Schubert on the Allegheny – The Trout

David Allen WehrPianist
Charles StegemanViolin
Rachel StegemanViolin
Marylene Gingras-RoyViola
Adam LiuCello
Jeffrey TurnerBass
Katherine Erlandson SorokaMezzo Soprano
Wehr-Stegeman-Liu
Duquesne Piano Trio

Join us for an Early Autumn Afternoon of  “Schubert on the Allegheny” as ARCA opens its exciting Fall 2015 Season bringing world class chamber musicians to perform Schubert’s celebrated “Trout Quintet” on Saturday, September 26 at 2:00 PM in Foxburg’s Lincoln Hall. 

ARCA is proud to present this extraordinary program, which was performed to a sold out audience at Duquesne University in August as part of “Schubert on the Bluff”.

Bringing “The Trout” to the banks of the beautiful Allegheny River

The program will feature Schubert’s famous “Trout” Quintet written for the unusual combination of piano, violin, viola, cello AND contrabass – featuring Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Bass, Jeffrey Turner, and PSO musicians- Marylene Gingras-Roy, viola and Adam Liu, cello – plus the Duquesne Piano Trio, with David Allen Wehr and Charles and Rachel Stegeman.

The fourth movement of Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet – Theme and Variations: Andantino – is based on Schubert’s charming song “The Trout,” which tells the story of a trout’s demise from the vantage point of a sympathetic by-stander. Mezzo soprano Katherine Erlandson Soroka will perform the song in English with pianist David Allen Wehr.

The delightful program also will include Duquesne Piano Trio’s performance of Schubert’s Piano Trio #1, one of his most appealing and tuneful works. A favorite of ARCA audience’s, David Allen Wehr will perform three charming Moments Musicaux (Musical moments) for piano solo.

Schubert composite photo copy
Rachel Stegeman, Marylene Gingras-Roy, Adam Liu, Charles Stegeman, David Allen Wehr, Jeffrey Turner

David Allen Wehr is joined by Duquesne University faculty members, some of whom are members of the Pittsburgh Symphony and Concertmasters of Pittsburgh and regional orchestras:

Duquesne Piano Trio
David Allen Wehr, piano (Jack W. Geltz Distinguished Piano Chair)
Charles Stegeman, violin (Concertmaster, Pittsburgh Opera/Ballet Orchestra)
Adam Liu, cello (Assistant Principal Cello, Pittsburgh Symphony)

Joined by:
Rachel Stegeman, violin (Concertmaster, Youngstown and Wheeling Symphonies)
Marylene Gingras-Roy, viola (Pittsburgh Symphony)
Jeffrey Turner, contrabass (Principal Bass, Pittsburgh Symphony)

Photo by Dennis Keyes, denniskeyesphotography.com
Photo by Dennis Keyes, denniskeyesphotography.com

Immediately following the concert ARCA Member Donors of $100 and above are invited to attend a post-concert wine and cheese reception at the beautiful and stately RiverStone Estate mansion, hosted by Dr Arthur and Patricia Steffee.  Anyone wishing to become a Donor to ARCA at the $100 level and attend this reception may do so by clicking on Become A Member or calling (724) 659-3153.

Stop by the Red Brick Gallery Before the Concert:
The audience is invited to make a fall afternoon of it on the beautiful banks of the Allegheny River – arriving early for lunch in The Allegheny Grille or Foxburg Pizza, shopping at Foxburg Wine Cellars, having a coffee and chocolate dessert at Divani Chocolates and stopping by the Red Brick Gallery before the concert to view the exhibit of Sally Heston, featuring watercolors and pastels done on a variety of subjects in styles ranging from realist to semi-abstract.

Sally Heston PostCard-front copy

Back by popular demand and a favorite of Foxburg audiences, David Allen Wehr will open the program with three charming Moments musicaux (Musical moments) for piano solo. David will also serve as the program host for the concert providing enlightening and delightful insights on the music and the composer.

David’s international career was launched when he won the Gold Medal at the 1987 Santander International Piano Competition in Spain. The resulting tours have taken him to over 30 countries in Europe, North and South America, and the Far East, including performances in the world musical capitals of New York, London, Paris, Vienna, Washington, Madrid and Buenos Aires

It was David’s thirteen seasons touring the United States and Canada for Community concerts as a soloist and in chamber music partnerships that honed his unique ability to make great works of music accessible to the public.  Known for his ability as a “Living Program Note”, David Allen Wehr has a warm personality that welcomes an audience member into the emotion of the music and makes imaginative and simple the intricacies of glorious works of master composers.  The audience will certainly be charmed by this wonderful program made more enjoyable by the rich program commentary by David Allen Wehr.

Schubert on the Bluff p1 Brochure

Schubert on the Allegheny
As Duquesne University’s “Schubert on the Bluff” comes to Foxburg

All Schubert Program

Three Moments Musicaux, D. 780
2. A-Flat Major
3. F Minor
5. F Minor
David Allen Wehr, piano

Piano Trio no. 1 in B-Flat Major, D. 898
Allegro moderato
Andante un poco mosso
Scherzo: Allegro
Allegro vivace

Duquesne Piano Trio:
David Allen Wehr, piano
Charles Stegeman, violin
Adam Liu, cello Schubert

Intermission

Die Forelle (The Trout), D. 550
Katherine Erlandson Soroka, mezzo soprano
David Allen Wehr, piano

Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667 (Trout)
Allegro vivace
Andante
Scherzo: Presto
Theme and Variations: Andantino
Allegro giusto

David Allen Wehr, piano
Rachel Stegeman, violin
Marylene Gingras-Roy, viola
Adam Liu, cello
Jeffrey Turner, contrabass

Wehr at pianoInternational competition winner and celebrated pianist, David Allen Wehr, returns by popular demand to Foxburg with colleagues from the Duquesne University faculty to perform an all Schubert program on Saturday afternoon, September 26 at 2:00 PM – performing some of the Viennese composer’s most beloved music.  

This concert is part of Duquesne University’s popular “Schubert on the Bluff” series, but with a delightful twist:  They will be performing the beloved “Trout” Quintet” in a most fitting  setting on the banks of the Allegheny River in Foxburg in what certainly will be a delightful afternoon of memorable music making.

David is joined by Duquesne University faculty members, some of whom are members of the Pittsburgh Symphony and others Concertmasters of Pittsburgh and regional orchestras.

Duquesne Piano Trio
David Allen Wehr, piano (Jack W. Geltz Distinguished Piano Chair)
Charles Stegeman, violin (Concertmaster, Pittsburgh Opera/Ballet Orchestra)
Adam Liu, cello (Assistant Principal Cello, Pittsburgh Symphony)

Joined by:
Rachel Stegeman, violin (Concertmaster, Youngstown and Wheeling Symphonies)
Marylene Gingras-Roy, viola (Pittsburgh Symphony)
Jeffrey Turner, contrabass (Principal Bass, Pittsburgh Symphony)

One of Schubert’s piano masterpieces will open the program –  the six charming vignettes called Moments musicaux (Musical moments) which range from tender to fiery.

The Duquesne Piano Trio will perform Schubert’s Piano Trio #1, which is one of the monuments of the chamber music literature.

Schubert’s Trout Quintet is one of the most endearing works in classical music and provides the centerpiece of ARCA’s fall season opener. A friend of the Schubert’s requested a piece for the unusual combination of piano, violin, viola, cello, and contrabass, to include a set of variations on Schubert’s already popular song Die Forelle (The Trout). Schubert’s own song “The Trout”, on which the variations are based, will be sung in English by mezzo soprano Katherine Erlandson Soroka with pianist David Allen Wehr. The program also will include the Duquesne Piano Trio’s performance of the Piano Trio #1, one of Schubert’s most appealing and tuneful works, and three charming Moments musicaux (Musical moments) for piano solo.

Program Host – David Allen Wehr
David’s international career was launched when he won the Gold Medal at the 1987 Santander International Piano Competition in Spain. The resulting tours have taken him to over 30 countries in Europe, North and South America, and the Far East, including performances in the world musical capitals of New York, London, Paris, Vienna, Washington, Madrid and Buenos Aires

It was David’s thirteen seasons touring the United States and Canada for Community concerts as a soloist and in chamber music partnerships that honed his unique ability to make great works for the piano accessible to the public.  Known for his ability as a “Living Program Note”, Dave has a warm personality that welcomes an audience member into the emotion of the music and makes imaginative and simple the intricacies of great works of music.

As program host, David will share with the audience insights on the composer and his works, which is once again certain to charm and delight ARCA audiences.

David Allen Wehr

David Allen WehrDavid Allen Wehr holds the Jack W. Geltz Distinguished Piano Chair at the Mary Pappert School of Music. His international career was launched when he won the Gold Medal at the 1987 Santander International Piano Competition in Spain. The resulting tours have taken him to over 30 countries in Europe, North and South America, and the Far East, including performances in the world musical capitals of New York, London, Paris, Vienna, Washington, Madrid and Buenos Aires. Over 1,000 concerts include 13 seasons of touring the United States and Canada for Community Concerts as soloist, pianist with the Sartory Trio, and duo-recital partner with violinist Linda Wang and cellist Zuill Bailey. Wehr has been soloist with the London Symphony, National Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony, Houston Symphony, New Zealand Symphony and all the major Spanish and Latin American orchestras.

Born in Princeton, New Jersey, Wehr grew up in Boise, Idaho, where his parents, graduates of Westminster Choir College, were ministers of music at the Methodist Cathedral of the Rockies. Piano lessons began on his fourth birthday with his mother and continued with his father. Later teachers were Peggy Erwin, Edward Zolas and Sequeira Costa. Wehr studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Taos School of Music, the Dartington Summer Music School in England, and holds degrees from the University of Kansas. He coached extensively with Leon Fleisher, Jorge Bolet and Malcolm Frager. Early in his career, Wehr won the 1975 Kosciuszko Chopin Prize in New York City, the 1983 National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Award, and Second Prizes in the 1983 Naumburg International Piano Competition at New York’s Carnegie Hall, and the 1986 Kapell Competition at the Kennedy Center.

David Allen Wehr has amassed a large and critically acclaimed discography with Connoisseur Society, Inc., with programs by Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky, Schumann, Delius, Czerny, Gershwin, Brahms, Griffes, Wagner-Liszt, Dvoř-k and Joe Utterback. The complete Beethoven Sonata Cycle has been released in four double-CD albums. His CDs are available through the Mary Pappert School of Music by calling (412) 396-6082 and at amazon.com. Since 2007, Wehr has served each summer as Principal Keyboard at the Sunflower Music Festival in Topeka, Kansas and the Buzzards Bay Musicfest in Marion, Massachusetts.

Wehr was first associated with Duquesne from 1991-1994, when the Sartory Trio was chamber ensemble-in-residence, and his current tenure began in 2001, when he was named the first Hillman Distinguished Chair. His previous performance projects here include the complete Beethoven Sonata Cycle (2002-2004), Beethoven’s “Dynamic Duos”: the complete violin-piano sonatas with Charles Stegeman, the complete works for cello and piano with Anne Martindale Williams, and the Ninth Symphony in Liszt’s two-piano transcription with Helene Wickett (2004), “Brahms on the Bluff”, (Brahms’ complete instrumental chamber music, 2005-2008), “Musique on the Bluff” (French music, 2008-2010), “Bicentennials on the Bluff” (Chopin and Schumann, 2010), “Dvořák at Duquesne” (2011), and “Budapest on the Bluff” (2012) and “Beethoven on the Bluff” (2013-14) presenting the major piano chamber works of Beethoven.  “Schubert on the Bluff” debuts during the fall of 2015 and the first concert in the series is being brought to Foxburg’s Lincoln Hall on Saturday, September 26 at 2:00 PM.

Marylene Gingras-Roy

gingras_roy_maryleneA native of Québec City, Canada, Marylène Gingras-Roy joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra viola section in the 1997 season, and in 2004 was promoted to fourth chair. She studied at the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec with Douglas McNabney and François Paradis and graduated in 1993 with unanimous First Prizes in both in viola and chamber music. She was then the recipient of Canada and Québec Arts Councils’ Scholarship Grants, enabling her to attend the Harid Conservatory with Victoria Chiang and the renowned Curtis Institute of Music with Karen Tuttle and Joseph DePasquale, where she earned an Artist Diploma in 1997.

Marylène has participated in many festivals, including the Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy, the Solti Project at Carnegie Hall, the Jerusalem Music Festival, the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra, where she served as Principal violist, and since 2000 she is a member of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony in Idaho.

Marylène is heard regularly in chamber music concerts and maintains a full teaching schedule at Duquesne University, privately and is the viola coach for the Three Rivers Young People Orchestra. Marylène has also taught at summer music festivals such as: Domaine Forget, Québec, Interharmony Festival in Germany and Advanced Chamber Music Seminar in Pittsburgh.

Adam Liu

LIU__ADAMAdam Liu joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal Cello in 2003. Prior to this appointment, Liu held the position of Associate Principal Cello with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit for six seasons, including the entire 1999-2000 season as acting principal cello. He participated in many international tours and is featured on CD recordings with Montreal.

Liu was born in Tianjin, in north China. He came to the United States in 1986 on a full scholarship from the Piatigorsky Foundation to study at the Peabody Conservatory of Music with Stephen Kates. H then studied at the University of Southern California with Lynn Harrell.

Liu began his musical life at the age of 6 with intense study of the erhu – a two-stringed Chinese musical instrument. Taking the advice of his family, he switched to the cello, with the newly available study of western music.

Liu has been a soloist with orchestras worldwide, including the symphonies of Montreal, Victoria, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, San Antonio, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.

He plays on a fine Italian cello made in 1759 by Paolo Antonio Testore.
Liu has held the artist in residence position at the Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music since 2009 and is a member of the Duquesne Piano Trio.

Katherine Erlandson Soroka

Katherine Erlandson SorokaInspired by her study with Mezzo Soprano Jennie Tourel, Katherine’s first love is art song and vocal chamber music.  A winner of Pittsburgh’s Concert Society Major Auditions, her singing has been acclaimed as  “masterful” and “heroic” with “heartfelt vocalism” in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.  She has performed chamber music with the Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival and sung recitals in Kresge Auditorium, on The Silberman Recital Series at Allegheny College, in New York City at Cami and Merkin Concert Halls, and here in Lincoln Hall for ARCA.

Katherine curated and sang a Music for Exhibitions concert with Chatham Baroque at the Frick Museum in conjunction with the exhibit “From Michelangelo to Annibale Carraci:  A Century of Italian Drawings From the Prado”.  A benefit concert performance with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for Concerts for Causes raised funds for the Children’s Homeless Education Fund.

A student of Jan DeGaetani, Katherine has performed contemporary music with the Duquesne Contemporary Ensemble including  Ahkmatova Songs by University of Virginia composer Judith Shatin, and the world premiere of Rumi Sings of Love by Pittsburgh composer, David Stock.  She performed Betty Oliviero’s Juego de Siempre with Joel Sachs and Continuum contemporary ensemble in New York City.  Other performances at Aspen Music Festival and in New York City at The JCC, The Kitchen, Greenwich House, The Juilliard School, Columbia University and City University of New York featured music by Chinery Ung, Judith Shatin, Glen Cortese and Noah Zahler, among others.

Katherine has performed with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and has narrated and sung with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in  “Tiny Tots” and “Schooltime” concerts.  She has been a frequent soloist in oratorio and numerous zwischen fach operatic roles ranging from Cherubino and Dido to Suor Angelica and the Countess.  Soroka also has performed in cabaret, musical theatre and theatre.  Katherine teaches voice privately in Pittsburgh and Emlenton.

Charles Stegeman

Charles StegemanProfessor of Violin at Duquesne University, Canadian-born violinist Charles Stegeman made his recital debut at age seven in Banff and debuted as soloist with the Banff Festival Orchestra at age nine. He was awarded a full scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of 14 where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree, then continued his studies at the Juilliard School where he earned a Masters Degree.

Charles studied chamber music with Mischa Schneider, Isadore Cohen, Menahem Pressler, Michael Tree and David Soyer, and attended such international summer music festivals as Music Academy of the West, Banff School of Fine Arts, Meadowmount School of Music, Ravel Festival and the International Master Classes with Nathan Milstein.

Stegeman has appeared as soloist with the Vancouver Symphony, Toulouse Orchestre Symphonique, RTB Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, and New York Chamber Players. He is Artistic Director of the Sunflower Music Festival and the Buzzards Bay Musicfest.

Stegeman appeared under Columbia Artist Management auspices with the Canterbury and Sartory Trios. He has collaborated with Cynthia Phelps, Carter Brey, Peter Salaff, Jerome Lowenthal , Ron Leonard, Paul Coletti, Timothy Cobb and the Takacs Quartet. A winner of five national competitions and one international violin competition (CMC in Montreal), Mr. Stegeman currently performs approximately 60 concerts a year as Concertmaster, Chamber Musician, and Soloist in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Since 1980 Stegeman has played for over 3 million people and performed over 2400 concerts! He has performed in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Denver, Paris, Zurich, Brussels, and London. Since 1989, he has been Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Opera and Ballet Orchestras.

Rachel Stegeman

Rachel-StegemanViolinist Rachel Stegeman is Concertmaster of the Wheeling and Youngstown Symphony Orchestras and Associate Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Ballet and Opera Orchestras. She previously was Principal Second Violin of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Assistant Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. As a Los Angeles studio musician, she recorded over 600 major motion pictures, 250 television shows, commercials and 300 records from 1989-2004.

Ms. Stegeman has been Assistant Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, Opera Pacific, Pacific Symphony, Mozart Camerata, National Chamber Orchestra, and has played with the National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic. She has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival, National Symphony, Capistrano Valley Symphony and the Wheeling Symphony. She has been a guest at such music festivals as St. Barth’s, Sunflower, Buzzards Bay, and Cabrillo.

Ms. Stegeman is an Adjunct Professor of Violin at Duquesne University, where she earned bachelors and masters degrees as a student of Sidney Harth.   She and husband Charles Stegeman have 2 children together: Gabrielle (8) and Adam (7).

Jeffrey Turner

TURNER__JEFFREYJeffrey Turner is the Principal Bassist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Director of Orchestral Studies at Duquesne University, where he serves as conductor of the Duquesne Symphony Orchestra. A native of South Carolina, he completed his Bachelor’s degree with James VanDemark at the Eastman School of Music, and Master’s in Conducting with Dr. Robert Page at Carnegie Mellon University.

Before joining the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1987, Mr. Turner was the Principal Bass of the New American Chamber Orchestra from 1984 to 1986, and played with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for the 1986-87 season. He has served as Visiting Professor at the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, and the University of Maryland, and as a faculty member of Carnegie Mellon University for over 20 years.

Mr. Turner has served in recent years as Artistic Director of the City Music Center Chamber Orchestra and as Music Director of the Pittsburgh Live Chamber Orchestra. He has served as resident artist for many annual festivals including the Pacific Music Festival, The National Orchestral Institute, the National Youth Orchestra (USA), the Korsholm Festival (Finland), Indiana University’s Summer Music Festival, and The Asian Youth Orchestra (Hong Kong). He is featured as recitalist, clinician, and competition judge at the conventions of The International Society of Bassists.