Classical Jazz: An Evening With Mud Turtle Quintet

CLASSICAL JAZZ: AN EVENING WITH MUD TURTLE QUINTET Spend an evening enjoying Mud Turtle Quintet's selection of 20th century classical pieces energized and inspired by jazz. Mud Turtle Quintet plays works for guitar and string quartet. At this intimate salon concert, the musicians will share their insights around the music while you enjoy wine, food, and hors d'oeuvres brought by other guests as well as provided by the hosts. ProgramEl lenguaje del rio by Jose Antonio Chic (b. 1968)I. En la soledad de las montañasII. La luna sobre el aguaIII. La voz del rio Sonata for Classical Guitar and String Quartet by Alexander Vinitsky (b. 1950)I. Ragtime “On the Way to Ieper”II. Waltz-Ballad “Evening on the Ieperlee River”III. Samba Intermission Byzantine Theme and Variations by Dušan Bogdanović (b. 1955)I. ThemeII. Variation IIII. Variation IIIV. Variation III Tango en Skaï by Roland Dyens (1955-2016) TicketsPlease RSVP with a free ticket on Eventbrite, and make a donation at the door. Suggested donation is $20 for adults and $15 for students. We accept cash, check and credit card at the door. PotluckGuests are encouraged to bring wine, food or a dessert. ScheduleEnjoy wine, hors d'oeuvres, and social time from 7:15pm - 8pm. The concert will start promptly at 8pm. About Mud Turtle QuintetMarc RosenbergBorn and raised in Texas, Marc Rosenberg began his study of the guitar with Adam Flint and continued at the collegiate level with Chip Christ at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, earning a BM in Guitar Performance and earning his Master's Degree at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, under Jim Ferla. He has participated in many competitions and masterclasses with such notable names as Pepe Romero, Roland Dyens, Dale Kavanagh, Bill Kanengiser, and Lily Afshar. His diverse musical background has led to performances in various productions of musicals. In 2012, he played in the ensemble for Fort Worth's regional premier of Astor Piazzolla's tango opera Maria de Buenos Aires. In 2013, Rosenberg was one of thirteen students accepted into the I Master in Classical Guitar Performance from the University of Alicante, where he studied with world renowned guitarists and musicians David Russell, Ignacio Rodes, Hopkinson Smith, Robert Aussel, Manuel Barrueco, Carles Trepat, and Nigel North, while giving several performances in the region. After his studies in Spain, Rosenberg returned to Houston, Texas, where he is establishing himself as an up-and-coming guitaris while teaching guitar lessons at the Vivaldi Music Academy, HCC Central Campus, and Lone Star College in Cy-Fair. Rachel ShepardRachel Shepard is the Assistant Concertmaster of the Houston Ballet Orchestra and also performs with Houston Grand Opera, Mercury Houston, and works as a substitute violin for the Houston Symphony. She works as a private violin and viola instructor, chamber music coach, and sectional coach for students ranging from elementary school through advanced high school. Rachel has participated in festivals throughout the United States and abroad including Aspen Music Festival, Roundtop Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute, and the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. In 2014 she was selected for the YOA Orchestra of the Americas Summer Caribbean Tour, traveling to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica to perform and provide lessons to local music students. Rachel completed her Masters of Music degree from Rice University in 2013, studying with Kenneth Goldsmith. Originally from Orlando, Florida, Rachel also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Florida State University, where she studied under Eliot Chapo. Dr. Lois GeertzDr. Lois Geertz is currently on the faculty of the Houston Suzuki Academy in Houston, TX. As an active performer and teacher, she has appeared across the US as a member of the Mud Turtle Quintet, as part of the Blue Fire Chamber group, and as a faculty member of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan. Her passion for the study of international musical cultures have led to appearances in Italy both on the faculty of the Grumo Festival in 2016 and as a participant in the Rome Festival Orchestra in 2003. She also performed with the Orchestra of Carlos Chavez in Mexico City. After completing her Doctorate in Violin Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Oregon, Dr. Geertz recently spent two years in New Orleans serving as the Artistic Director of the Greater New Orleans Suzuki Forum, Violin Instructor at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, and Director of the Con Brio String Academy. In addition to solo and chamber performances, Dr. Geertz has performed with orchestras such as a the Eugene Symphony Orchestra (OR), the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LA), the Baton Rouge Symphony (LA), the Acadiana Symphony (LA), the Boulder Chamber Orchestra (CO), and the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra (CO). Zelda Faith JonesZelda Faith Jones is a native Houstonian and has been a freelance performer and educator in the Houston and Boston areas for 16 years. She received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Houston, where she studied with Lawrence Wheeler, and a Graduate Performance Diploma from The Boston Conservatory, where she studied with Rictor Noren. Zelda Faith has been featured as a faculty performer in the InterHarmony Music Festivals in Germany, and as a faculty performer and chamber coach in the Musicagiovani music festival in Italy. She performed with Mirror Quartet in its Italian and Austrian Summer Concert Tours, was an Associate Member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, performed and taught with the YOA Orchestra of the Americas during its Caribbean Summer Tour, and was a member and co-director of the new music ensemble Duo Scordatura. In addition to performing with the Mud Turtle Quintet, Zelda Faith currently performs with Opera in the Heights and is the director of the grassroots volunteer organization Classical Revolution Houston. Vyacheslav DobrushkinVyacheslav Dobrushkin (violoncello) was born in Ukraine in April 22, 1989. At the age of seven, he started his studies in the Music School of Uzhgorod. In 1997 and 1999, he obtained the first place in the Regional Competition of Violoncello. In 1998 he earned second place. From 1999 until 2007 Dobrushkin was a student of the University Institute of Fine Arts (UIFA) in Colima University, Mexico. While there, he was invited to play as a soloist with the San Luis Potosi Orchestra (2004). In 2006, he obtained First Place in the Second National Competition “Petrof-Simphony-Pearl River” for young performers. Dobrushkin has participated in several Music Festivals, academic concerts, special recitals, and various other concerts. He completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston. Currently, he is the principal cellist of the Texas Medical Center Orchestra. More Info below.