Valley Conservatory Early Music Festival
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Sunday, September 15, 2024 - 4:00 pm
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Church of the Nativity, 208 Eustis Avenue in Huntsville
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The Valley Conservatory Early Music Festival (VCEMF) was started in 2013 as a way to expose the community to early music and period instruments by providing lectures, master classes and concerts. It is the only early music festival in the southeast region of the country and is an annual event that is held in September. This year’s festival will take place Sunday, September 15th 4:00pm at the Church of the Nativity located on Eustis Ave in downtown Huntsville. The concert will feature the Valley Conservatory Early Music Chamber Ensemble, The Mockingbird Ensemble, and the Madison Early Music Project. Performances include works by Vivaldi, Scarlatti and Purcell. The concert is open to the public and encourages dialog between artist and audience. Let history's melodies resonate in a unique musical experience. |
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It's free admission, so be sure to bring a friend!
About The Festival Artists
Dr. Beatrice Renee Collins, Director
Beatrice Renee Collins-Williams, is the founding director of the Valley Conservatory. Her experiences cross several disciplines which include conducting, teaching and performing. As a conductor she has directed several orchestra across the country including the Colorado Symphony, Women’s Philharmonic (San Francisco), Denver Young Artist Orchestra, Alabama All-State Reading Orchestra, West Tennessee All-State Orchestra, the Junior Orchestra of the Alabama String Teacher’s Association Honor Strings Festival, the Huntsville Youth Orchestra, Oakwood College Symphony Orchestra, Michigan State University Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra and members of the Aspen School of Music Festival Orchestra where she was a conducting scholarship recipient. In addition to her conducting experiences, Dr. Collins has taught music education on all levels; applied piano and violin on the college level and has performed with several orchestra where she was a member of the violin/and or viola section. She holds dual bachelor degrees in Music Education and Piano Performance form the University of Northern Colorado, and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University. Her biography is listed in the International Who’s Who in Music.
Beatrice Renee Collins-Williams, is the founding director of the Valley Conservatory. Her experiences cross several disciplines which include conducting, teaching and performing. As a conductor she has directed several orchestra across the country including the Colorado Symphony, Women’s Philharmonic (San Francisco), Denver Young Artist Orchestra, Alabama All-State Reading Orchestra, West Tennessee All-State Orchestra, the Junior Orchestra of the Alabama String Teacher’s Association Honor Strings Festival, the Huntsville Youth Orchestra, Oakwood College Symphony Orchestra, Michigan State University Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra and members of the Aspen School of Music Festival Orchestra where she was a conducting scholarship recipient. In addition to her conducting experiences, Dr. Collins has taught music education on all levels; applied piano and violin on the college level and has performed with several orchestra where she was a member of the violin/and or viola section. She holds dual bachelor degrees in Music Education and Piano Performance form the University of Northern Colorado, and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University. Her biography is listed in the International Who’s Who in Music.
Valley Conservatory Early Music Chamber Ensemble
The Valley Conservatory Early Music Chamber Ensemble is an outgrowth of the Valley Conservatory Early Music Festival Artists that was started at our first Festival in 2013. The ensemble follows the same mission as the festival which is to expose the community to early music and period instruments. The ensemble utilizes modern and period instruments which vary in size depending on the repertoire performed. This year’s ensemble is a sextet comprised of violin, oboe, bassoon and continuo.
Ensemble members: Jeffrey Dortch, Violin, Lara Lay, Oboe, Christine Field, Oboe Sue Roessel Dura, Bassoon, Dorothy Maguire, Viola da Gamba, Rolf Goebel, Harpsichord
The Valley Conservatory Early Music Chamber Ensemble is an outgrowth of the Valley Conservatory Early Music Festival Artists that was started at our first Festival in 2013. The ensemble follows the same mission as the festival which is to expose the community to early music and period instruments. The ensemble utilizes modern and period instruments which vary in size depending on the repertoire performed. This year’s ensemble is a sextet comprised of violin, oboe, bassoon and continuo.
Ensemble members: Jeffrey Dortch, Violin, Lara Lay, Oboe, Christine Field, Oboe Sue Roessel Dura, Bassoon, Dorothy Maguire, Viola da Gamba, Rolf Goebel, Harpsichord
Madison Early Music Project
Was formed by Kevin Lay and Dorothy MaGuire to play mixed consort music, meaning music with different types of instruments, in small groups, from around the 16th and 17th centuries. The idea of a "project" was to include musicians who play period instruments and musicians who play modern instruments.
Ensemble members: Rebecca Marino, Violin, Veronica Marino, Violin, Dean Gardner, Double Bass, Dorothy Maguire, Viola da Gamba, Rachel Gregory, Viola da Gamba, Kevin Lay, Viola da Gamba,
Was formed by Kevin Lay and Dorothy MaGuire to play mixed consort music, meaning music with different types of instruments, in small groups, from around the 16th and 17th centuries. The idea of a "project" was to include musicians who play period instruments and musicians who play modern instruments.
Ensemble members: Rebecca Marino, Violin, Veronica Marino, Violin, Dean Gardner, Double Bass, Dorothy Maguire, Viola da Gamba, Rachel Gregory, Viola da Gamba, Kevin Lay, Viola da Gamba,
Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble
The Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble was formed in 2003 by enthusiastic proponents of the historically informed presentation of music created before 1750. Based in oxford, Mississippi, they perform on recreations of period instruments. These instruments include recorders, viole da gamba, harp, baroque guitar, psaltery, crumhorn, and harpsichord.
Ensemble members: Irene Kaufmann Cotelo, Susan Merchant, Warren Steel , Ronald Vernon
The Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble was formed in 2003 by enthusiastic proponents of the historically informed presentation of music created before 1750. Based in oxford, Mississippi, they perform on recreations of period instruments. These instruments include recorders, viole da gamba, harp, baroque guitar, psaltery, crumhorn, and harpsichord.
Ensemble members: Irene Kaufmann Cotelo, Susan Merchant, Warren Steel , Ronald Vernon
Susan Roessel Dura
Sue Rossel Dura has been very active as an amateur musician. She has played in college and community orchestras and bands as well as early music groups and chamber ensembles. Shortly after her move to Alabama in 1986, she joined the Shoals Symphony Orchestra as the principal bassoonist and played with the orchestra for 35 years. She was the Personnel Manager for the symphony for six years.
Ms Roessel maintains a lively interest in early music. She regularly attends recorder workshops as well as the Amherst Early Music Festival where she studies bassoon. She hosted the Rogersville Recorder Retreat for 11 years that catered to advanced recorderists hand picked by the faculty, Blaker and Berlin. She served on the board of directors of the ARS. She is currently on the board of Amherst Early Music.
She has been invited to Atlanta to perform on curtal, Baroque bassoon and recorder with Jody Miller’s group, Ritornello and has performed with the Music City Baroque and Atlanta Baroque Orchestras. She has performed on bassoon and recorder in the Amherst Baroque Academy Student Concerts. She has helped organize the Valley Conservatory Early Music Festival concerts since its inception.
Sue Rossel Dura has been very active as an amateur musician. She has played in college and community orchestras and bands as well as early music groups and chamber ensembles. Shortly after her move to Alabama in 1986, she joined the Shoals Symphony Orchestra as the principal bassoonist and played with the orchestra for 35 years. She was the Personnel Manager for the symphony for six years.
Ms Roessel maintains a lively interest in early music. She regularly attends recorder workshops as well as the Amherst Early Music Festival where she studies bassoon. She hosted the Rogersville Recorder Retreat for 11 years that catered to advanced recorderists hand picked by the faculty, Blaker and Berlin. She served on the board of directors of the ARS. She is currently on the board of Amherst Early Music.
She has been invited to Atlanta to perform on curtal, Baroque bassoon and recorder with Jody Miller’s group, Ritornello and has performed with the Music City Baroque and Atlanta Baroque Orchestras. She has performed on bassoon and recorder in the Amherst Baroque Academy Student Concerts. She has helped organize the Valley Conservatory Early Music Festival concerts since its inception.
Kevin Lay
Kevin Lay, viola da gamba, has a masters degree in historical performance from the Early Music Institute at Indiana University 2002. While at IU, he was a graduate assistant, won the Jason Paras Scholarship, won the annual concerto competition, and co-founded the award-winning group Liaison. Since graduating, Kevin has lived in his home town of Huntsville Alabama and has worked as a professional photographer for his “day job.” During the last 6 years, he has performed with many groups in the south, including Vox Angelica, the Zephiro series, and Ars Nova here in Hutsville, the Knoxville Early Music Project in Knoxville, TN, the Shoals Symphony in Florence, AL, and Belle Meade Baroque in Nashville, TN. Kevin has also been a guest artist at Union University in Jacksonville, TN, LSU in New Orleans, FSU in Tallahassee, FL, and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Kevin Lay, viola da gamba, has a masters degree in historical performance from the Early Music Institute at Indiana University 2002. While at IU, he was a graduate assistant, won the Jason Paras Scholarship, won the annual concerto competition, and co-founded the award-winning group Liaison. Since graduating, Kevin has lived in his home town of Huntsville Alabama and has worked as a professional photographer for his “day job.” During the last 6 years, he has performed with many groups in the south, including Vox Angelica, the Zephiro series, and Ars Nova here in Hutsville, the Knoxville Early Music Project in Knoxville, TN, the Shoals Symphony in Florence, AL, and Belle Meade Baroque in Nashville, TN. Kevin has also been a guest artist at Union University in Jacksonville, TN, LSU in New Orleans, FSU in Tallahassee, FL, and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Lara Lay
Lara Lay,baroque oboe, d’amore and da caccia, earned a B.A. in music/modern oboe from Case Western Reserve University, studying with members of the Cleveland Orchestra. After receiving a graduate assistantship to Florida State University, she earned an M.M., studying oboe and musicology. While there, she became enamored of early music on original instruments, and earned an early music performance certificate. She has studied with baroque oboists Stephen Hammer, Gonzalo Ruiz, Washington McLain, John Abberger, and George Riordan. Lara played baroque oboe professionally for many years, most notably in Chicago, Indianapolis, Washington D.C., Nashville and 20 years with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra. She has played under the baton of Christopher Hogwood, John Hsu, Lyle Nordstrom, Julie Andrijeski, Dana Maiben and Barthold Kuijken, among others. Lara plays a Saxon oboe, a replica of 2-keyed German oboes ca. 1715 made by Joel Robinson. Lara has called Huntsville home for the last 20 years. She teaches privately and as an adjunct oboe professor at University of North Alabama and Alabama A&M University, plays principal oboe with the Shoals Symphony Orchestra and Sul Ponticello, and is an active performer in the community when she is not working as a paralegal for The Law Firm of Timberlake, League & Brooks.
Lara Lay,baroque oboe, d’amore and da caccia, earned a B.A. in music/modern oboe from Case Western Reserve University, studying with members of the Cleveland Orchestra. After receiving a graduate assistantship to Florida State University, she earned an M.M., studying oboe and musicology. While there, she became enamored of early music on original instruments, and earned an early music performance certificate. She has studied with baroque oboists Stephen Hammer, Gonzalo Ruiz, Washington McLain, John Abberger, and George Riordan. Lara played baroque oboe professionally for many years, most notably in Chicago, Indianapolis, Washington D.C., Nashville and 20 years with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra. She has played under the baton of Christopher Hogwood, John Hsu, Lyle Nordstrom, Julie Andrijeski, Dana Maiben and Barthold Kuijken, among others. Lara plays a Saxon oboe, a replica of 2-keyed German oboes ca. 1715 made by Joel Robinson. Lara has called Huntsville home for the last 20 years. She teaches privately and as an adjunct oboe professor at University of North Alabama and Alabama A&M University, plays principal oboe with the Shoals Symphony Orchestra and Sul Ponticello, and is an active performer in the community when she is not working as a paralegal for The Law Firm of Timberlake, League & Brooks.
Dorothy Maguire
Dorothy Maguire earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education with Choral Emphasis from the Metropolitan State College of Denver. While at Metro, Dorothy was an active and versatile member of the Early Music Ensemble where she sang and played violin, recorders, lute and viola da gamba. Upon moving to Alabama she became involved in various Early Music groups starting with the Huntsville Recorder Society, then the Valley Conservatory Early Music Festivals, the Madison Early Music Project and Duo Andante. She recently took up the modern viola and has played viola with the Shoals Symphony, UAH Opera, Grissom High School Musical Theater and the Madison City Orchestra. Currently, she is studying lute with Francis Perry.
Dorothy Maguire earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education with Choral Emphasis from the Metropolitan State College of Denver. While at Metro, Dorothy was an active and versatile member of the Early Music Ensemble where she sang and played violin, recorders, lute and viola da gamba. Upon moving to Alabama she became involved in various Early Music groups starting with the Huntsville Recorder Society, then the Valley Conservatory Early Music Festivals, the Madison Early Music Project and Duo Andante. She recently took up the modern viola and has played viola with the Shoals Symphony, UAH Opera, Grissom High School Musical Theater and the Madison City Orchestra. Currently, she is studying lute with Francis Perry.
Rolf Goebel
Rolf J. Goebel, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor of German, Emeritus, University of Alabama in Huntsville. His most recent publications focus on relations between literature, music, and philosophy. As a musician, he is especially interested in performing Baroque repertoire originally written for the harpsichord or clavichord on the organ. He has served as Dean and Sub-Dean of the Greater Huntsville, AL Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is currently a Board Member-at-large of this organization.
Rolf J. Goebel, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor of German, Emeritus, University of Alabama in Huntsville. His most recent publications focus on relations between literature, music, and philosophy. As a musician, he is especially interested in performing Baroque repertoire originally written for the harpsichord or clavichord on the organ. He has served as Dean and Sub-Dean of the Greater Huntsville, AL Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is currently a Board Member-at-large of this organization.
Rachel Gregory
Rachel Gregory began her musical studies on the cello at the age of six, later adding piano and, most recently, viola da gamba. She began studying viola da gamba with Joanna Blendulf and currently takes lessons with Kevin Lay. A lover of Bach and all things Baroque, she has enjoyed exploring this period of classical music on a new instrument and being exposed to a new era: music of the Renaissance. A native of Huntsville, Rachel freelances as a cellist for area musicals, weddings, and church services. She has performed with Ars Nova and IMP. Outside of music, Rachel works as a financial analyst for Dynetics, enjoys hiking, and builds furniture in her woodworking shop.
Rachel Gregory began her musical studies on the cello at the age of six, later adding piano and, most recently, viola da gamba. She began studying viola da gamba with Joanna Blendulf and currently takes lessons with Kevin Lay. A lover of Bach and all things Baroque, she has enjoyed exploring this period of classical music on a new instrument and being exposed to a new era: music of the Renaissance. A native of Huntsville, Rachel freelances as a cellist for area musicals, weddings, and church services. She has performed with Ars Nova and IMP. Outside of music, Rachel works as a financial analyst for Dynetics, enjoys hiking, and builds furniture in her woodworking shop.
Irene Kaufmann Cotelo is a Senior Lecturer of Spanish at the University of Mississippi and a member of the Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble since 2003. She majored in music at the University of Mississippi and holds master’s degrees from the University of Mississippi and the University of Texas at Austin. A native of Uruguay, Ms. Kaufmann played flute with the Uruguayan National Symphony for over a decade. She was also a member of Grupo Barroco and the Orquesta Barroca de Montevideo. In Oxford, she has also played with the Sarah Isom Trio. She studied with Prof. Raul Botella (Montevideo) and participated in master classes by Mario Videla (Argentina), Ricardo Kanjii (Brazil), and Steven Rosenberg (United States), among others. Outside of the classroom and off the stage, you can find Ms. Kaufmann moderating Spanish-practice sessions with community members at La Hora de Español, reading, and walking around town.
Ronald Vernon is Professor of Music Emeritus at the University of Mississippi, where he taught from 1972 until 2015, serving as Chair of the Department of Music from 1986 to 1996, and as Associate Dean of Liberal Arts from 1997 until 2010. He holds the Bachelor of Music degree from Louisiana Tech University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts from The University of Texas at Austin. His professional service includes terms as president of numerous musical societies, including two terms as a member of the board of directors of the Viola da Gamba Society of America, and he currently serves as music director of the Germantown (TN) Symphony and the Memphis Chapter of the American Recorder Society
Susan Marchant majored in music education at the University of New Hampshire where she played clarinet and cello. She began recorder studies in the early 1970’s and has studied with Frans Brueggen, Frances Blaker, and Han Tol. To this was added the viola da gamba in the mid 1980’s, studying with Martha Bishop and Alison Crum. She has performed early music at festivals, concert series, and on radio and television with the Harwood Ensemble in Chicago, IL and the early music ensemble PanHarmonium in Birmingham, AL. PanHarmonium has performed several medieval stories throughout the U.S. with noted actor and storyteller Dolores Hydock. Ms. Marchant is a member of the Viola da Gamba Society of America and has served on its board of directors.
Warren Steel is professor of music Emeritus at the University of Mississippi, where he taught music history, organ, and harpsichord for 35 years. He holds degrees from Harvard and Michigan; he studied organ and harpsichord with John Fesperman, James Weaver and Edward Parmentier. His books and other writings document early American psalmody and its survival in the Sacred Harp singing tradition, as well as the baroque organs of Mexico. His organ CD Baroque Pearls: Rediscovered Gems from France and Spain was issued on Centaur Records in 2007.
Other Festival Artists Include:
Rebecca Marino
Veronica Marino
Christine Field
Dean Gardner
Jeffrey Dortch
Rebecca Marino
Veronica Marino
Christine Field
Dean Gardner
Jeffrey Dortch
