Artists

José Elizondo began his musical studies in piano and organ performance at age 5 with Arturo Ochoa and Socorro Soto Ponce. He continued his education in music composition, conducting and orchestration (as well as humanities, computer science and electrical engineering) at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His main musical influences at these institutions were composers Peter Child and William Cutter, as well as conductors David Epstein and Constance DeFotis.

Elizondo's symphonic, choral and chamber music explores folk elements from the music of Mexico, his homeland, and the rest of Latin America. His works include rhapsodies evocative of pre-Hispanic rituals (Danza del Quetzal y la Serpiente and Estampas Mexicanas), folk dances (Danzas Latinoamericanas), mathematical fantasies (Mosaico Huichol), as well as straight-forward lyrical poems (Princesa de Hadas and Canción de Cuna). His music has been championed and commissioned by distinguished conductors and performers, such as Wayne Toews, Sergio Buslje, Robert Deutsch, Carlos Prieto, Roman Gießing, Laura Vincent, Leonid Grin and Andrew Sherwood. Performers of his works include orchestras in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas.

Elizondo enjoys participating in education and outreach programs, and collaborates often with community and youth orchestras. The Brighton Youth Orchestra in England, the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra in Canada and the Pan American Symphony in the United States have played very important roles in his development as a composer. He is active as a conductor, language coach, and lecturer. Additionally, he is known for his efforts in promoting contemporary music, with an emphasis on Latin American composers.

For more info please visit www.joseelizondo.com

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Dr. Kim S. Ellis is a native of Rockford, Illinois. She has been principal clarinetist with the Symphony of Southeast Texas since 1990 and is a Buffet Crampon USA performing artists. She is an active performer and clinician at conventions and clinics throughout the United States including the Texas Music Educators Assosication, Festival of Texas Composers, Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, College Music Society-South Chapter, Sarasota Music Festival, and the University of New Hampshire Chamber Music Festival.

In addition to her work heard on The Music of Copland & McKinley, Dr. Ellis has completed other recordings with Richard Stoltzman, William Thomas McKinley, and clarinetist Michele Gingras for MMC Recordings. She is also slated to record Italian clarinet and piano works with Debra Harder for Centaur Records. Past performances include stints with the C.D. Duo (clarinet and dancer), Woodlands Symphony, Opera Columbus, Columbus Light Opera, Coventry Trio, Keith Brion's New Sousa Band, and numerous Lamar University faculty chamber ensembles. In her live performance career, Dr. Ellis has premiered works by William Thomas McKinley, Dr. Frank Felice, Dr. Nick Rissman, Dr. Harry Bulow, and Dr. Joe Alexander.

Dr. Ellis is currently a clarinet and saxophone instructor at Lamar University and has received numerous teaching honors including the Lamar University Teaching Merit and Outstanding Teacher Awards. She holds degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University (BME), Bowling Green State University (MM), and Ohio State University (DMA) and has studied with David Peck (Houston Symphony), Jim Pyne (OSU), John Mohler (UM), Edward Marks (BGSU), John McGrosso (IWU), and Ken Stein.

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Paul A. Epstein's compositions include two chamber operas as well as works for string orchestra and for a variety of small ensembles. His Prime Times 2 for flute, bassoon, and piano was a winner of the Pascal Gallois 2008 call for scores. He has written extensively for voice, including a setting of Robert Coover's The Leper's Helix and a series of collaborations with poet and novelist Toby Olson, beginning with Chamber Music: Three Songs from Home. In American Music in the Twentieth Century, critic Kyle Gann cites Epstein as "One of the finest post minimal composers..." and calls Chamber Music "...a vocal setting for winds and keyboards of great contrapuntal beauty." Epstein's music has been presented in the U.S. and abroad by such ensembles as Relâche, Synchronia, the Circle ensemble of London, and ONIX Nuevo Ensamble de México. It is available on compact disk on the Mode and Capstone labels and is distributed by ThatNewMusicWebsite.com. Epstein is a member of BMI.

Paul A. Epstein is Professor Emeritus of Music Theory at Temple University, where he taught from 1969 to 2001. Born in Boston in 1938, he is a graduate of Brandeis University and the University of California at Berkeley. His composition teachers included Harold Shapero, Seymour Shifrin, and Luciano Berio, with whom he studied privately on a Fulbright grant to Italy. Apart from his concert music, Epstein has been involved in closely collaborative work with artists in theater and dance. He was associated with The Performance Group (New York) from 1969 to 1972. From 1974 to 1987, he was composer and music director for ZeroMoving Dance Company of Philadelphia.

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Michael J. Evans is an American composer based in Washington, D.C. Originally from Canton, Ohio, he began musical studies at age 10, learning piano and saxophone. He attended Kent State University studying composition with Thomas Janson and piano with Margaret Baxtresser.

In 1986, Michael moved to Washington D.C., where he resides today, and continues to compose orchestral, chamber, and solo instrumental works. His compositions have been premiered in Paris, Delaware, and Washington D.C. Recent recordings include the release of his orchestral piece The Holiday Party by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2007; Mandala, for harp viola, and flute, recorded by soloists from the Kiev Philharmonic in 2008; and Fantasy for orchestra, recorded by the Millennium Symphony, due to be released in summer 2009.

For more information on Michael J. Evans please visit www.michaeljevans.net.

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