Musicians

Music and the other arts are the most potent demonstration that, in the heart, we are all one community.

~ Jan Swafford

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Richard MacDowell
clarinet

Richard MacDowell has taught and performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad.

Before coming to the University of Texas at Austin, where he was Associate Professor of Clarinet for over 20 years, he taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy and the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan . He is now retired from University of Texas and is now teaching at Colgate University, Mansfield University, and Binghamton University.

As a performer, he is principal Clarinet in the Catskill Symphony, the Colgate Symphony, and a member of the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes. He is also a frequent performer with the Finger Lakes Chamber Ensemble and the Tri-Cities Opera.

He has given recitals and master classes at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan, Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin, Ohio, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina, and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Nebraska. He participated in the 2010 China Clarinet Festival in Naning, China, and the Taiwan Clarinet Festival in Touen, Taiwan, Taiwan.

He’s been the principal clarinet of the Dallas Chamber Orchestra, the Lakewood Ensemble of Dallas, Mozart-fest of Austin, the Chamber Soloists of Austin, Salon Concerts, and the Victoria Bach Festival. Two years ago in 2011, his final year prior to his retirement from UT, he was co-artistic director and host for the 2010 ICA International ClarintFest in Austin. Locally, he is a frequent guest with the Finger Lakes Chamber Ensemble, and has been on the faculties of Ithaca College, State University College at Oneonta, and Hartwick. He’s played principal clarinet with the Glimmerglass Opera, the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Catskill Philharmonic, and played with the Binghamton Philharmonic, Binghamton Pops, the Northeast Philharmonic, and Tri-Cities Opera, among others.

Chris Mangelly
keyboards, accordian

Chis is the son of a prevalent Augusta Georgia musical family. He has performed nationally and internationally as a touring musician (including several cruise lines) with such stars a Red Skelton and David ‘Fathead’ Newman. He has directed orchestras for “Summer Stock Theater” in the Philadelphia area., and is a sought-after solo artist for unique programs with symphony orchestras and various bands, including the Augusta Symphony and with the fusion band “John Doe.”

As the “vision driver” for the Jazz ensemble The Garden City Allstars, Chris became the band’s leader and introduced the first SouthEastern USA community big band jazz ensemble. After working as pianist for the Augusta Jazz Project Big Band, Chris now currently plays with the Channellheimer Oompah Band, with his own group at Augusta’s Historic Partridge Inn, the Augusta Big Band Aggregate (ABBA) and the Rob Foster Jazz Quartet.

He studied at Augusta College and The Philadelphia Music Academy resulting in a degree in performance and composition from the latter in 1971. Chris is the Network Administrator for Augusta Technical College.

Ruotao Mao
violin

Ruotao Mao, violinistViolinist Ruotao Mao is an active soloist and chamber musician while holding numerous concertmaster posts. His playing was described by The Classical New Jersey as “virtuoso display of world-class magnitude” and “The level of playing has reached far beyond mere technical competence.”

A native of Beijing, China, Mr. Mao graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a “distinction in performance” award. He earned his Masters Degree in Music and Artist Diploma from Rutgers University where he studied under violinist Arnold Sternhardt of the Guarneri String Quartet. He also studied with Dorothy Delay, Paul Kantor and Masuko Ushioda. As a chamber musician, he is one of the founding members of the former Beijing Piano Quartet, winner of “Artists International Chamber Music Series” with appearances in Weill Hall of Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall of Lincoln Center and also the highly acclaimed Amabile String Quartet, the quartet-in-residence at Rutgers University (2000–2002). As a concerto soloist, he appeared with orchestras such as the Jupiter Symphony, NEC Symphony Corelliard Chamber Orchestra, the Brunswick Symphony Orchestra, Riverside Symphonia, Edison Symphony, the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Bay-Atlantic Symphony, Arcadian Symphony Orchestra and Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra among many others. In 2004, Mr. Mao premiered a violin concerto by Ernie Stires in Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall. He had performance tours in Korea, China and Colombia, South America. He performed on WNYC, WETS and WDVR-FM broadcasts and is a recording artist for the CRI and Beijing Broadcast Labels.

Mr Mao serves as the concertmaster of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Bay-Atlantic Symphony, Riverside Symphonia and the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra, Mr. Mao has taught violin and chamber music at The Lawrence-ville School, The College of New Jersey and Princeton University.

Angela Massey
flute

Angela Massey, flute

Angela Massey holds the position of third flute and piccolo with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Augusta Choral Society, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Lyra Vivace Chamber Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra Augusta. As a soloist she has performed on the Chase Series, Covenant Series, Midday Music Series, Tuesday’s Music Live, the National Flute Association Convention in Charlotte, and at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City. In regards to chamber music, she is a member of the Continuo Collective of the South, Duo Astralis, and the Massey Duo. She maintains an active teaching studio and has served as flute instructor at Presbyterian College. Her debut album, The Elements, was released in 2014 with pianist, Vahan Sargsyan, which is available through cdbaby.com.

Angela was awarded prizes in the Alexander and Buono International Flute Competition, Frank Bowen Competition, Myrna Brown Competition, and elected president of the South Carolina Flute Society. She received a Certificate in Advanced Flute Studies from Carnegie Mellon University, Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her instructors have been Alberto Almarza, Jeanne Baxtresser, Brooks de Wetter-Smith, Brad Garner, Martha Kitterman, and Jack Wellbaum. Angela is currently based in New York City with her husband, clarinetist Taylor Massey.

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Taylor Massey
clarinet

Taylor Massey - clarinet

Taylor Massey has been in much demand as a performer and instructor throughout the southeast region. He has been a featured artist of the Symphony Orchestra Augusta, performing the Brahms Clarinet Quintet and Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto. He
has also presented many chamber performances in the United States, as well as in Morges, Switzerland, and Lucca, Italy. While in Italy he served as principal clarinetist of the Lucca Theatre Opera orchestra.

Taylor is currently on faculty at Augusta State University and the University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music and has previously been visiting instructor at Georgia Southern University. He maintains a strong interest in new music and has given many performances of new works while in Cincinnati and as a part of MusicX, a contemporary music festival in Cincinnati, OH.

His principal instructors have been Steven Cohen, Russell Dagon, and Ronald de Kant. He has received additional bass clarinet instruction from Ronald Aufmann of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and J. Lawrie Bloom of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Taylor earned a Bachelors degree in Music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Masters degree from the Northwestern University School of Music. He lives in Augusta with his wife, flutist Angela Massey.

Larry Millen
keyboards, composer, conductor

Larry Millen - keyboards, composer, conductor

Larry began playing the piano as a child growing up in New York. He quickly progressed as a young pianist, winning numerous young artist competitions and awards, studying with William Hargrove and Herbert Rogers of the Juilliard School. Larry completed a bachelor’s degree in piano performance at Indiana University, studying with Alberto Reyes and John Keeton, and later finishing a Master’s degree in Music in New York.

While in New York, Larry was the artistic director and conductor of the Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra, performing throughout the New York area to considerable acclaim. Larry developed a strong reputation while in New York as a vocal coach, accompanist, chamber music performer, teacher, and conductor.

Later, he pursued a career in medicine, bringing him to Augusta, where he is now working as an endocrinologist. He has appeared with the Augusta Symphony numerous times since his return to Augusta, performing as a pianist with the orchestra, as a soloist with the chamber orchestra, in concert with the chamber players, as soloist on the Appleby series concerts and Westobou festival, and is a regular performer in the area. His compositions have been performed by the Augusta Choral Society and St John Choir.

David Moody
piano

David Moody, piano

David Moody is a pianist, harpsichordist, conductor and vocal coach based in New York City. He is a faculty member of The Juilliard School, where he has since 2009 served as coach and chorus master. He is also currently the chorus master for the Glimmerglass Festival, having been a member of the Festival’s music staff since 2004.

As a conductor, David has led productions at The Juilliard School and at Glimmerglass, including productions of Mozart’s La finta giardiniera (directed by Mary Birnbaum); a triple bill of Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, Samuel Barber’s A Hand of Bridge, and Kurt Weill’s Down in the Valley (directed by Edward Berkeley); David Lang’s little match girl passion (directed by Francesca Zambello); and the world premiere of Ben Moore’s and Kelley Rourke’s opera for young people, Odyssey (also directed by Francesca Zambello).

As chorus master, he has prepared ensembles for productions led such conductors as James Levine, Alan Gilbert, Jane Glover, and Joseph Colaneri. Highlights have included productions of Aida, Candide, Macbeth, and Dido and Aeneas.

As harpsichordist and assistant conductor, David has performed with the conductors Harry Bickett, Jane Glover, Christian Curnyn, and Julian Wachner, among others.

David attended the University of Illinois as a pupil of John Wustman, and continued his studies at The National Opera Studio in London, UK. He lives in Brooklyn NY with his wife, Katy Clark, and their children Nye and Ruby.

Jennifer Reuning Myers
violin

Jennifer Reuning Myers, violin

A native of Ithaca, NY, Jennifer performs with the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra and several regional chamber music ensembles; she has also performed regularly with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. As a member of the Catskill Chamber Players, she worked with composers Lou Harrison, Henry Brant, Virgil Thomson and George Crumb, and performed the New York premiere of Henry Cowell’s Trio for flute, violin and harp at Weill Recital Hall. Jennifer studied with Raphael Bronstein and Charles Treger at the Hartt School of Music and received her Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College where she studied with Linda Case. As the daughter of two of the first Suzuki violin teachers in this country, Jennifer was fortunate as a youngster to have participated in classes led by Shinichi Suzuki. She now maintains a private Suzuki studio at 171 Cedar Arts in Corning, NY and teaches at Ithaca Talent Education School, in Ithaca, NY. Jennifer is also a licensed massage therapist and has a special interest in working with musicians.

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One thought on “Musicians”

  1. Kate,
    My son is getting married at our home in Evans on October 16, 2021 . It is a small wedding of approximately 130 people, and will be held outdoors. We are beginning to plan the music for the wedding and wanted to incorporate a “String Trio”with violin or viola, cello, and flute. My friend Stan Pylant, recommended that I contact you since you schedule wedding events through “In Praise of Music”. I would appreciate you contacting me so that we could discuss the possibilities of special wedding music.
    Sincerely,
    Jan Key
    706-294-0330

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