GALA PERFORMERS
BYRON BERLINE
with
TERRY SCARBERRY, guitar
RICHARD SHARP, bass
STEVE SHORT, drums
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Byron Berline is a three-time National Fiddle Champion who turned to a musical career after earning a B. A. in Physical Education at the University of Oklahoma. Originally from Oklahoma where he began playing the fiddle at age five, Byron lived and worked in Los Angeles for 26 years before returning to his home state in 1995. |
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| Byron is one of the most sought after session fiddlers and his long list of recording credits are proof: The Band / The Byrds / The Eagles / The Rolling Stones / Manhattan Transfer / Bob Dylan / John Denver / Elton John / Olivia Newton-John / Burt Reynolds / Linda Ronstadt / Rod Stewart / Kay Starr / Hoyt Axton / Alabama / Susie Bogus / Mary Chapin Carpenter / Joe Diffy / Vince Gill / Arlo Guthrie / Mickey Gilley / Emmylou Harris / Kirs Kirstofferson / Johnny Lee / Willie Nelson / Red Stegall / Doug Stone / Tammy Wynette / Jethro Burns / The Dillards / John Hartford / Bill Monroe / Nitty Gritty Dirt Band / Don Reno / Earl Scruggs / Mason Williams and numerous symphony orchestras. Byron has extensive movie and commercial sound track credits including work with Henry Mancini, Jerry Fielding, Johnny Williams and Lalo Schifrin. Byron scored his first major motion picture in 1975, STAY HUNGRY for director Bob Raphelson. He has appeared in STAR TREK, BLAXE, BACK TO THE FUTURE III and BASIC INSTINCT. He has been interviewed by major city newspapers and music magazines throughout the world, and has toured the United States extensively, Europe often, China, Japan, Australia, Northern Africa and the South Pacific. In his spare time Byron enjoys producing albums for his friends and himself. |
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| Byron was inducted into Oklahoma's Musicians Hall of Fame, named Oklahoma's Ambassador of Goodwill, been featured artist at the international convention of the Violin Society of America, and conceived and planned the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival since its beginnings in 1997. Byron Berline has been touted as "one of the most inventive fiddlers ever." His skill, versatility and artistry continue to be recognized by his peers, the press and audiences worldwide. He is a witty, charming personality and his music is evidence of that. |
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GREYSON CHANCE
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Greyson Chance has embraced R&B, funk and jazz influences as the singer and songwriter’s style has evolved into soulful pop with a modern twist. Every time he hits the stage, he channels raw energy through impeccable playing and magnetic presence. That magical charisma has seen him tour everywhere from across the U.S. to Southeast Asia and also landed him in front of the world's biggest influencers. Greyson first made headlines after his now storied performance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2010. The next two years were a whirlwind for the teen as he appeared on Good Morning America, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and CBS Early Show, received acclaim from the likes of People Magazine, and even performed for the President of the United States, Barack Obama. His 2011 full-length album Hold On 'til the Night yielded the #1 single "Waiting Outside the Lines." Chance is an honest |
| songwriter who isn't afraid to speak his mind or tap into his own passions for inspiration—whether it be for classic records or fashion films. He's got a bevy of new music waiting in the wings, and it's time for the world to meet Greyson Chance. |
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DR. SERGIO MONTEIRO
Sergio Monteiro, head of the piano program at Oklahoma City University's Bass School of Music, was born in Niteroi, Brazil. He began piano study at the age of four with his mother, and went on to work under the guidance of Myrian Dauelsberg at the National Music School of Rio de Janeiro, where he completed his bachelor's and master's Degrees. During this period, he won several Brazilian and other South American piano competitions. In 2000, he was awarded a scholarship by the Ministry of Culture to study at the Eastman School of Music in the U.S., where he earned his Doctor of Musical Arts under Nelita True. He won important prizes at the institution, including the Performance Certificate and the Concerto Competition.
In 2003, Dr. Monteiro won the 2nd Annual Martha Argerich International Piano Competition in Buenos Aires. He was invited to play at the opening Concert of the Martha Argerich Festival with the Buenos Aires Philharmonic conducted by Charles Dutoit, thus launching his international career. After the competition, he was selected to take part in the International Piano Academy in Como, Italy, where he worked for two years with pianists and teachers such as Bashkirov, Andreas Staier, Fou T'song, Claude Frank and Willian Grant Nabore.
Dr. Monteiro has appeared with some of the most prestigious orchestras in South America, Europe and North America, under the direction of Charles Dutoit, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Pedro Ignacio Calderon, Mark Parker, Neil Varon, Joel Levine, Eduard Schmieder, Misha Raschlevsky, Ira Levin, Anton Nanut, Grahan Jackson, and Gabor Hollerung among others. Among Brazilian conductors, he has played under the direction of Issac Karabitchevsky, Ligia Amadio, Roberto Tibirica, Carlos Moreno, Roberto Duarte, Flavio Florence, Diogo Pacheco, Northon Morozowicks and more.
Among his more recent artistic engagements, he gave the Brazilian premiere of John Corigliano's Piano Concerto; gave the premiere of Almeida Prado's Gravuras Sonoras a D. Joao VI - for piano and orchestra; performed at the Kremlin in Moscow with the
Kremlin Chamber Orchestra and in Rio de Janeiro with the Dredner Philarmonic; and gave recitals at the Palestrina Hall, in Roma, at the Konzerthaus and at the Philarmonie, in Berlin, at the Mozarteum Argentino, in Buenos Aires, at the Sibelius Academy, in Helsinki, at the Millenium Stage in Kennedy Center and at the Steinway Halls in New York and Dallas.
In the Spring/2011, among other commitments, Dr. Monteiro performed at the Civic Center, Oklahoma City, with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and at the Toronto Center for the Arts with the Toronto Orchestra.
In addition to recitals in Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Germany, Brazil and performances with the Turmalin Trio in Holland and Germany, he has lectured, adjudicated and led master classes at schools around the world.
An energetic champion of Brazilian music, Dr. Monteiro has been honored by many composers with invitations to give premieres of compositions written for and dedicated to him. In 2008, he released a CD featuring Villa-Lobos' complete cycle of Prole do Bebe. In 2010, Dr. Monteiro was invited to join the Steinway Artists' Roster.
LEONA MITCHELL
| Grammy Award-winning soprano, Leona Mitchell has emerged as one of America’s most beloved and celebrated sopranos. Miss Mitchell spent 18 Seasons as a leading Spinto Soprano at the Metropolitan Opera in New York where she essayed many dramatic and lyrical roles such as: Aida, both Verdi Leonoras from La Forza Del Destino and Il Trovatore, Manon Lescaut, Boheme, The Masked Ball, Madame Butterfly, Liu in Turandot, Madame Lidouine as well as Mozart and Handelian roles. She has three DVD’s with The Three Tenors: “Ernani” with Luciano Pavarotti, “Turandot” with Placido Domingo and “Carmen” with Jose Carreras. Ms. Mitchell has sung for four of our United States Presidents: Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. She also sang for George Bush Sr. when he was Vice President. Leona has also sung at some of the world’s most prestigious opera houses: The Berlin, Rome, Caracalla, Vienna, Verona, Paris, London, Chili, Buenos Aires, Rio, Canadian, Mexican, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Santa Fe, Bordeaux, Marseille, Parma and Hamburg companies to name a few. |
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Leona Mitchell sang with most of the major symphonies of the world. Many of the world’s greatest conductors have worked with Miss Mitchell: Zubin Mehta with The New York Philharmonic, James Levine and The Chicago Symphony, Seji Ozawa of The Boston Philharmonic and Kurt Mazur with The Israeli Philharmonic. |
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| coast to coast Gala Statue of Liberty celebration, along with many “Live from Lincoln Center” and Met Series. Leona has been the recipient of many wonderful awards from her state. She belongs to The Oklahoma Hall of Fame, The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, The Jazz Hall of Fame and The Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame. The Honorable Governor of Oklahoma, Brad Henry made Leona The State’s Cultural Ambassador in 2003. Leona has a Bachelor’s of Music Degree from OCU and two Honorary Doctorates: one from OU and the other from OCU. She also attended The Master’s Program at The Julliard School of Music. She is married to Elmer Bush, her manager, and they have one son, Elmer Bush, 1V. Accompanying Leona Mitchell: Marsha Lines is a retired teacher with the Enid Public School System and the wife of the Retired Commander of Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma, Colonel Robert Lines. Lines is Leona Mitchell's regular accompanist and has played for me at many venues including the Governor's Mansion and Governor's Balls, Enid Symphony and many recitals for Miss Mitchell. |
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OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY STRING QUARTET
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Playing at the Creativity Ambassadors Gala cocktail reception is a string quartet affiliated with Oklahoma City University's Bass School of Music. Classical repertoire as well as a number of rock and pop standards will set the mood for the occasion. The quartet includes: - Laura Cunningham, violin - Danielle Peterson, violin - Mason Maidt, viola - Rachael Lester, cello The group is excited to be included in the festivities. |
YINGYU ZHU
| Yingyu Zhu was born in Guangdong, a southern province in China. She started playing the piano at the age of four after listening and becoming deeply intrigued by the sound of an accordion in her kindergarten class. Since the age of twelve she has devoted her life to the piano and since then the two have been inseparable. Ms. Zhu is an alumna from Xinghai Conservatory of Music, studying under Mr. Tiandong Huang and Ms Siying Lee, and she currently is pursuing her graduate degree at Oklahoma City University, studying with Dr. Sergio Monteiro. With her keen appetite for knowledge, she also enjoys studying music theory and harmony, and becoming familiar and knowledgeable with both Eastern and Western music repertory. Ms. Zhu has attended the International Music Festival in Shanghai, China. She has won numerous piano competitions both in the city and district level in China, such as the 210 Pearl River Kayserburg Piano Competition (Silver medal) and the Seventeenth Hong Kong Asia Piano Open Competition (Honor Ward). She performed a solo piano recital at the Shenzhen Steinway Music Hall in 2012. In February of 2015 she was invited to give a piano solo recital in Southern Nazarene University as a guest artist. |
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