Program
Deserted Plantation | William Grant Still (1895–1978)
- Spiritual
- Young Missy
- Dance
Gigue en Rondeau | Michel Blavet (1700–1768)
Sonata in G Minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 19 | Sergei Rachmaninov (1873–1943)
- Andante
Louisiana Blues Strut (A Cakewalk) | Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932–2004)
Bassoon Set | Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)
- Lento e tenerament
Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No.1 “Ghost” | Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
- Allegro vivace e con brio
Ebonee Thomas, flute
Lecolion Washington, bassoon
Anyango Yarbo-Davenport, violin
Derek Menchan, cello
Artina McCain, piano
Michelle Schumann, piano
Watch the pre-concert talk with the artists:
Ebonee Thomas
Flutist Ebonee Thomas is originally from Plano, TX and holds degrees from Southern Methodist University and the New England Conservatory of Music. She was Principal Flute of the Knoxville Symphony for 3 seasons, Principal Flute of the Florida Grand Opera, and Second Flute with the Houston Symphony. Ebonee completed a fellowship with the prestigious New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson-Thomas, where she performed the North American premiere of Christian Lindberg’s flute concerto The World of Montuagretta. She has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other orchestras nationwide, most recently including the Dallas and Fort Worth symphonies. Ebonee has a passion for educating and teaches a full studio of private students.
Lecolion Washington
Lecolion Washington, Jr. is the Associate Professor of Bassoon in the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis. He is the bassoonist of the Memphis Woodwind Quintet, and he serves as the director of Bassoonapalooza and of the Shelby County Bassoon Band. Prior to joining the University of Memphis faculty, he was the Assistant Professor of Bassoon at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Anyango Yarbo-Davenport
Born and raised in Munich (Germany), violinist Anyango Yarbo-Davenport was born into the musical family of American soprano Africa Yarbo-Davenport and the late Austrian conductor Hans Peter Jillich. She regularly performs in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Royal Festival Hall London, Teatro Mayor Bogotá, Mozarteum Saal Salzburg, and Teatro Colon. Her performances can be heard on Radio & TV in the US, South America and Europe. She is the winner of the Theodore Presser Scholar Award, International Competition for Romantic Music, IBLA World Competition Italy, Jugend Musiziert Germany, Alpen-Adria Wettbewerb, MTNA USA, the Rotary Club Salzburg Prize, among others. Anyango’s upcoming recording “Invisible Threads” – works for violin and piano by Bartok, Messiaen and a commissioned sonata by composer Juan Antonio Cuellar – was awarded the coveted research prize of the Banco Santander de Colombia with additional sponsorship of the Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
Derek Menchan
A “classically” trained ‘cellist, Menchan holds a Master’s Degree from the Manhattan School of Music, whence he was awarded the Pablo Casals Award for Musical Accomplishment and Human Endeavor.
Having shared the stage and worked with artists from all genres, including Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Stevie Wonder, Kennedy and Rod Stewart; conductors Leonard Slatkin, Kurt Masur, ‘cellists Janos Starker, Mstislav Rostropovich, Harvey Shapiro, and many more, Menchan has carved out his own signature sound and approach to music, from its composition to performance and production.
Artina McCain
Described as a pianist with “power and finesse” (Dallas Arts Society), Artina McCain, has an active career as a performer, educator and speaker. Recent performance highlights include guest appearances with Oregon East Symphony, Memphis Symphony and Austin Civic Orchestra. McCain’s performances have been heard on radio shows on CKWR Toronto, KMFA Classical Austin, and Radio Television Hong Kong.
Michelle Schumann
Hailed for her “sensitive, flexible, and tempestuous dexterity” (Fanfare Magazine), pianist Michelle Schumann has built a reputation for evocative and moving performances. Since 2006, Michelle has served as Artistic Director of the Austin Chamber Music Center, where she “is fearlessly expanding our definition of chamber music” (Austin American-Statesman). Her brand of performance includes an enthusiastic interplay with the audience and her trademark includes bringing diverse music together under a blanket of narrative events.
Schumann is artist-in-residence and professor of piano at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. She received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and additionally holds a Performance Diploma from the Vienna Conservatory.