Yu-Fang Chen- Violin
Hyerim J. Mapp- Cello
Soojin Jin- Piano
When three young musicians, Hyerim Mapp, Yu-Fang Chen, and Soojin Jin, all coming from different countries, landed in America and met during the winter of 2015 a strong partnership, forged by friendship and melded by music, formed. All three immediately decided that they wanted to make and share music with other people and the rest is history. The Con Spirito Trio was formed in 2015.
The Kansas City Cello Quartet
Piano Trio Con Spirito
The Mosaic Vocal Ensemble
Denissa Rivas de Munguía, Flute
Hyerim J. Mapp, Cello
Erin Wood, Harp
Joanne Britz, Clarinet
Lawrence Figg
Allen Probus
Maria Crosby
Matt Beckmann
Raúl A. Munguía, violin
The Mosaic Vocal Ensemble was formed in 2003 as an ensemble of professional singers working collaboratively to create an exciting blend of voices. As an ensemble the group has performed: The Pink Ribbon Rally for Breast Cancer Awareness, A Christmas Concert with Mosaic, A Concert of Sacred Music, Duruflé’s Requiem, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Mozart’s Missa brevis in D, Fauré’s Requiem, Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte, Misery, Mayhem and Madness-An OperaticLook at Life and Love, Puccini’s Edgar and for numerous church services presenting standard choral literature by composers such as Mark Hayes, Ralph Manuel and Benjamin Harlan. Individually, members of The Mosaic Vocal Ensemble have performed as soloists around the world and in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Pasadena Performing Arts Center, Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, New York City Opera, Florentine Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera and others. Presenters include Central OK Concert Series (Edmond, OK), Trinity Concerts (KS), Jubilee Concerts (St. Louis, MO), Modern Music Festival (Boulder, CO), Springfield Regional Opera (MO), Cimarron Opera (OK), Heartland Opera (MO), Heart of Atlanta Arts Festival (GA), University of Oklahoma, Pittsburg State University, Missouri State University, Missouri Southern State University, University of Central Missouri, and numerous others.
Erin Wood joined the faculty of University of Kansas in 2011, having previously taught at University of Nevada Reno, Indiana University Southeast, and the Arts Institute in New Albany Indiana. She has served as the principal harpist of the Reno Chamber Orchestra and the Utah Festival Opera. Erin has enjoyed performing as a soloist and chamber musician for the Seventh World Harp Congress in Prague, the American Harp Society Summer Institute in Los Angeles, and the Harp Carnivale in New Orleans. She was a prize winner in the Prix Renie and National Society for Arts and Letters. In 2014 Erin was elected to serve on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the American Harp Society. Erin studied with Susann McDonald at Indiana University where she earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Harp Performance as well as being awarded the Performer's Certificate.
Flautist Denissa Rivas de Munguía is a native of the tropical country of Honduras where she served as flute professor at the Victoriano López Music Conservatory. Since moving to the US in 2001 to pursue music studies in higher education, Denissa has maintained an active career as teacher, recitalist, and chamber musician. As teacher she currently serves as flute instructor at Missouri Southern University and as Music Theory instructor at Pittsburg State University. In the past she has served as flute instructor for Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts and the Youth Symphony of Lubbock. Denissa has presented at the NSU Flute Clinic, Texas Tech Flute Festival, and has taught master classes in the US and Latin America.
An avid performer Denissa has played recitals as soloist and chamber music in the US, Latin America and Europe, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, the Flute Festival in Honduras, and the Pittsburg Chamber music Festival in Kansas. In her performances Denissa strives to include music by women composers and music from Latin America. Denissa holds a Performance Diploma from London College of Music, a BM from the University of Southern Mississippi, a MM from Northwestern State University of Louisiana, and a DMA from Texas Tech University.
Joanne Britz serves as Professor of Woodwinds-single reeds, at Pittsburg State University. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in both clarinet performance and music education from the University of South Florida in Tampa. In addition, she holds a Master’s degree and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in clarinet performance, both from The University of Texas at Austin. Her primary teachers have included Richard MacDowell and J. Brian Moorhead; she has had additional study with Hakan Rosengren, Dr. Jeffrey Lerner, Dr. Frank Kowalsky, and Deborah Chodacki.
Although originally from the Northeast, Dr. Britz spent her early professional career in Florida and Texas. She has performed with the Florida Orchestra in Tampa, symphony orchestras is Abilene, Austin, Laredo, Midland, San Angelo, and Victoria, Texas; the Festival Institute at Round Top; and the Texas Music Festival in Houston. Dr. Britz previously held the position of Lecturer of Single Reeds at Angelo State University and played Principal clarinet with the Midland/Odessa Symphony and Chorale.
Dr. Britz has maintained an active applied studio for clarinetists and saxophonists, taught woodwind techniques, and coached chamber music at Pittsburg State University since joining the faculty in 2001. She adjudicates and performs frequently in the four-state area in solo, chamber, and orchestral venues, most notably bass/3rd clarinet position with the Springfield, Missouri Symphony and with the Southeast Kansas Symphony. Dr. Britz performs on Buffet Prestige and Festival clarinets.
Dr. Hyerim J. Mapp is an energetic orchestral musician as well as a recital soloist, and a teacher. She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in cello performance from the University of Kansas. Prior to her study at KU, she studied and taught music in her native Korea at Sejong University, where she was a concerto competition winner.
Currently, she is a lecturer of cello and bass at Pittsburg State University. She also serves as principal cellist of the Kansas City Civic and Kinnor Philharmonic Orchestras. She also plays in the Topeka Symphony, Saint Joseph Orchestra, frequently plays with the Kansas City Symphony and Omaha Symphony. She has also performed with the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, Des Moines Symphony and as principal cellist for the Neue Eutiner Festspiele in Eutin, Germany.
As a soloist, she has performed with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra and was one of three local cellists selected to perform for the world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma at the Kauffman Center in Kansas City.
Before joining the faculty at Pittsburg State University she served as adjunct professor of cello at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Sejong University and a Master of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Kansas.
She currently resides in Lawrence, Kansas with her husband, Dr. Michael W. Mapp and their little dog, Karma.
A versatile musician combining his work in orchestral conducting with an active career as orchestral musician and chamber player. As a violinist, he has held the concertmaster position with The San Pedro Sula Chamber Orchestra, The Honduran Symphony Orchestra, The Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. He currently performs with the Springfield Symphony, MO; the Symphony Orchestra of Northwest Arkansas, AR; the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra, MO; and the Kansas City Baroque Consortium, MO. He has also collaborated with orchestras such as Santa Fe Pro Musica in NM, The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra in TX, the Mississippi Symphony, The Mobile Symphony in AL, and The Midland-Odessa Symphony in TX performing on both period and standard violin. His latest commitments include performing in Honduras with the Victoriano Lopez Conservatory Symphony, in South America with the National Symphony of Paraguay and the University of Asuncion International Summer Camp, and in Brazil in the Universidade Federal de Alagoas. A regular guest conductor and performer of the San Pedro Sula Camerata and the Victoriano Lopez Symphony in his native country of Honduras, Dr. Munguia travels there in the summers to teach and coach young players. Dr. Raúl Antonio Munguía is Director of Orchestras and an Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola at Pittsburg State University.
Artists
Michael W. Mapp, Conductor
Dr. Michael W. Mapp is currently beginning his third year as the Director of Bands at Washburn University where he conducts the Marching Blues, WU Blues Pep Band, University Band, and the nationally recognized Washburn Wind Ensemble who were just selected to perform at the 2016 CBDNA Convention in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to guiding all aspects of the university band program, Dr. Mapp teaches courses in orchestration, conducting, music education, and appreciation. Before joining the faculty of Washburn University, he enjoyed teaching in the public schools.
An avid advocate of new music, Mapp has been active in commissioning new works from some of the most talented contemporary composers writing music today. Striking a balance between the classic and contemporary, programming is of extreme interest to Mapp, especially in regards to contemporary music education. He has given music education presentations throughout the United States and is an active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator.
Mapp has been involved in recording projects that have featured the music of Aaron Copland, Michael Torke, Frank Ticheli, and Mohammed Fairouz. Most recently he served as producer of the soon to be released, “The Trumpet Sounds,” featuring the music of Lajos Barós, Ian David Coleman, Felix Mendelssohn, Philip Wilby, Alan Hovhaness, Grayston Ives, and Anthony Maglione. Currently, Mapp serves on the board of the Kansas Bandmasters Association, and is the Kansas State Chair for the National Band Association. Other professional affiliations include the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, College Music Society, North American Saxophone Alliance, Kansas Music Educators Association, and Phi Beta Mu International Band Masters Fraternity.
Mapp holds degrees from New Mexico State University, Wichita State University, and The University of Kansas. In addition to his musical passions, Mapp also enjoys writing, co-authoring, Thomas Jefferson: A Free Mind, and, most recently, an anthology of poetry. Michael, his wife Hyerim, and their dog, Karma, enjoy life in Lawrence, Kansas.
Trilla Ray-Carter, Cello
Trilla Ray-Carter, cellist, is active as a performer on both modern and baroque cello throughout the greater Kansas City area. She is the founding director of the Kansas City Baroque Consortium and has served as principal cellist of the Liberty Symphony, the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, and the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City. She has served as adjunct instructor at Cottey College, Kansas City Kansas Community College and William Jewell College. Trilla has performed and taught throughout Europe and has participated in summer festivals in Italy, the former Yugoslavia, and in Baden-Baden, Germany. Before returning to the Midwest in 1993, she worked in Los Angeles as a studio musician with numerous film and television recording credits. In 2007 and 2008 Trilla participated in the International Baroque Institute at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA, where she worked with leading baroque specialists Phoebe Carrai, Elizabeth Blumentstock, Jed Wentz and Gonzalo Ruiz.
Robert Kehle, Trombone
Mr. Kehle joined the Pittsburg State University faculty in 1978 and holds the rank of University Professor of Music where he teaches trombone and is the director of the PSU Jazz Studies program.
Mr. Kehle completed his undergraduate studies at Washington State University with both the Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts (music education) degrees and completed the Master of Music degree and doctoral course work at Indiana University. His trombone teachers include former members of the Chicago, Pittsburgh, Penn., and Philadelphia Symphonies. His jazz studies were with Dominic Spera and David Baker. He has performed with the Spokane Symphony, at several International Trombone Festivals as a member of the Cramer Choir and the American Trombone Choir, the Indiana Brass Quintet, the Spokane Jazz Society, and back up for various touring artists/groups including Slide Hampton's World of Trombones, the Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mathis and with Mr. Louie Bellson.
Mr. Kehle has been a featured soloist with numerous orchestras, bands, and jazz groups in the Midwest. He is also Principal Trombone in the Springfield, Missouri Symphony Orchestra, the Central Plains Brass Quintet, and is trombonist with the jazz group "Blues Over Easy." He has published articles in several professional journals and his book, "Alto Trombone Literature: An Annotated Guide" is now in its second edition and is published by Warwick Music, UK.
Mr. Kehle was a 2015 recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Awards for the College of Arts and Sciences. He has given scholarly presentations at the Kansas Music Educator's In Service Workshop on Recruiting the Beginning Trombonist and Trombone Basics. He has also presented at the Kansas Bandmasters Association about the trombone and in 2008 presented at the International Trombone Festival in Salt Lake City. The topic was Alto Trombone Literature with emphasis on the Americas.
His memberships include Phi Mu Alpha, The International Trombone Association, The Kansas Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, the Jazz Educators, and the National Education Association. Mr. Kehle is an artist affiliate with C.G. Conn. He has also held the positions of President of the PSU Faculty Senate and President of PSU-KNEA.
James Clanton, Percussion
Dr. James Clanton is the Assistant Professor of Percussion on the faculty of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. He spends the rest of his time as a performer, clinician, and arranger in the NE Oklahoma, Kansas and greater Midwest region.
As a performer, he has appeared with several ensembles, including the Tulsa Signature Symphony, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Springfield Symphony (MO), Kansas City Ballet Orchestra, the newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, the Fountain City Brass Band, the Percussion Plus Project (IN), and the Southeast Kansas Symphony. Clanton has participated in several festivals and chamber ensembles across the United States, including the Sunflower Music Festival in Topeka, Kansas, the Mahlerfest Orchestra in Boulder, Colorado, and the OK Mozart Festival in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He has also performed internationally as a soloist and clinician with the National Symphony Orchestra of Asuncion, the Associazione Culturale Colleionci (Velletri, Italy), and the first and second annual Grumo Music Festival (Grumo, Italy). Under his direction, the PSU Percussion Ensemble has performed at the Percussive Arts Society Kansas Day of Percussion, and at the 2014 KMEA In-Service Workshop.
James received a Bachelor's degree in music education from Oklahoma City University, and earned both a Masters and Doctoral degrees in Percussion Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. In the summer months he works with numerous public schools in the Midwest region arranging percussion music for competitive marching shows. James is an educational endorser/clinician for Sabian Cymbals, Pearl/Adams Percussion, and Vater Sticks. He currently serves as the President for the Kansas Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society.
Mr. Kováč maintains a varied career as artistic director, violist, and instructor of violin and viola. In 2009, he co-founded the Stringendo Chamber Music Program, currently the year round program at Heartland Chamber Music where he is an artistic director. Among the programs HCM presents, he coaches ensembles at the Heartland Chamber Music Festival, an internationally renowned summer program for young musicians that draws students and faculty from across the world, and the Camerata String Chamber Orchestra, a select ensemble without conductor. Mr. Kováč is also active as an orchestral player, chamber musician, and soloist. Among his activities, he serves as the principal viola with the Kinnor Philharmonic Orchestra. He performs in a duo with his wife, pianist Michaela Kováčová. His numerous chamber performances include collaborations with NewEar, a Kansas City based new music ensemble, the Park University Faculty on Kansas Public Radio, University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory faculty, members of the Miami String Quartet and Kansas City Symphony Orchestra. In 2009, he performed the World Premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Puntos Suspensivos at the Joyce Theatre in New York City. The work was commissioned in part by the performing arts series Works and Process featured at the Guggenheim Museum. He has performed as soloist with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra.
David Kováč, Viola
Monty Carter, Viola
Monty Carter serves as principal violist and program annotator for the Saint Joseph Symphony, and concertmaster for the Heritage Philharmonic of Jackson County, Mo., and performs regularly as Baroque violinist and violist for the Kansas City Baroque Consortium. For two decades Monty has provided private instruction, ensemble coaching and music festival adjudication in Kansas City. He has served as a long-term adjunct professor of strings for Benedictine College, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Missouri Western State University, Northwest Missouri State University, and William Jewell College. He holds a Master of Music Performance degree from Louisiana State University, and his Bachelor degree in the same area is from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Rebecca Cutler, Violin
Rebecca Cutler is a violinist from Joplin, Missouri where she teaches strings at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School and manages the TJ Music Academy program that offers private lessons to students in the Joplin community. The program is in its first year yet has already doubled in size, reaching nearly 70 students in the areas of strings, woodwinds, piano, and voice. Several of Ms. Cutler's students have performed with the Missouri All-State Music Orchestra and consistently receive high ratings at District and State Music Contests, for which she is very proud.
Ms. Cutler is a contracted violinist with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville and performs with other regional orchestras. She is a PSU alumna, having received her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance in 2008. She also holds a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance and Orchestral Conducting from Illinois State University which she received in 2011. Ms. Cutler is very excited to be performing L'Histoire again and collaborate with these wonderful musicians from the area.
Christopher Koch is currently associate professor of music and Director of Orchestras and Wind Symphony at Drury University and Music Director of the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra. Under his direction, Drury ensembles have toured regionally and performed at the Missouri and Arkansas Music Educator’s Association conventions. He was a conducting finalist in the American Prize Competition and the Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra a placed winner in the AP's orchestral division. He received his Bachelor of Music degrees in flute performance and music education from the Eastman School of Music, Master of Music degrees in flute and orchestral conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, and the Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from the University of Washington. Koch has been the assistant conductor of the Colorado Mahlerfest Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, the University of Rochester Symphony, associate conductor of the Salina Symphony, and interim instructor at the University of Washington, where he conducted the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. He has appeared as a guest conductor with orchestras across the United States and is increasingly active as an early music specialist (recorder), including recital and concerto performances and appearances at College Music Society conferences. Koch has served on the faculty of Bethel College, as Chair of Music at the Northwest School, and as faculty at the Seattle Conservatory of Music. He received the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship to Australia, where he was an active conductor and adjudicator. He is also a contributing author for the book series A Composer’s Insight: Thoughts, Analysis, and Commentary on Comtemporary Masterpieces for Wind Band (Meredith Music Publications). Dr. Koch resides in Springfield with his wife Danielle and daughter Ella.
Christopher Koch, Conductor
James Davidson, Harpsichord
James Davidson is the Director of Music Education and Conductor of the Drury Chorale at Drury University. Additionally, he serves as Executive Director of the Springfield-Drury Girls Choirs, Assistant Director of Music Ministries at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church, and Chorus Master for Springfield Regional Opera. Previous appointments include: Choral Director at Hazelwood Central High School (2004-2006), Director of Choral Activities at Ozark High School (2006-2012), and Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Springfield Chamber Chorus (2008-2012). In addition to his conducting duties, Davidson is in-demand as a collaborative keyboardist, vocal coach, and clinician. He holds the Bachelor of Science degree in Education (Vocal/Choral Emphasis) and Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Missouri State University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Kansas School of Music, where he was awarded the Sandra Keller-Daugherty Outstanding Choral Conductor Award. His professional affiliations include the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, ACDA, AGO, and MMEA.
Tim Wootton maintains an active schedule as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, soloist and educator.
As an orchestral musician, Tim is a member of the Springfield Symphony, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield-Drury Civic Orchestra and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. He is an extra/substitute player with the Kansas City Symphony, Tulsa Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Arkansas Symphony and the Fort Smith Symphony.
As a chamber musician, he is a member of the Evangel University Faculty Brass Quintet and the Springfield Symphony Brass Quintet. He has performed with the Missouri State University Faculty Brass Quintet, Springfield Chamber Brass, Classic Brass, Mr. Jack Daniel's Silver Cornet Band, Salt River Brass Band, Phoenix Chamber Brass and the Phoenician Brass Quintet, among others. He has played with Mannheim Steamroller, the Three Tenors and a varied collection of music shows and musical theatre productions.
As a soloist, Tim has been a finalist and prizewinner in various solo competitions. While a student at Missouri State, he was a prizewinner in the International Trumpet Guild Solo Competition, a finalist in the Naftzger Young Artist Competition, and won the university band and orchestra solo competitions. He currently enjoys performing as a soloist and recitalist in the area.
As an educator, Tim is an Adjunct Professor of Music (Trumpet) at Evangel University and a Faculty Associate (Trumpet) at Southwest Baptist University. He is Guest Artist Faculty at the Midwest Trumpet Festival and also maintains a studio of middle and high school students.
Tim received a Master’s Degree from Arizona State University and Bachelor’s Degree from Missouri State University, with additional study at the Aspen Music Festival. His teachers include David Hickman, Grant Peters, Ray Mase, Kevin Cobb and John Shows.
Tim Wooten, Trumpet
Jill Heyboer, Flute
Jill Heyboer is Professor of Music (Flute) at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. She is a regular member of numerous chamber music ensembles, and the principal flutist in the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. During the summer, Dr. Heyboer is on the faculty at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, where she teaches flute and coaches chamber music.
An advocate of contemporary music, Dr. Heyboer has premiered several new pieces by living American composers, including John Prescott, William Campbell, Edward Mallett, Robert Mueller, Robert Brownlow, Zae Munn, and Alexis Bacon. She also has released professional recordings of “Sexteto mistico” by Villa Lobos on the Naxos label, “Rhapsody for Flute and Piano” by Richard Faith on MSR Classics, and can even be found playing piccolo on the “Golden Age of Brass, Volumes I and II” on the Summit label. Prior to her appointment at Missouri State, Dr. Heyboer held teaching and professional orchestral flute and piccolo positions in both Idaho and Michigan. Her educational background includes degrees from Luther College, Arizona State University, and Michigan State University.
John Atteberry, Bassoon
John Atteberry is currently the music teacher at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School in Joplin, Missouri, where he is responsible for Middle School Instrumental Music, Upper School Instrumental and Vocal Music, Music Theory and Drama. He is also principal bassoon of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. In the past, he was bassoonist with the Jupiter Symphony of New York, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, Princeton Chamber Orchestra, Princeton Pro Musica, and the Riverside Symphonia, and many other ensembles in the New York/Philadephia areas. He also played in the opera orchestras for the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, the Festival of the Two Worlds, in Spoleto, Italy, and the AIMS Festival in Graz, Austria. He has degrees in Bassoon Performance from the University of Missouri – Columbia, and Rutgers University. John is also a published composer, with works for Choir and Handbell ensemble available through GIA Music Publishers, Beckenhorst Press, and Choristers Guild.