Join us at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1315 Abbot Rd, East Lansing, MI 48823, on Sunday afternoons at 3 pm, except as noted below.
2023 - 2024 Season
Programs are at Eastminster Presbyterian Church 1315 Abbot Rd, East Lansing, MI 4882, Burcham Hills 2700 Burcham Dr, East Lansing, MI 48823 and Community Music School 4930 Hagadorn Rd, East Lansing, MI 48823.
Sunday, Sept 10, 3 PM
Onur Alakavuklar, jazz musician📍Eastminster Presbyterian Church
Sunday, Oct 1, 3 PM
Judy Kabodian and Rich Illman 📍Eastminster Presbyterian Church
Sunday, Nov 5, 3 PM
Rachel Gates, Cabaret Concert 📍Eastminster Presbyterian Church
Wednesday, Dec 6, 11 AM
Holiday Luncheon: Choral Ensemble and Asbury Brass 📍Eastminster Presbyterian Church
Sunday, Feb 4, 3 PM
Arlene McDaniel, jazz pianist 📍Eastminster Presbyterian Church
Sunday, March 3, 3 PM
New Horizon Band and Jenny Ribeiro, MOO 📍 MSU Community Music School
Sunday, April 14, 2 PM
PAS scholarship winners and Ballerinas from The Studio 📍 Burcham Hills Retirement Center, Ada Whitehouse Room (meeting jointly with PAS)
Wednesday, May 1, 11AM
Spring Luncheon: Choral Ensemble and ELHS Jazz Band 📍 Eastminster Presbyterian Church
Arlene McDaniel and Ed Fedewa Perform Jazz Originals and Standards
LMM February 2024 Program Featuring Arlene McDaniel and Ed Fedewa, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, East Lansing, Sunday, February 4, at 3:00p.m.
Arlene McDaniel is an experienced jazz pianist, performing and teaching in the Mid-Michigan area and beyond for over 4 decades. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory & Composition from MSU in 1984. Arlene performs at a variety of venues as a soloist, combo leader, and side woman. Notable artists that she has performed with include clarinetist Dave Bennett, vocalist Sunny Wilkinson, The Lansing Symphony Jazz Band, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, The Pied Pipers, and the Frankie Valli touring group Let’s Hang On. Arlene has taught private piano lessons (traditional and jazz) at every level from beginner to college, currently teaching out of her home studio. Arlene’s CD (Timeless, 2009) has received airplay nationwide and is currently available online or from the artist. The bulk of the recording contains original compositions. Other CD projects include Kerry Moffit’s ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ (2021), on as a side musician; Musical arranger/pianist on Mike Eyia’s ‘Ritmo Patria’ (featuring the music of Gregg Hill); Musical director/arranger/pianist & co-producer for Mike Daniels CD ‘Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?’ (2022).
Ed Fedewa is instructor of classical double bass and electric bass at Central Michigan University. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Bass Performance at Michigan State University. While at Michigan State University, Mr. Fedewa was awarded the outstanding performance award from the Notre Dame Jazz Fest. Mr. Fedewa is currently the principal bassist for the Lansing Symphony. He has performed with Detroit Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Flint Symphony, the American Percussion Ensemble, the Dave Bennett Quartet, and the Sunny Wilkinson Quartet.
Rachael Gates: Sunday, Nov 5, 3 PM
So this is love… Come enjoy an eclectic mix of jazz, folk, and show tunes.
Soprano, Opera Director and Singing Health Specialist, Dr. Rachael Gates has sung in Germany, Russia, Italy and throughout the United States. She has taught at Northwestern University, The Hartt School of Music, Yale University, Michigan State University, and currently teaches Singing at Grand Valley State University. She is the voice specialist for the College Music Society Committee on Musicians’ Health and is published in the NATS Journal of Singing. Her book, The Owner’s Manual to the Voice (Oxford) is available on Amazon and at The Metropolitan Opera Shop. Jeff English is a retired teacher of choral music and piano in the East Lansing Public Schools. He was a public school teacher for 30 years and before that taught music at Lansing Community College for 5 years. He is also the music director at the Ruhala Center For the Performing Arts as well as pianist and music director at Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing. Jeff has been music director and pianist for over 150 musicals from high school and college theater to community theater and professional theater.
Richard Illman: Sunday, Oct 1, 3 PM
Richard Illman was associate professor of trumpet at Michigan State University from 1990-2015. He has also taught at Eastern Kentucky University(12yrs.), The University of Kentucky (one year), Transylvania University (3yrs.),and Asbury College (3 yrs.).
Mr. Illman has had a wide variety of playing experiences. He was one of the solo cornets with the Brass Band of Battle Creek and was a featured soloist on their first and third CDs. Vince DiMartino and he were the two trumpets in the Millennium Brass Quintet, which has two cds released. He was also First Trumpet in the Beaumont Brass Quintet, Principal Trumpet with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Lead Trumpet with the Lansing Symphony Big Band, and First Trumpet with the Lansing Symphony Brass Quintet, performing all around the state of Michigan with those groups. As Professor of Trumpet at Michigan State University, Mr. Illman has been featured soloist with the MSU Alumni Band on four of their European tours, performing in Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Belgium, and Austria.
In an effort to keep up with modern technology, Mr. Illman uses synthesizers and other electronic devices. He has also formed a MIDI ensemble which presents multi-media concerts in planetariums. He has presented programs entitled ‘Yoga for Musicians’ with his wife, Jo Martinie, at eight International Trumpet Guild Conferences as well as venues in Germany, Australia, and Greece.
Judy Kabodian received her Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from Michigan State University in 1982, studying under Dr. Corliss Arnold. She has been a church organist for over 50 years, beginning at age 11, and has been the organist at The Peoples Church of East Lansing since 1993. Judy has been involved as an accompanist in the Choral/Vocal area at MSU for many years and continues to play for the MSU Choral Union. She has been the accompanist for the Greater Lansing Arts Chorale for over 30 years. To say that Judy loves accompanying would be an understatement.
Onur Alakavuklar: Sunday, Sept 10, 3 PM
Onur Alakavuklar holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Guitar Performance with a Jazz-emphasized minor in Music Education from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Onur has claimed prizes in chamber music competitions and has performed with The Atlanta Opera, Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, and various chamber music groups internationally. He has performed in Musical Theater bands, Jazz Bands and had solo recitals in Europe, Asia, and U.S.A.
During his doctoral studies at IU, Onur was an Associate Instructor for the Guitar Department and served on a team to organize and judge the IU International Guitar Festival and Competition. Onur has been teaching music professionally for more than a decade and has instructed students in Guitar, Piano, Guitar Composition and Jazz Arranging, Ukulele, Music Theory and Music History.
Onur holds a Master of Music degree from Texas State University and Bachelor of Music from Yasar University in Izmir-Turkey. In his free time, Onur works on music production and recording techniques, composes, and arranges novel classical and jazz guitar works for his upcoming solo recording album in 2024.
Dr. Alakavuklar is Lead Guitar’s Regional Director for the Detroit Metropolitan Area, a Non-profit educational organizaton, and currently serves as a faculty member for the Jackson Symphony Orchestra Community Music School.
2022 - 2023 Season
Tana Denning and Fred Johnson & Edelweiss Alphorn Quartet
September 14, 2022*
1:00 PM @ Frances Park Pavilion (near the Rose Garden) in Lansing
Tana Denning and Fred Johnson met at a jam session. Tana plays fiddle, Celtic harp, and piano. Fred plays fiddle, guitar, and mandolin. They delight in playing music for farm markets, festivals, workshops, dances, nursing homes, churches, and more!
Program includes:
Jerusalem Ridge, by Kenny Baker and Bill Monroe
Lieutenant Governor’s Waltz, by Calvin Vollrath
Shuffle About/Rye Straw, traditional
Seedlings, by Tana Denning and Fred Johnson
Pipeline, by Brian Carman and Bob Spickard
Loftus Jones, by Turlough O’Carolan
It Had to be You, music by Isham Jones and lyrics by Gus Kahn
The Moon and Seven Stars, traditional, arr. by Denning & Johnson
Shuffle About/Rye Straw (which is a medley of two fiddle tunes)
The Edelweiss Alphorn Quartet is drawn from members of the Edelweiss Alphorn Club of Mid-Michigan, a group of Lansing-area brass players and alphorn enthusiasts. They enjoy introducing audiences to their 12-foot wooden horns and playing traditional Swiss alphorn calls and melodies, combined with original pieces and other less-traditional works.
**The concert will take place at Frances Park Pavilion (near the Rose Garden) in Lansing.
Fangye Sun, Violinist
October 5, 2022
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
Acclaimed as “beautifully expressive,” “exhibits remarkable control,” violinist Fangye Sun has concertized throughout Asia, Europe, and North America appearing in concert venues, such as Wiener Musikverein, Tonhalle Maag, Suntory Hall, Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara, Victory Symphony Hall, Benaroya Hall, and Hong Kong Cultural Center. The renowned musicians with whom she has collaborated include Ralph Votapek, Carl Topilow, Bin Huang, Stephan Picard, Yuri Gandelsman, Anthony Elliott, as well as members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. An avid chamber musician, she is a founding member of the Accorda Trio (violin, cello, and harp), the Armonia String Quartet, and Duo Piacevole (violin and cello), and was featured in the Asian Youth Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival, Pine Mountain Music Festival, Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck, and Leelanau Summer Music Festival. A seasoned orchestral musician, Sun has served as guest concertmaster of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, and Shannxi Symphony Orchestra (China). In addition, she has been performing with the Grand Rapids Symphony since 2011.
Sun is Assistant Professor of Violin at Central Michigan University. Prior to moving to the United States, she held a professorship at Xi’an Conservatory of Music where she was the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Award. She was a member of the resident String Quartet and was the chair of the string area at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
In addition to serving as faculty artist at Bay View Music Festival during the summers, Sun performs on concert tours and holds residencies at Universities and Conservatories in China. A sought-after teacher, she has presented seminars and lecture recitals at International ClarinetFest, the College of Music Society National Conference, and the Michigan Music Conference and serves on the American String Teacher Association Collegiate Committee. Her recent master class engagements include master classes at Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music (Thailand), Bowling Green State University, California State University, Luther College, and Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, Xi’an Conservatory of Music, Xia Men University, Capital Normal University, Shandong University, and Guangxi Normal University (China), among others.
In recent years, her students have been named prize winners at the MMTA Young Artist Solo Competition, White Lake Young Artist Competition, Concert Artist International Virtuoso Competition and Bay View Music Festival Concerto Competition. Numerous students made solo appearances with orchestras such as the Jackson Symphony, CMU Symphony, and BVMF Orchestra and made debut performances in Carnegie Hall. Her students have received full scholarships to Round Top Music Festival, Atlantic Music Festival, Philadelphia Music Festival, Miami Music Festival, and Brevard Music Festival. Alumni of her studio can be found in major orchestras in China as well as in collegiate music programs in the U.S., Germany, and Singapore. Her interest in multicultural musical elements in new music has led to her CD recording project “Chinese Fantasies.” Featuring both traditional and newly commissioned works by Chinese and American composers, it was released by Blue Griffin Recording in 2019 and is available on major streaming services, such as iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Music, and Spotify.
Her early violin training started at an early age with her father. After winning the gold medal at the “Gao Hua” Chinese Youth Violin Competition at the age of eleven, she has won the Best Performance Prize at the 7th Chinese National Violin Competition, the Bronze Medal at the 3rd Chinese National “Golden Bell Award” Violin Competition, and Second Prize at the Marquette Symphony Young Artist Competition. Additionally, she was named winner of the Michigan State University Honors Concert Concerto Competition.
Sun holds a D.M.A. and M.M. in Violin Performance from Michigan State University and a B.M. from Xi’an Conservatory of Music. Her mentors include Walter Verdehr, Yaoji Lin, and Xie Min. During her studies, she had further opportunities to work with the Julliard String Quartet, David Kim, Paul Roczek, Alice Schoenfeld, Charles Dutoit and Valery Gergiev. Her live performances and media appearances have been broadcasted on Blue Lake Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, WRUV, WCMU, WKAR, WDIY, WLNS, and Hanzhong TV Station
Quartet Moraga
October 5, 2022
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
Quartet Moraga
Nathan Salazar, soprano saxophone
Evan Harris, alto saxophone
Kaylee Bernard, tenor saxophone
Parker Fritz, baritone saxophone
Quartet Moraga is a graduate saxophone quartet studying with Professor Joseph Lulloff at Michigan State University. Its members, Nathan Salazar (DMA), Evan Harris (DMA), Parker Fritz (DMA), and Kaylee Bernard (MM), have previously been recognized in a number of national chamber and solo competitions, such as the North American Saxophone Allience Collegiate Solo and Saxophone Quartet Competitions, Music Teacher’s National Association Young Artist and Chamber Winds Competition, Coltman Chamber Music Competition, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, as well as other local and regional competitions.
The Renaissance Singers
October 16, 2022
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
The Renaissance Singers bring the rich, multi-national heritage of 16th-century music alive through concerts of choral music presented in recreations of period dress, and featuring instrumental music performed on replicas of early instruments. The singers participated in the ten annual Elizabethan Musicall Feastes sponsored by the MSU Union Activities Board, and at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids. Performances, from Stratford, Ontario to Chicago, have included the Brunch with Bach series sponsored by WQRS Radio of Detroit, Meadowbrook Hall for the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, the National Board of Medical Examiners of Osteopathic Medicine, Alpha Delta Kappa, the American Reading Association, the silver anniversary of the Church and Synagogue Librarians and Libraries, Michigan Music Teachers Convention, the Michigan Festival, Michigan Federation of Music Clubs Convention and Lansing Matinee Musicale. The singers have presented educational programs from pre-school through collegiate levels in mid-Michigan, and participate in local fundraisers.
McCartney Irish Dancers
November 2, 2022
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
McCartney Irish Dancers & Irish Fiddler
Madra Fiain
November 2, 2022
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
Madra Fiain
Madra Fiain consists of musicians are Kevin McCartney guitar, Emily McCartney violin, Mary McCartney concertina and pennywhistle.
Info coming soon!
December 7, 2022
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
LMM Choral Ensemble & Asbury Brass
The Renaissance Singers
February 5, 2023
3:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
The Renaissance Singers bring the rich, multi-national heritage of 16th-century music alive through concerts of choral music presented in recreations of period dress, and featuring instrumental music performed on replicas of early instruments. The singers participated in the ten annual Elizabethan Musicall Feastes sponsored by the MSU Union Activities Board, and at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids. Performances, from Stratford, Ontario to Chicago, have included the Brunch with Bach series sponsored by WQRS Radio of Detroit, Meadowbrook Hall for the Detroit Chamber of Commerce, the National Board of Medical Examiners of Osteopathic Medicine, Alpha Delta Kappa, the American Reading Association, the silver anniversary of the Church and Synagogue Librarians and Libraries, Michigan Music Teachers Convention, the Michigan Festival, Michigan Federation of Music Clubs Convention and Lansing Matinee Musicale. The singers have presented educational programs from pre-school through collegiate levels in mid-Michigan, and participate in local fundraisers.
Jenny Ribeiro
March, 2023
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
American soprano Jenny Ribeiro has been using her “ bright instrument and engaging personality” (Voce di meche, 2016) to delight audiences throughout the world. Specializing in new works as well as traditional opera, Jenny has created the roles of Amy (The North Arcade) and the Cat (Jack Prelutsky’s Something Big Has Been Here) in Seattle as well as The Composer (postminimalist composer Elodie Lauten’s Two Cents Opera), Alice (Wonderland), Aphrodite (Sappho in the Mix) and Martha (Thomas Pasatieri’s God Bless Us Everyone) in New York City. In 2021/22, Jenny finished her Masters in Voice at Michigan State University where she performed Geraldine/The Mother (A Hand of Bridge/L’enfant) and Lady Billows (Albert Herring) as well as toured with MSU’s Vocal Outreach. She also received Third Prize in the Medici International Music Competition and debuted 3 Wagnerian roles at once as Ortlinde, Wellgunde and Waldvogel for Berlin Wagner Group’s “Wagner’s Ring in One Evening”. This season, Jenny will be touring throughout the US in her recital tour “From the Hearts of Women”, as well as travelling to France as a finalist in the Corsica Lyrica competition. Other upcoming performances include concerts with Bremerton West Sound Symphony and premieres with University of Michigan’s Concert Band. www.jennyribeiro.com
Dave Larzelere & Melanie Walker
April 12, 2023
1:00 PM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
David Larzelere is the Director of Bands and Chair of the Performing Arts Department at East Lansing High School. He is responsible for the East Lansing Trojan Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and two Jazz Bands. Additionally, Mr. Larzelere assists Patti Kroth with the sixth grade beginning band program at MacDonald Middle Schools. Under Mr. Larzelere, the bands at East Lansing High School have performed at the Michigan Music Conference (2014 and 2022), The MSU Homecoming Parade, New York City, Cleveland, Washington DC, The Spring Conference at Western Michigan University (2017) and the Music for All Concert Band Festival in Mason, OH (2020)
Mr. Larzelere is a graduate of Michigan State University where he received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in the year 2000. He earned his Master of Music Education in 2008, where he also served as a graduate assistant with the Music Education Department and Athletic Bands. Prior to teaching in East Lansing, Mr. Larzelere was the Director of Bands in Marshall, MI and Waverly High School.
Mr. Larzelere is an active performer, adjudicator, and conductor. He has performed with the Lansing Symphony, the Brass Band of Battle Creek, The Verve Pipe, and the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. Currently, he performs with the West Michigan Blues band, The Bluecats. Additionally, Mr. Larzelere is the co-conductor of the Mid-Michigan Youth Symphony, an honor orchestra for students in the Lansing Area. In the summer, Mr Larzelere is the co-conductor of the East Lansing Kiwanis Community Band.
In 2014 and 2018, Mr Larzelere was selected as the MSBOA District 8 Band Teacher of the year. Mr. Larzelere is a member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, The American School Band Directors Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He lives in his hometown of East Lansing, MI with his wife, Carla, their children Duncan and Annabel, and dogs Lenny and Daisy.
A sought-after soloist and native of East Lansing, soprano Melanie Walker strives in the performance of classical, baroque, and contemporary repertoire. She most recently sang in the chorus of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, was the soprano soloist in Ralph Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music and made her orchestral debut with the Michigan State University Concert Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Katherine Kilburn. Operatic roles include Miss Wordsworth (Albert Herring), Infermiera (Sour Angelica), Girl 2/Actor 2 (ANON), and Laurentia (The Beautiful Bridegroom). She will perform the role of Arminda in the Michigan State University Opera Theater’s November production of Mozart’s La finta giardiniera. Melanie has performed soprano solos in various large scale choral and chamber works, including Haydn’s Kleine Orgelmesse Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Laudate Dominum, Mozart’s Requiem, Faure’s Requiem, and Bach’s Derr Herr ist mein getreur Hirt. She additionally performs in a number of choral ensembles across Michigan, has premiered several contemporary works, and is featured on recordings Ex Corde: Songs from the Heart and Contemplating Weather with Bridge Records. Melanie holds a Master of Music from The Peabody Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music from Western Michigan University. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance at Michigan State University under the mentorship of mezzo-soprano Jane Bunnell.
Info coming soon!
May 3, 2023
11:00 AM @ Ascension Lutheran Church
LMM Choral Ensemble & MSU String Quartet
LUNCHEON
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We always welcome new members: musicians, teachers, students, and people who simply love and appreciate the arts. We offer monthly performances featuring a variety of musical styles as well as fellowship and fun. Your membership also helps support talented local musicians, music students and educators.