| Nancy Albrink (Piano, Vocal Coach) Nancy Albrink holds a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Georgia State University in Atlanta where her teachers were Betty Anne Diaz and William Masselos. After a summer of study with Lee Luvisi at the Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Albrink came to Louisville as a student of Mr. Luvisi, artist-in-residence at the University of Louisville School of Music. She completed her Master of Music degree in piano performance in 1977. Since graduation, Ms. Albrink has been in demand as a teacher, developing students known for the quality of their playing, many of whom have been winners of numerous local, state, and regional competitions. In 1988, she became Lee Luvisi’s teaching assistant at the University of Louisville, a position held until Mr. Luvisi’s retirement in 2002. Ms. Albrink was a founding member of the Ceruti Chamber Players, a performing chamber ensemble with musicians from the Louisville Orchestra and received a Kentucky Foundation for Women grant to support her work with that group. In 1997, she founded the Academy of Music at St. Francis in the Fields and serves as its Artistic Director. She received the 2006 Gheens Music Mentor Award in March. Ms. Albrink has two children, Emily and Peter. Tommy Cook (Guitar) Tommy Cook received a Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of Louisville in 2004. Under the Instruction of Daniel Boring, he studied classical guitar, as well as the lute and theorbo. Like most guitarists, Tommy has performed with a wide variety of bands and ensembles, with styles including rock, funk, blues, jazz, praise and worship, musical theater, and Irish folk music. His latest project is Small Talking Thieves, an up-and-coming band based in Lexington. Today, Tommy teaches guitar for the Academy of Music at St. Francis and resides in Louisville, with his wife Katie, who teaches elementary music. Jessica Litwiniec Dorman (Piano) Jessica is a native of Calera, Alabama, holds a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Alabama where she studied piano with Amanda Penick. Jessica also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Samford University where she studied piano with Dr. Betty Sue Shepherd. She has participated in Masterclasses with such artists as Ann Schein, Claude Franck, and Leon Fleisher, and has received coaching from John Perry and Yakov Kasman, among others. Jessica has also been a winner in numerous piano competitions; most recently, she was the Graduate Division winner of the Alabama Music Teachers Association piano competition. Since moving to Kentucky, Jessica has been a Kentucky Opera Young Artist pianist, as well as an active accompanist in the Louisville area. She has also been very involved with Floyd Central High School’s musical theater program, serving as Musical Director for their production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and rehearsal and pit pianist for their other recent productions. Jessica has been elected to serve as Secretary of the Greater Louisville Music Teachers Association for 2010-2012. Peter McHugh (Violin) After being on the faculty of the University of Louisville School of Music for 39 years, Mr. McHugh retired in May, 2005, and was honored by being appointed Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He continues to be extremely active not only as a teacher where he continues to teach for The Academy of Music at St. Francis, but as a violinist. For many years he was violinist with The McHugh-Oliphant Duo, The Louisville String Quartet, the Kentucky Center Chamber Players and the Faculty Chamber Artist. He has been concertmaster and soloist with the Louisville Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Louisville Bach Society Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, and the Oklahoma Symphony. He has also played with the Dallas Symphony, World Symphony, the Santa Fe Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New Century Chamber Orchestra and the famous Casals Festival Orchestra in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Mr. McHugh has performed under such notable conductors as George Szell, Charles Munch, Rafael Kubelik, Zubin Mehta, Mistislav Rostropovich, Rafael Frebeck de Burgos, Sixten Ehling, and Igor Stravinsky, and has played with such artists as Isaac Stern, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Arthur Rubinstein, Leonard Rose, and Claudio Arrau. Mr. McHugh has recorded for RCA, New Albion Records, and the Louisville First Edition Recordings. |
Lenore Boudreau Schmidt (Piano) Lenore holds the Ph.D. in Music Education from Florida State University, where she studied piano with Carolyn Bridger. Lenore was a pre-college piano student of composer John Lessard (Stony Brook University) and Kyrienna Siloti (New York City). Her Master of Music degree is from The University of Michigan, where she studied with Marian Owen and Eugene Bossart. Lenore achieved the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Ithaca College, New York and later returned to join the School of Music faculty where she was awarded tenure. Her higher education teaching career includes faculty appointments at: The University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina; Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee; and the University of Memphis. Dr. Schmidt also served as Dean of Faculty and Students at the Westchester Conservatory of Music, White Plains, New York. She was recently the Program Coordinator of the Master in Teaching degree program at Washington State University. In 2007, she received the Washington State University Student Choice Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Schmidt has been elected to serve as President of the Greater Louisville Music Teachers Association for 2010-2012. Edith Davis Tidwell (Voice) Edith Davis Tidwell is Professor of Voice and Coordinator of Voice Study at the University of Louisville. She has had a very active performing career, having sung with orchestras and opera companies throughout North America and Great Britain. Ms. Davis Tidwell debuted with New York City Opera in 1985, as Liu in Turandot and enjoyed subsequent successes there as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, and in the title roles of Norma, Madama Butterfly, and Tosca. She had a long association as guest soloist with the Louisville Orchestra and with Kentucky Opera, where she sang over 20 roles. Ms. Davis Tidwell is an Oklahoma native and a graduate of the University of Louisville, having received both the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in vocal performance. She was named a University of Louisville Alumni Fellow in 1997. In 1998, the University awarded her the title of Distinguished Professor for Excellence in Teaching. Fernanda Trocan (Piano) Fernanda is Professor of Voice and Coordinator of Voice Study at the University of Louisville. She has had a very active performing career, having sung with orchestras and opera companies throughout North America and Great Britain. Ms. Davis Tidwell debuted with New York City Opera in 1985, as Liu in Turandot and enjoyed subsequent successes there as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, and in the title roles of Norma, Madama Butterfly, and Tosca. She had a long association as guest soloist with the Louisville Orchestra and with Kentucky Opera, where she sang over 20 roles. Ms. Davis Tidwell is an Oklahoma native and a graduate of the University of Louisville, having received both the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in vocal performance. She was named a University of Louisville Alumni Fellow in 1997. In 1998, the University awarded her the title of Distinguished Professor for Excellence in Teaching. |
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