Patrick Godon made his debut as soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in May of 2007, playing one of the solo piano parts along with Mary Sauer in Colin McPhee's Tabuh-Tabuhan: Toccata for Orchestra and Two Pianos, with Alan Gilbert conducting. In November 2011, he will be the featured soloist with the Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra (LSSO) in Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. In October 2010, Patrick was the featured soloist in Dohnanyi’s Variations on a Nursery Rhyme with the West Suburban Symphony Orchestra. In March 2008, he was the featured soloist with the Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. In 2005, Godon was the featured harpsichord soloist in Alfred Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No. 2 with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, along with Gidon Kremer, violin, and Kristina Blaumane, cello. In 2004, he was the featured harpsichord soloist in Alfred Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No. 4, "Symphony No. 5" along with Alicia Koelz, violin, and Somerlie Aston, oboe. Godon has also appeared as featured soloist in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, and in both 2002 and 2008 with the DePaul University Wind Ensemble in Hindemith's Konzertmusik, with Donald Deroche conducting.

Patrick Godon made his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as second keyboardist at Ravinia in 2003. He was invited to play second keyboard on the CSO's 2005 European Tour and for CSO Carnegie Hall performances for the past six consecutive years. He is a member of the CSO's MusicNOW Ensemble, having played first keyboard for George Benjamin's Antara and piano solo in Mundry's Panorama ciego in rehearsals, covering for Daniel Barenboim. The Chicago Sun-Times said of his most recent MusicNOW performance that “Patrick Godon…showed he firmly belongs in the realm of chamber music.” In addition, he served as rehearsal pianist for Barenboim and Deborah Voigt for Schoenberg's Erwartung. In 2008, Patrick began performing as orchestral keyboardist with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra, and in 2010 with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra. As a collaborative pianist, he has performed for three Dame Myra Hess concerts at the Chicago Cultural Center, broadcast live on WFMT.

In July of 2011, Patrick became the Music Director of The Tower Chorale, based out of Western Springs. After a nationwide search, 20 applicants were carefully considered, and 3 finalists chosen over a series of 4 rounds. The Tower Chorale is an 80 voice choir and has been in existence for 25 years. They have three concerts throughout the year: a Christmas concert, a masterworks concert, and a pops concert. Each one makes use of instrumentalists. He looks forward to the new challenges and opportunities this job will present. Discover more at http://www.towerchorale.org.

A nine-year member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Patrick served as principal pianist from 2002-2007. In April 2007, he was pianist for the Civic Orchestra's performance of Stravinsky's Petrushka. He has played under leading conductors including Alsop, Barenboim, Boulez, Colnot, Conlon, Davis, Dutoit, Eschenbach, Haitink, Maazel, Muti, Nagano, Robertson, Salonen, Slatkin, and Tilson Thomas. He has performed in Civic's chamber music masterclasses for Mitsuko Uchida and Thomas Kakuska of the Alban Berg Quartet.

In 2010, Patrick toured Japan twice as duo pianist with Reiko Yamada. They performed concerts in Tokyo and Nikko of music by Akira Ifukube, composer of the original Godzilla film score. One review said, “Mr. Patrick Godon possessed an embracing quality and he enveloped her in his warm-colored sound. I'm sure that everybody in the audience must have been attracted to his humanistic qualities. This concert is one that cannot be measured by normal standards; it took us to another dimension.” Patrick has also performed duo piano works with Chicago Symphony Orchestra principal piano Mary Sauer on stage at Orchestra Hall.

Since July 2003, Patrick has been the Director of Music at Saint Gregory the Great Church in the Andersonville/Edgewater neighborhood, where he composes and arranges a variety of music for liturgies. He has led the parish choir on performance tours of Italy, Greece, Turkey, Louisiana, and Ireland. The Chapel Master of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City invited the St. Gregory the Great Parish Choir back to participate in the 500th anniversary of the Cappella Guilia in March of 2013. Patrick regularly records demo CDs as pianist and organist for World Library Publications and for the Gregorian Institute of America, which are sent to church musicians nationwide.

A native of Fargo, North Dakota, Patrick Godon began his studies with CSO principal piano Mary Sauer in 1997. He studied with Andrej Dutkiewitz at the Interlochen Arts Camp in 1995, and with Jacob Lateiner in New York City at the Mannes Beethoven Institute in 2001. In 2000, he studied opera coaching with Linda Hirt and Benton Hess in Urbania, Italy through the Oberlin Conservatory. He holds both Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from DePaul University. He and his wife Keri are the proud parents of Gilbert Maurice Godon, born May 30, 2009. They are eagerly expecting their second son in the upcoming days.

The principal keyboardist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1959, when she joined at the invitation of Fritz Reiner, as well as the keyboard coach of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training orchestra of the CSO, Mary Sauer also has an outstanding reputation as a music educator. For 33 years she was on the piano faculty of DePaul University, where she was the coordinator of the keyboard program for 22 of those years. In addition to her many professional DePaul graduates, Ms. Sauer's private studio, now in the Fine Arts Building of Chicago, has produced many concert pianists, conductors, music directors, and high school and university teachers worldwide. Her unique teaching approach solves problems of tension which frees the individual's inner musicality and artistry.

Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Ms. Sauer received both bachelor's and master's performance degrees from the Chicago Musical College; her teachers have included mentor Rudolph Ganz, William Kapell, Irene Schneidmann, and Mollie Margolies.

A frequent soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on piano, celesta, organ, and harpsichord, she has played concertos under Sir Georg Solti, Jean Martinon, Carlo Maria Giulini, Claudio Abbado, Rafael Kubelík, Zubin Mehta, Charles Dutoit, and Margaret Hillis, among others. She also is featured as soloist on many of the Orchestra's recordings with Solti, Giulini, Leopold Stokowski, Leonard Bernstein, Michael Tilson Thomas, and James Levine, as well as on discs with the Chamber Players of the Ravinia Festival. For 21 years, she was accompanist for the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

Ms. Sauer, now in her 51st season with the CSO, not only is the first and only full-time keyboardist in the 116-year history of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but she pioneered the development and establishment of the first position of its kind in any symphony orchestra. In her popular lecture, "The Many Faces of the Orchestral Keyboardist," she elaborates on the interesting scope of this position. Ms. Sauer also holds the distinction of being the second female to hold a principal chair in the CSO.

Much in demand as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, lecturer and for master classes, Ms. Sauer frequently performs as guest artist with other orchestras. In addition, she had a long association with the Peninsula Music Festival in Wisconsin, performing as soloist for 18 consecutive seasons.

Having studied under the guidance of Alexander Schneider, her commitment to chamber music repertoire is shown by her long involvement with the CSO chamber music series, collaborating with several ensembles, including the Symphony Chamber Soloists of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony String Quartet, the Alistaire Trio, and the Gilcrest Chamber Society.

Ms. Sauer received the Governor's Award of the Chicago Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for her contributions in education, performance, and recording, and for her many years as the Orchestra's keyboardist. She also has received the honor of being appointed to the International Roster of Steinway Artists.

Ms. Sauer lives in Highland Park, IL, with her husband, Richard Hannenberg, who specializes in health studies and nutrition business consulting. They cherish much-needed relaxation at their shore cottage in Door County, Wisconsin, whenever possible. Their daughter, Kristin, a professor at Concordia University, lives in Forest Park, IL, with her husband, Robert Wassilak, an athletic trainer and sports therapist, and their children, Collin Robert and Annika Renee.

Jessica Usherwood, soprano, was a recent participant of the Steans Institute for Young Artists at Ravinia Festival. She holds a professional diploma and a master's degree from Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) at Roosevelt University, where she performed the role of Polly Peachum in John Gay's The Beggar's Opera and Drusilla in Monteverdi's The Coronation of Poppea. Jessica participated in the CCPA Opera Night at the Auditorium Theatre and performed a duet with Samuel Ramey. She also shared the stage with Richard Stillwell at the Opera Gala at the Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University with the CCPA Orchestra. She has appeared with the Chicago Opera Theater for the past several seasons, also singing the role of the Young Soprano in their outreach production of Mozart's The Impresario. Jessica sang Ninetta at the Chicago Cultural Center's summer production of Prokofiev's Love for Three Oranges. Last fall, she was the soprano soloist for Handel's Messiah with the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Alexander Platt.

Sarah Jacques, violin, has performed with various orchestras and ensembles including the Rembrandt Chamber Players, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Concertante di Chicago, Chicago Philharmonia, Park Ridge Symphony Orchestra, Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra, Athena Ensembles, and was the Principal Second Violin of the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra for the past two seasons.

In 2002, she premiered chamber works through the American Composers Forum's Chicago Parks series. Previously, Sarah was the Administrative Director for the Rembrandt Chamber Players and was on the faculty of Midwest Young Artists as a chamber music coach. With a Bachelors Degree in Violin Performance and Music Business from DePaul University, she is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Violin Performance at the Longy School of Music in Boston. She attributes her love for chamber music to studying in the hills of New Hampshire at the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music.

Roxana Pavel Goldstein, a native of Romania, came to the US in 1996 with a scholarship to study violin with Cyrus Furough. She has won numerous prizes at major competitions including First and Second Prize at the Cita di Stessa International Competition in Italy, as well as First Prize in the Rembrandt Chamber Music Competition. She took First Prize at the coveted Lyre of Gold Competition in Bacau Romania. In 1997, she performed in a masterclass for Maxim Vengerov. More recently she won the DePaul Annual Concerto Competition in 2002. She received full scholarship to attend many of the country's most prestigious summer music festivals including the Interlochen Arts Camp and the Chautauqua Summer Institute.

Roxana was often the concertmaster of the DePaul Symphony Orchestra, where she completed her Masters Degree under the tutelage of Mark Zinger. She is an active chamber musician and soloist, and has appeared with the Concertanti Di Chicago, the Rembrandt Chamber Players, and will perform chamber works together with internationally reknown artists such as Eteri Anjaparidze, and Steve Balderston.

Originally from Whitestone , New York , Yuka Kadota studied with Professors Henryk Kowalski and Franco Gulli at Indiana University-Bloomington, earning a Bachelor of Music and Performer Diploma in Violin Performance, along with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. After graduating from Indiana, she received an invitation to be a guest student at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden, furthering her studies two years.

Yuka has given performances at the White House, the Vatican and the U.N. General Assembly in addition to performing as a soloist with several orchestras in the New York area. She performed 6 seasons as Associate Concertmaster of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and has been a featured soloist with that orchestra performing Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, and both Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Piazzolla's Four Seasons. During that time, she was also the second violinist of the Freimann Quartet, the Quartet in Residence of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

Yuka is a regular substitute violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, performing and touring with them in the US and abroad. In the summers, she is on faculty at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC, as a private teacher and chamber music coach. She is also a founding faculty member of the Drew Lecher String Academy in Naperville, IL.

Rose Armbrust from Wayne, IL began studying the viola at age 2. She immediately began performing and competing until she entered The Juilliard School in 2002. During her youth, she was principal violist of the Midwest Young Artist, Dupage Youth, and Scotland’s International Youth Orchestras. She was a prizewinner in the Chicago Viola Society, Rembrandt Chamber players, and Fischoff International Chamber competitions.

In 2006, she received her Bachelor of Music from The Juilliard School studying with Heidi Castleman and Hsin-Yun Huang. As an active chamber musician at Juilliard she performed in their annual Chamberfest and also concertized with members of a Manhattan School quartet in The Musica Bella Chamber Series.

During her undergraduate years she attended the Music Academy of the West Festival where she served as principal violist of the orchestra as well as attending The Orford Arts Center, Domaine Forget and The Perlman Music Program. She was invited by Itzhak Perlman to perform with him at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and returned in 2009 as part of the Center’s Conservatory Project. In 2006 she was accepted into The Curtis Institute of Music where she held the James and Betty Matarese Annual Fellowship and studied with Roberto Diaz and Michael Tree. While at Curtis, she served as the principal of The Haddonfield Symphony. In the summer of 2008 her quartet was selected to be one of the quartets in residence at Music From Angelfire. In that same year, she graduated with an Artist Diploma.

Ms. Armbrust attended the Manchester Music Festival in 2007 and was then invited on their northwest tour that fall. The summer of 2008 she was a guest artist at The Kingston Chamber Music Festival in Kingston, RI where she performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra’s concertmaster David Kim and then went on to solo with The Bogotá Philharmonic in Bogotá, Colombia under Maestro Rossen Milanov.

In 2009 she soloed with the Indiana University Chamber Orchestra after winning the annual solo competition. During the summer of 2009, she attended The Steans Institute at Ravinia.

In 2010 she performed with Joshua Bell at Indiana University as well as giving concerts with The Starling Chamber Players at the BIG ARTS cultural center in Sanibel Island, FL. Also during 2010, she performed on Caramoor’s “Rising Stars” series as well as premiering Jonathan Graybill’s “Viola Concerto” at Ball State University, which was written for her.

Ms.Armbrust recently completed her Master’s at Indiana University where she held the merit-based Viola Associate Instructorship while studying with Atar Arad and was a member of The Kuttner Quartet, the University’s quartet in residence. Currently, she is a private teacher of violin and viola at Neuqua Vally High School and is on faculty at Midwest Young Artists as a chamber music coach. She will be performing with Vadim Gluzman this summer, 2011, as part of the inaugural North Shore Chamber Music Festival.

Born in Medellin, Colombia, Carolina Gomez started her musical training at age 5. She graduated from the Instituto Musical Diego Echavarria Music Highschool, the only school of its kind in Colombia, in 1994.

In 1997, Carolina Gomez was accepted into the Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, where she was also awarded with a talent scholarship. That same year, she was accepted into the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony, and was awarded with a fellowship for the 2000-2002 seasons. Through the Civic Orchestra, Ms. Gomez played under the batons Christoph Eschenbach, William Eddins, Pierre Boulez, Michael Gielen, Neeme Jaarvi, and Daniel Baremboim, among others. Carolina Gomez received her Master's degree from DePaul University in 2002, and a Performance Certificate from the same in 2004.

As an orchestral musician, Ms. Gomez has participated in different festivals such as Festival Orchestra of the Europaisches Musikfest Stuttgart for the 2002-2003 seasons. Her chamber music experience includes attending the Colorado College and Manchester Chamber Music Festivals, as well as participating in numerous chamber ensembles at Roosevelt and DePaul Universities. She has collaborated in chamber music performances with artists such as Eteri Andjaparidze and Stefan Hersh, both faculty members at DePaul University, and her performance of Mozart's Piano Quartet in G minor was featured in a live broadcast on WFMT. In 2005 Ms. Gomez performed in a concert series that included all of Brahms' piano quartets, collaborating with pianist Eteri Andjaparidze and world-renown violinist Ilya Kaler. She is currently a member of the Vincent string trio.

Carolina Gomez has studied with cello professors Ludmil Vassilev, Svetoslav Manolov, Natalia Khoma, and Steve Balderston. She has performed in master classes with John Sharp, Desmond Hoebig, Amanda Forsyth and Yo-Yo Ma. She plays a German cello of unknown maker, dated from 1860.

Jocelyn Butler received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Cello Performance from Indiana University, and then wrapped up her post-graduate studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts studying with John Sharp, principal cellist of the Chicago Symphony. She was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra for two years, ending her final year as co-principal. She has performed with several great orchestras such as the Aspen Chamber and Festival Orchestras, Chicago Symphony’s MusicNOW, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Miami Symphony.

Jocelyn is an avid chamber musician. Her quartet became the quartet in residence at Indiana University for a year after winning the IU Kuttner Quartet competition. After arriving in Chicago, she was invited to perform in a string quartet coached by Richard Young of the Vermeer Quartet. They performed on the prestigious Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series broadcasted live on Chicago’s WFMT, and they performed several concerts in the Netherlands while studying with the Vermeer Quartet and the Jerusalem Quartet.

As part of the International Chamber Artists in Chicago, Jocelyn has given numerous performances, including a performance on the Mostly Music concert series, a performance of the Beethoven Triple Concerto in Schaumburg, a performance/master-class at the University of North Carolina – Pembroke, and a performance on the University of Illinois Chicago’s chamber music series. Additionally they performed on the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series, and they continue to be invited back to perform on WFMT’s “Live from WFMT” program. Expanding her reach into the world of chamber music, Jocelyn is excited to have joined Corky Siegel’s Chamber Music Blues. Currently she is a member of the International Chamber Artists, Corky Siegel’s Chamber Music Blues, Accende Ensemble, NMS piano trio, New Millennium Orchestra, and the Illinois Symphony.

Jocelyn is also an enthusiastic cello teacher and has studios at the New Music School, Apostolic Church of God, and the Hyde Park Suzuki Institute. She is also honored to be teaching on the faculty of Carthage College as an adjunct cello faculty member. Jocelyn has studied with the top professional musicians and professors in the world including Orlando Cole (Curtis Institute), Anthony Elliott (Univ. of Michigan), Eric Kim (retired principal - Cincinnati Symphony), and Stephen Geber (retired principal - Cleveland Orchestra). The knowledge given to her by the musical greats combined with her own vast musical experience and love for children has made her one of the premier cello teachers in Chicago.

Jeremy Attanaseo graduated from DePaul University with his Masters Degree in Double Bass Performance in 2005. He received his Bachelors of Music from DePaul in 2003. He teaches privately in his hometown of Buffalo Grove, as well as Maine South High School in Park Ridge. He has played with the Chicago Civic Orchestra and is a member of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and the New Millennium Orchestra. In the summer Jeremy teaches at the Birch Creek Music Festival in Door County, WI.

Harpist Marguerite Lynn Williams has been named harpist of the Lyric Opera Orchestra. She has concertized throughout the United States, Europe and Asia as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra member in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Shostakovich Hall (St. Petersburg, Russia) and Symphony Center (Chicago). Ms. Williams has won prizes in numerous competitions including First Prize of the Anne Adams National Competition sponsored by the American Harp Society in both 1998 and 1999; the National Endowment of the Arts Artist Recognition Talent Search (1997), the National Federation of Music Clubs (1997), the American Opera Society (2003) and Sigma Alpha Iota (2001).

Among other solo engagements, Marguerite Williams has been featured as soloist with the New World Symphony (2007), Roosevelt University Chamber Orchestra (2001); has premiered numerous compositions including Augusta Read Thomas' The Soul is Light for harp, oboe and violin in 2007; and is under high demand for her performances of contemporary music including Berio's "Circles". Recent performances have included collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Flemming, Maxim Vengerov, Kanye West and appearances as royal entertainment for H.I.H. Princess Thi-Nga of Vietnam.

An experienced orchestra musician, Ms. Williams has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Ravinia Festival and Joffrey Ballet Orchestras. She is currently principal harpist for the New World Symphony (Miami, FL) and the Colorado Music Festival (Boulder, CO). Previously she was the principal harpist of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, New Philharmonic Orchestra (Glyn Ellen, IL), and DuPage Opera Orchestra. She is a founding member of the International Chamber Artists, Project Copernicus and Fifth House ensembles.

Marguerite Lynn Williams attended the Eastman School of Music where she received both a Bachelor of Music degree and Performer's Certificate studying with Kathleen Bride. She then attended Roosevelt University to study with Chicago Symphony Orchestra principal harpist Sarah Bullen, where she received a Masters Degree in Orchestral Studies. Ms. Williams is published exclusively by Lyon & Healy publishing and is currently on faculty at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami.

A native of Polo, Illinois, Joanna Messer began studying flute at the age of 10. From 2004 to 2006, she was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and their outreach program, MusiCorps. While a member of Civic, she often performed as principal flutist on such works as Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Ravel's Boléro and Daphnis et Chloé, Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, and Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps and L'Oiseau de Feu. Beginning with the 2007-2008 season, Ms. Messer has been appointed to the second flute/piccolo position with the Illinois Symphony. She will also appear as third flute/piccolo player with the Southwest Michigan Symphony, and she serves as a frequent substitute with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in Wisconsin.

In May 2006, Joanna performed Nielsen's Concerto for Flute and Orchestra with the Leipzig Akademisches Orchester at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany, as a result of winning First Prize in the Texas Music Festival's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition. She also performed the Nielsen Concerto in Houston as soloist with the TMF Orchestra in June 2005. Joanna won First Prize in the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition in 2003 and presented her New York debut recital at CAMI Hall as part of NYFC's Recital Series. In 2002, she won the University of Chicago Concerto Competition and performed Mozart's Concerto in G Major with the Chamber Orchestra. Joanna is also an avid chamber musician and has founded the Hara Quintet with colleagues from the Civic Orchestra. Ms. Messer is also a passionate proponent of new music and promoting the composers of our current time, and will be presenting the world premiere of fellow Carnegie Mellon alumnus Mark Fromm's Northern Sonata for Flute and Piano in recital at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, in February 2008.

Currently, Joanna teaches and performs in the Chicago area and is a member of the adjunct faculty for the Center for Distance Learning of the City Colleges of Chicago. Joanna received her Master of Music degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 2004, where she studied with Jeanne Baxtresser and Alberto Almarza, and her Bachelor of Music degree magna cum laude from Lawrence University in 2001, where she studied with Dr. Ernestine Whitman and Suzanne Jordheim. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lamda, the national music honor society, and the National Flute Association. In her free time, Joanna likes to take long bike rides on the lakefront and to read voraciously.

As a young oboe player growing up in Seattle, Washington, Anna played Principal Oboe and English Horn with the Seattle Youth Symphony, Philharmonia Northwest and Seattle Performing Arts Chamber Ensembles for several years. At age 16, Anna won the Seattle Philharmonic 1999 Honors Concerto Competition and at age 18 accepted a full scholarship to attend the Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Joseph Robinson.

In addition to her college studies in New York City, Anna founded, led and performed with a world music group, Anna and the Post Road Band. In 2003, Ms. Velzo moved to Chicago, and studied with Alex Klein and Bob Morgan for two years while she performed as Principal Oboe with DePaul University Orchestra and started her professional career.

She has performed as soloist, and is currently Principal oboe with the New Millennium Orchestra, is a member of the International Chamber Artists, and has performed with various groups including Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, and Illinois Symphony Orchestra. She has also had the honor of performing Oboe and English horn in the renowned St Barth Music Festival in the French West Indies.

Along with continuing freelance work, and teaching oboe, Ms. Velzo is currently working on innovative classical projects for solo and small ensemble performances, as well as various recording projects.

As a soloist in the Orpheus Classical Music Series at the Harold Washington Library of Chicago, Pamela Coats, clarinettist, began her performing career in 1997. Since then, she has been noted for her many roles as a clarinettist. As a recitalist, Ms. Coats is a regular performer at the Bürgermeisterhaus Concert Series (the Mayor's hall) and the Augustinum Concert Series in Essen, the Basilika St. Aposteln Concert Series, DOMKultur Forum and Musik In Lindenthal in Cologne, and the Hermann-Grochtmann-Museum Concert Series in Datteln. She has been described as having an "amazing musical ability" by the Dattelner Morgenpost. "With great ability," writes the DOMKultur Forum, "Ms. Coats breathed life into wonderfully distinguished works." And the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung adds, she has "a great romantic musicality."

An active chamber musician, Ms. Coats has performed in several projects, ranging from smaller groups through chamber orchestras and has been honored with chamber music performances in such halls as the Berliner Philharmonie, Dachau SchlosserKonzert, the Cleveland Orchestra's Severance Hall, and in halls throughout Switzerland. She was also selected to participate in the Yehudi Menuhin project, Live Music Now, in the North Rhine Westphalia area. Chamber music groups that Ms. Coats has founded include the Chicago-based Prism Chamber Music Society, and Inventio Concertante of Cologne, both of which are involved in the promotion of women composers through the performance of their works.

Pamela Coats has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master of Music degree from DePaul University, as well as a Artist's Diploma from the Music Conservatory of Cologne. Her main teachers include David Smeyers, Adolf Münten, John Bruce Yeh, and Dr. Kelly Burke. Ms. Coats has also attended several Masterclasses under the tutelage of Anthony Gigliotti, Fred Ormand, Alfred Prinz, Larry Combs, Eduard Brunner and Ralph Manno.

Marci Gurnow has been the second and bass clarinetist with the Jacksonville Symphony since 2006. Raised in Marietta, Georgia, she began playing clarinet at age 11 and credits her teacher and mentor Laura Ardan, principal clarinetist of the Atlanta Symphony, for instilling in her the love for the instrument. Marci went on to earn her Bachelor of Music degree from Southern Methodist University studying with Paul Garner and Steve Girko. She received her Master of Music degree from Northwestern University studying clarinet with Russ Dagon and bass clarinet with J. Lawrie Bloom. She has also been fortunate to work with Burt Hara, Ted Oien, and Kalmen Opperman.

Prior to her position with Jacksonville, Marci was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for three years. While in Chicago, she was privileged to get to work with Larry Combs and John Bruce Yeh on orchestral and chamber music and to play under renowned conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, and Lorin Maazel. Marci has also performed with other orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Alabama Symphony, and Naples Philharmonic. She has participated in orchestral and chamber concerts at the Aspen Music Festival and the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan.

A lover of chamber music, Marci is a founding member of the Chicago-based group the International Chamber Artists, whose commitment goes beyond simply playing the music and seeks to link performance and education together in order to build audiences for years to come. She has also participated in various chamber and solo recitals across the United States.

In her free time, you can find Marci practicing yoga, listening to Mahler, or spending time outdoors hiking, cycling, or skiing. She loves the mountains and has recently climbed her third "fourteener" and looks forward to climbing more. She is also a big fan of baseball and loves the Chicago Cubs.

Marci is a Buffet Crampon USA Performing Artist and performs exclusively on Buffet Crampon clarinets.

Over the past decade, bassoonist Jason Kramer has been an active artist in symphonies, chamber ensembles, and new music collaborations.

He has performed with numerous orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic, West Shore Symphony, Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra, Traverse Symphony Orchestra, and the Battle Creek Symphony. Jason is currently Associate Principal Bassoon of the South Bend Symphony and Assistant Principal Bassoon of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Jason made his Carnegie Hall debut as a guest artist with the Western Wind Quintet. He was a founding member of The Ineffable Trio, and currently performs with International Chamber Artists. He has worked with other diverse musicians including DJ Cyborg_K, Paul Hartsaw's Socio-Cybernetic Music Machine, and Chicago's Fifth House Ensemble.

Jason holds degrees in bassoon performance from DePaul University and Western Michigan University and has studied at the Bay View Conservatory and the Henry Mancini Institute. He has been Instructor of Bassoon at Kalamazoo College since 2003.

Keri received her Bachelors of Music degree in 2001 from DePaul University. From 2001 to 2003 she studied music at Portland State University and in 2004 she received a Master of Music from Northwestern University. Her teachers have included Russell White, Larry Johnson, Greg Flint, Jon Boen, Bill Barnewitz, and Gail Williams.

Keri served as a teaching assistant for the Mt. Hood Brass Festival, Birch Creek Music Festival, Brass at Wallowa Lake, the Marrowstone Music Festival, the Brevard Music Festival, and the Menorca Pro Musica Festival in Spain.

As a freelance hornist Keri has performed as extra horn with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Columbia Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Concertante di Chicago, Evanston Symphony, Wheaton Symphony, and as principal horn with the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra.

Along with performing, Keri enjoys teaching and is the Band Director at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glenview, Illinois. She has also served as Band Director at St. Athantius School in Evanston, Illinois.

Brian Reichenbach performs and teaches trumpet throughout the Chicago area. A graduate of Wheaton College and DePaul University, Brian has performed with ensembles such as the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra, and Millar Brass Ensemble. Recently, he appeared as soloist with bands at Wheaton College, Olivet Nazarene University, and Wheaton Warrenville South High School. In 1999 and 2006, Brian performed as solo trumpet in premieres of operas by Bernard Rands and Ned Rorem under the direction of David Zinman at the Aspen Music Festival. As a chamber musician he is a founding member of the Lincoln Park Brass and has performed throughout Germany and recorded with the brass ensemble, Eurobrass. Brian is Adjunct Professor of Trumpet at Olivet Nazarene University and also teaches at College of DuPage and Csehy Summer School of Music. His primary teachers include John Hagstrom, Terry Schwartz, Stephen Burns, Steve Heitzer, and Ken Benjamin.

Chicago-area freelance musician and brass instructor, Chelsea French, received her Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from Northwestern University in June of 2005. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from DePaul University. She has studied primarily with Michael Mulcahy, Mark Fisher, Charles Vernon, Randall Hawes and Vance Shoemaker.

Chelsea has played with Chicago's Music of the Baroque, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the South Dakota Symphony, the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, and many regional orchestras in the Chicago area. Chelsea has received local, national and international recognition by winning the Chicago-area Musicians' Club of Women solo competition, the International Trombone Association's Marstellar Solo Competition, and the National Trombone Solo Competition held at the Eastern Trombone Workshop.

Chelsea was born and raised in rural South Dakota , where she began her musical studies on piano at the age of five. Her fascination with trombone began at age ten upon entering the public school band program in her hometown of Madison. She also studied voice throughout high school, but found her niche in music as a classical trombonist before entering college. Besides performing and teaching, Chelsea also enjoys many outdoor activities such as horseback riding and barefoot distance running, and is currently studying to become a certified yoga instructor.

Arkadiusz Gorecki, born in Olsztyn, Poland, began his studies on the trombone at age 16 in classes conducted by Professor Roman Siwek at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland. He completed his studies in 2000, obtaining a Master Degree in Trombone Performance. During time, he began to study at the Conservator Superieur de Paris, under the tutelage of trombone virtuoso Professor Jacques Mauger and in 2001 completed his degree obtaining the First Prize Unanimously in the Paris Conservatory trombone master solo class. He was also a member of a well known European choir, Collegium Canticum, with which he toured all over the Europe from 1985 to 1990.

He participated in many international trombone and brass master classes. He studied under various professors including Ardash Marderosian, Vern Kagarice, Michel Becquet, Alain Manfrin, Jean Raffard and Jay Friedman, and has been awarded many prizes in trombone and art competitions. The most notable of these awards are First Prize in the International Master Class Trombone Competition in Nice, France, in 1999; First Prize in the International Music Art Competition of Leopold Bellan in Paris in 2001; and First Prize Unanimously in the Paris Conservatory Trombone Competition in 2001. From 2000 to 2001, he received a stipend scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of the French and Polish Governments.

Arkadiusz has cooperated with several orchestras and concert groups in Europe, such as the Poland National Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Brass. While with the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Warsaw, he was the Principal Trombonist from 1999 to 2000. He has made numerous recordings for Jazz and Popular Music, as well as performing as a soloist numerous times with organ, with piano and in musical groups in France, Germany, Belgium, Poland and other countries. As the Principal Trombonist in the World Tour Orchestra, he participated in an European Tour with famous Rock Group "YES".

Since August, 2002, he has been an assistant to Trombone Professor Elliot Chasanov at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At the same time, he has continued his studies toward a Doctor of Art in Performance. Since October, 2002, he has been a member of the Trombone section of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. In 2002, he formed The Civic Trombone Quartet. Since September, 2003, he began his studies at the Roosevelt University of Chicago under J. Friedman, who is a Principal Trombonist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, completing his studies with a Professional Diploma in Orchestral Studies. Since 2004, Arkadiusz Gorecki has played several times as an extra and substitute trombonist with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia da Camera, and other orchestras and chamber groups in the Chicago area. For the 2006-2007 season, Arkadiusz is starting a new project, CITE -- The Chicago International Trombone Ensemble.

Sean currently holds principal tuba positions with the Millar Brass Ensemble, Lake Forest Symphony, and Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra.

He was acting principal of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra during the 1999-2000 season. As a freelance musician, Sean has performed with the Chicago Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Ars Viva, Chicago Brass Quintet, Chicago Sinfonietta, Northwest Indiana Symphony, and Orquesta Sinfonica UANL (Monterrey, Mexico), as well as in many recording sessions. Sean also enjoys brass chamber music and currently plays with the Artemis Chamber Brass and Horizon Brass Quintet.

Sean moved to Chicago to get his Master of Music in Tuba Performance degree from Northwestern University. He grew up in Pennsylvania and received his Bachelor of Music degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. His principal teachers have been Rex Martin, Neal Tidwell, Dr. Gary Bird, and Gene Pokorny.