Inaugurated in 1997, the Catherine Filene Shouse Institute has brought to Detroit a number of young
chamber music ensembles emerging to professional status. The program consists of two weeks of
performances and coachings sessions with Festival artists. Generous host families provide tuition,
meals and lodging for the artists participating in the program.
The Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival takes great pride in the high level of poise and
musicianship these players have brought to our stages. Many of these young ensembles have found international
success since their respective appearances on the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival. Collectively their
achievements have been remarkable.
The Cecilia String Quartet is one of Canada's most promising emerging ensembles today. Laureates of the 5th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition and winners of the 2007 Galaxie Rising Stars Award in Canada, they are current recipients of the Joseph Fisch and Joyce Axelrod String Quartet residency at San Diego State University in association with the La Jolla Music Society.
Since its inception in 2004, the Quartet has held residencies at Laurier University, the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, and the University of Toronto, where the quartet was formed. Their first season culminated in the receipt of the Felix Galimir Award for Chamber Music Excellence after only 6 months as a quartet. At the 2006 Deer Valley Music Festival's Emerging Quartets and Composers Program in Utah, they worked extensively with the Muir Quartet and Joan Tower to premiere Belinda Reynolds' "Static Motion", commissioned for the Cecilia String Quartet by the festival.
Performances credits include the Barrie Colours of Music Festival, the Toronto Music Garden, and the Northern Lights Music Festival in Ajijic, Mexico, among others. They have worked with members of the Juilliard, Emerson, Tokyo, Takacs, St. Lawrence, Ying, American, Penderecki, and Orford Quartets. Their name is taken from St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music.
The Hausmann String Quartet was formed in the summer of 2004 at the LyricaFest music festival in Chatham, NJ. Praised for its charismatic playing and "deeply lyrical sound," the Quartet made its debut with the Lyrica Boston Chamber Music Players in a performance of the Mendelssohn Octet.
Named the 2006 Norfolk Festival Quartet Fellows in Residence, they worked closely with members of the Vermeer, Tokyo, and Keller quartets. In 2007, they were Quartet-in-Residence at the Blossom Music Festival.
The Quartet has frequently appeared on the Lyrica Boston Chamber Music Series. Other past performances include the Longy School of Music, the Columbus Museum of Art and the Ludwig Recital Hall at Kent State University. Most recently, the Quartet collaborated with composer John Howell Morrison in preparation for the East-coast premiere of his work Hard Weather Makes Good Wood for string quartet and tape.
Upon last season's completion of Lyrica Boston's "Young Artist Residency" program with artistic directors Laura Bossert, Terry King and Paula Majerfeld, they relocated to Kent State University, where they currently serve as teaching assistants to the Miami String Quartet. The Quartet has been mentored by members of groups such as the St. Lawrence, Juilliard, Ying, Orion, Emerson, Tokyo, Vermeer and Takacs quartets.
Trio Lunaire
Sujung Cho, piano Joshua Ulrich, violin Aaron Ludwig, cello
Trio Lunaire was established in the autumn of 2004 at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. One of the winning ensembles of the 2005 CCM Chamber Music Competition, Trio Lunaire was also a finalist in the 2006 Coleman Chamber Music Competition and semi-finalists in the 2006 Fischoff and Plowman chamber music competitions.
In the summer of 2006, Awadagin Pratt invited Trio Lunaire to the Next Generation Music Festival in Pennsylvania. As the designated apprentice chamber group, they had the opportunity to work closely with world-class artists such as Martin Beaver, Rachel Barton Pine, and Awadagin Pratt. Most recently, Trio Lunaire traveled to Munich, Germany to compete in the ARD Munich International Music competition.
Coached by professors including Sandra Rivers, William Grubb, Won-Bin Yim, James Tocco, and Yehuda Hanani, the Trio has also appeared in master classes with world-renowned artists including the Colorado String Quartet, the Miró Quartet, the Antares Quartet, Cho-Liang Lin, and James Tocco. Trio Lunaire participated in the 2007 Shouse Institute at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.
Catherine Filene Shouse
The eldest Granddaughter of the Founder of Filene's Specialty Store in Boston, Massachusetts,
Catherine Filene Shouse, grew up surrounded by leaders in the music, education and civic worlds.
Her Parents instilled in her a special sense that with privilege comes responsibility to Society.
Mrs. Shouse became a dynamic, active visionary for political, educational, cultural, international
and women's affairs, who served her country during wartime and peace, with dedication that won her
the highest of honors. Her awards include: The U. S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, Dame Commander
of the British Empire by Elizabeth II, Germany's Commander's Cross of Merit, Austria's Medal of Honor
and France's Officier dans l'Ordere des Arts et des Lettres. Additional appreciation was expressed
through 59 other citations and honors and 14 Honorary Degrees from universities and colleges.
The legacy of Kay Shouse includes the donation of her land in Virginia, buildings
on it and funds for construction of "The Filene Center" to the U. S. Government for the creation of
the first and only National Park for the Performing Arts and Related Education Programs, Wolf Trap.
The gift was accepted by an Act of Congress in l966. The Center is a living monument to the mind,
spirit and generosity of Mrs. Shouse. She served on the Wolf Trap Board and alternated the role of
Program Chairman with Beverly Sills.
During the l970s, Wolf Trap presented such rising young stars as Jessye Norman,
Luciano Pavarotti and James Tocco.
The Catherine Filene Shouse Foundation continues a fundamental interest of Mrs.
Shouse by furthering the careers of promising young people in the performing arts. The Great Lakes
Chamber Music Festival is pleased to be the recipient of support from the Foundation, which Mrs.
Shouse established.
