Cellist Anthony ElliotT
Tony ElliotT and Friends
Sunday, September 12th @ 2:00 PM
Cellist and U-M Professor Emeritus of Strings, Anthony Elliott, presents a chamber music program including solo cello works by Boccherini (A Major Sonata), Popper (Polonaise), Paganini (Moses Variations) and culminating in the Dvorak A Major Piano Quintet. He collaborates with Pauline Martin (piano), Kimberly Kennedy (violin), Kristina Zlatareva (violin); and Zola Hightower (viola).
COVID-19 Safety Policy for Indoor Concerts
- Moving forward, all patrons and artists who wish to attend or present performances indoors at KCH must provide a valid, complete COVID-19 vaccination card OR proof of a negative COVID-19 test performed within the previous 72 hours prior to entry. Such proof must be presented at concert check-in, may be displayed on a smartphone OR presented as a physical copy, and must also be accompanied by a matching, valid ID for verification.**
- Additionally, according to current CDC recommendations, masks are required for audiences inside the House and can only be removed when seated with a beverage (when available). When performing, artists may wear a mask, or not, at their own discretion.
**Proof of vaccination exceptions will be made for children under 12 and people with a medical condition or closely held religious beliefs that prevent vaccination. These guests must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the previous 72 hours prior to entry.
Cellist and conductor Anthony Elliott is in great demand as a soloist, chamber music performer, and teacher. Following his victory in the Emanuel Feuermann International Cello Competition in 1987, Strad Magazine wrote of his competition appearance, “his emotional communication is often profound, and his glittering, silvery tone captivates the ear.” Following quickly on the heels of his competition victory was a highly successful New York debut recital, which received a lengthy standing ovation from a capacity crowd.
Anthony Elliott’s studies were with two legendary figures of the cello, Janos Starker and Frank Miller. He has given master classes at most of America’s leading music programs including Cleveland Institute of Music, Eastman School of Music, the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory, Peabody Conservatory, Chicago’s Music Center of the North Shore, and Interlochen Arts Academy.
A frequent guest soloist with major orchestras, Anthony Elliott has performed most of the standard concerto repertory with such orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony, and the CBC Toronto Orchestra. He has also commissioned new works by such composers as Primous Fountain III, Augustus Hill, James Lee III, and Chad E. Hughes. As a soloist, his performances have been recorded and broadcast on radio and television across the United States and Canada.
Also in great demand as a chamber musician, he is a regular guest artist at the Sitka (Alaska) Summer Music Festival, the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, the Texas Music Festival, New York’s Bargemusic Chamber Series, Chamber Music International of Dallas, Houston’s DaCamera Series, the Victoria International Festival, and the Gateways Festival. He has also appeared as a member of Quartet Canada, with members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and with members of the Emerson, Juilliard, Cleveland, and Concord string quartets.
He has appeared in chamber music with the present and former concertmasters of the Berlin Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Read more at anthonyelliott.net.
Pauline Martin’s Washington debut captured the Washington Post headline Pauline Martin’s Dazzling Debut. The Canadian born pianist continues to earn international recognition for solo and chamber music performances, recordings and national broadcasts in the United States, Canada and Europe.
Martin has been a featured performer and teacher at numerous regional and international festivals, as well as several Irving S. Gilmore Festival events. As concerto soloist, she has appeared with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the New American Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra London Canada, among others. Her performance of Mozart’s Concerto K. 365 with the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra in March 2009 was recorded by Chinese National Television for broadcast to an audience of over a billion viewers.
Pauline Martin has recorded for the Naxos, Koch and CRS labels and, as founding member of the St. Clair Trio, is a recipient of the prestigious Chamber Music America/WQXR-FM award for its outstanding CD, “Old Acquaintances” (Koch International Classics) as well as a first-round Grammy nomination for “Hobson’s Choice” (Koch). Other releases include “A Postcard from Europe” with clarinetist George Stoffan and the Naxos CD: “Imaginary Creatures” (featuring Three Myths for Piano Solo by James Hartway).
She has served on the faculties of Wayne State, Oakland and Michigan State Universities, having earned Bachelor’s and Master’s performance degrees from Indiana University, instructed by Menahem Pressler, and a doctorate in performance from the University of Michigan as a student of Theodore Lettvin, Gary Graffman and André Watts.
A Steinway artist, Dr. Martin balances her performance activities with private teaching and the artistic direction and promotion of Chamber Soloists of Detroit (www.chambersoloistsdetroit.org).
Kimberly Kennedy began her study of the violin at the age of 5 in Dayton, OH. Being the daughter of a Minister of Music and church organist allowed her many chances to share from her heart in front of congregations. Her love of music became what undoubtedly would be her career as she pursued her studies at Brevard Music Center and Interlochen Arts Camp as the Governor’s Scholar for the state of Ohio. She continued her studies at the Sarasota Music Festival; spent four summers at the Aspen Music Festival on Fellowship, as Associate Concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra; spent three years at the Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida with Sergiu Schwartz; and finally landed at the University of Michigan with Paul Kantor. It was half way through her senior year at Michigan in 1998 that her hard work paid off, when she joined the first violin section of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Throughout her training, she won several prizes in competitions around the country, including the Grand Prize in the National MTNA competition and 1st prize in the Greek Women’s National Competition in Chicago; the Skokie Valley Concerto Competition, where she performed Barber Violin Concerto; the Universtiy of Michigan Concerto Competition, where she performed Ravel’s Tzigane; and the Harid Conservatory Concerto Competition, where she performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. Kimberly was one of the few Americans invited to the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 1998. She solos regularly with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Kimberly enjoys performing chamber music regularly around Michigan with various groups, including the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, on series such as Chamber Music North, Fairlane Concert Guild, Pro Mozart, Classical Brunch in Birmingham, and the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.
Kimberly is passionate about serving others through her music, both at church and around the community.
Kimberly and Bryan live in Plymouth with their two beautiful children, Ethan and Lauren, as well as their two dogs, cat, hamsters, fish and bunny.
A native of Bulgaria, violinist Kristina Zlatareva is building a multifaceted career as a performer, educator and arts entrepreneur. She has appeared on the international stage alongside artists Sarah Chang, Ray Chen, James Ehnes and Rohan de Silva, and her performances have been broadcasted on NPR and Los Angeles’ KUSC. She has given recitals across the United States and Europe, including a 2016 performance at the Supreme Court of the United States, honoring 2016 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient, Danielle Belen.
Ms. Zlatareva works alongside esteemed violin pedagogues Danielle Belen at the University of Michigan and Blair Milton at Northwestern University in mentoring a growing studio of superb young musicians in the Midwest. Ms. Zlatareva’s students have been accepted into prestigious institutions such as University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Northwestern University in Chicago, Indiana University in Bloomington, The Oberlin Conservatory, University of Texas at Austin, String Academy at Indiana University, Center Stage Strings and Credo Festival at Oberlin.During the summer seasons, Ms. Zlatareva teaches at Center Stage Strings at UM’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance and at the Anchorage Chamber Music Festival in Alaska. In the summer of 2018, Ms. Zlatareva served on the violin faculty at the Luzerne Music Center in NY.
As a pedagogue dedicated to supporting a new generation of extraordinary classical musicians of color, Ms. Zlatareva has served on the faculty at the Sphinx Organization’s Overture Program in Detroit and Flint, MI where she has worked with under-represented students ages 7-10.
Ms. Zlatareva enjoys a parallel career in arts entrepreneurship and administration. In 2019, Ms. Zlatareva traveled to Cambodia with concert violinist & UN Messenger of Peace, Midori, for an outreach tour to over 20 NGOs as part of the International Music Engagement Program (ICEP). Every summer, Ms. Zlatareva comes back to Ann Arbor, MI to teach and serve as Executive Assistant to Prof. Danielle Belen at Center Stage Strings. She has held previous intern positions at Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Community Engagement & Outreach Department and at New York City’s leading management agency, Primo Artists.
Ms. Zlatareva currently pursues a Doctoral Degree in Violin Performance at Northwestern University in Chicago under the tutelage of Prof. Blair Milton.
Zola Hightower is a graduate of University of Michigan where she studied with Danielle Belen (violin) and Caroline Coade (viola). She was a member of the Indiana University Virtuosi for six years, studying with Mimi Zweig and Brenda Brenner, and has been a featured soloist and ensemble performer on stages and in concert halls in America, Europe, Canada and South America. She has soloed with the South Shore Orchestra, New World Youth Symphony Orchestra, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Zoie has been invited to Carnegie Hall to perform on multiple occasions, both on violin and viola. At University of Michigan, she was selected as Principal Viola for the 2016–2017 season and was selected Concerto Master 2018–2019. Zoie was a finalist in the undergraduate concerto competition on viola in 2018. As a pedagogue, Zoie has been a Teaching Artist at the Aspen Music Festival Roaring Fork Valley Youth Summer Workshop, Blue Hill Youth Summer Program (through Kniesel Hall), Fairview Project in Bloomington (with Dr. Brenda Brenner), the Heartbeat Project (a free music two-week summer workshop for children K–12 of the Navajo Nation), and Center Stage Strings. She also has a thriving private studio of her own, consisting of violinists and violists ages 5–28. Her students have been accepted to and received awards from prestigious musical institutions such as Bowdoin, Illinois Chamber Music Festival, and Center Stage Strings.
