Phyllis Crossen-Richardson
Phyllis Crossen-Richardson (Artistic Director & Clarinet) has performed extensively as chamber musician and recitalist throughout the U.S.
Phyllis Crossen-Richardson
Phyllis Crossen-Richardson (Artistic Director & Clarinet) has performed extensively as chamber musician and recitalist throughout the United States. A consummate musical entrepreneur Phyllis is a founding member of both the Annapolis Chamber Players, which celebrated its 10th year in 2016 and Trio Simpatico. In addition she plays in the Crossen Duo, Crosswinds, and is an active free-lance performer in the Baltimore-Washington, DC area.
As the Annapolis Chamber Players’ Artistic Director, Phyllis collaborates with her colleagues to design eclectic and entertaining programs of classical favorites with lesser-known gems. She is also committed to music education, in particular, providing chamber music opportunities for young musicians. She is the Director of ACP’s Annapolis Chamber Music Project and former director of University of Maryland’s ClarinetConnection. She has taught clarinet privately and coached chamber music ensembles at the University of Maryland, South River High School, and for the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra. From 2010-2016 Phyllis was a member of the Washington College Music Department.
Phyllis received her Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in clarinet performance from the University of Maryland, and her Bachelor of Music degree from The Peabody Conservatory of Music. She studied clarinet with Loren Kitt, Ignatius Gennusa, Anthony Gigliotti, Robert Marcellus, among others. She has done extensive research and archival work for the International Clarinet Association Research Center, and published articles in The Clarinet, Clarinet & Saxophone, and NACWPI Journal.
RELATED LINKS:
TRIO SIMPATICO – www.triosimpatico.com
Heidi Brown
Heidi Brown (Assistant Director & French horn) was raised in Sunnyvale, California and began her musical studies at the age of ten playing trumpet
Heidi Brown
(Assistant Director & French horn) Heidi Brown was raised in Sunnyvale, California and began her musical studies at the age of ten playing trumpet. In junior high school, Heidi added the French horn to her repertoire. She studied both instruments through the age of seventeen, when she attended the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, focusing on the French horn where she studied horn with Julie Schleif.
Giving up on her “sunny” California roots, Heidi spent her formative college years studying horn with Douglas Hill at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, receiving her undergraduate degree in music performance. Continuing her move east, Heidi studied with Gregory Miller at the University of Maryland-College Park, completing her Master’s degree in horn performance.
Heidi has participated in various summer festivals including the Aspen Music Festival, the Las Vegas Music Festival, and the National Orchestral Institute. She regularly performs with Great Noise Ensemble, Trio Simpatico, the Annapolis Chamber Players and the Monumental Brass Quintet. Additionally, Heidi is on faculty at the International School of Music. She is also a certified Kindermusik educator and teaches Early Childhood Music as well as private brass lessons. She is an active freelance musician and teacher in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Kristin Bakkegard
Kristin Bakkegard, Violin/Upper Stringsis an active freelance violinist and teacher in the greater Washington, D.C. area. She is Associate Principal 2nd Violin of the Annapolis Symphony.
Kristin Bakkegard
Kristin Bakkegard, Violin/Upper Strings is an active freelance violinist and teacher in the greater Washington, D.C. area. She is Associate Principal 2nd Violin of the Annapolis Symphony and a section member of Williamsburg Symphony. She also performs with the Richmond Symphony, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, National Philharmonic, and Maryland Symphony. In addition to classical music, she enjoys playing in the occasional orchestra concert featuring music such as The Legend of Zelda and Game of Thrones. Coming up later this month Kristin will be soloing with Annapolis Symphony, playing Spring from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Besides performing with Annapolis Chamber Players, other notable chamber music collaborations include a performance with violinist and partner Paul Bagley on Mozart’s Concertone for Two Violins and Orchestra with the Montgomery College Orchestra, performing as a guest artist with the Shepherd Trio in the DC area, and performing on two NPR Tiny Desk concerts, one with the British band alt-J, and one with Billy Corgan, the lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning band The Smashing Pumpkins. Kristin also is a member of the Live Wire String Quartet in Baltimore, performing interactive educational shows in many Baltimore City Public Elementary Schools. Kristin has performed internationally in Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Canada, and attended festivals including the National Repertory Orchestra, National Orchestral Institute and AIMS in Graz, Austria. She was awarded fellowship positions at the Atlantic Music Festival and the Marrowstone Music Festival, at the latter of which she served as Co-Concertmaster. Kristin received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Violin Performance from Ithaca College and the University of Maryland – College Park, respectively. Her primary teachers have consisted of members of the Baltimore and National Symphony Orchestras.
Daniel Shomper
Dr. Daniel Shomper is an active performer, chamber musician and teacher. The Baltimore Sun has praised his ‘virtuoso playing’ and complimented his ‘masterful performance’ and ‘lyrical expression.’
Dr. Daniel Shomper
Dr. Daniel Shomper is an active performer, chamber musician and teacher. The Baltimore Sun has praised his ‘virtuoso playing’ and complimented his ‘masterful performance’ and ‘lyrical expression.’ He has performed at venues such as the Kennedy Center, the National Art Gallery, and the Washington Arts Club, among others. Additionally, he has performed concerts and in prestigious music festivals in the United States and abroad, including venues in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Prague, Budapest, Helsinki, and Quebec. Dan Shomper is a founding member of the Riverhawk String Quartet, made up of the string faculty from Anne Arundel Community College. He is also a member of the Tapestry Cello Ensemble, which performs a broad range of music written and arranged for cello quartet. Daniel is the Founder and Director of the World Class Chamber Music Series at Anne Arundel Community College, which is debuting this year and features performances by the Riverhawk String Quartet, solo recitals from faculty, and other collaborations. Dr. Shomper is a passionate teacher. He is on faculty at the Annapolis Symphony Academy, the Cellospeak summer music festival, maintains a robust private studio, directs a cello ensemble of his students, and is Adjunct Faculty at Anne Arundel Community College. He is a member of the Annapolis Symphony, performs regularly with the Charleston Symphony and many other orchestras in the DC and Baltimore area. Dr. Shomper received his DMA from the University of Maryland where he studied with David Hardy, Peter Wiley and the Guarneri Quartet, Kenneth Slowik and Evelyn Elsing.
