Strings Faculty

Mary Artmann - cello  (YAS)

Mary Artmann recently joined the Veronika String Quartet, Artists-in-Residence at Colorado State University-Pueblo. This fall, Ms. Artmann completed a North American tour with Mexican pianist, Teresa Tamez, which included live broadcasts for Radio Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico and for Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society in Ontario, Canada. Ms. Artmann has a private studio in Pueblo and coaches the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony.

Ms. Artmann graduated with high distinction from the University of California at Berkeley and received a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California. She completed post-graduate work at Oberlin College Conservatory and Kent State University. Twice, she received the Alfred Hertz Memorial Traveling Fellowship for a year of study with Ronald Leonard in Los Angeles and with Siegfried Palm in Cologne. While in Los Angeles, Ms. Artmann participated in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestral Training Program.

Ms. Artmann is a champion of new music, and also has an interest in early music. She has performed on Viola da Gamba with the University of Southern California Early Music Ensemble, the Oberlin Consort, and the Buffalo Consort of Viols. She is principal cellist with the Pueblo Symphony and continues to perform with the Buffalo and Rochester Philharmonics. She is a member of the Slee Sinfonietta and the Scandinavian Chamber Orchestra of New York. Her freelance activities have included a European tour with the American Sinfonietta and performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony. She was a member of the Sartory Quartet, in residence at Kent State University, the Syracuse Symphony and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. She has taught at Mercyhurst College and the Bennington College July Program. Ms. Artmann has recorded for Radio Nuevo Leon, Radio France, WDR, and WBFO's Opus Classics series. Twice, she received grants from the New York State Council of the Arts.

Barbara Barber - violin, viola (JSS2)

Violinist and violist Barbara Barber teaches in Boulder, Longmont and Estes Park, Colorado and is internationally known as a recording artist, pedagogue, publisher, consultant, adjudicator, editor and author.   She has taught and concertized at conferences, institutes and workshops across North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.   Active in the American String Teachers Association and the Suzuki Association of the Americas,Barbara has been recognized for her many articles, presentations and roles on advisory and editorial boards.  She has served as editor of the American String Teacher “Private Teachers Forum”, chair of the 2003 ASTA Syllabus violin revision committee and is a registered Teacher Trainer and past board member of the SAA.   Barbara has taught violin and string pedagogy at Texas Tech University, Texas Christian University and the University of Colorado at Boulder.  Her books and CDs—Solos For Young Violinists, Solos For Young Violists, Scales For Advanced Violinists, Scales For Advanced Violists, Twinkle Variations Festival Arrangement and Fingerboard Geography—are distributed by Alfred Music.

Matthew Dane - viola (YAS)

While still a young professional, violist MATTHEW DANE enjoys a career that draws on his already wide background both in teaching and in performance as chamber musician, soloist, and orchestral player. Currently based in Norman, Oklahoma, he serves as Assistant Professor of Viola at the University of Oklahoma, Principal Violist of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra , and as a member of Quartet Oklahoma.

As a chamber musician, Dane has appeared as a guest with the Colorado Quartet, the Dorian Wind Quintet, Houston-based CONTEXT, Athelas Ensemble (Denmark), and the Fischer Duo, among others. Recent chamber performances include the Musicorda Festival (Massachusetts), Portland Chamber Music Festival (Maine), and LA County Museum's Sundays Live Series. He has performed several recitals in his native New England as a member of the Harpswell Trio, with his wife Christina Jennings, flute and harpist June Han. Before moving to Oklahoma, Dane held orchestral positions with the Houston Ballet Orchestra, Hannover State Opera (Germany), and Springfield Symphony (Massachusetts), in addition to three seasons at the Tanglewood Music Center. Teaching has long been a passion: he was a teaching assistant at both the Shepherd School and Amherst College. He has also enjoyed coaching chamber music and individual teaching at several summer festivals, including Greenwood Music Camp and the Texas Music Festival.

Dr. Dane graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College, receiving a further degree from the Musikhochschule in Hannover, Germany. Principal teachers were Philipp Naegele, Hatto Beyerle, Wayne Brooks, Karen Ritscher, and Martha Katz. In May of 2002, he received his Doctorate of Musical Arts from Rice University's Shepherd School of Music.

Sarah Delevoryas - violin (JSS1 & JSS2)

Sarah Delevoryas is a violinist with 25 years experience as a teacher and orchestral performer. Mrs. Delevoryas lives in Broomfield, CO where she maintains a private Suzuki studio. In December 2007, she was soloist with the Boulder Chamber Orchestra of which she is a member. She is serving as Assistant Principal 2nd Violin for the Boulder Philharmonic 2007-08 season. As a chamber musician, Mrs. Delevoryas performs locally with the Calore Trio (flute, violin, cello). Mrs. Delevoryas has earned Suzuki Association of the Americas Certification through Violin Book 7.

Before moving to Colorado from California, Mrs. Delevoryas held orchestra positions with the Fremont Symphony, Santa Cruz Symphony, Monterey Symphony and West Bay Opera. She was Concertmaster and soloist with the Livermore Symphony. She was founding member of the Serenade String Quartet. At the University of CA, Santa Cruz, she studied violin with Roy Malan and received her B.A. in Music in 1989. Mrs. Delevoryas has also studied with Harold Wippler, Harold Goddard, Mary King Osterfield and Christine Whyatt. Her early professional opportunities were with the Reno Chamber Orchestra, Reno Philharmonic and Fargo-Moorhead Symphony. As a student, she attended Rocky Ridge YAS in 1986, 87 and 89.

Catherine Hanson - viola (JSS1)

Catherine Hanson's bio will be added shortly.

Michael Hanson - violin (JSS1)

Michael Hanson's bio will be added shortly.

Masakazu Ito - guitar (Guitar Seminar)

Masakazu Ito is recognized as one of today's top guitarists, acclaimed by musicians, composers, conductors, and critics for his mastery of the instrument and its repertoire. "He has it all," says guitarist Ricardo Iznaola, "virtuosity, musicality and flair. He is certainly a name to watch."

Since his professional debut in Tokyo 1987, Ito has won top prices in seven major international guitar competitions, including the Andres Segovia International Guitar Competition, the Tokyo International Guitar Competition, the Guitar Foundation of America International Guitar Competition, and the Seto Ohashi International Competition.

Ito is active as a performer, teacher, composer, and recoding artist. He has been featured as soloist with symphony orchestras throughout Japan and the United States . Most recently, he appeared with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, of which the Denver Post wrote, "Guitarist Masakazu Ito further contributed to the overall spellbinding performance." Ito has also been a guest at festivals such as the Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the Methow Valley Music Festival in Twisp, Washington, the International Guitar Week at the University of Denver, and the Colorado Music Fest at Colorado State University, Pueblo, among others.

In March of 2003, Ito was chosen by the Japanese government to celebrate 150 years of US-Japan relations by presenting a solo guitar recital at the official residence of the Japanese Consul General in Denver, Colorado. He has also performed world premieres of works by three prominent American composers: Daniel Pinkham's Sagas, for guitar and cello, at the Rocky Mountain Music Festival in 1997; Quiver Songs, a work by Stephen Everett for shakuhachi and guitar, at the Modern Festival in 1998, which featured Japanese portraits at a world music concert; and Ricardo Iznaola's Musique de Salon No 8 for guitar and string quartet, which was written for and dedicated to Ito in 2003.

As a teacher, Ito currently holds a position at the
University of Denver 's Lamont School of Music, where he received his master's degree under the guidance of Ricardo Iznaola. A unique dimension of Ito's career involves his friendship with popular Japanese musician Kitaro. The two collaborated in an outdoor duo concert presented in 1991. In 2000, Ito recorded guitar parts for Kitaro's album, "Thinking of You" (Domo Records). The recording won a Grammy in January, 2001 for Best New Age Album.

Kitaro has been an influence on Ito's own work as a composer: Ito's 1996 album, "Intimate Guitar," contains some of his own compositions. His second CD Release, "A Truly Classical Christmas," features Ito's arrangements of popular holiday songs as well as his original works.

Ito's solo repertoire is notable for including works by Japanese composers such as Takemitsu, Yoshimatsu and Yocoh. His favorite guitar music, however, comes from Spain . "Espana! Music from Spain ," is his latest recording project. December 1997 saw the release of "Espana Vol. 1," a CD that Classical Guitar said "is a recording of depth . . . [and is] most musically satisfying" (1999). (Tom Williams, May 2005). Masa Ito's website is located at www.masakazuito.com

Joseph S. Miller - cello (JSS1)

Alaskan-born Joseph Miller is a doctoral student in cello performance at the University of Northern Colorado.  Mr. Miller holds a B.A. in cello from Montana State University-Bozeman and M.M. in cello performance from UNC.  He has worked with such notable teachers as Ilse-Marie Lee, Michael Reynolds, James Fittz and has performed in master classes for Irene Sharp, Dennis Brott, and the Takács String Quartet.  In the spring of 2007, Mr. Miller was a featured soloist with UNC’s Juventus Choral Ensemble in Bogotá Colombia, and in the spring of 2008, he performed Shostakovich’s 1st Cello Concerto with the UNC Symphony Orchestra.  He has also performed with the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, Bozeman Symphony, Intermountain Opera Company, and Fort Collins Symphony.  Currently, he teaches music theory and cello at UNC, is a member of the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, and maintains a small studio of private cello students.  Mr. Miller and his beautiful wife Emily enjoy spending time with their two Springer spaniels Lincoln and Lu. 

Jakub Omsky - cello (JSS2)

Prof. Jakub Jerzy Omsky graduated with honors from Oberlin Conservatory and USC Thornton School of Music. Yo Yo Ma calls him "extraordinarily talented and dedicated musician". Eleanor Schoenfeld praised his "superlative technical skills and exceptional artistry". Critics say he "sets a standard of contemporary interpretation" and call him "Master of Cello". Omsky won many awards including official U.S. Congress and Senate "Local Hero" recognition as creator of original sound healing methods and innovative concert programming and performance. He works as Assistant Professor of Cello at Wichita State University College of Fine Arts and Principal Cellist of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra in Kansas. He lives with his dog, Rafi, at the heart of America.

Beth Root Sandvoss - cello (YAS)

Cellist Beth Root Sandvoss has a notably varied career as a recitalist, chamber musician and pedagogue.  Born in Madison, Wisconsin, she began studying the cello at the age of eleven with Margaret Christy.  Further tutelage occurred with Parry Karp, Alan Harris and Irene Sharp. When finished with her Bachelors degree in performance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Beth’s early professional activities took her to Hong Kong, where she became a member of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra as well as the Victoria String Quartet, performing throughout Asia.  After completing graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music as well as further studies in San Francisco, Beth settled in Calgary, Alberta where she enjoys an active performance career in Canada and abroad. She has recorded for WERN Madison public radio, RTHK Radio Hong Kong, and CBC Radio. Recent appearances include concert tours in China and Portugal. December 2007 marked the much anticipated release of Beth’s CD, Blue Autumn with pianist Marcel Bergmann.

Beth has an intense interest in new music and is a founding member of the acclaimed Land’s End Chamber Ensemble, winners of both the 2005 and 2006 Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Classical Recording.  In addition to her Land’s End Chamber Ensemble activities, Beth is a member of the UCalgary String Quartet in residence at the University of Calgary.

Along with her performance career, Beth is a very dedicated pedagogue.  As a sought after clinician she has worked with both teachers and students on her methods. Her pupils have won numerous competitions in Canada and are regularly invited to summer festivals around the world.  She is a faculty member at the University of Calgary as well as the Mount Royal College Conservatory and spends her summers teaching and performing at music festivals throughout Canada and the United States.  Beth has the great pleasure and privilege to perform on an award - winning cello made by her husband, Luthier, Christopher Sandvoss.

William Terwilliger - violin (YAS)

Violinist William Terwilliger has established an active and diverse career as a performer and teacher on four continents. With pianist Andrew Cooperstock as the Terwilliger-Cooperstock Duo, he performed over 30 concerts in seven Latin American countries on a 1993 Artistic Ambassador tour sponsored by the US Information Agency. The duo has also performed throughout the United States and in Europe on repeated tours, including concerts throughout France, England, Scotland, and Sweden. Recent appearances include a New York recital debut at Merkin Hall, performances at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Queensland, and concerts in London and Toronto. Their performances have been heard over NPR, the BBC, Radio France, as well as Latvian and Australian National Radio. Their CD recording of the Complete Works of Aaron Copland for Violin and Piano was recently released on the Azica label and was lauded by Strings magazine and American Record Guide. As a sought-after pedagogue, Mr. Terwilliger has given master classes and clinics at numerous institutions across the US as well as in France, Sweden, England, Latvia, Bolivia, Panama and Australia. He was Associate Professor of Violin at the University of Toledo and violinist with the acclaimed Toledo Trio for nine years, and in 1999 he was appointed to the faculty of the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Since 1991 he has been an Artist Faculty member of the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. Mr. Terwilliger received his doctorate from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Zvi Zeitlin and Donald Weilerstein. While at Eastman, he was first violinist with the award-winning Augustine String Quartet, which coached with the Cleveland, Emerson, Tokyo and Juilliard quartets, and concertized extensively throughout the US and Canada.

Annette-Barbara Vogel - violin (YAS)

Not only possessing “a formidable technique and stunning musicality but also stage presence that transmits to orchestra and audience alike, “ violinist Annette-Barbara Vogel has distinguished herself as one of her generation's most exciting German violinists, acclaimed for her virtuosity, intelligence and passion. Her numerous appearances at music festivals and concerts around the world have been met with enthusiasm. She has performed throughout Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, the US and Asia as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, as well as presenting masterclasses in Albania, Canada, Finland, Germany, Haiti, Rumania, Taiwan, and the United States.

At age 11, she was admitted to the Folkwang-Hochschule Essen as one of the youngest students ever to be admitted to that university. At the age of 12 she gave her debut as a soloist in the "Tonhalle" Düsseldorf. She consequently continued her studies with Herman Krebbers, Walter Levin, Henry Meyer, Peter Oundjian, Pieter Daniel, and Dorothy DeLay at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, the Musikhochschule der Stadt Basel (Switzerland), the Sweelinck-Conservatory Amsterdam (Holland) and received an Artist Diploma from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. Additionally, she holds three degrees from the Folkwang-Hochschule Essen in violin and chamber music.

Annette-Barbara Vogel initiated and created "MAGISTERRA ! International Chamber Music Festival and Academy, Iowa" which was successfully inaugurated in May 2000, offering masterclasses, lectures and chamber music coachings for students, as well as mixed chamber music recitals. She continued to serve as the Artistic Director and a highly successful second season took place in 2001.

Since January 2004, Annette-Barbara Vogel has been teaching at the University of Western Ontario/Canada. Her complete biography, discography, repertoire, etc., is on her website at: www.annette-barbara-vogel.de