Eastern Music Festival Welcomes New Faculty For 2019 Season

Eastern Music Festival (EMF), a nationally recognized music festival and summer educational program based in the heart of North Carolina, announces five new faculty members for the 2019 season. Christopher Caudill (horn), Netanel Draiblate (violin), and Demondrae Thurman (euphonium) will join the faculty this month. Also joining on one-year contracts are Yolanda Bruno (violin) and Erin Zehngut (violin), both serving for EMF faculty that are on-leave this season.

"It is a rare yet wonderful opportunity for EMF to add new faculty to our roster," said EMF executive director Christopher Williams. "We are fortunate to have many dedicated faculty members that have 20, even 30 years longevity at EMF. As we grow our musical study programs, we are able to add more excellent teaching artists," added Williams. The Festival's 75 acclaimed faculty artists return each summer to guide and nurture the next generation of classical music students and also perform in over 65 performances and events over the five-week season.

Joining the 2019 Festival season are:

Yolanda Bruno (violin) has performed across North America and Europe including solos with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, L'Orchestre Métropolitain, the Youth Orchestra of the Americas and the London Mozart Players. Bruno is passionate about her role in engaging music in the community in Canada and abroad. She has worked with young people through the Multi-Story Orchestra's school concerts in South London, through Health Arts Canada, with the East London Youth Orchestra and with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas. In 2018, she was appointed Concertmaster of the Kingston Symphony Orchestra.

Christopher Caudill (horn) studied at Northwestern University with the Chicago Symphony's solo horn Dale Clevenger and was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He was a member of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach for three years being invited to play principal horn with the Honolulu Symphony for the 1997-98 season. After two years with the Virginia Symphony, he joined the North Carolina Symphony in 2003. He has performed on Natural Horn with the North Carolina Baroque and the Brussels Chamber Orchestra.

Netanel Draiblate (violin), a sought-after teacher, is the Director of Chamber Music at Georgetown University, is the Founder and Director of the Annapolis Symphony Academy and serves on the faculty of the Annapolis Young Artists Program and The Levine School serving greater metro-DC area. He has held faculty positions and led master classes at Towson University, Goiania University (Brazil), Brasilia University (Brazil), Recife Conservatory (Brazil), and the Holon Young Artists Festival (Israel). Draiblate is currently concertmaster of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony, and the Washington, DC-based PostClassical Ensemble whose mission is to perform works created after 1900. Draiblate tours with his duo partner, pianist Lura Johnson, as Times Two in a program dedicated to Brahms and continues to explore the lesser known works for violin/piano duo.

Demondrae Thurman (euphonium) is known worldwide for his Signature Sound and overt musicality, He has performed on euphonium and trombone with the Philadelphia Big Brass, Proteus 7, Dallas Brass, and the Youngblood Brass Band, but his most celebrated collaboration is as first euphonium with the Sotto Voce Quartet. Currently, Thurman is Professor of Music at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. The position was created for him to utilize his specific skills and expertise in euphonium and brass chamber music. He is also serves on the faculty of Samford University and has given masterclasses and clinics at many of the world's leading colleges and universities for low brass. Thurman is also a lead teacher at EMF's new Euphonium Tuba Institute.

Erin Zehngut (violin) joined the First Violin Section of the North Carolina Symphony in 2016. Prior to that, she was a fellow with the New World Symphony under Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas. In her time there, Zehngut performed in a variety of chamber music projects and was active in the symphony's Community Engagement program. She has performed regularly with the Minnesota Orchestra and joined them on their historic tour to Cuba. Zehngut holds a bachelor's degree in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Aaron Berofsky, and a master's degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Stephen Rose.

The 2019 Festival returns June 22 with student arrivals. Performances being Monday, June 24, and through Saturday, July 27. EMF's 58th season features over 65 performances by three symphonies, multiple chamber ensembles, and signature guest artists performances at its home location at Guilford College and other locations in Greensboro, the Triad, and Boone, North Carolina. Tickets available online at eastermusicfestival.org or by calling the Triad Stage Box Office at 336-272-0161.

For almost six decades, Eastern Music Festival (EMF) has been produced each summer on the campus of Guilford College, UNCG, and other venues in the Greensboro area. EMF is distinguished by its accomplished faculty, exhilarating repertoire, and world-renowned visiting artists. A powerful teaching institution, EMF provides encouragement and guidance to over 260 young musicians from across the country and around the globe as they take their first steps towards careers in the performing arts. During EMF's five-week annual season (June 22 - July 27, 2019), the Festival presents more than 65 concerts under the artistic direction of Gerard Schwarz. In addition, 30-plus outreach performances are performed throughout the region. For more information, visit easternmusicfestival.org

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