Samuel Koeppe, viola & Taylor Flowers, PIANO
Fantasy & Reflection: The Viola Center Stage
Sunday, April 11th @ 4:15 PM EST
This concert is generously sponsored by Nadra Johnson.
Featuring solo viola works by Vieuxtemps, Schumann and Bloch, this program highlights three underperformed but much-celebrated works written for the viola. Not typically thought of as a solo instrument, the viola takes on the role of narrator in this program saturated with fantasy and storytelling.
Samuel Koeppe is a graduate of the University of Michigan where he studied with Yizhak Schotten. In addition to performing as Principal viola with the Lansing Symphony, Sam is the viola mentor for the Detroit Symphony’s Civic Youth Ensembles program where he teaches a vibrant group of young artists. A fervent chamber musician, Sam has collaborated with members of the Calidore String Quartet and pianist Natalia Kazaryan. Sam also had a minor role in the Midwest premier of William Bolcom’s comic opera Dinner at 8 as ‘Zoltan’ the party-crashing violist. In his free time Sam enjoys taking ballet.
Taylor Flowers studies collaborative piano at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor with Martin Katz, and expects to receive his doctoral degree this May. Before studying in Ann Arbor, Taylor received his masters and bachelor degrees at Cleveland Institute of Music and Hillsdale College, respectively. Taylor is an alumnus of the Kent/Blossom Music Festival, SongFest, the Austrian American Vocal Academy, and hopes to work in the world of opera starting next year. Born and raised in Colorado, Taylor enjoys backpacking, whitewater rafting, and biking in his free time.
