Five Dances Bios
 Brave New Works

 

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Micah Heilbrunn, Clarinet
is currently on sabatical for the 1999-2000 season. He is from London Ontario Canada, Micah is a graduate of the Interlochen arts academy and received his bachelors of music from the University of Michigan. He is currently pursuing his masters degree at the McGill school of music in Montreal. In Canada, Micah has appeared with several Canadian orchestras and has toured Canada and europe with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Micah's principal teachers have been Deborah Chodacki (University of Michigan) and Jerome Summers (University of Western Ontario).

Carolyn Lukancic, Violin
began studying violin at the age of eight. She received a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University in 1995 where she studied privately with Christian Teal of the Blair String Quartet and chamber music with John Kochanowski of the Concord String Quartet. She received a Master's of Music degree in violin performance in 1997 under Stephen Shipps, studying chamber music with Andrew Jennings. Carolyn is currently residing in the Ann Arbor, MI area as a freelance violinist/violist and private violin/viola instructor. She has been Musical Director of the Monroe Youth Orchestra 1997 to the present and is a faculty member for the Michigan All-State High School and Junior High School Summer Festivals at the Interlochen Arts Academy. She is currently a member of the Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestra and performs with various other orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Ann Arbor area.

Christopher Froh Percussion
A native of Falls Church, Virginia, Brave New Works co-director Chris Froh has studied percussion at the Eastman School of Music, Toho Gakuen Conservatory, and the University of Michigan where he holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in performance. He has not yet been convicted of a felony although he came very close at the age of seven; an incident that both the Postmaster General of Virginia and Chris' parents continue to curse.

Alejandra Urrutia, Violin
began playing the violin at the age of eight in her native country of Chile. At the age of fourteen.Alejandra received a scholarship to continue her studies at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. Ms. Urrutia has performed as a soloist with the National Symphony of Chile, the National Youth Symphony of Chile, the Concepcion Symphony Orchestra, the National Chamber Orchestra of Santiago, the Columbus State University Orchestra, and the Morelos Chamber Orchestra of Mexico. In 1994-96, Ms. Urrutia was awarded a fellowship to attend the Aspen Music Summer Festival in Colorado, and for the past two summers, has been a member of the faculty at the All-State Program at Interlochen. Ms. Urrutia has participated in various master classes with Robert McDuffie, Cho Liang-Lin, David Kim, Pamela Frank, and others. Ms. Urrutia is pursuing a Doctorate in Violin Performance with professor Paul Kantor at the University of Michigan.

Katri Ervamaa, Cello
Cellist Katri Ervamaa is a doctoral student in performance at the University of Michigan School of Music. She has performed widely in the US, as well as in her native Finland and throughout Europe. As the member of the Owla String Quartet Ms.Ervamaa has appeared on Bowdoin, Soundfest, Orlando, Norrtalje and Kuhmo Festivals, as well as in recitals in Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Sweden and the US. Ms. Ervamaa holds B.M and M.M degrees from the Northern Illinois University. Her primary teachers include Erling Blondal-Bengtsson, Marc Johnson, Kazimierz Michalik and Lauri Laitinen, as well as the Vermeer, Borodin and Colorado Quartets. The highlights of upcoming performances include the Victor Ullman Centennial Celebration (String Quartet no.3), recitals in Finland and France with the Owla Quartet and the Brave New Works concert by and for the persecuted. The highlights of this performing season include Victor Ullman Centennial Celebration (String Quartet no.3), a tour to Taiwan and the "St.Martin le Mault" festival in France with the Owla Quartet and the upcoming Brave New Works concerts.

 Five Dances Creators Bio

Composers
Choreographers
Steve Eddins

is a doctoral student in composition at the University of Michigan. He received his bachelor's and Master's degrees from Oberlin College and the University of Akron. His teachers have included Randolph Coleman, Brigh Sheng, William Albright, Erik Santos, Evan Chambers and Michael Daugherty. He has received awards from the Music Teachers National Association, the North Carolina Music Teachers Association, the Arts Council of Greater Toledo and the Masterworks Chorale, the University of Akron, and the University Carillon Competition. His special interest is in collaboration with artists in other media. He has recently written incidental music for University of Michigan productions of Sherlock Holmes and Henry V. His short opera, Paranoia, was produced by Caterwaul! last spring at the University of Michigan.

Rishauna Zumberg

was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1978. She has studied dance for 15 years and graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in 1996. She continues her studies as a junior here at the University of Michigan. She has worked with faculty choreographers Peter Sparling, Bill DeYoung, Jessica Fogel, and Evelyn Velez-Aguayo as well as with student choreographers. She is excited to be collaborating with musicians and peers on this project and enjoys being on the choreographic side for a change.

Mark Kirschenmann

Ph.D. Pre-Candidate at the University of Michigan majoring in music composition and theory. He has received a B.F.A. (with highest University and Departmental honors) from Carnegie Mellon University, and an M.A. from Eastman. His composition teachers include Michael Daugherty, William Bolcom, Samuel Adler, Joseph Schwantner, Leonardo Balada, and Lukas Foss. Mark has received awards and commissions from the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, Albany Symphony's Dogs of Desire, Aspen Festival, and is a contributing composer for the Bonk and Brave New Workds new music series. Mark is attending the University of Michigan on a Regents Fellowship and teaching assistantship, teaching theory and improvisation there for three years. Mark is also active as an electronic musician, working extensively with computers and the recording studio. He has released recordings on the Atomic, Carbon, Complacency, Fifth Colvmn, and Multimood record labels. Mark also plays trumpet whenever and wherever people let him get away with it. You may have heard him with Maschina, or perhaps the Creative Arts Orchestra, or the Digital Music Ensemble, or Quartex, or the Bitches Brew Project, or at Collage, or on Cage's Cartridge Music, or ...

Lily Baldwin

Movement helps makes sense of the world for Lily Baldwin. Originally from Boston, she is now a junior and a dance major at the University of Michigan. Dance and choreography are a passion and a challenge. This is the bittersweet focus of her life these days. She is very excited by the possibilities of collaboration. Once graduated she would like to continue collaborating with other artists and non-artists. She is curious how others make sense of this absurd place.

John Berners

grew up in South Bend, IN and began composing at an early age. He studied trombone performance and mathematics at Northwestern University. After living and working in New York for several years he moved to Michigan and studied composition privately with C. Curtis-Smith of Western Michigan University. John completed a Master's in Composition at the University of Michigan and is now pursuing a Ph.D there, where his teachers have been Willam Albright, Bright Sheng and Evan Chambers.

Jeremy Kallio

I am from Livonia, Michigan. I work for "heart and hand." Time Stereo is my main partner. I hope you like the five dances project. "Sleepy and Bounce" is dedicated to K. and all the people. Thank you Deborah and dancers and Brave New Works and John Berners. (Jeremy's version)

Jeremy Kallio is currently in the process of transforming his garage in his hometown, Livonia, Michigan, into his own work space. Jeremy's first dance teacher was Min Tanaka. Jeremy performs mostly in Detroit, Michigan at places such as Gold Dollar, Alvin's, and Heidelberg Street. He has collaborated with Control Panel, Little Princess, and The On. (Jeremy's girlfriend's version)

Thomas Christopher Schnauber

Normally, a composer bio would say something like, "Tom Schnauber was born in Los angeles in 1969. He received his Bachelor's and Advanced Studies degrees from the University of Southern California, and his Master's at the University of Michigan. Currently persuing a Ph.D in Composition and Theroy, Mr. Schnauber has...," and would then go on to list teachers I've studied with, awards won, that sort of thing. I don't know how interesting all that is, though. So if you want to know the good stuff, come talk to me after the show.

 

Angela Youlles

is a BFA candidate in her third year of the University of Michigan's dance program. She has performed in numerous works by resident faculty and student choreographers, as well as in works by guest choreographers such as Twyla Tharp and Merce Cunningham. Although a student of compositional technique for many years, this production searves as her first oppertunity to show her work outside the classroom environment.

Eli Shapiro, Percussion
is on sabbatical for the 1999-2000 season. Eli will be pursuing a master's degree from Cal Arts. He is a co-founder and co-director of Brave New Works, percussion; is finishing his Bachelors of Music at the University of Michigan. Recently, as a part of BNW, Eli was coached by American composer, George Crumb during his residency in Ann Arbor, MI. Last year, Eli was a soloist at the International Computer Music Convention and was one of four on-stage percussionists in the world premiere of Michael Udow's percussion opera, "The Shattered Mirror." Eli can be heard on the Equilibrium label with the University of Michigan Percussion Ensemble and on a recording of Mr. Udow's multiple percussion solos. In addition to performing, Eli is the percussion instructor for the Saline Area Schools and last summer taught at Interlochen Arts Camp for the Michigan All-State Program.

Deborah Miller

was born in Lexington, Kentucky. She is currently a senior at the University of Michigan where she is earning her Bachelor of Dance Arts as a Merit Scholarship recipient. While at the University of Michigan, she has performed works by Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, and many other faculty and students. She has studied at various summer programs, including the Jose Limon Summer Workshop, the Martha Graham Summer Intensive, and the New York University/Tisch Summer Workshop. After graduation, she will pursue her career as a performer.