble, along with being a member of the Marquette Symphony and Marquette City Band.
Susan Byykkonen
Susan Byykkonen is an independent music teacher in Houghton County, teaching flute and piano students at Michigan Tech University and at her home studio in Calumet. Susan also performs at MTU as accompanist for the Concert Choir, and on flute or piano with various chamber groups and with the KSO. From 2000-2004 she served as choir director and piano instructor at Lakeland Christian School in Florida. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Cedarville University in Ohio where she studied Flute Performance and Piano Pedagogy. Susan is an active member of the Lake Superior Music Teachers Association, and also serves as minister of music for Portage Lake United Church, Houghton. She resides in Calumet with her husband and family.
Maitri White, soprano
Panamanian-American soprano and DEIA advocate Maitri White has always recognized that solidarity and transparent communication among artists is the key to equity in the performing arts industry. Currently based in Detroit, MI, Maitri is a freelance opera singer and Equity Initiatives Administrative Coordinator for the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. For the 2023-24 season, chorus engagements include Madame Butterfly and The Cunning Little Vixen with Detroit Opera. This summer, we can be seen as a featured artist in recital for the Pine Mountain Music Festival and as a young artist with Soo Opera, where she will sing Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte and Mrs. Gleaton/ Ensemble in Susannah. In the 2022-23 season Maitri performed as a member of the chorus for Detroit Opera’s productions of Faust, Aida in Concert, and Ainadamar, and was also featured as a young artist with the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Maitri holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Michigan. She looks forward to returning to UM to begin her Master of Music this fall.
Darrius Morton, tenor
Darrius Morton received a Bachelor of Music degree at St. Olaf College ‘20, where he had opportunities to perform as a soloist throughout the greater Twin Cities area, most notably with the Minnesota Opera, Theatre Latté Da, Rochester Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist at Orchestra Hall. Darrius has sung as a Young Artist at Des Moines Metro Opera and with the Houston Grand Opera (YAVA). Mr. Morton moved to Marquette in 2021, was married at First Presbyterian Church and currently attends St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with his wife and son. During the 2023-24 season, Darrius performed with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, Marquette Choral Society and as a recitalist for the benefit of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Darrius is very thankful to sing for wonderful audiences in Marquette, and across the Midwest. In the 2024-25 season, Darrius’ season begins with a recital in collaboration with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, which features solo vocal works composed by Nadia Boulanger, Francis Poulenc, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Angelo Mariani.
Lara Neves, mezzo-soprano
Lara Neves received her BM in Vocal Performance from Brigham Young University where she studied with Clayne Robison and Shirley Westwood. While at BYU she performed as the First Lady in Magic Flute, Rosalinde in Der Fledermaus, and had roles in Tales of Hoffmann and Marriage of Figaro.
Since living in Houghton she has soloed with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra in Handel’s Messiah, Berlioz' Les Nuit d'Ete, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, and KSO’s “Night at the Opera” performance, where she sang excerpts from Carmen and Otello. In 2014, she played Amahl’s mother in Michigan Tech’s Amahl and the Night Visitors.
Lara has performed with Pine Mountain Music Festival’s operatic productions of La traviata, Rockland, Cosi fan tutte, and A Little Night Music and Viva Verdi! and was also the mezzo-soprano soloist for the festival's Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. In 2018 she sang the role of Mercedes in PMMF’s production of Carmen.
Lara enjoys teaching voice and has maintained a private vocal studio for over 20 years. She has served as adjunct vocal faculty at Southern Utah University, Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, and at Michigan Tech.
Lauren Pulcipher, violin
Ann Arbor based violinist Lauren Pulcipher enjoys a career of both performing and teaching. As a performer she can be found playing with various groups throughout the midwest region. She is a member of the Tuuli Quartet and the Mulholland String Quartet. Lauren also performs regularly with the Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Jackson symphonies. Lauren has additionally been in residence at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute and at Tufts University with the Michigan based Khemia Ensemble.
As a teacher, Lauren maintains a private studio in Ann Arbor and collaborates across teaching studios to create chamber music and other group playing experiences for her students.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Music from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and two Masters Degrees from the University of Michigan in Violin Performance and Chamber Music. Her principal teachers have included Samantha George, Aaron Berofsky and Hal Grossman.
Danielle Simandl, violin
Danielle Simandl is currently the Executive Director of Superior String Alliance (SSA). Danielle performs with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra in Iowa, and with the Fox Valley Symphony in Wisconsin as Principal Second Violin. An equally dedicated chamber musician, Danielle can be found performing different kinds of chamber music in unique corners of the Great Lakes region, especially with the Tuuli Quartet and the Superior String Alliance Chamber Players. She is also the Music Director of SSA’s Summer Music Camp, and the proud owner of countless tie-dye T-shirts. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from Lawrence University, and a Master of Music in Violin Performance and a Performance Certificate from DePaul University.
Ria Hodgson, viola
Ria Hodgson performs regularly with a wide variety of ensembles, including the Superior String Alliance Chamber Players, and the Rockford, Quad City, and Madison Symphony Orchestras. Ria has also been a guest artist of summer festivals throughout the US and abroad, including the Tuscia Opera Festival, the Vianden Music Festival, the Pine Mountain Music Festival, and Midsummer’s Music Festival. She is a founding member of the Tuuli Quartet, which celebrates the music of contemporary and classical composers as a tool for community building and communication.
Ria earned a Bachelor of Music from Arizona State University, where she studied with Nancy Buck, and a Master of Music degree from DePaul University where she was a student of Rami Solomonow. Additional training comes from her postgraduate study with Sally Chisholm at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
A passionate advocate for music education, Ria is the director of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras Music Makers program which works to ensure access to instrumental instruction for all students, regardless of their financial background.
Adam Hall, cello
Adam Hall began his undergraduate studies in Chicago at DePaul University, and later moved to Glasgow where he completed his bachelor's and master'sdegrees in cello performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, studying with Alison Wells. He was then awarded the prestigious Holland Scholarship and continued his post-graduate studies with Michel Strauss and Jan-Ype Nota at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag, specializing in contemporary music and improvisation. Adam currently lives in Marquette, Michigan, where he plays regularly with the Marquette and Keweenaw Symphony Orchestras, and the Superior String Alliance (SSA) Chamber Players.
As a teacher, Adam has been on faculty at the Superior String Alliance (SSA) Summer Music Camp for almost a decade, and serves as the director of SSA Strings Club. He runs a private studio in Marquette teaching cello lessons, and is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher
Jon Ensminger, piano
Jon Ensminger teaches private piano lessons in his studio in Laurium, Michigan and at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Jon has a BA degree in Piano Performance from Bob Jones University, a MM degree in Piano Performance from the University of South Carolina, and a DMA degree in Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Carolina. He studied piano under Larry Kaufmann and Max Camp, piano literature under John Kenneth Adams, with additional study under Andrzej Dutkiewicz at Interlochen Center for the Arts and master classes with Alfonse Montecino and Jacob Lateiner. Jon taught piano, piano pedagogy, music theory, and music history courses for a number of years at Northland Baptist Bible College (later Northland International University) in northeastern Wisconsin. Several of his sacred piano and choral arrangements are published. Jon received a BS degree in Computer Science from Michigan Technological University in 2011, and when he is not teaching, practicing, or performing, he enjoys developing apps and running. He developed a music education app for the iPad, Rhythm Lab, which is published and available on the Apple App Store.
Bridgefest Concerts
Lauren Pulcipher, violin
Ann Arbor based violinist Lauren Pulcipher enjoys a career of both performing and teaching. As a performer she can be found playing with various groups throughout the midwest region. She is a member of the Tuuli Quartet and the Mulholland String Quartet. Lauren also performs regularly with the Ann Arbor, Lansing, and Jackson symphonies. Lauren has additionally been in residence at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute and at Tufts University with the Michigan based Khemia Ensemble.
As a teacher, Lauren maintains a private studio in Ann Arbor and collaborates across teaching studios to create chamber music and other group playing experiences for her students.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Music from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and two Masters Degrees from the University of Michigan in Violin Performance and Chamber Music. Her principal teachers have included Samantha George, Aaron Berofsky and Hal Grossman.
Danielle Simandl, violin
Danielle Simandl is currently the Executive Director of Superior String Alliance (SSA). Danielle performs with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra in Iowa, and with the Fox Valley Symphony in Wisconsin as Principal Second Violin. An equally dedicated chamber musician, Danielle can be found performing different kinds of chamber music in unique corners of the Great Lakes region, especially with the Tuuli Quartet and the Superior String Alliance Chamber Players. She is also the Music Director of SSA’s Summer Music Camp, and the proud owner of countless tie-dye T-shirts. Danielle holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from Lawrence University, and a Master of Music in Violin Performance and a Performance Certificate from DePaul University.
Brian Wall, viola
James Brian Wall, a native of the St. Louis area, has been playing the violin since he started in the public school system in Alton, Illinois at age 8. With over 20 years of experience, Brian has performed in many capacities including playing in the first violin sections of the Alton Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Youth Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gateway Symphony Orchestra, the Edwardsville Community Symphony Orchestra and has served as concertmaster of the Webster University Symphony Orchestra in his time as an undergraduate student, and as the concertmaster of the Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville Symphony Orchestra during his graduate studies.
Brian has also performed in the Keough String Quartet and the Landolfi String Quartet, and has taught at Orchestrating Diversity, the St. Louis El Sistema chapter, as well as privately at various locations across the greater St. Louis area. Brian received his training in Suzuki pedagogy at SIUE and has had the pleasure of working with materials and techniques developed by John Kendall, the man who brought the Suzuki Method to America. Brian’s teaching philosophy is that anyone can learn to play the violin beautifully if they have the patience, work ethic, and diligence necessary.
Adam Hall, cello
Adam Hall began his undergraduate studies in Chicago at DePaul University, and later moved to Glasgow where he completed his bachelor's and master'sdegrees in cello performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, studying with Alison Wells. He was then awarded the prestigious Holland Scholarship and continued his post-graduate studies with Michel Strauss and Jan-Ype Nota at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag, specializing in contemporary music and improvisation. Adam currently lives in Marquette, Michigan, where he plays regularly with the Marquette and Keweenaw Symphony Orchestras, and the Superior String Alliance (SSA) Chamber Players.
As a teacher, Adam has been on faculty at the Superior String Alliance (SSA) Summer Music Camp for almost a decade, and serves as the director of SSA Strings Club. He runs a private studio in Marquette teaching cello lessons, and is a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher.