Stephen Buzard, OrganThe opening concert of this year’s festival will feature Stephen Buzard, native of Champaign, Illinois. He is the son of organ builder, John-Paul Buzard. He was trained at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ and at the Yale School of Sacred Music in New Haven, CT. He was hired as the associate Organist-Choirmaster at St. thomas Church in New York City. He then returned to Illinois as the Organist-Choirmaster of the Cathedral Church of St. James in Chicago. He now maintains an active schedule of recitals as well as his busy musical life at the Cathedral.
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Peter Wykert, OrganPeter Wykert is the new Cantor at Trinity. He has served as music director at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Elmhurst, IL and as a music intern at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, IL. He holds a Bachelor Degree in music from Concordia University Chicago. As Cantor he plans worship services, directs several ensembles, serves as primary organist, oversees the Trinity Concert Series, and serves as the Co-Director of the Peoria Bach Festival.
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Lisette Kielson, RecorderA specialist in renaissance and baroque music, Lisette Kielson is the Director of the Collegium Musicum, Bradley’s own Early Music Consort. Lisette has performed to acclaim as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player in France, New York, Chicago, and throughout the Midwest. Enthralling audiences with her innovative programming and distinctive musicianship, she has been described by the media as “sparkling with life” and with “dazzling natural technique and brilliant interpretation…performing with true character and style”.
Artistic Director of L’Ensemble Portique, Lisette has released recordings of Bach and Boismortier with Centaur Records as well as three CDs under her own LEP Records. Her recordings are played nationally and have received enthusiastic reviews from American Recorder, American Record Guide, and Audio Video Club of Atlanta. President of the American Recorder Society from 2008-2012, Lisette currently is on the faculty of the Whitewater Early Music Festival (WI), serves as Music Director of the Chicago Recorder Chapter and Associate Director of the Recorder Orchestra of the Midwest, and leads recorder workshops and master classes throughout the country. She holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in flute performance from Indiana University and a post-master’s Diploma in recorder performance from The Royal Conservatory of The Hague, The Netherlands. |
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David Cyzak, Oboe
Dr. David Cyzak is the Affiliate Instructor of Oboe at Bradley University, Second Oboist in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and Solo English Hornist/ Second Oboist in the Heartland Festival Orchestra. He is a member of the AFM Local 301 Orchestra Committee and served on the 2017/2018 contract negotiation committee which recently negotiated a new three-year contract with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. As an active orchestral player, Dr. Cyzak has performed extensively with Orchestras throughout Illinois including the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, Heartland Festival Orchestra, Peoria Bach Festival Orchestra, and Sinfonia da Camera. His playing can be heard on the Naxos and Nimbus Records music labels.
His orchestral, concerto, and recital performances have taken him across the country from Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall to the intimate setting of Mark Twain’s drawing room in West Hartford, Connecticut. Recent and upcoming master class and recital appearances include visits to DePaul University, University of Iowa, Illinois State University, Penn State University, and Western Illinois University. His new recital program features works from a diverse selection of composers and a new composition he has written for Oboe and Piano. Always investigating and sharing the tradition of classical music his activities have focused on working with living composers to perform and premiere their works while seeking to illuminate classical music’s broad spectrum of expressive possibilities for any audience.
Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, Dr. Cyzak received his Doctorate from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying with John Dee. His doctoral research explores the advanced vocal and instrumental techniques of Vinko Globokar's Oboe/ English Horn works. He received a Master of Music Degree and Artist Diploma from The Hartt School under the tutelage of Humbert Lucarelli and a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music where he studied with James Caldwell, Robert Walters, and Alex Klein.
His orchestral, concerto, and recital performances have taken him across the country from Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall to the intimate setting of Mark Twain’s drawing room in West Hartford, Connecticut. Recent and upcoming master class and recital appearances include visits to DePaul University, University of Iowa, Illinois State University, Penn State University, and Western Illinois University. His new recital program features works from a diverse selection of composers and a new composition he has written for Oboe and Piano. Always investigating and sharing the tradition of classical music his activities have focused on working with living composers to perform and premiere their works while seeking to illuminate classical music’s broad spectrum of expressive possibilities for any audience.
Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, Dr. Cyzak received his Doctorate from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying with John Dee. His doctoral research explores the advanced vocal and instrumental techniques of Vinko Globokar's Oboe/ English Horn works. He received a Master of Music Degree and Artist Diploma from The Hartt School under the tutelage of Humbert Lucarelli and a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music where he studied with James Caldwell, Robert Walters, and Alex Klein.
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EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks, ViolinEmmaLee Holmes-Hicks received her doctoral degree from SUNY Stony Brook, studying violin with Phil Setzer, Soovin Kim and Philippe Graffin. She completed her undergraduate work with honors at the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied with Stephen Rose and Annie Fullard. As a chamber player, she has enjoyed the fine coaching of both the Emerson and Cavani String Quartets. She is on faculty at the University of Massachussetts, Dartmouth and the Birch Creek Summer Performance Center and she serves as co-director, resident musician and teacher at the Newport String Project in Newport, Rhode Island.
When not playing classical violin, Emmy is well-versed in old-time fiddle music. She has played lead fiddle with the Rusty Pickup String Band since she was ten years old, and she won the Illinois State Fair fiddle championship as a teenager. |
Adriana La Rosa Ransom, CelloAdriana La Rosa Ransom is Associate Professor of Cello and Director of String Project and the Community School for the Arts at Illinois State University. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Missouri where she studied with Nina Gordon. She earned Master and Doctorate degrees from the University of Minnesota where she studied cello with Tanya Remenikova and chamber music with Jorja Fleezanis and Lydia Artymiw. As a soloist, Ms. Ransom has recently appeared with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois State Wind Symphony, and the Illinois State Symphony Orchestra. She has also appeared as a guest artist on notable solo and chamber music recital series, including the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, Chicago Cello Society concerts, Trinity Lutheran Recitals, and at universities throughout the Midwest. Currently Principal Cellist of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, she formerly was a member of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra, the St. Cloud Symphony, the European Musical Festival Orchestra, and Sinfonia da Camera. Ms. Ransom has served on the faculty at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Cloud State University, the MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis, and the Grumo (Italy) Music Festival.
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Stephen Alltop, Harpsichord
A conductor, harpsichordist, and organist, Stephen Alltop is director of music for Alice Millar Chapel, conductor of the Baroque Music Ensemble, and an instructor in conducting, harpsichord, and oratorio. A specialist in oratorio performance, he has conducted over 100 oratorio and operatic masterworks. He also serves as music director for the Apollo Chorus of Chicago, the Green Lake Choral Institute, and the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. Under his direction, the Apollo Chorus has expanded its collaborations to include appearances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, London Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival, Peninsula Music Festival, Josh Groban on Tour, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.
In 2012, he was named Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras for his work with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra has received multiple awards for excellence in programming. He has also been named to Northwestern’s Faculty Honor Roll. Dr. Alltop became the music director and conductor of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra commencing with the 2013-14 season. He has guest-conducted numerous choruses and orchestras across the United States.
In 2012, he was named Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras for his work with the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra has received multiple awards for excellence in programming. He has also been named to Northwestern’s Faculty Honor Roll. Dr. Alltop became the music director and conductor of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra commencing with the 2013-14 season. He has guest-conducted numerous choruses and orchestras across the United States.
He has led opera and orchestral concerts with a number of Italian orchestras, including I Soloisti di Perugia, Fondazione Arturo Toscanini (Bologna), Teatro Reggio Orchestra (Parma), Festival Mozart (Roverto), Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari, Teatro Piccinni (Bari), and the Festival Duni (Matera). In February 2013, he was a guest conductor for the International School Choral Music Society in Busan, South Korea.
Dr. Alltop has worked closely with leading composers of the day, including residency projects with John Corigliano, Eleanor Daley, Stephen Paulus, and Eric Whitacre. He has conducted world premieres of works by John Luther Adams, Jan Bach, Frank Ferko, Stephen Paulus, Alan Terricciano, Janika Vandervelde, and many others. In 2007, he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting music of Eric Whitacre.
An active musician in historic performance practices, Stephen Alltop has performed with many of today’s outstanding early music musicians, including Julianne Baird, Elizabeth Blumenstock, David Douglass, Ellen Hargis, Ingrid Matthews, Kenneth Slowik and Ton Koopman. He has performed as a harpsichordist and organist with Boston's Handel and Haydn Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Bach Project, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, and the Omaha Symphony. Dr. Alltop has served as principal organist for Soli Deo Gloria’s Chicago Bach Project. In 2011, he was principal organist performing Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and conductor John Nelson at the Basilique St. Denis in France. As conductor of the Annual Celebration of Celtic Music at Chicago’s Symphony Center, he has worked with distinguished television and stage performers such as Brian Dennehy, Bill Kurtis, John Mahoney, and Martin Sheen. Dr. Alltop served as coordinator for WFMT's Chicago Bach Organ Project, a live performance series of all of Johann Sebastian Bach's organ works. His performances have been broadcast on Medici TV, RAI Italian Radio and Television, and the WFMT Fine Arts Network. His recordings can be found on the Albany, Cedille, Clarion, and American Gramaphone labels.
In demand as a speaker about music, Dr. Alltop lectures frequently for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Northwestern University Alumnae Continuing Education Series, and other musical organizations. In 2014-15, he gave presentations on leadership for the Advanced Management program of the Kellogg School of Management. He is represented by Joanne Rile Artist Management.
Dr. Alltop has worked closely with leading composers of the day, including residency projects with John Corigliano, Eleanor Daley, Stephen Paulus, and Eric Whitacre. He has conducted world premieres of works by John Luther Adams, Jan Bach, Frank Ferko, Stephen Paulus, Alan Terricciano, Janika Vandervelde, and many others. In 2007, he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting music of Eric Whitacre.
An active musician in historic performance practices, Stephen Alltop has performed with many of today’s outstanding early music musicians, including Julianne Baird, Elizabeth Blumenstock, David Douglass, Ellen Hargis, Ingrid Matthews, Kenneth Slowik and Ton Koopman. He has performed as a harpsichordist and organist with Boston's Handel and Haydn Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Bach Project, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, and the Omaha Symphony. Dr. Alltop has served as principal organist for Soli Deo Gloria’s Chicago Bach Project. In 2011, he was principal organist performing Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and conductor John Nelson at the Basilique St. Denis in France. As conductor of the Annual Celebration of Celtic Music at Chicago’s Symphony Center, he has worked with distinguished television and stage performers such as Brian Dennehy, Bill Kurtis, John Mahoney, and Martin Sheen. Dr. Alltop served as coordinator for WFMT's Chicago Bach Organ Project, a live performance series of all of Johann Sebastian Bach's organ works. His performances have been broadcast on Medici TV, RAI Italian Radio and Television, and the WFMT Fine Arts Network. His recordings can be found on the Albany, Cedille, Clarion, and American Gramaphone labels.
In demand as a speaker about music, Dr. Alltop lectures frequently for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Northwestern University Alumnae Continuing Education Series, and other musical organizations. In 2014-15, he gave presentations on leadership for the Advanced Management program of the Kellogg School of Management. He is represented by Joanne Rile Artist Management.
Josefine Stoppelenburg, Soprano
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Called “ an astonishing singer’” by the Chicago Tribune, soprano Josefien Stoppelenburg, has performed as a soloist in the United States, Europe, Asia and South America and the Arab Emirates. She has appeared as a soloist with the Boulder Bach Festival, International Schools of Choral Music in Shanghai, Rembrandt Chamber Players, Camerata Amsterdam, Barqoue Artists of Champaign Urbana and performed live on WFMT Chicago. From 2005 to 2007, she was part of the Young Opera Ensemble of Cologne. She and her sister, Charlotte, make up the vocal duo Charlotte and Josefien Stoppelenburg. They perform with piano duo and brothers Martijn and Stefan Blaak as ensemble Brothers and Sisters. The quartet performed in the Netherlands, The United States, Italy and recently made theri debut in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Being a specialist in the Baroque style, Josefien was the featured soloist in many Baroque ensembles in the US: Baroque Artists of Champaign Urbana, Peoria Bach Festival, Cincinatti Bach Festival, Arizona Bach Festival, Boulder Bach Festival,Handel Week Festival, Baroque Band, Newberry Consort.
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Ann Cravero, Mezzo SopranoAnn Cravero, acclaimed mezzo-soprano recitalist and soloist, has been heard on stages in Italy, China, and throughout the United States including repeat performances at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall. She has performed in master classes with Frederica von Stade and Michèle Crider, and coached with soprano Cheryl Studer. She participated, as an apprentice artist for the Des Moines Metro Opera, recitalist with Festivale Cantus Angeli in Italy, is the district winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Award competition, and recipient of honorable mention for the Metropolitan Opera National Council District Audition. She is the recipient of the Donald Walker Vocal Scholarship for outstanding vocal achievement at the University of Iowa, and receiver of outstanding academic achievement in the field of Music Education from Bradley University, and winner of the Bradley University Piano Concerto Competition.
Ann Cravero has performed lead opera roles in with the Martha-Ellen Tye Opera Theatre at the University of Iowa, the Northland Opera Theatre, and the Rome Festival Opera in Rome, Italy. Dr. Cravero is the Director of the Drake Opera Theatre, and has directed with the City Opera Company of the Quad Cities, and a one-act opera at the University of Iowa under the tutelage of director Sally Stunkel. |
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Dr. Cravero is Associate Professor of Voice and Opera at Drake University. Her voice students-in all degree programs- are active participants and winners of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition, the Drake University Honors Recital and Concerto Competitions, and have been accepted into prestigious programs and Graduate Schools such as the Roosevelt University, Boston Conservatory, AIMS in Graz, the International Lyric Academy Italy, Sing in China! Beijing, the Aspen Festival, Oberlin in Italy, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and FIO Americas Brazil. Ann recently released an album of duets with soprano Camelia Voin and pianist Nicholas Roth (‘Endless Noise’ Studio) in Santa Monica, CA.
Dr. Cravero holds the Doctor of Musical Arts and Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Iowa, and a Bachelor of Music Education with emphasis on Piano and Voice from Bradley University. Her teachers include Dr. Kerry Walters, Elizabeth Ecklund, Emma Small, Dr. Kathryn Eberle, Stephen Swanson, Sally Stunkel (directing) and Dr. Edward Kaizer (piano). Dr. Cravero resides in West Des Moines with her husband Anthony, children Dominic and Marisa, and their dog, Luca. Recent performances include solo engagements with the Lyric Symphony Orchestra, CA; The Bach Festival, IL; The Alexander and Buono Festival, Italy; The Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra; Paulus’ ‘To Be Certain of the Dawn’ at the Overture Center, Wisconsin; and The Center for New Music, Iowa City.
Dr. Cravero holds the Doctor of Musical Arts and Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Iowa, and a Bachelor of Music Education with emphasis on Piano and Voice from Bradley University. Her teachers include Dr. Kerry Walters, Elizabeth Ecklund, Emma Small, Dr. Kathryn Eberle, Stephen Swanson, Sally Stunkel (directing) and Dr. Edward Kaizer (piano). Dr. Cravero resides in West Des Moines with her husband Anthony, children Dominic and Marisa, and their dog, Luca. Recent performances include solo engagements with the Lyric Symphony Orchestra, CA; The Bach Festival, IL; The Alexander and Buono Festival, Italy; The Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra; Paulus’ ‘To Be Certain of the Dawn’ at the Overture Center, Wisconsin; and The Center for New Music, Iowa City.
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Trevor Mitchell, TenorTrevor Mitchell’s career has taken him across the U.S. as well as to Austria, Italy, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and other destinations in Europe. Recently audiences heard him in Bach's “B-Minor Mass,” “Weihnachts-Oratorium,” “St. Matthew Passion,” “St. John Passion” and Cantatas 9, 38 and 80, Mozart's “Requiem,” Vivaldi’s “Beatus Vir,” Handel's “Judas Maccabaeus” and “Messiah,” and in recital. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” described Trevor’s voice as a "large and remarkably sweet sound." And, the “Milwaukee Journal Sentinel” wrote about his “...warm sound and technical ease.” “Chicago Classical Review” wrote, “the young tenor tackled the wide range and stratospheric notes of this dramatic prayer with ease, his flexible voice putting across the cantorial style and febrile emotion with panache.” Already engaged for future seasons, Trevor is to give a recital in Cathedral City, CA and return to the Peoria Bach Festival to perform Bach’s Cantatas 76, 135 and 177. Additionally, Trevor will sing concert versions of Handel operas, Semele and Ariodante. Trevor, who has frequently performed on WFMT (Chicago), has recorded albums with Cedille Records, Gothic Records, and is a featured soloist on a recent Sony Classical release of Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” with the Choirs and Orchestra of St. John Cantius.
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Gerard Sundberg, BaritoneGerard Sundberg, baritone, is a graduate of Bethel College (St. Paul, MN), and holds both Master of Fine Arts and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Minnesota. He is presently Professor Emeritus of Voice at Wheaton Conservatory of Music (Wheaton, IL), where he taught studio voice and vocal pedagogy. He recently relocated to the Twin City area, and is an adjunct voice professor at Bethel University. Performances for the 2017-18 season included Josh Bauder Tyndale: A Reformation Oratorio with Deo Cantamus, Minneapolis; Handel Messiah with the Chicago Master Chorale; Bach Magnificat with Camerata Chicago; Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols with Bethel University; Mozart Regina coeli and Handel Messiah (Part 1) with the Atlanta Symphony and Chamber Chorus; Rutter Mass of the Children with Twin Cities Master Chorale; and BWV 76 and 135 Bach cantatas with the Peoria Bach Festival. Performances for the 2018-19 season will include Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs with Deo Cantamus, Minneapolis; Mendelssohn Elijah with Chicago Master Singers; Handel Messiah with the Atlanta Symphony and Chamber Chorus; Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem with Wayzata Symphony (Minneapolis); and Dvorak Requiem with Chicago Master Singers.
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