2023-24 V E N T I C O R D I
M U S I C I A N B I O S
Oboist and VentiCordi Director Kathleen McNerney has been hailed by critics for her ‘rich, full bodied tone’ and ‘attention to the natural, and enticing timbre of the instrument’. Kathleen finds chamber music to be the ideal outlet for her music making. The founding of VentiCordi has fulfilled a lifelong dream.
She currently teaches oboe at Bowdoin and Bates Colleges and is the woodwind chamber music coach at Bowdoin. She also teaches at the Portland Conservatory of Music. Kathleen has performed with many New England and Maine based performing organizations such as the Portland Symphony, PortOpera, Bay Chamber Concerts, Portland String Quartet, Maine Music Society, Maine Chamber Ensemble, New Hampshire Symphony, New Hampshire Bach Festival and New Hampshire Summer Music Festival.
Before moving to Maine, Kathleen lived in Los Angeles for nineteen years. During those years Kathleen enjoyed a prolific and varied playing career, working in many regional orchestras, playing all positions and appearing as soloist several times. In 2004, she premiered a commissioned piece for English horn, written for her, as a long standing member of the Orchestra of St. Matthews.
She was oboist for two woodwind quintets, Imbroglio and Calico Winds and recorded with both groups. Her recording with Calico Winds was praised in the Los Angeles Times as ‘proceeds from Bach to Zappa…projecting solid musical values all the way…crossed all the style lines and gotten away with it.’ Additional playing experience includes opera, ballet, movie soundtracks and musical theatre. Some of Kathleen's favorite work while in Los Angeles was playing for silent movies and with local pop artists.
While in California, Kathleen held teaching positions at Azusa Pacific University, La Sierra University and Glendale Community College.
Kathleen is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music, where she studied with Humbert Lucarelli, and the University of Southern California. Further studies were with Allan Vogel, former Principal Oboe with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
Violinist and VentiCordi Director Dean Stein has performed throughout the world in recital, with orchestras, chamber music ensembles, and as soloist. His performances frequently garner critical acclaim, as in a recording of which ‘The Strad’ magazine wrote, “Dean Arthur Stein excels in the first violin’s improvisatory cadenza, his fierce yet luxuriant tone setting the mood...”
A passionate performer and advocate for chamber music, Mr. Stein was honored to be chosen as first violinist of the Portland String Quartet in 2012, the first change of personnel in the distinguished PSQ’s history since it’s formation in 1969.
Recent performance highlights include performing Elvis Costello's, The Juliet Letters with the Rose Quintet, string quartet concerts with the PSQ on the Seine River in France, as well as Budapest and eastern Europe, a collaboration with Iraqi Oud virtuoso Rahim-al-Haj, and performing the 10 Beethoven Sonatas with pianist Chiharu Naruse at Bates College.
In 2009, Mr. Stein, together with oboist Kathleen McNerney, created VentiCordi Chamber Music, focusing on combining wind and string instruments, and programming lesser known treasures of the chamber music repertoire. Their performances each summer in the Kennebunks have been enthusiastically received and critically acclaimed.
From 2003 - 08 Mr. Stein directed the Arcady Music Festival in Bar Harbor, Maine. At Arcady, he performed in chamber ensembles, brought internationally renowned artists to perform in Down East Maine, and gave high priority to educational programs, bringing musicians to perform directly for Maine schoolchildren.
His passion for the solo violin music of Bach has resulted in many performances of Bach’s masterpieces, which one reviewer acclaimed as “a superb and impressive performance of the unaccompanied Chaconne from Bach’s Partita No. 2...”
Chamber music audiences have heard Mr. Stein in performances throughout Maine from Ogunquit to Orono, at Music Mountain, Eastern Music Festival, Harvard’s Paine Hall, Bowdoin and Bates Colleges and many more venues.
A highly sought after teacher and clinician, Mr. Stein is on the faculty of Bowdoin and Bates Colleges, coaches string quartets with the PSQ at Newagen Seaside Inn, St. Joseph’s College and Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, and has taught at New England Conservatory’s Preparatory Division, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
He studied first with Margaret Berend at the Henry Street Settlement, then at the Juilliard School with Lewis Kaplan and Ivan Galamian, and at University of Maryland, College Park, with Gerald Fischbach and members of the Guarneri String Quartet.
A musician who enjoys performing music of our time, pianist Bridget Convey has found much fulfillment in collaborating with living composers. She has been fortunate to work with composers such as Morton Subotnick, Mel Powell, James Tenney, Daniel Sonenberg, Gia Comolli, Richard Nelson, Vineet Shende, Elliott Schwartz and many others. As a soloist and ensemble musician, Bridget has been heard at venues such as Lincoln Center (NYC); Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (Los Angeles, CA); Ojai Music Festival (CA); Maybeck Performing Arts Studio (Berkeley, CA); Percussive Arts Society International Convention (Columbus, OH); among many others. She received her Diploma from Mannes College of Music, NYC (Pre-college Division) 1989; BFA from State University of New York at Purchase 1993; and MFA from the California Institute of the Arts 1997. Currently, she performs regularly with the Maine Music Society Chorale, percussionist Lynn Vartan, mezzo-soprano Joelle Morris and the VentiCordi Chamber Ensemble. Bridget currently serves as adjunct faculty at Bates College. Bridget can be heard on Navona, Cuneiform, Independent and Nataraja labels.
A founding member of the Chameleon Arts Ensemble, clarinetist Gary Gorczyca is a ubiquitous presence on Boston’s classical music concert scene. Mr. Gorczyca has appeared as a soloist with the Angelica International Festival and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and performs frequently with Boston Midsummer Opera, Odyssey Opera, and Back Bay Chorale. He can be heard on many recordings on the BMOP Sound label, including Bernard Rands’ Canti Trilogy, Lee Hyla’s Lives of the Saints, and as a soloist on Elliot Schwartz’s Chamber Concerto. He also played on composer Marti Epstein’s recent recording, Hypnagogia, with the Ludovico Ensemble.
A frequent collaborator with composers and sought-after chamber musician, Mr. Gorczyca was a member of Boston Musica Viva and the Fromm Players at Harvard. He has also performed at the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, with Callithumpian Consort, the Firebird Ensemble, Sound Icon, Collage, and the First Monday Series at Jordan Hall. For the past several seasons he has collaborated with VentiCordi Chamber Music, winner of the 2016 and 2017 Down East Magazine’s reader’s choice award.
Gary Gorczyca began his musical career on the heels of an education from New England Conservatory, Boston University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Shortly afterward he received fellowships to attend the Norfolk Chamber and Contemporary Music Festival and the Tanglewood Music Center, where he was awarded a Jackson Prize for outstanding musical achievement. When not performing, he volunteers for many causes, including the Pan Mass Kids Ride, Hingham Interfaith Food Pantry, Boy Scouts of America, and recently donated his time to do a David Bowie/Phillip Glass benefit concert for cancer research with the Ambient Orchestra at MIT.
Cellist Katherine Cherbas has performed with 35 Broadway shows and is currently a member of the orchestra for Spamalot at the St. James Theatre. She appears regularly with the Encores! Orchestra at New York City Center, the New Jersey Symphony, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Orchestra, and other area ensembles. As a chamber musician her interests span the gamut, from Baroque continuo playing to collaborating with composers on new works. Her world-premiere recording of Milton Babbitt’s String Quartet No. 6 with the Milton Quartet (Tzadik Records, 2003) was critically acclaimed for its “impeccable tuning, timing and precision of color and phrasing” (New York Times) and “staggering…technical control, understanding, depth, passion, and brilliance” (Tempo).
After studying at the Indiana University School of Music while finishing high school, Katherine moved to New York City and completed an undergraduate degree at Columbia University, a master’s degree at The Juilliard School, and a Doctor of Musical Arts at SUNY-Stony Brook. She is certified as a teacher in the Suzuki method, and works with private cello students ranging in age from 4 to 80.
Katherine lives in New Jersey with her husband, teenage son, and two dogs. When not performing or teaching, she can often be found at a baseball game.
Flutist, Eileen Holt, is an accomplished and versatile performer. Her unique sound and ability to play in many diverse styles and genres have kept her in high demand as soloist, orchestral musician, and chamber musician. Ms. Holt has performed and toured throughout the United States, Europe, Singapore, Japan and China. She has had the privilege of appearing as soloist with the Riverside County Philharmonic several times where she also holds the position of principal flute. Featured solo appearances with the orchestra include performances of Carl Nielsen’s “Concerto for Flute and Orchestra”, Cecil Chaminade’s “Concertino” under the baton of Ransom Wilson and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerti numbers #2, #4, and #5 conducted by Tomasz Golka. She has also premiered various works for multiple soloists with orchestra including “Concertante” for wind quintet by Damian Montano in 2012, and “Shinobu vs. Ghost Warrior”, for solo flute and solo piccolo by Christopher Tin in 2014. She has appeared with many symphonies including the San Diego Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, and Pasadena Pops Orchestra, Southwest Chamber Orchestras, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay, Long Beach Opera, among others. She is also principal flute with the Long Beach Municipal Band, the only existing professional municipal band in the country. She has also been principal flute for the orchestras of many pop stars including Elton John, Sarah McLachlan, Michael McDonald, Amy Grant, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Michael Bolton and Josh Groban with whom she appeared on the “Ellen DeGeneres” show. She has also been acting principal flutist for many Broadway touring shows such as “Aida”, “Into the Woods”, and “La Boheme”. Ms. Holt is also an active chamber musician and has also toured, recorded, and premiered pieces for various chamber ensembles, including the Los Angeles Flute Quartet, and the award winning, Calico Winds, with whom she has also appeared twice in performances at Carnegie Hall, and toured extensively throughout the country. She has also enjoyed a career as professional vocalist with the LA Opera and Los Angeles Master Chorale. During this time she shared the stage with such greats as Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Marilyn Horne and has also had the privilege of working under the batons of some of the world’s leading conductors such as Esa-Pekka Salonen, Simon Rattle, Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta and Andre Previn.
Kimberly Lehmann, originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, received her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Minnesota and her Master of Music in Violin Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. Her principal teachers were Lea Foli, Harold Wippler, Catherine Tait, and Camilla Wicks.
About 20 years ago, after receiving a beautiful viola that belonged to her husband Robert’s grandmother, Kim fell in love with the viola and gradually grew to prefer the deep, mellow sound and the wonderful chamber music writing for the instrument.
She is a member of the Portland Symphony Orchestra and has been a member of the South Dakota Symphony, the Colorado Springs Symphony, and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. She has performed with the Eastman Philharmonia in residence at the Heidelberg Schlossfestspiele, at the National Orchestral Institute, and with the Boston Academy of Music. She regularly performs with PORT Opera, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Portland Ballet, and Choral Art and has appeared as guest violist with the DaPonte String Quartet and Venticordi.
Kim, along with her husband Robert, has performed concerts in Mexico, Germany, France, and Austria as the Lehmann Duo. She has coached violin and viola sectionals and chamber music for the Longwood Symphony, Brandeis University, Wellesley College, the Greater Boston Youth Symphonies, and the USM Youth Ensembles. She has adjudicated auditions for the New England Conservatory Youth Orchestras and for Maine District Festivals.
Ms. Lehmann has also performed solo works with the Portland Chamber Orchestra, the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, the Salem Philharmonic and the Longy School of Music.
Kim is a member of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, where she has also been a Teaching Artist for the Explorers Program. She teaches violin and viola in her home studio and is artist faculty at the University of Southern Maine Osher School of Music.
Cellist Andrew Mark received his Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music, graduating with top honors in both performance and academics. His principal teachers have included Bernard Greenhouse, Laurence Lesser, Colin Carr, and George Neikrug.
Mark is an active member of Boston's classical music community. He has performed and recorded with such groups as the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra since 1989. In 2018 he became the cellist of the Portland String Quartet , recipient of Chamber Music America’s Acclaim Award in recognition of outstanding service and cultural contributions to the community throughout its fifty-year history.
From 1987-1993 he was cellist of the Boston Composers String Quartet, which performed throughout the United States and Europe and was winner of the silver medal at the Osaka International String Quartet Competition in Japan. With this ensemble he recorded the string quartets of Daniel Pinkham, Gardner Read, and Leon Kirchner. In 1993 Mark joined the critically acclaimed group, The CORE Ensemble, an international touring trio of cello, piano, and percussion dedicated to the performance of contemporary music. In 2000, the CORE Ensemble received the prestigious MacDermott Award presented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for its innovative contributions to the field of chamber music. The Core Ensemble has recorded for New World Records and released a disc featuring solo, duo, and trio works of Pulitzer Prize winning composer Donald Martino and a CD featuring the Triple Concerto of Bernard Rands, commissioned by the Core Ensemble. An accomplished advocate of new music, Mark has collaborated with some of the world's most distinguished composers including Witold Lutoslawski, Donald Martino, John Harbison, and Leon Kirchner, and has premiered nearly 100 works. His recording of Messaien’s Quartet for the End of Time on Ongaku Records has won critical acclaim. The American Record Guide hailed, “These are no ordinary performers. Each player shines in the extended solo passages. It’s brilliant.”
In 1988 Mark was named as a United States Artistic Ambassador by the U.S. State Department and has since performed recitals and given master classes throughout the United States, Europe, South and Central America, and the Far East. He has been a guest artist at several summer music festivals including the Newport (RI) Music Festival, the Contemporary Music Festival at Tanglewood, the Portland Chamber Music Festival, the Chautauqua Festival, ARIA Academy, Florida International Festival, the Chichibu (Japan) Music Festival, Music from Salem (NY), Killington Music Festival, and the Foulger International Festival. He has recorded for New World, Koch, Albany, Dorian, CRI, Ongaku, and Neuma recording labels.
Mr. Mark continues an ongoing commitment to teaching and is a member of the music faculties of the New England Conservatory Preparatory Division, and The Boston Conservatory where he served as Chair of the String Department from 1995 – 2014. Since 2016, he has been on the cello faculty for the highly successful summer Program for the Exceptionally Gifted at the Heifetz Institute in Staunton, Virginia. Professor Mark is the recipient of the 2008 Studio Teacher of the Year Award presented by the Massachusetts chapter of the American String Teachers Association and in 2009 was presented an award for outstanding contributions to string teaching by the Foundation for the Advancement of String Education.
Hailed as a “superb harpsichordist” by the Kansas City Star, Christina Scott Edelen brings a depth of experience, knowledge, and virtuosity to keyboard performance and teaching. On organ, harpsichord, clavichord, and fortepiano, Christina has performed as soloist and in numerous ensembles, concert series and festivals, including the Early Music Festivals of Bloomington, Berkeley, and Boston, and the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra. She studied at the Indiana University Early Music Institute and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, and was a finalist at the Bodky International Competition. Christina is a popular teacher and lecturer, and has served on the faculties of Baylor University and the University of Houston. She holds a PhD in 17th century English Musical philosophy, and has published articles in both the US and Sweden. Recordings include An Early Keyboard Sampler, Early English Organ Concertos, and the Sonatas for Flute and Harpsichord by Boismortier. Christina is currently organist and choirmaster at St Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Yarmouth, Maine.
Dianne Spoto has enjoyed an exciting career as a flutist for over 25 years and is actively engaged in Boston’s vibrant and varied music scene. The Syracuse Post Standard has described her playing as “fearless and deeply soulful,” with a “radiant and supple tone,” and “effortless technique, perfect for Mozartian filigree.”Ms. Spoto enjoys a robust freelance career, performing regularly with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), Portland Symphony Orchestra, Vista Philharmonic, and various musical theatre and chamber ensembles including VentiCordi, Music Worcester, and the Bach, Beethoven & Brahms Society. She has served as principal flutist of the Lexington Sinfonietta and the Lyric Opera Theater Orchestra in New York, and is a founding member of the Archipelago Woodwind Quintet. She has appeared on MTV, VH1, and CBS and NBC News, and served on the New York’s Learning Annex panel “Careers in the Music Industry.”A Syracuse, NY native, Ms. Spoto completed her Bachelor’s Degree at the New England Conservatory, and her Master’s at Mannes College of Music in New York City. She studied with world-renowned flutists Paula Robison, Leone Buyse, Julius Baker, and Judith Mendenhall. Ms. Spoto has performed in concert halls nationwide, including Lincoln Center, Symphony Hall in Boston, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and Jordan Hall. As a concert soloist, Ms. Spoto has performed with the Syracuse Symphony, and was awarded top prizes in several competitions, including the James Pappoutsakis Flute Competition and the Syracuse Symphony Young Artist Competition.Ms. Spoto’s flute faculty positions include New England Conservatory, Anna Maria College, and Worcester State University. A career-long teacher, Ms. Spoto enjoys working with students in her thriving private studios in New York City and Boston.
Benjamin Noyes A multi-faceted individual, Benjamin Noyes (b. has many talents all revolving around an exceptional focus on the cello. With a particular interest, fascination and devotion to the qualities and production of sound, he channels his creativity and music into areas including, but not limited to performing, teaching, composing, recording, producing, drawing and writing. He is widely acclaimed for his performances of solo recitals, chamber ensemble concerts, and various classical and non-classical ventures. Pursuing the artist’s life has led him to collaborations and performances throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, performing, teaching, coaching and motivating individuals of all ages and professions with his signature, one-of-a kind projects. Most recently, Ben has performed with Opera Maine’s 2023 Studio Artist Program in the presentation of Rocking Horse Winner (July 5, July 7, 2023), and the Hogfish presentation of CarmXn, a modern adaptation of the classic opera Carmen, in addition to engagements with organizations such as the Portland Symphony Orchestra, Zograf String Quartet, and Palaver Strings. Benjamin Noyes was born into the rich musical/pedagogical heritage of his parents, both members of the Portland Symphony Orchestra in Portland, Maine, finding local acclaim as a performer immediately. While attending Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, Irene Sharp invited him to study in San Francisco where he attended the School of the Arts and San Francisco Conservatory’s preparatory division. He earned a Bachelor of Music at Rice University, and a Master of Music from Northwestern University, where he participated in the Chicago Symphony’s Civic Orchestra program playing under maestros Pierre Boulez, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Daniel Barenboim, among others. He has played with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, Miami Symphony, Roanoke Symphony, Roanoke Opera Orchestra, various summer opera orchestras and musical theatre ensembles. He was also adjunct faculty at Randolph College. Ben has won numerous awards, including top prizes in NFAA’s ARTS Recognition, National Federation of Music Clubs, and National ASTA competitions, and was selected by Yo-Yo Ma to participate as soloist and recitalist throughout China, performing with the Beijing, Chengdu, Shenzen and Shanghai Symphony Orchestras. As a fellowship recipient he attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, the New York String Orchestra Seminar, Yale’s Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Sarasota Chamber Music Festival, the Aspen Festival, and Meadowmount, and studied as an undergraduate at the Eastman School of Music. Ben’s home base is currently in Portland, Maine where he continues to have a full performing and teaching career, private lessons, and at the Portland Conservatory of Music. He continues to be a world traveler.
Chiharu Naruse Pianist Chiharu Naruse holds a Master’s Degree in Music Performance and a Master’s Degree in Music Instruction from the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. In Berlin, Naruse studied piano under Klaus Bäßler and Lied Accompaniment under Wolfram Riegar. Naruse has performed throughout the world in recitals and piano competitions including a piano concert to benefit Amnesty International in Germany, the Hyogo Piano Competition in Japan (silver prize), the Clara Haskil piano competition in Switzerland, the Pescara Academie Piano Competition in Italy and the International Mozart Wettbewerb in Salzburg Austria.
In the spring of 2002, Naruse moved to the United States to study under Frank Glazer. Since her arrival Naruse has given several recitals at Bates College, collaborated with the Portland String Quartet, DaPonte String Quartet and Frank Glazer, performed Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto, Mozart Piano Concerto K 466 and the Rachmaninoff Second Piano Concerto with the Augusta Symphony and concert toured Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Maine Pro Musica ensemble under conductor Janna Hymes. Naruse appeared as a featured artist at the Ocean Park Music Festival and the Franco-American Heritage Center. 2012-13 seasons Naruse performed all 10 of Beethoven's sonatas for violin and piano with violinist Dean Stein at Bates College. In 2014 Chiharu was invited to perform at the Parma Music Festival. Her solo performance of a work by Sergio Corvertti was released in 2015.
In addition to maintaining a regular performance schedule Naruse is also a well-respected music teacher, chamber music coach, music competition adjudicator and accompanist, with many of her students receiving competition prizes. Naruse currently is a member of the applied music faculty at Bates College and is also a faculty member at the Portland Conservatory of Music.
Karen Beacham Karen Beacham has held the position of Principal Clarinet with the Mexico City Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería in Mexico City and the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra. She has appeared as soloist with the Tulsa Philharmonic, the Maine Chamber Ensemble, Colby Symphony Orchestra, University of Maine at Farmington Orchestra, and the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra. An active orchestral musician as well as soloist and chamber music artist, Karen Beacham has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the internationally touring New Sousa Band, and appears regularly with the Portland Symphony Orchestra. She has participated in many festivals, including the Sunriver Festival Chamber Orchestra, Kneisal Hall Chamber Music Festival, Sebago-Long Lake Chamber Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival/Yale School of Music, New College Music Festival and the Aspen Music Festival. Dedicated to education as well as performance, Karen has served on the music faculties of Colby College, University of New Hampshire and University of Maine at Farmington (where she was also conductor of the concert band). In her role as conductor/music instructor at Mt. Blue Regional School, she was awarded Maine Music Educator of the Year for 2014. Karen Beacham received a Bachelor of Music from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts where she studied with Donald Montanaro of the Philadelphia Orchestra. While there, she performed with the PCPA Orchestra as a winner of the Helen P. Neuman Solo Competition. Karen received her Master of Music Degree at the New England Conservatory of Music as a student of Harold Wright, Principal Clarinetist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Graybert Beacham Graybert Beacham has been an active orchestral and chamber music performer throughout the United States and internationally. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he was the recipient of the Dr. Jerome Gross Prize in Violin. Major teachers include David Cerone, Bernhard Goldschmidt, and Emanuel Borok . Orchestral affiliations have included the Kansas City Philharmonic, Mexico City Philharmonic, Tulsa Philharmonic (Principal Second Violin), Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, and Portland Symphony Orchestra. He has served as Acting Concertmaster of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Jaime Laredo, also performing as soloist with that orchestra. He has performed as Concertmaster and soloist for the Cascade Festival of Music in Oregon. As a violist, he has been a guest artist with the Portland String Quartet and served as Principal Violist with Opera Boston. Graybert toured China as violin soloist with the New Sousa Band during that ensemble’s 100 year celebration of the original Sousa Band’s 1910-11 world tour.
Music education has always been an important component of Graybert’s musical life. Faculty positions have included the Cleveland Institute of Music Preparatory Department, Colby College, University of Southern Maine, Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, Sunriver Institute for Strings, Music Festival of Arkansas, Bay Chamber Concerts Next Generation Program, the New England Suzuki Institute and the Southern Maine String Academy. He has held the position of conductor with the University of Maine at Farmington Community Orchestra, has guest conducted the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra, and is an active conductor/clinician at various educational festivals throughout New England. Mr. Beacham designed and instituted a string program at Maine School Administrative District No. 58, and also taught strings at Waterville Public Schools. Graybert is a founding member of the Nordica Trio (clarinet, piano, and violin/viola). Recorded performances have been broadcast over public radio stations across the United States and Mexico, and he has recorded for Albany Records.
Timothy Garrett Solo, chamber, and orchestral cellist Timothy Garrett's eclectic career has taken him from Carnegie Hall to outdoor rock festivals, little jazz clubs, recording studios, theaters & countless other concert venues. He has been faculty or otherwise participated at the Bowdoin international music festival, the Bar Harbor music festival, the Winter Harbor music festival, the Pierre Monteaux school and the Medomak conductor's retreat to name a few. Mr. Garrett has collaborated with such notable musicians and Grammy award winning groups as Mannheim Steamroller, Ray Lamontagne, Rustic Overtones, Rachel Barton Pine & various members of professional orchestras and chamber groups from across the world. Mr. Garrett has taught at the Portland Conservatory of Music, the Maine Coast Waldorf school and since 2009 at RDL strings in Bangor, Maine. Timothy is the cofounder of the 45th Parallel Ensemble, a string trio dedicated to unearthing rarely heard masterpieces. Mr. Garrett has been a member of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra for over 20 years and also maintains an active freelance & private studio schedule. Other activities enjoyed are running a chess club, coaching cello groups & learning about history, politics, philosophy, and gardening.