Local Artists Presented in Recent Concert

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Milwaukee, WI - The MacDowell Club of Milwaukee opened its 100th season with a concert presenting its newest members to the music-loving community.

Four South Shore NOW residents took the stage on Sunday afternoon, October 25th, in the Nancy Kendall Theater at Cardinal Strich University in a free program entitled "Discoveries," one of the six open to the public in the Club's 2009-2010 series.

Bay View artists Carolyn Atwell (photo attached) and Carla Coonan introduced a contemporary work for flute and piano by composer Rhonda Larson; flutist Ana de la Cuesta Gerlach (photo attached) played selections by composers from her native Cuba; and mezzo-soprano Julie Maurer of South Milwaukee sang operatic arias by Cimarosa and Donizetti with Coonan at the keyboard.

Carolyn Atwell is a 2006 graduate of UW-Milwaukee with a BA degree in music. After her graduation, she took a position with the Human Resources department at M+I Bank. She is a member of the Eastwinds Chamber Ensemble and an Artist in Residence at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Carolyn also enjoys sharing music with people with disabilities through her volunteer work with Very Special Arts. Originally from the Green Bay area, she has been a Milwaukee area resident since 2000.

Carla Coonan recently moved to Milwaukee. She earned her piano degree from The College of St. Benedict / St. John's University in her home state of Minnesota.

She has been teaching privately for the past 20 years, most recently at Spring Arbor University as an adjunct professor. She has always been active in church music ministry and has been an adjudicator for the Michigan Music Teachers Association, the Michigan Federation Association Festivals and Michigan Solo and Ensemble events. Carla enjoys ensemble playing and the challenge of reading a good orchestral reduction!

Ana Lourdes de la Cuesta Sandubete was born in Havana, Cuba. She studied music at Cuba’s leading conservatories and pedagogical institutes, performed in the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra, solo concerts, and in various small groups. She was also a full-time professor of flute and music theory until 1996 when she moved to the U.S.

Ana met her husband, Fred Gerlach, in the Milwaukee Choristers, with which she frequently appeared as a flute soloist. Ana studied music history and literature at UWM, taking a B.A. in 2001 and M.M. in 2005. She continues to perform and teach flute on a free-lance basis.

Julie Maurer wears many musical hats! She is a studio teacher of voice and piano, a performer, director of an opera ensemble - South Shore Youth Opera Ensemble, and most recently, the founder and director of a new youth choral group - The Choral Stars. Last summer Julie had the opportunity to go to Italy and study language, voice, and to perform the role of Fidalma in Cimarosa's comedic opera, "Il Matrimonio Segreto".

The MacDowell Club of Milwaukee presents a regular series of public programs by its Performing Members at various venues during the concert season. Admission to all its concerts is free, although donations are always welcome. The Club also gives occasional informal Tea Recitals in private homes exclusively for its members and their guests.

Auditions for performing memberships (for vocalists, pianists, organists, guitaists, and

all orchestral instrumentalists) are scheduled for Saturday morning January 16, 2010,

at Cardinal Stritch University. For information or an application form, contact Marilyn Eisenberg, Membership Chair, at merzy@earthlink.net or phone 414-332-3234.

Details are also available on the organization's website: macdowellclubmilwaukee.org.

Associate (non-performing) Memberships may be obtained at any time by sending a check in the amount of $25, payable to the MacDowell Club of Milwaukee, c/o the Treasurer, Barbara Bunge, 5860 Fulham Court, Greendale WI 53129-2132.

For further details on upcoming events, call the Club's Board Advisor, Suzanne Pajunen, at 414-771-5832, or visit the Club's website for the Club's history, its Board of Directors, photos of its recent artists, or a list of the remainding MacDowell Club’s 2009-2010 free concerts: macdowellclubmilwaukee.org.

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