August 3 — 14, 2009

WASHINGTON ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL

Oboist and Director of the Washington Island Music Festival, Stephen Colburn comes to us from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, where he has performed as Principal Oboe since 1966. He has also been Principal Oboe with the Santa Fe Opera and guest principal oboist with Chicago's Grant Park Music Festival. He has been a featured soloist with the Ojai Festival in California, performing the American premiere of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies' Oboe Concerto under the composer's direction. As a conductor, Mr. Colburn served as Music Director of the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra from its founding in 1974 through the 2002 season, and was also Music Director and Conductor of the Racine Symphony Orchestra. He has served on the faculty of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Alverno College, UW-Whitewater, was a visiting professor at Lawrence University, and is currently an Adjunct Professor at UW-Milwaukee. Mr. Colburn holds degrees from Indiana University and UW-Milwaukee. He was the recipient of the 2002 Distinguished Citizen Award given by the Civic Music Association of Milwaukee and was presented the 2003 Outstanding Service to Music Award by the Association of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras.

Meet the Ensemble

Festival Musicians

Stephen Colburn, Artistic Director/Oboe

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Julie Thornton, Flute  (Leave of Absence, 2009)

Colorado Symphony Orchestra

Flutist Julie Duncan Thornton is currently Principal Piccolo of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. She played the 1998-99 season with the New York Philharmonic, recording and touring with them, and has also performed with the Houston Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra and the Grand Tetons Festival Orchestra. A native of Mercer Island, Washington, Julie graduated from the Eastman School of Music and Northwestern University, pursuing doctoral studies at Rice University. In addition, Julie has performed with Strings in the Mountains, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Solti Orchestral Project at Carnegie Hall, Denver Opera, Houston Grand Opera, National Repertory Orchestra, National Orchestral Institute, and the Music Academy of the West. A winner and finalist of several competitions, she has studied with Walfrid Kujala, Bonita Boyd, Carol Wincenc, Anne Diener-Giles, and Leone Buyse. Julie is the wife of Michael Thornton, Principal Horn of the Colorado Symphony, and they enjoy performing chamber music together. Michael and Julie are the proud parents of their daughters, Lauren and Amanda.

William Helmers, Clarinet

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Jeani Foster, Flute

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

MSO Principal Flutist Jeani Foster has appeared as a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, Charleston Symphony, Colorado Springs Symphony, Florida Gulf Coast Symphony, and the Colorado Philharmonic.  Winner of the Concert Artists Guild Award, she made her Carnegie Recital Hall debut in 1983.  In 1987, Ms. Foster was invited to perform in the Astoria Concert Series in Brussels, Belgium, and has given recitals in Geneva, Switzerland with Concerts Atlantique.  After winning the Artists International Distinguished Artists Award in 1996, she gave a solo recital in New York's Merkin Concert Hall.  World-premiere performances include David Noon's Partita; Mark DiPalma's Duo Concerto, Ronald Foster's Conversations for Flute and Orchestra (After Gershwin), Summertime Fantasy for Flute and Orchestra, Meditations for Flute and Harp; and Normand Lockwood's Preambles for Solo Flute.  Recordings include works by Arthur Foote, Lukas Foss, and Roberto Sierra.  Ms. Foster was on the faculties of The Colorado College Summer Conservatory, University of Denver, and UW-Parkside.  She has played with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, and the Colorado Ballet Orchestra.  Formerly principal flutist of the Colorado Springs and Florida Gulf Coast Symphonies, Ms. Foster is a graduate of the University of Southern California and the Manhattan School of Music, where she received the Pablo Casals Award for Musical Accomplishment and Human Endeavor.

Assisting Artists

Philip Green

Trumpet

Dr. C. Philip Green is currently the trumpet-playing pastor of the Bethel Evangelical Free Church on Washington Island where he has served for the last four years.  He began playing the trumpet as a 10-year-old and has enjoyed playing it for over 40 years mostly in the church context, but also for various community functions (festivals, city bands, weddings and funerals, etc.).  Phil plays this “instrument of kings” for the King of kings, seeking to make His praise glorious through great music.

Dan Hansen

Composer

Sponsored by the Washington Island Music Festival, Dan Hansen is a music educator in the Washington Island School. He serves as a mentor and teacher to many young Island musicians. Dan is director of the Red Barn summer entertainment programs and is known in the community for planning musical programs, composing, arranging and performing. He directs the choir at Trinity Lutheran Church and performs regularly at T. Ashwell's restaurant in Ellison Bay and often at the Washington Hotel on Washington Island. He has composed many songs and several large-scale choral works, including "Make A Joyful Noise", commissioned by the Washington Island Music Festival for the christening of the new ferry, the Arni J. Richter in 2003.

Marty Krebs

Trumpet

Marty Krebs’ love of the trumpet began in seventh grade.  At the University of Wisconsin, Marty majored in Business but had a minor in Music where he earned the classification as one of the ten best college trumpet players in the country.  Even while running a multi-million dollar company, Marty never lost his embouchure. He played in Milwaukee's top society orchestra which was heavily booked for weddings, sports shows and featured artists.  This gave him the opportunity to back personalities like Lou Rowls, Glenn Campbell, lsaac Hayes and Marion McPartlend. They also played for Milwaukee's Opera and many benefits.  But Marty's fondest memories are for the ten years that he played a weekly Dixieland job at Milwaukee's landmark Jazz spot..  Marty loves playing at Jazz Festivals and on Cruise ships. Over the years he's been in New Orleans, Sacramento, Oregon, Canada and the Caribbean.  Versatility is Marty's trademark.  He played with the Waukesha Symphony and he plays regularly straight ahead jazz, classical, big bands, dance bands and Dixieland using the trumpet, fluegelhorn and/or cornet.