Friends of Music
Concert Series
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Friends of Music

Friends of Music 2007 Concert Series

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Sunday, January 7, 2007 ~ 3:00 pm

todd Geer, tenor

A native of Charlotte with family still here, Mr. Geer holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Binghamton University. He completed the Adler Fellowship with San Francisco Opera in 2001, where he performed as resident artist for two seasons. He debuted with San Francisco Opera as Don Gaspar in La Favorite in 1999, followed by a leading role as Rodolfo in La BohPme that same season.

A frequent concert and oratorio singer, Todd made his European debut singing Carmina Burana in the Arena de Nimes, Annecy, and Aix-en Provence. He sang Beethoven’s Symphony #9 for his Carnegie Hall debut followed by Schubert’s Masses in F and E flat, the Mozart Requiem and Handel’s Messiah.

Todd’s most recent opera roles include Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in August 2006 for the Bear Valley Music Festival. In November he sang the role of Renzo in the North American premier of Zandonai’s La Farsa Amorosa with Teatro Gattacielo in Alice Tully Hall.

He will sing Canio in Pagliacci for Opera Carolina in January 2007, and will join Sacramento Opera for Don Jose in Carmen, followed by Madama Butterfly with Bangkok Opera.

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Erinn Frechette, flute

Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Erinn Frechette has served as Piccolo/Third Flute of the Charlotte Symphony since June 2002. She has been a prize winner of several competitions including first place in both the National Flute Association's Young Artist and Piccolo Artist Competitions (2002 and 2000, respectively). As a chamber musician she has been featured in Charlotte's Providence United Methodist Church Chamber Music Series, the Vivian Major Society (Lancaster, SC) Classical Concert and Suzuki and Friends Chamber Music Series in Indianapolis. She will be a featured soloist in the Florida Flute Association's upcoming festival with a solo piccolo recital of recently composed works. Erinn holds degrees from Northwestern University and the University of Cincinnati where she is currently completing a Doctorate of Music.

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The Motet Singers of Myers Park Baptist Church

The Motet Singers, under the direction of Jonathan Crutchfield, Minister of Music, will present a choral concert titled, "Songs In The Key of Life." The concert will include choral selections the themes of which reflect the human journey from birth to death. Works by Clausen, Gawthrop, Mozart and Paulus will be performed, including Benjamin Britten’s "Rejoice in the Lamb."

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Sunday, September 23, 2007 ~ 3:30 pm

Martha Bartz, mezzo-soprano

Martha Bartz, a graduate of the University of Miami School of Music, studied voice and piano while achieving her degree in Music Merchandising, a combined business and music major.

Martha performs regularly as a mezzo-soprano, alto, and contralto soloist. Her performances include guest appearances with the New York City Chamber Orchestra, The Pilsen Symphony Orchestra, The Charlotte Symphony and Oratorio Society, the Miami Bach Society, The Mens Chorus of South Florida, The Civic Chorale of Greater Miami, and several church, synagogue, and civic organizations throughout the Southeast.

Mrs. Bartz is the Executive Director of the newly formed Ethos Consortium, a Charlotte, NC-based, non-profit, professional Chamber Orchestra and Choral ensemble led by artistic director and conductor, Paul E. Oakley.

Mrs. Bartz owns Mezzo Logistics, Inc., which specializes in the transportation brokerage of freight/cargo from the US to South America and the Middle East, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan and has been actively involved in Hurricane Relief efforts.

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Sunday, October 14, 2007 ~ 3:00 pm

Todd Wilson, organ

Todd Wilson is Director of Music and Organist at The Church of the Covenant (Presbyterian) in Cleveland, Ohio, where he heads a program of choirs as well as a concert series. A respected teacher, he is Head of the Organ Department at The Cleveland Institute of Music, and also teaches at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He serves as Organ Curator of the recently restored E.M. Skinner organ at Severance Hall, home of The Cleveland Orchestra. Mr. Wilson received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, where he studied organ with Wayne Fisher. Further coaching in organ repertoire was with Russell Saunders at The Eastman School of Music. He has won numerous competitions, including the Grand Prix de Chartres (France) and the Ft. Wayne Competition. An active member of the American Guild of Organists, Mr. Wilson holds the Fellow and Choirmaster certificates, and was a featured performer for the Centennial National Convention of the Guild in New York City in July 1996.

Todd Wilson has been heard in concert in many major cities throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. He has appeared as a solo recitalist for Austrian Radio in Vienna, and in concert with the Slovakian Radio Symphony. Past orchestral appearances include performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, members of the Atlanta Symphony, the Naples (FL) Philharmonic, the Calgary Philharmonic, City of London Sinfonia, the Canton Symphony, the New Mexico Symphony, the Ft. Worth Symphony, and the Orchestra at Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

A sought-after adjudicator, Todd Wilson has been a jury member for numerous national and international playing competitions. An active interest in improvisation has led to his popular improvised accompaniments to classic silent films.

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