Concert in Honor of Emma Lou Diemer

Composer, pianist, and organist Emma Lou Diemer is an active keyboard performer (piano, organ, harpsichord, synthesizer), and has given concerts of her own music at Washington National Cathedral, St. Mary’s Cathedral and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, and elsewhere. She studied composition at the Yale Music School (BM, 1949; MM, 1950) and at the Eastman School of Music (Ph.D, 1960). She studied in Brussels, Belgium on a Fulbright Scholarship and spent two summers of composition study at the Berkshire Music Center. In 1971 she moved from the East Coast to teach composition and theory at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she was instrumental in founding the electronic/computer music program. In 1991 she became Professor Emeritus at UCSB.

Tachell Gerbert and Bradley Gregory, duo pianists, have reputations as both concert performers and teachers, and established their piano teaching studio in Thousand Oaks in 1986. Prizewinners in the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation Competition, they are active members of the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC). They each received BM Degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory and MM Degrees from UCSB, with emphasis in piano ensemble. While studying at UCSB with Dr. Wendell Nelson they were introduced to the music of Emma Lou Diemer, as the Variations: Homage to Ravel, Schönberg, and May Aufderheide was written for Dr. Nelson and his wife Marjorie. Tachell and Bradley have performed this work in Italy and Japan as well as in the U.S., and in 1996 gave the premiere performance of Diemer’s duo piano work, Norteamexispanicumsake, which was composed for them.

Nicole McKenzie, violinist, has performed widely as soloist and chamber musician. The Santa Barbara Independent declared, “McKenzie made a splash… she performed with gorgeous musicality.” Winner of the Sutton Chamber Music Award, she graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy, earned a BM degree from Oberlin Conservatory, an MM degree from Florida State University, and studied with Gary Kosloski at the Music Academy of the West. She has studied improvisation with Christian Howes. Ms. McKenzie is concertmaster of the Santa Barbara Folk Orchestra, and performs in the accordion/violin duo Continental Cafe. She played electric violin in M.O.B. Jazz Ensemble, and regularly concertized with renowned pianist, Betty Oberacker. She has taught music to students of all ages, and is currently the elementary music teacher for the Carpinteria School District. She has worked at UC Santa Barbara as a lecturer and as a music director and music performer in the Theater and Dance Department. She has created a collaborative dance and music improvisation group and has performed in various music styles including classical, jazz, folk, klezmer, and musical theater. She performs on a violin created for her by Michel Eggimann of Rome, Italy.

Erin Bonski, pianist, began her musical journey in Pennsylvania, where she studied with Dr. Tim Shafer at Penn State University while in high school, and became the youngest participant in the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. Erin went on to earn her B.M. and M.M. degrees from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and pursued doctoral studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A versatile artist, Erin has served as Staff Continuo player at the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute, collaborative pianist at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and as Chorusmaster and Repetiteur for Toledo Opera. Since moving to Santa Barbara, she has collaborated regularly with local arts organizations, including the Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, and Ensemble Theatre Company, and has performed internationally, including appearances with the Grammy-winning ensemble Forever Tango. Her academic career includes positions at Santa Barbara City College, the University of California, Santa Barbara, Westmont College and Bowling Green State University, where she has taught piano pedagogy, opera coaching, and piano literature.

Kate Unger, soprano, is a third year computer science student at UCSB. She began singing when she joined the Davis Children’s Choir in first grade, continuing through junior high school. At age 9, she began playing viola, culminating in three years with the Davis High Baroque Ensemble. In addition, she sang with the Davis High School Madrigal Choir where she toured New York, England, and Scotland. She also had the privilege of being in regional and national American Choral Director Association (ACDA) Honor Choirs including in Texas, California, Utah, and Missouri. Currently, Ms. Unger takes lessons from UCSB Professor of Voice Benjamin Brecher and vocal coaching from Dr. John Ballerino.

John Ballerino, pianist, was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and earned his DMA in Collaborative Arts from USC. His principal teachers have included Gwendolyn Koldofsky, Brooks Smith, and Martial Singher, the latter at the Music Academy of the West. An accomplished speaker about and performer of Spanish and Latin American music, he lectures and performs throughout the United States and the Caribbean and has served as Spanish diction coach for productions by the Los Angeles Opera and Los Angeles Master Chorale. Former Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor for Opera Santa Barbara, Dr. Ballerino is currently Continuing Lecturer of Collaborative Arts at UCSB.

The UCSB Chamber Choir is the flagship choral ensemble at UCSB, representing excellence in vocal talent, musicianship, and professionalism. This SATB ensemble focuses on innovative programming including premieres and commissions to inspire a concert experience of exploration and intention. The Chamber Choir enjoys collaborations with professional music organizations throughout the area and goes on annual tours. This ensemble is led by Director of Choral Studies, Brent Wilson.

Brent Wilson is a Los Angeles-based tenor, conductor and stage director, and is the Department Chair of Performing Arts and Director of Voice, Choirs, Opera and Musical Theatre at Ventura College, resident guest director at Viterbo University, and director of choral studies at University of California, Santa Barbara. Locally as a conductor, Wilson served as Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master of Opera Santa Barbara for over twenty productions and conducted productions of The Consul and Don Pasquale. He has appeared as conductor for the UCSB Orchestra and Opera, receiving top prizes for collegiate opera production from the National Opera Association for the production of Twelfth Night.

Wilson has worked with choral groups such as the Grammy-nominated ensemble Boston Baroque, Handel and Haydn Society, Handel Oratorio Society(Chicago), Long Beach Camerata, and Santa Barbara Master Chorale, and opera ensembles including Boston Lyric Opera, Maine Grand Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Granite State Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Opera Theatre Saint Louis.