Soloists
Mira Yamamoto, violin – October 2012
Mira Yamamoto, 15 years old, began playing the violin when she was 3-1/2 and currently studies with Ron Patterson, professor of violin at the University of Washington. This summer, Mira won a spot in the Philadelphia International Music Festival's Solo Performance program, where she studied with Noah Geller, assistant concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She also attended the Manhattan School of Music's summer program and the Marrowstone Music Festival in Bellingham. Mira has been an age-division winner of PIMF's Concerto Competition as well as a two-time winner of the Saratoga Chamber Orchestra's Young Artist Competition (Whidbey Island). For two summers she has also participated in the Rose City International Conductors Workshop in Portland, Oregon, where she was given podium time to conduct the Rose City Chamber Orchestra.
Mira is a member of the Seattle Youth Symphony and a student at the Seattle Conservatory of Music, where she studies conducting, music theory, and chamber music. She has also studied piano for four years with jazz pianist, Maureen Girard. Mira lives on Whidbey Island and is an honor roll student in 10th grade at the Washington Virtual Academy. Outside of music, her interests are art and photography. She hopes to someday be the conductor of a major symphony orchestra.
Audrey Chen, cello – October 2012
Audrey Chen, a junior at Interlake High School, began playing the cello in the fourth grade with Mr. Kai Chen. She has been the principal cellist of the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra since 2010. For the past three years, Audrey has distinguished herself in the Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside and the Seattle Young Artists Music Festival, and she has placed in the very top for the past two years at the Washington State Solo and Ensemble Contest.
Audrey’s experience as a soloist includes performing with the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Eastside Symphony, and the Sammamish Symphony. Recently, Audrey was selected to participate in the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, where she won the concerto competition and played with the Summer Institute Orchestra on the Kennedy Center concert hall stage. In addition to playing the cello, she enjoys fencing and playing the piano. Audrey plays on a French Buthod cello on generous loan from the Carlsen Cello Foundation.
Jeffrey Taylor, composer – December 2012
Jeffrey Taylor began composing at age 16. Though largely self-taught, he has studied film scoring with Hummie Mann and composition with Samuel Jones. Over the years he has written pop songs, piano solos, and more recently, various works for brass ensemble, several of which are published by Solid Brass Music. He has also composed full symphonies; his Suite Holidays and In Memoriam 911 have been premiered by the Eastside Symphony, and the Redmond Overture will premiere at the December concert. Jeff is a member of ASCAP and the Seattle Composers Alliance.
In addition to composing, Jeff plays tuba with the Eastside Symphony, the Highline Community Band, Brass Band Northwest, and the Black Diamond Brass Quintet. He has studied tuba with retired Seattle Symphony tubist, Michael Russell. For more information about Jeff and about his compositions, visit his web site at www.artsnsounds.com.
About Redmond Overture... "At the end of the 2011-12 Eastside Symphony concert season, director Alexei Girsh asked me to consider writing something to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the city of Redmond, Washington. There was no commission involved, so that left the choice of music entirely up to me. This overture, unlike the very specific musical descriptions of some of my other 'program' pieces, is really more about mood. The history of Redmond is relatively uneventful. No Indian warfare. No historic battles. The greatest disruptions were Prohibition when the saloons closed and reduced the city's tax base, and the exhaustion of the supply of logs which changed the agricultural industry from logging to farming. The four-note opening motive of this piece represents a brief but ever-present uncertainty of the future. The serenity of the Sammamish River Valley can be heard in the long, peaceful theme that follows, while the everyday enjoyment of activities and business bustle of companies like Microsoft take shape in the faster middle section. Redmond's 100th birthday is on December 31, 2012."
The Baudboys – December 2012
The Baudboys are a male a cappella group composed of current and former Microsoft employees. Risking the wrath of fellow employees by rehearsing on-campus, The Baudboys sing a variety of popular and original music. As a group, they boast a wealth of musical training and performing experience. All sang with other groups before joining The Baudboys, and several founded or directed previous ensembles.
In 2010 The Baudboys swept the Pacific Northwest Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, winning Best Original Arrangement, Audience Favorite and Best Group, and representing the region at the national finals. They have performed in venues great and small, from nursing homes and schools to major festivals and sporting events. They look forward to their first international trip this spring, to Finland and other European stops.
Members: Mark Adolph, Owen Braun, Paul Eng, Elliot Lewis, Dave McEwen, Martin Puryear, Jonathan Schwartz, Mike Thomsen. You can contact them at baudboys@baudboys.com.
Natalya Ageyeva, piano – May 2013
Natalya Ageyeva began formal piano lessons at age 13 when she was accepted at the Special Music School for Talented Children in Moscow. She later graduated with honors in the Masters Program from the Moscow Conservatory, studying with Valeriy Kastelsky. She completed her doctoral degree at the University of Washington with distinguished pianists, Bela Siki and Robin McCabe.
An artist of great versatility, Ageyeva has performed as a recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestra soloist throughout the US and internationally, including Russia, Italy, Austria, and Israel. She has also been an active participant in many local music festivals, including the Seattle Chamber Music Society's Summer Festival, Seattle’s Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series, the Olympic Music Festival, the Second City Chamber Series in Tacoma, the Methow Valley Music Festival in Winthrop, and the First Sunday at the Commons Series on Bainbridge Island.
Ageyeva has taught at the Moscow Conservatory and the University of Washington, and has adjudicated piano competitions in Chicago, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC. She is currently focusing on her solo career and chamber music performances. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Russian Chamber Music Foundation of Seattle, and is a member of the recently-formed group, Trenta Dita (one piano, six hands) with pianists Deborah Dewey and Lisa Bergman. For more information about Natalya Ageyeva, visit www.natalyapiano.com.
Maureen Stone, English horn – May 2013
Maureen Stone has played oboe ever since her junior high school band director convinced her it would be more fun than flute or clarinet. She had her first opportunity to play English horn in a youth symphony performance of Hovhaness’ Mysterious Mountain. Since then, she has played both oboe and English horn as frequently as possible with community orchestras, choirs, theater groups, and with friends. She is a regular member of Eastside Symphony and serves on its board. Professionally, she works at Tableau Software, helping people to see and understand data.
Maureen and her husband, Doug Wyatt, who plays timpani with the Eastside Symphony, live in the Woodinville area with their two sons. Doug will be conducting Maureen's performance of Sibelius' The Swan of Tuonela.
Mira Yamamoto, 15 years old, began playing the violin when she was 3-1/2 and currently studies with Ron Patterson, professor of violin at the University of Washington. This summer, Mira won a spot in the Philadelphia International Music Festival's Solo Performance program, where she studied with Noah Geller, assistant concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She also attended the Manhattan School of Music's summer program and the Marrowstone Music Festival in Bellingham. Mira has been an age-division winner of PIMF's Concerto Competition as well as a two-time winner of the Saratoga Chamber Orchestra's Young Artist Competition (Whidbey Island). For two summers she has also participated in the Rose City International Conductors Workshop in Portland, Oregon, where she was given podium time to conduct the Rose City Chamber Orchestra.
Mira is a member of the Seattle Youth Symphony and a student at the Seattle Conservatory of Music, where she studies conducting, music theory, and chamber music. She has also studied piano for four years with jazz pianist, Maureen Girard. Mira lives on Whidbey Island and is an honor roll student in 10th grade at the Washington Virtual Academy. Outside of music, her interests are art and photography. She hopes to someday be the conductor of a major symphony orchestra.
Audrey Chen, a junior at Interlake High School, began playing the cello in the fourth grade with Mr. Kai Chen. She has been the principal cellist of the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra since 2010. For the past three years, Audrey has distinguished herself in the Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside and the Seattle Young Artists Music Festival, and she has placed in the very top for the past two years at the Washington State Solo and Ensemble Contest.
Audrey’s experience as a soloist includes performing with the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Eastside Symphony, and the Sammamish Symphony. Recently, Audrey was selected to participate in the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, where she won the concerto competition and played with the Summer Institute Orchestra on the Kennedy Center concert hall stage. In addition to playing the cello, she enjoys fencing and playing the piano. Audrey plays on a French Buthod cello on generous loan from the Carlsen Cello Foundation.
Jeffrey Taylor began composing at age 16. Though largely self-taught, he has studied film scoring with Hummie Mann and composition with Samuel Jones. Over the years he has written pop songs, piano solos, and more recently, various works for brass ensemble, several of which are published by Solid Brass Music. He has also composed full symphonies; his Suite Holidays and In Memoriam 911 have been premiered by the Eastside Symphony, and the Redmond Overture will premiere at the December concert. Jeff is a member of ASCAP and the Seattle Composers Alliance.
In addition to composing, Jeff plays tuba with the Eastside Symphony, the Highline Community Band, Brass Band Northwest, and the Black Diamond Brass Quintet. He has studied tuba with retired Seattle Symphony tubist, Michael Russell. For more information about Jeff and about his compositions, visit his web site at www.artsnsounds.com.
About Redmond Overture... "At the end of the 2011-12 Eastside Symphony concert season, director Alexei Girsh asked me to consider writing something to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the city of Redmond, Washington. There was no commission involved, so that left the choice of music entirely up to me. This overture, unlike the very specific musical descriptions of some of my other 'program' pieces, is really more about mood. The history of Redmond is relatively uneventful. No Indian warfare. No historic battles. The greatest disruptions were Prohibition when the saloons closed and reduced the city's tax base, and the exhaustion of the supply of logs which changed the agricultural industry from logging to farming. The four-note opening motive of this piece represents a brief but ever-present uncertainty of the future. The serenity of the Sammamish River Valley can be heard in the long, peaceful theme that follows, while the everyday enjoyment of activities and business bustle of companies like Microsoft take shape in the faster middle section. Redmond's 100th birthday is on December 31, 2012."
The Baudboys are a male a cappella group composed of current and former Microsoft employees. Risking the wrath of fellow employees by rehearsing on-campus, The Baudboys sing a variety of popular and original music. As a group, they boast a wealth of musical training and performing experience. All sang with other groups before joining The Baudboys, and several founded or directed previous ensembles.
In 2010 The Baudboys swept the Pacific Northwest Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, winning Best Original Arrangement, Audience Favorite and Best Group, and representing the region at the national finals. They have performed in venues great and small, from nursing homes and schools to major festivals and sporting events. They look forward to their first international trip this spring, to Finland and other European stops.
Members: Mark Adolph, Owen Braun, Paul Eng, Elliot Lewis, Dave McEwen, Martin Puryear, Jonathan Schwartz, Mike Thomsen. You can contact them at baudboys@baudboys.com.
Natalya Ageyeva began formal piano lessons at age 13 when she was accepted at the Special Music School for Talented Children in Moscow. She later graduated with honors in the Masters Program from the Moscow Conservatory, studying with Valeriy Kastelsky. She completed her doctoral degree at the University of Washington with distinguished pianists, Bela Siki and Robin McCabe.
An artist of great versatility, Ageyeva has performed as a recitalist, chamber musician, and orchestra soloist throughout the US and internationally, including Russia, Italy, Austria, and Israel. She has also been an active participant in many local music festivals, including the Seattle Chamber Music Society's Summer Festival, Seattle’s Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series, the Olympic Music Festival, the Second City Chamber Series in Tacoma, the Methow Valley Music Festival in Winthrop, and the First Sunday at the Commons Series on Bainbridge Island.
Ageyeva has taught at the Moscow Conservatory and the University of Washington, and has adjudicated piano competitions in Chicago, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC. She is currently focusing on her solo career and chamber music performances. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Russian Chamber Music Foundation of Seattle, and is a member of the recently-formed group, Trenta Dita (one piano, six hands) with pianists Deborah Dewey and Lisa Bergman. For more information about Natalya Ageyeva, visit www.natalyapiano.com.
Maureen Stone has played oboe ever since her junior high school band director convinced her it would be more fun than flute or clarinet. She had her first opportunity to play English horn in a youth symphony performance of Hovhaness’ Mysterious Mountain. Since then, she has played both oboe and English horn as frequently as possible with community orchestras, choirs, theater groups, and with friends. She is a regular member of Eastside Symphony and serves on its board. Professionally, she works at Tableau Software, helping people to see and understand data.
Maureen and her husband, Doug Wyatt, who plays timpani with the Eastside Symphony, live in the Woodinville area with their two sons. Doug will be conducting Maureen's performance of Sibelius' The Swan of Tuonela.