WAU Summer Music Festival

WAU faculty Susanna Mendlow and guest artist Devree Lewis share Cello, World’s rendition of the Sephardic tune “Morena me llaman”.

Devree’s tango workshop will be a HIGHLIGHT of the festival!

Morena Me Llaman Traditional Sephardic melody arranged by Susanna MendlowDevree Lewis and Susanna Mendlow, cellosRecorded on May 8, 2021 at Tonal Park Studios

Washington Adventist University’s Summer Music festival https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Time: June 18-23
Location: WAU campus in Takoma Park, MD
Age: High Schoolers and Selected Middle Schoolers
Instrument: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Piano
Tuition: $650 with need based partial scholarships(Apply Early). Non-local students can stay in our dorm for food and housing.
Our extraordinary WAU faculty: Preston Hawes, Brian Liu, Dan Zhang, Susanna Mendlow, Stephen Czarkowski, Shawn Alger, Mark Di Pinto
Our exceptional guest faculty: Lisa Steltenpohl (Baltimore Symphony), Regino Madrio (National Symphony), Kenneth Law( International renowned cellist), Devree Lewis (Cellist , Arranger at Cello, World), Bok Hwa (International recnowned pianist)

Students have the opportunity to:
Private lessons with WAU's exceptional string and piano faculty
Grow from the expertise of guest faculty in daily masterclasses and workshops
Explore non-traditional chamber music, including tango, improvisation, Chinese folk, and historically informed baroque performance (traditional repertoire also available)
Develop large ensemble skills with daily orchestra rehearsals (string players)
Gain performance skills in concerts both on and off WAU's campus
Enjoy evening faculty concerts and experience DC's music culture-Clave: The Engine of The Diaspora with Joshua Jenkins, The Mansion at Strathmore. June 21, 7:30PM
WAU also invites student composers to submit original works written for string orchestra in the festival’s inaugural . The winner composition competition will have their piece performed by the festival orchestra on June 23rd.
Feel free to reach out with any questions. Thank you and we are looking forward to having you with us in the beautiful suburb of DC at the WAU Summer Music Festival.

WAU Summer Music Festival | WAU CMS June 18 - 23, 2023 Explore classical & non-traditional music in Takoma Park, Maryland. Open to high school and advanced middle school students.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Pianist Mark Di Pinto has studied with Douglas Guiles, Ann Schein, and Nelita True and has been awarded top prizes in various state and local competitions, including the E. R. Davis Competition, for the GLMTA Concerto Competition, the Henri Carol Memorial Competition, the Miriam Shields Gottlieb Young Pianists Memorial Competition, the Yardumian Ensemble Competition, and the MSMTA Festival Competition. Additionally he has performed in master classes for George Crumb, Claude Frank, Philip Jenkins, and Phillip Kawin.
​
Dr. Di Pinto attended Washington Adventist University, where he was piano soloist with the New England Youth Ensemble. He has performed with them all across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Scandinavia, Russia, South Africa, and the Middle East in venues including Carnegie Hall, Capetown City Hall, and the Sydney Opera House. In 2005 he premiered Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse’s African Suite for two pianos and orchestra in Carnegie Hall.
​
Dr. Di Pinto completed his masters degree and doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. He is currently Associate Professor of Piano at Washington Adventist University. In addition to teaching piano, his responsibilities include accompanying and teaching music theory and ear training.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Shawn Alger is a freelance bassist equally at home with both baroque performance practices and music of the classical canon. As an in-demand performer in the Washington DC area, he has performed with modern and period ensembles such as the National Symphony Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, Washington Bach Consort, Annapolis Symphony, and National Philharmonic. He is the Double Bass Instructor at Washington Adventist University and has been a guest lecturer and clinician for numerous schools, universities, and ensembles throughout the country.
​
Shawn earned his DMA from the University of Maryland in 2015, where he was the recipient of the Pomeroy Prize for excellence in the performance and scholarship of Baroque music. In addition to his busy performance and teaching schedule, Dr. Alger is also the editor of numerous works of baroque music, transcribed for modern double bass. which were the focus of his presentation at the International Society of Bassists Convention in 2017. His primary teachers include Anthony Manzo, Jeffrey Weisner, Tyler Abbott, and Thomas Derthick.

Shawn received an MM from Peabody Institute of John Hopkins University, an MA from University of Oregon and a BA from University of the Pacific.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Devree Lewis, cellist, is a prolific performer, arranger, and concert producer based in Washington, D.C. Founding member of Trifilio Tango Trio, she is also principal cellist of Amadeus Orchestra and performs in cello duo with Susanna Mendlow, in addition to freelancing cross-genre and classical music across the U.S. East Coast. Internationally, Devree has toured with Trifilio Tango Trio, Pan American Symphony, and UNSCA String Quartet to various venues in Argentina, Cuba, Peru, Lebanon, and Austria.

As freelancer, Devree performs in cello sections for Richmond Symphony, Annapolis Symphony, Lancaster Symphony, New Orchestra of Washington, Gourmet Symphony, and Post-Classical Ensemble. Devree played side-by-side with Cleveland Orchestra at Kent/Blossom Music Festival, and performed at the premiere season of the Hollywood in Vienna Festival with the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in Vienna, Austria. In 2015, Pennsylvania Philharmonic featured Devree as principal cellist and soloist, accompanying David Kim, concertmaster for Philadelphia Orchestra, in Vivaldi’s and Piazzolla’s Four Seasons.
​
Devree won performance scholarships to Killington Music Festival, Kent/Blossom Music Festival, North Carolina School of the Arts, and University of Maryland’s Graduate Assistant program in Music Performance, where she received her Master’s degree. During her studies she performed in masterclasses for Mischa Maisky, Bonnie Hampton, Steven Doane, David Finckel, Stephen Geber, David Ying, and Miro Quartet.

Soon after completing her degrees, Devree joined metal cello band Primitivity and can be heard on their 2013 album Evolution. She also arranged multiple songs for the group and was a full time member 2009-2014. In addition to metal, Devree provides studio sessions in other cross-over genres and creates original music arrangements; she also arranges for musical theater, string quartet, tango small ensemble, and string orchestra. The National Symphony of Cuba premiered her arrangement of “Ni Pelota: Milonga” by E. Trifilio in 2017; her arrangements have also been performed by the Hubbard Quartet at venues including San Francisco New Music Center and Tanglewood Music Festival, by the Invoke Quartet in Austin, TX, and Manhattan Chamber Music.

A dedicated educator, Devree maintains a private studio of 30 piano and cello students; in 2017, she created curriculum for and directed D.C.’s first youth tango orchestra, culminating in a concert at the Embassy of Argentina featuring her tango arrangements for strings and bandoneon. Devree joined the faculty of Cellospeak, a summer festival for adult cellists, in 2019.

Devree co-founded, and performed in Trifilio Tango Trio from 2015-2018. “Milonga de la Ausencia” from their first album, a track featuring Devree on cello, was chosen as soundtrack for the short film “Vuelve con nosotros” and was nominated as best original score at Milan’s 2016 MOFF Film Festival. Along with several U.S. and international tours, Trifilio Tango Trio released three albums, recorded and produced in Argentina.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Kenneth Law, cellist, teacher and author, is a member of the Main Street Chamber Players, RitzChamber Players, Colour of Music Festival and Gateways Music Festival. He has performed atthe Arts Club of Washington (D.C.), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Alice Tully Hall, and the “Jazz at Lincoln Center” Concert Series. Overseas, he has performed in England, France, Scotland, Panama and Puerto Rico, and has collaborated with Earl Carlyss (Juilliard String Quartet), Michael Tree (Guarneri Quartet), and the Ying String Quartet. Mr. Law was featured on the nationally televised NAACP Image Awards as a member of the Ritz Chamber Players. Mr. Law gave his first performance at the Piccolo Spoleto Music Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, as a member of the Converse Trio in the Spring of 2008; in the Summers of 2009 and 2010 returned as a member of Ensemble Argos and in the Spring of 2017 as a member of the Polaris Piano Trio. In the Summer of 2011 he performed as a member of the Charleston Baroque, Most recently, Mr. Law performed at Carnegie Hall with the Colour of Music Festival Virtuosi, and the Library of Congress with the Ritz Chamber Players. Mr. Law currently maintains a large private studio in Fairfax, Virginia. His students have been accepted into the undergraduate and graduate degree programs at the Eastman School of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, Peabody and Oberlin Conservatories and Indiana University (Bloomington). Mr. Law is the recipient of the Studio Teacher of the Year Award from both the South Carolina (2010) and Virginia (2017) chapters of the American String Teachers Association.

Mr. Law received undergraduate and graduate degrees in performance from the Eastman School of Music and Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory. He was also a chamber music fellow at The Juilliard School.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Maestro Stephen Czarkowski is in his eleventh season as music director and conductor of The Apollo Orchestra, associate conductor of York Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Conductor of Opera Camerata. He has guest conducted Prince George’s Philharmonic, Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia, Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra, Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra, Symphony of the Potomac, Washington Sinfonietta, Honolulu Symphony and Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Stephen has also guest conducted the National Symphony Orchestra through the National Conducting Institute under Leonard Slatkin. Stephen has worked with internationally esteemed soloists, including soprano Harolyn Blackwell, harpist Nancy Allen, violinist Cho-Liang Lin, trumpeter Chris Gekker, guitarist Ana Vidovic and cellists Carter Brey, Jerry Grossman and Amit Peled. He is director of strings at Norwood School (sixth year), where his orchestra received a superior rating in festival; music director and conductor of Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra; music director and conductor of The Symphonette at Landon School; and resident conductor and cello faculty at Luzerne Music Center. Stephen was a soloist with Two Rivers Chamber Orchestra, performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major and performed Bach’s Cello Suites at St. James Catholic Church in Charles Town, West Virginia. He was a special guest artist at the Library of Congress, the White House and in concerts honoring Pope Francis and President Obama. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from The Catholic University of America and Mannes College of Music at The New School. Mr. Czarkowski was elected onto the Board of Directors of the Conductors Guild.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Susanna Mendlow is a versatile performer, arranger, and educator living in Washington D.C. She is a founding member of both Kassia Music and Cello, World and is the current cellist for QuinTango. Susanna plays a variety of musical styles, including western classical, ethnic folk, tango, and pop. As both a soloist and chamber musician, she has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Mexico, and Central Asia.

Susanna was the recipient of several scholarships and awards, including teaching fellowships for both of her graduate degrees. She received her BA in psychology and music from Columbia University, her MM from Michigan State University (MSU), and her DMA from SUNY Stony Brook. During her graduate studies, Susanna and three classmates formed an experimental jazz and ethnic folk quartet that toured the US, Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz Republic as part of a project to build cross-cultural connections through music. Her doctoral paper, “Musical Transcription and Arrangement in the 21st Century: The Challenges of Reinterpreting a Traditional Bulgarian Folk Song”, uses a personal case study to explore the concept of authenticity in modern music performance. Susanna studied with Suren Bagratuni, Misha Quint, and Colin Carr.

As an educator, Susanna strives to provide a well-rounded music-learning experience, which includes exploring multiple genres, improvisation, and music theory in a supportive and engaging environment. From 2015 to 2019, Susanna served first as Administrative Director and then as Executive Director for Cellospeak, a non-profit devoted to the education of adult cellists. She continues her relationship with the organization as a member of the faculty, coaching small ensembles and teaching classes on technique, musicianship, stage fright, and improvisation. As a member of QuinTango, she works with string orchestra students both locally and abroad. Susanna also teaches cello in her private studio and piano at the Washington International School.

Currently, Susanna enjoys performing with her three main ensembles and teaching her varied students. In 2020, she earned an artist fellowship from the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities and an Emergent Seed award. In 2021, she received another DC artist fellowship as well as a community outreach project grant for DS al Cello. Her debut album, which features her cello arrangement of Mendelssohn’s third violin sonata and works for solo cello by Julia Adolphe and Noam Faingold, is scheduled for release in 2023.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Lisa Steltenpohl, principal viola of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School. She has served as principal violist of The Curtis Symphony Orchestra and the Haddonfield Symphony, now Symphony in C.

Originally from North Barrington, Illinois, Ms. Steltenpohl comes from a musical family. She and her twin sister Anna, oboe and English horn, have been featured on the educational series “Musical Encounters” and have performed many recitals together highlighting the viola and oboe repertoire. Prior to joining the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Ms. Steltenpohl was a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Her teachers have included Misha Amory, Roberto Diaz, Desiree Ruhstrat and Stephen
Wyrczynski. She made her Baltimore Symphony Orchestra solo debut performing Bach’s Sixth Brandenburg Concerto in the 2013/14 season and has since been heard performing Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with violinist Madeline Adkins and Don Quixote by Richard Strauss in the 2017/18 season with conductor Jun Märkl.

https://www.waucms.org/summer-music-festival
Faculty highlight: Violist Dan Zhang has concertized throughout Europe, the United States, Asia, and South America as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra musician. Dr. Zhang has performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Teatro Centro Cultura Kirchner in Buenos Aires, and NHK Hall in Tokyo. In recent years, she has been invited to play with orchestras inclusive of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic. Playing in the D’amore duo with her partner William Feasley brings her great joy. Together, they have developed a strong musical connection and a shared passion for exploring the rich repertoire for viola and guitar. Dr. Zhang actively appeared in music festivals such as Master Music Course Japan, Bach Cantata Music Festival in Germany, Kneisal Hall Music Festival and International Jungen Orchesterakademie in Germany.
​
Dr. Zhang has had the honor of numerous awards. She was the prizewinner of the First China Viola Festival and Competition, and won 1st prize in the Shenandoah Conservatory Concerto competition. She won the Gold Prize of the 3rd Hong Kong International Strings Competition. She also participated in the International Max Rostal Competition in Berlin, and was the finalist of the International Anton Rubinstein Viola Competition in Dusseldorf, Germany.
​
As a collaborator and advocate, Dr. Zhang has had the privilege to serve as artist director of “The Sound of Piano, Strings and Voice International Music Festival”, based in Xi’ an, China. This program provides young musicians with a strong artistic vision and stage presence.
​
Being a passionate teacher, Dr. Zhang sees herself as a role model for her students, aiming to humble, nurture, inspire, and learn from each other. Dr. Zhang has conducted masterclasses at schools such as George Mason University, Shenandoah University, MinZu University of China, Xi’an Conservatory and Beijing Normal University. Her mission is always to nurture students’ academic success, in relation to their personal goals and journey.

Dr. Zhang received her D.M.A. at The Catholic University of America, M.M. at Yale School of Music, A. D. from Shenandoah University and B.M. from Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She teaches at Washington Adventist University and The Catholic University of America. She also teaches at Music&More SummerFest in (Bosnia&Herzegovina), International Viola Workshop of Americas(Mexico), The Sound of Piano, Strings and Voice International Music Festival (China).