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PROGRAM

ERNST VON DOHNÁNYI: Serenade for String Trio in C major, Op. 10
Marcia: Allegro
Romanza: Adagio non troppo
Scherzo: Vivace
Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto
Rondo (Finale): Allegro vivace

CHRIS ROGERSON: “Brilena” (written for the wedding of Brook and Milena)

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: String Trio in C minor, Op. 9, No. 3
Allegro con spirito
Adagio con espressione
Scherzo – Allegro molto e vivace
Finale – Presto

Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt - Violist of the Dover Quartet

Praised by Strad magazine as having "lyricism that stood out...a silky tone and beautiful, supple lines," violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt has established herself as one of the most sought-after violists of her generation. In addition to appearances as soloist with the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Jacksonville Symphony, and the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra, she has performed in recitals and chamber-music concerts throughout the United States, Latin America, and Europe, including an acclaimed 2011 debut recital at London’s Wigmore Hall, which was described in Strad as being "fleet and energetic...powerful and focused".   

Ms. Pajaro-van de Stadt is the founding violist of the Dover Quartet, First Prize-winner and recipient of every special award at the Banff International String Quartet Competition 2013, and winner of the Gold Medal and Grand Prize in the 2010 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. Her numerous awards also include First Prize of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and top prizes at the Tokyo International Viola Competition and the Sphinx Competition. Ms. Pajaro-van de Stadt's summer festival appearances include Marlboro, Bowdoin, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Sarasota, Strings, Bravo! Vail, and La Jolla Summerfest, as well as Italy's Emilia Romagna Festival. Among the conductors with whom she has worked are Seiji Ozawa, Christoph Eschenbach, Alan Gilbert, Charles Dutoit, and Otto-Werner Mueller.

A violin student of Sergiu Schwartz and Melissa Pierson-Barrett for several years, she began studying viola with Michael Klotz at the Bowdoin International Music Festival in 2005. Ms. Pajaro-van de Stadt graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Roberto Diaz, Michael Tree, Misha Amory, and Joseph de Pasquale. She then received her Master's Degree in String Quartet with the Dover Quartet at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, as a student of James Dunham. Ms. Pajaro-van de Stadt performs on a 2004 copy of the Primrose Amati, originally made for Roberto Diaz by Gabrielle Kundert and on a 1780 Michele Deconet generously on loan by the grandson of the viola’s former owner, Boris Kroyt of the Budapest String Quartet.

Brook Speltz - Cellist of the Escher String Quartet

Praised for his "fluid virtuosity" and "soulful melodies," Los Angeles native Brook Speltz has been inspired since childhood by the long tradition of deep musical mastery of artists such as Jascha Heifetz, Pierre Fournier, and the Guarneri String Quartet.

An extremely versatile cellist, Brook has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and  recitalist throughout the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. First Prize winner of the  prestigious Ima Hogg Competition, he has performed as a soloist with the Houston Symphony,  Colorado Music Festival Orchestra and International Contemporary Ensemble, among others,  and is a regular performer at England's IMS Prussia Cove and on tour with Musicians from  Marlboro. As an avid and  sought-after  chamber musician, Brook has been personally invited by  musical giants such as Itzhak Perlman and Richard Goode to collaborate in chamber music  recitals and tours throughout the country.

Based in New York City, and an enthusiastic collaborator, Brook tours and performs with unique New York based ensembles such as the Shuffle ensemble, East Coast Chamber Orchestra, and on the Omega Ensemble Series. As a member of the Shuffle ensemble, a unique group that presents music from a wide range of styles chosen each night by audience members from a preset "menu," he loves having the opportunity to collaborate with audiences and musicians alike.

Performance highlights of Brook's upcoming season include two Carnegie Hall recitals with Richard Goode, a two week tour in Israel with the Shuffle ensemble, the Musicians from Marlboro East Coast tour, a premiere of Chris Rogerson's Cello Concerto in Buffalo, NY, and a performance of Schumann's Cello Concerto in A Minor with the Greenwich Village Orchestra.

A lover of all facets of the music world, he has enjoyed performing on extensive tours with the cello rock band Break of Reality, whose online video of the Game of Thrones cover immediately went viral and has already received over 4.5 million views. Their recent U.S. tour raised funds and awareness for music programs in public schools all around the country.

Brook studied at the renowned Curtis Institute of Music with Peter Wiley and at the Juilliard School with Joel Krosnick, after his formative years of study with Eleanor Schoenfeld in Los Angeles. He performs on a 1756 J.C. Gigli on loan from his father, a cellist and his first inspiration in a family of professional musicians.

Brendan Speltz - Violinist of the Escher Quartet

Noted for his organic musical instincts and warm sound, violinist Brendan Speltz, a Los Angeles native and son of musician parents, has performed around the globe with world-renowned musicians. He began his serious music studies at the Colburn School of Music, studying with Chan Ho Yun, Henry Gronnier, and later Linda Rose. During these formative years, Speltz played in the elite Colburn Chamber Orchestra, serving for one year as principal 2nd, and served as concertmaster of the American Youth Symphony under the baton of Alexander Treger, John Williams, and David Newman in 2007. In 2005, Speltz won gold medal of the YMF Chamber Music Competition, performing live on the radio for KUSC 91.5’s Sunday’s Live from the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art.

He received his bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, studying with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra concertmaster Margaret Batjer. He served as principal 2nd in both the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras of that institution. While at USC, Brendan was specifically chosen by legendary violinist Midori Goto to participate in a string quartet program with the latter coaching from the second violin chair.  He graduated with honors and on the Dean’s List in 2008.  In 2012, he earned his Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City, studying with Laurie Smukler. While he was there, Speltz served both as principal and concertmaster of the Symphony, Chamber Orchestra, and Orpheus Institute Orchestras.

Speltz has performed at a wide variety of music festivals as soloist and chamber musician, most recently at the prestigious Kneisel Hall, in Blue Hill, Maine, the Ottowa Chamber Music Festival, and the Skytop Music Festival in Pennsylvania.  In past years Brendan performed at the Music Academy of the West, Encore School for Strings, the Mimir Festival, The Montecito Festival, the Bach Akademie Stuttgart under the baton of Helmuth Rilling, and the International Music Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Niagara, Canada.  He served as concertmaster for three years of the Idyllwild Arts Summer Festival Orchestra.  

An avid chamber musician, Speltz has performed on established professional chamber music series including the Los Angeles based Pacific Serenades and the South Bay Chamber Music Society.  He has performed on various New York television networks, including NBC New York, Fox & Friends on Fox News, and on ABC’s “The View.” Most recently he performed Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat during a joint Russian and Swiss event at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., All Fours  (Bartok String Quartet no. 4) with the Mark Morris Dance Group, and in the world premiere of Ronnie Reshef’s instrumental opera Ambiguous Kafka as violinist, actor and singer.

Speltz has performed with various professional orchestras, including the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New Jersey Symphony, Symphony in C, The Sarasota Orchestra, and the Salome Chamber Orchestra. He is a founding member of the New York based chamber ensemble Shattered Glass (shattered-glass.org), recording Bach’s Violin Concerto in A-Minor with the latter. Most recently, he has become a member of the groundbreaking chamber ensemble Shuffle Concert, which is set to tour Israel among other places during its 2014/2015 season. Speltz plays on a 1925 Carl Becker violin.

He loves family, travel, the Lakers, Dodgers, USC football, and physics.

ABOUT CameraMusic:

"Musica da camera" (the Italian term for "chamber music") takes on a whole new meaning during the COVID-19 crisis, as musicians everywhere find themselves isolated and unable to perform for live audiences. CameraMusic is the Chamber Music Society of Detroit's answer to this, inviting artists to perform live on camera over the Internet from wherever they are. All artists performing on CameraMusic are being compensated for their work.

The Chamber Music Society of Detroit is able to offer these free livestreams only with the generous support of our listeners. Every dollar contributed to the CMSD’s CameraMusic Fund helps to pay musicians for their live CameraMusic performances. Thank you!