2012 Virtuosi Fourth Annual Summer String Workshop – Faculty

June 4-15, 2012
Virtuosi of Houston Studio, Memorial City Mall, Houston, Texas

Faculty Quartet Members

Ivo-Jan Van Der Werff, Violist

IVO-JAN VAN DER WERFF has attained accolades as a chamber player, recitalist, guest artist and teacher throughout Europe and North America.   As a member of the Medici String Quartet for 28 years, Mr. van der Werff has performed in over 2,000 concerts in major festivals and venues world wide, broadcasting regularly on radio and television. The Medici quartet made more than 40 recordings for EMI, Nimbus, Hyperion and Koch, and won many awards for works ranging from Haydn, Britten, Janacek, Schubert and the Beethoven cycle to more eclectic works of Saint-Saens, Wajahat Khan and Nigel Osborne.

Mr. van der Werff has performed as recitalist in New York, New Zealand and Hong Kong as well as numerous venues throughout the United Kingdom. His recordings for ASV and Koch include the sonata by Max Reger and the complete works for viola and piano/harp by Arnold Bax.  Mr. van der Werff is often invited to perform with quartets and chamber ensembles throughout the United Kingdom and Europe such as the Alberni, Coull, Bridge, Redcliffe and Adderbury.

Before joining the Medici Quartet, Mr. van der Werff worked with many conductors, including Sir George Solti, Bernard Haitink and Klaus Tennstedt, and has since been invited to appear as guest principal viola and soloist with many of the United Kingdom’s leading orchestras.

Mr. van der Werff has been a professor of viola and chamber music at the Royal College of Music in London; he has also developed a private viola program near London and is director of the ‘International Summer School for Violists’ in Upstate New York. He has taught at many summer schools such as Schlern in the Italian Alps and Madeline Island in the USA and is a frequent adjudicator for competition juries.

His most recent project, inspired by his viola mentors--Margaret Major, Peter Shidlof and Bruno Giuranna--is a book entitled ‘Notebook for Viola Players’ which consists of a series of exercises and explanations on and about viola technique.

Mr. van der Werff plays on a viola by Giovanni Grancino, of Milan, c1690.

Barrett Sills, cellist

Barrett Sills, a prizewinner in competitions in Germany, France, and Brazil, is a recognized artist on Baroque cello, viola da gamba, and modern cello.  As a scholarship student at Yale University, he was the first recipient of  the prestigious Maxwell Belding Award given by the Yale School of Music and while still an undergraduate he was assistant to his teacher, Aldo Parisot.  He  performed with the Nouvel Philharmonic of  Radio France in Paris and taught at the Conservatoire National de Boulogne-Billancourt. He has performed chamber music throughout France and Germany and toured Japan with the New York Symphonic Ensemble. As recitalist, he has played on three continents, toured South America as an Artistic Ambassador, and been a touring artist for the Texas Commission on the Arts.  He performs regularly with various groups including Ars Lyrica Houston and Oberon Ensemble and he is artistic director of Camerata Ventapane which presents concerts in Houston and  Mexico.   He was cofounder of the Festival de Musica Barroca in San Miguel de Allende and for six consecutive years he has been artistic director of the week-long baroque music festival which culminates in performances in Mexcio City.  In Houston  he is principal cellist of both Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera.

Nicholas Leh Baker, Violinist

The 2011-2012 season marks Nicholas Leh Baker’s 7th season as Artistic Director of the Duo Scordatura & Friends Chamber Music Series. During this season, Nicholas founded the “Commissioned Project” an independent series where 6 composer wrote original pieces for Duo Scordatura. Duo is scheduled to perform over seven other world premieres, and a double concerto with large ensemble.
During past seasons, Nicholas has appeared as Conductor-in-Residence with the Foundation for Modern Music and the Houston Symphonic Band, where he has held the position of Principal Guest Conductor since 2006; where he has not only appeared as conductor on two tours, but has also performed as soloist on numerous occasions. He has also been principal conductor of the Sonus Chamber Orchestra, and has made guest appearances with the Rose City Chamber Orchestra, the Cabrillo Festival, GYHO, at the Shepherd School of Music composition studios, and with studio orchestras in Los Angeles.

As an advocate with a great passion for new music, Mr. Baker co-founded the Sonus Chamber Music Society. During his four year tenure as its artistic director, he premiered over 20 new works by composers such as Dr. Daniel Kramlich, Dr. Ann Gebuhr, Jordan Kuspa, and Aaron Alon, as well as other composers at the Shepherd School of Music, the Moores School of Music, and the HBU School of Music. Most recently, he conducted a world premiere work by Columbian-born composer Federico García at the Cabrillo Festival in Santa Cruz, California, and in 2010 hosted the Naxos label Cd release concert of internationally well know composer, Avner Dorman.

As an active violinist and chamber musician, Mr. Baker has appeared as a soloist and recitalist in numerous cities throughout the United States, including Dallas, Houston, Pittsburgh, Tulsa, Little Rock, Portland, and New York City. Nicholas has performed in chamber music recitals collaborating with John Hendrickson, Ilgin Aka, Charlsie Griffiths; Tre Voci, Enso String Quartet, Fidelis String Quartet, Alia Musica; composers Avner Dorman, Jordan Kuspa, and George Heathco.

Nicholas studied conducting with Brett Mitchell, and other conducting teachers include Rebecca Miller, Gustav Meier, Marin Alsop, Cliff Colnot, Richard Fiese, Robert McElroy and Christopher Zimmerman. He studied violin with Arkady Fomin, Rodica Gonzalez, and Ronald Francois. The quartet had collaborations with many artists across the musical, literary and theatrical spectrum including the Royal Shakespeare Company, George Martin, Alan Bennett, John Williams, John Thaw and Jack Brymer.

Quan Jiang

Quan Jiang has played in the first violin section of the Houston Symphony for the past six seasons. Formerly he was the Assistant Concertmaster of the San Antonio Symphony. Quan began his violin studies with his Mother at the age of five and was accepted to the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music when he was nine. He came to the United States in 1990 with his twin brother, attended public high school and the Manhattan School of Music preparatory division. He was a prize winner in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, Enrico Fermi and New York Festival Auditions and has performed as a soloist with the San Antonio Symphony. He was a full scholarship student at the Manhattan School of Music and was quartet -in-residence at Rice University in Houston. He regularly performs chamber music throughout Texas and in Asia. Recently his trio, the Konishi-Jiang-Fardet Trio, was featured in Beethoven's Triple Concerto with the Symphony of North Houston. He enjoys living in Houston with his wife, violinist Chizu Kataoka, and his six year old daughter, Mitsuki.

Enrichment Faculty

Anne Bogaev

Anne Bogaev is certified by the American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT), the largest professional organization of Alexander Technique teachers in the US. She has completed over 1600 hours of teacher training. Anne has taught individual lessons and workshops on the Alexander Technique for a number of performing arts organizations, including Houston Grand Opera Studio. A former clinical social worker, she was employed for over 25 years in health care settings and as a psychotherapist in private practice. She has a BA in English from Middlebury College and a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Deborah Krager

Deborah Krager has been entertaining audiences since the age of four. Her singing experience spans a wide range of musical styles and genres, including many leading roles on the American musical theater scene and operetta stages.  She is also a performer of classical art songs, gospel, and popular music and has appeared on stages in both the U.S. and abroad. She currently holds degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Sam Houston State University in Texas.  In the U.S., she is in demand as a private vocal coach, accompanist, and Vocal Workshop performer. She has also taught in the American public school system. For several years Krager was a resident of California, where she enjoyed a brief career appearing in various movie and television productions. Presently, she resides in Houston with her husband, where she manages a growing vocal studio and performs regularly.

Kay Piña, Eurythmics Instructor

Kay Piña is a music teacher here at the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio. Kay started her music career at the age of 4, when she began group classes at Jensen’s Yamaha Music School. While in the Yamaha program, Kay was chosen to perform in both local and regional Junior Original Competition Concerts. As a young music student Kay was a member of both Middle School and High School band, playing clarinet and percussion, as well as High School Concert and Show Choir. She also sang and performed in musical productions such as The Children of Eden, and portrayed Amahl in Amahl and the Night Visitors. After graduating from Jensen’s Yamaha Music School, Kay completed her Bachelors of Arts in Music with piano as her primary instrument, at Texas State University- San Marcos (TSUSM), graduating cum laude. She also received a minor in Communication Studies and a Jazz Certification. While at TSUSM Kay participated in many ensembles including Mixed Choir, Women’s Choir, Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Combo, Marching Band, Steel Band and Accompanying. Kay is currently working on her Masters of Music in Piano Pedagogy and Performance at UTSA. Kay was recently awarded a Teaching Assistantship position and in the Fall of 2010 she will begin teaching two sections of undergraduate Class Piano. She plans to graduate in the Fall of 2011.

Guest Artists for Masterclasses

Anthony Kitai, cellist

Anthony Kitai joined the Houston Symphony in 2001, serving as Acting Associate Principal Cellist from 2003-2005. Previously, he was a member of the Memphis Symphony and the Iris Chamber Orchestra. As a soloist, Anthony Kitai has appeared with the Galveston Symphony, Doctors Orchestra of Houston, Jonesboro Symphony, Fort Smith Symphony, and Pine Bluff Symphony. He has participated in music festivals including Grand Teton, Schleswig-Holstein, Aspen, and Sewanee. As a chamber musician, Anthony Kitai has performed with Mercury Baroque, and on Col Canto and Foundation for Modern Music concerts. He frequently collaborates with his wife, pianist Shannon Hesse, and has performed with her in the Galveston Island Arts Academy Concert Series, Westminster Summer Concerts, and Greenbriar Consortium Concerts. Anthony Kitai enjoys teaching and maintains an active private studio where his students regularly play in Texas All-Region and All-State Orchestras. Kitai received his bachelor’s degree and performer’s certificate from the Eastman School of Music and his master’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. His major teachers include Desmond Hoebig, Steven Doane, Paul Katz, and Peter Spurbeck.

Suzanne LeFevre, violist

Suzanne LeFevre, a native of Wisconsin, began her formal education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music. Following, she spent one year at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam Holland, where she studied with the principal violist of the Concertgebouw Orchestra. She holds a Master of Music and an Artist Diploma from Yale University. Her teachers include David Becker, Vartan Manoogian, Matthias Maurer, Jesse Levine, and the Tokyo String Quartet. Suzanne has led an active orchestral career and chamber music life, which has involved playing in numerous orchestras and ensembles in the US, as well as Europe, including: Principal Viola of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Assistant Principal Viola of the Charlotte Symphony, Nederlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Granada Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, and New Haven Symphony. Suzanne has spent the summers participating in the Grand Teton Music Festival, Peninsula Music Festival, Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, Madison Chamber Music Festival, and Colorado Music Festival. After spending 20 months in Antwerp Belgium, in 2005, Suzanne moved to Houston Texas, where she is currently a member of the Houston Grand Opera, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Mercury Baroque, and the Bach Society.

Sophia Silivos, violinist

Sophia Silivos, violin, has been a member of the Houston Symphony since 1992. Silivos began her career as first violinist of the Dakota quartet and then was named principal second violinist of the New Mexico Symphony. She has performed as soloist with the Houston Symphony and served as Associate Concertmaster for the 2005/06 season. An ardent proponent of chamber music, she has appeared with ensembles throughout the United States and has performed live for public radio stations in Chicago, Houston, and Minneapolis. Here in Texas, she appears regularly with the Greenbriar Consortium and the Foundation for Modern Music; she is a featured violinist for the St. Cecilia concert series. She has served on the faculties of the University of Houston and Augustana College, teaches privately, and gives master classes. In the summer of 2007, Silivos was an invited participant in a three-week tour of China, performing solos with orchestra, performing recitals, and giving master classes.