Source: Cora Cooper, 785-532-5740, corac@k-state.edu
Web site: http://www.clevelandquartet.com

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

VIOLINIST PETER SALAFF TO TEACH MASTER CLASSES AT K-STATE AS PART OF UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED LECTURERS SERIES

MANHATTAN -- World-renowned musician Peter Salaff, a founding member of the Cleveland Quartet, will be in residence at Kansas State University Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, as part of the University Distinguised Lecturers Series.

Salaff will teach a university chamber music master class from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 9 in the K-State Student Union's Little Theater, and a high school and university chamber music master class from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 10 in 204 McCain. Both are free and open to the public.

"In a master class, student performers play for the public critique of a master teacher," said Cora Cooper, professor of violin at K-State. "It is fascinating to witness the improvement a master teacher can make in a short time with each student group, and educational for everyone to hear the teacher’s ideas."

Along with the University Distinguished Lecturers Series, the master classes are co-sponsored by the K-State student chapter of the American String Teachers Associaiton and the K-State department of music.

As a member of the Cleveland Quartet, Salaff has recorded more than 50 chamber works and received a Grammy Award, six Grammy nominations and Best of the Year honors from TimeandStereo Review. The quartet has toured the U.S. and performed at the White House for President Jimmy Carter. The group also has toured the former Soviet Union, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Israel, Europe and Canada.

Salaff joined the Cleveland Institute of Music faculty in September 1995 as director of string chamber music. He also is a faculty member at the Music Academy of the West. He has previously served on the faculties of the University of Concepcion in Chile, State University of New York at Buffalo and the Eastman School of Music. In addition, he has taught at numerous festivals including Interlochen, Chamber Music in the Mountains at Echo Glen, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany.

Salaff has coached chamber music and given master classes at conservatories and universities in the U.S., Germany, Japan, Israel and New Zealand. Ensembles coached by Salaff have garnered prestigious international awards at the Naumburg Competition, the Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Coleman Chamber Music Association Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. These ensembles include the Anderson, Cavani, Chester, Colorado, Dakota, Franciscan, Lafayette, Lark, Lydian, Meliora, Rackham and Ying quartets.

He has been a judge at many chamber music competitions, including the Yellow Springs Competition, the London International String Quartet Competition, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the Coleman Chamber Music Association Competition.

K-State students in university chamber groups participating in the Salaff master classes include:

Sabrina Hamilton, sophomore in music, Canton, String Quintet; Karina Camacho, junior in music education, Garden City, String Quintet; Laura Beth Cochran, master's student in architecture, Manhattan Project String Quartet, and Anna Weddle, freshman in music, String Quintet, both from Manhattan; Ransom Allen, senior in management, and Cody Toll, senior in music education, both from Salina and both Manhattan Project String Quartet; Robyn Bramlage, senior in fine arts, Manhattan Project String Quartet, and Mandy Sewell, sophomore in music, Monumental String Quartet, both from Tecumseh; Alex Bency, sophomore in business administration, Monumental String Quartet, and Joy Holz, sophomore in open option, String Quintet, both from Topeka.

From Wichita: Sarah Hodges, senior in communication sciences and disorders and modern languages, String Quintet; Ben MacGill, junior in applied music, Monumental String Quartet; and Jacob Schmidt, junior in architectural engineering, Monumental String Quartet.