FACULTY: WINDS

Igor Begelman:Director, Clarinet; Artist/Clarinet Professor at North Carolina School of the Arts; Member, Aeolian Chamber Players. Winner of the 2000 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Begelman has performed recitals in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Israel and as a soloist with such orchestras as the Houston, Savannah, and New Haven Symphonies, the Odense Simfoniker and L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Has performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and at festivals throughout the world. Has premiered compositions by such composers as Jennifer Higdon, Ralph Shapey, Meyer Kupferman, Anton Kuerti, Elliot Schwartz, and Roland Tec. Mr. Begelman is affiliated with Astral Artistic Services, a Philadelphia nonprofit organization dedicated to guiding the careers of America's most exceptional musicians. In residence full six week session.

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Guest Artists

Benjamin Kamins : faculty, Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Served as Principal Bassoonist of the Houston Symphony for twenty-two years. Guest Principal Bassoonist with the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony. Students currently play in orchestras and teach in universities throughout the U.S. and abroad.   Studied with Norman Herzberg and began his professional career as Associate Principal Bassoonist of the Minnesota Orchestra. As a soloist with the Houston Symphony he was often featured playing concerti of Mozart, Weber and Vivaldi. In 2002 he played the world premiere of Pierrot, a concerto composed by Larry Lipkis and commissioned for him by the Houston Symphony. Founding member of the Aurora and Epicurean Wind Quintets. Active nationally and internationally as a solo and chamber musician.  In residence week 2.

Katherine Needleman:   Principal oboist, Baltimore Symphony; faculty, Peabody Conservatory. Winner, first prize at the International Double Reed Society's Gillet-Fox Competition. Soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra, the Haddonfield Symphony, and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia, among others. Guest principal oboist with the New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, Boston Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, and the New Zealand Symphony. Graduate, Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Richard Woodhams. In residence week 3.

Eric Ruske: Horn soloist and faculty of Boston University.   Born in Chicago in 1963. Graduated from Northwestern University. Previously a member of Cleveland Orchestra and the Empire Brass Quintet.   Soloed with Cleveland Orchestra, Baltimore , Indianapolis , and Milwaukee Symphonies. Discography includes a recording of the Strauss and Glière Horn Concerti, two discs of virtuoso transcriptions for horn and piano, all on the Albany Records label, and a recording of the complete Mozart Horn Concerti for Telarc. In residence week 5.

Christina Smith: Principal Flute, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Faculty, Kennesaw State University. Youngest principal flutist of a major American Orchestra. She has soloed several times with the ASO, in concertos of Mozart, Ibert, Rodrigo, and Nielsen. Regularly appears in recitals, chamber music and masterclasses throughout the country. Recently, Ms. Smith's solo appearances have included performances with the American Sinfonietta, the Atlanta Symphony and the Columbus Symphony, with which she performed the world premiere of James Oliverio's Flute Concerto. She has also recorded three chamber music works of Charles Knox. In residence week 4.