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Ursula Vietze - violin Ursula is the manager and founder of MAGIC STRINGS and concert master of the Kona Symphony Orchestra and Kamuela Philharmonics. She studied at the Conservatory of Music in Frankfurt / Germany and played with many different orchestras in Germany and the US. She's been a member of the Pittsburgh Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Johann Strauss Orchestra in Germany and played with the Honolulu Symphony and Maui Symphony Orchestra. Since 1989 Ursula has lived in Hawaii and is teaching violin and piano at her Music Studio in Kona. She travels throughout the Hawaiian Islands, the mainland and Europe performing and teaching workshops on the healing effects of music & colors and self discovery. Loren Wilken - keyboard & piano Loren has a BA in Music from UC Santa Cruz where he studied classical and jazz music theory, composition, and performance. After working as a freelance musician in the Bay area for 7 years, Loren moved to the Big Island of Hawaii in 1990 to work full time as a pianist at the resorts along the Kohala Coast. He has been the piano player for the Bill Noble Trio for over 12 years. Loren also enjoys composing and arranging in many musical styles ranging from classical choral music and children's songs to jazz and pop. Loren has co-produced and recorded 5 CDs in various genres and has received ASCAP and songwriting contest awards. Joel Gimpel - violin & viola Joel has been active in Kona's musical life since retiring from his law career in Chicago and moving here in May 1996. He is principal second violin and plays violin and viola with the MAGIC STRINGS. On the mainland, Joel was a music teacher and conductor, concertmaster of the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra, principal cellist with the DuPage Symphony, 1st violinist with the St. Louis Symphony, principal second violin with the Highland Park Strings, jobbing violinist and bass guitarist with dance and show bands. Madeline Schatz - violin received most of her musical experience in Los Angeles, California. She studied violin with Eudice Shapiro, Josef Gingold and Henryk Szyerng; viola with William Primrose, David Dawson and Milton Thomas; piano with Jack Previn and John Crown and conducting with Michael Tilson Thomas, Daniel Lewis and Paul Vermel. She has won the grand prize in the international Coleman Chamber Music Competition five times, has studied chamber music with the Juilliard, Netherlands and Amadeus Quartets; and has performed internationally as a concert artist on the conducting podium as well as on violin and viola. She is former performer in the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and California Chamber Symphony and has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras as well as being an active chamber music player and teacher. She has guest conducted on numerous occasions, including the London (England), Utah, New Mexico, Tacoma, Albuquerque Chamber and Virginia Symphony Orchestras, in addition to the Women's' Philharmonic, the University of Oregon Symphony and the Salt Lake Symphony. Maestra Schatz has recorded on CD with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra. Dr Schatz presently maintains her home in Kamuela, HI where she is conductor of the Kamuela Philharmonic, teaches music at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy and maintains a studio of private students in violin, viola, cello and piano. Dr. Ray Broggini - violin Dr. Ray Broggini studied for several years with Josef Gingold protege Jeanette Drinkall Meyer and others in Cleveland before attending Oberlin College and Conservatory where he received his BA in biology and music. He had parallel careers in medicine and music for 30 years, having played in many SF Bay Area orchestras and chamber groups. He now spends his time mostly in musical and farming pursuits. Mary Collier - violin Mary has played the violin since age nine, studying privately throughout high school and college. In addition to performing professionally with MAGIC STRINGS, the Kona Symphony Orchestra and as a soloist, Mary teaches violin to children and adults, privately and in string ensembles. Susan McGovern - viola Born and raised in Honolulu, Susan has a B. Ed. from the University of Hawaii-Manoa in Music Education. She plays both violin and viola with MAGIC STRINGS, and has been a free-lance professional musician for over 30 years. She's been a member of the Honolulu Symphony, Maui Symphony, UH-Hilo Chamber Orchestra, Kona Symphony Orchestra, and a founding member of the Volcano Chamber Players. Currently, she is the Education Director at the Volcano Art Center. Wanda Beck - viola Wanda is co-principal violist with the Kamuela Philharmonic in Waimea. She is also principal viola with the Jefferson Symphony and Evergreen Chamber Orchestra in Golden, Colorado. Wanda performs recitals several times a year on the mainland. Julie Salis - cello is a cellist with the MAGIC STRINGS, Kona Symphony Orchestra and Kamuela Philharmonic. She has performed with these groups and other ensembles for the last 10 years. Before Julie moved to the Big Island of Hawaii in 1981, she played with college and community orchestras in Eugene, OR. She worked for the University of Oregon in the School of Music publicity office for two years, while attending college there, and was involved in the Oregon Bach Festival during that time. Since the early 1970's Julie has played with orchestras from Richfield, MN to Idaho Fall, ID. Larry Beck - oboe Larry performes for more than 35 years as orchestral soloist or with small chamber ensembles in Colorado, California, and Hawaii. Larry is presently principal oboist with the Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra in Waimea and principal oboist of the Jefferson Symphony and Evergreen Chamber Orchestras in the Denver, Colorado area. |
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