Matthew Lipman, violist

Matthew Lipman, the 2015 NFMC Young Artist Winner in Strings, has been selected to perform the annual Arkansas Young Artist tour.

The recipient of a 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant, American violist and NFMC Young Artist Matthew Lipman has been hailed by the New York Times for his “rich tone and elegant phrasing.” He recently recorded Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with violinist Rachel Barton Pine and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Sir Neville Marriner and has performed with the Juilliard, Grand Rapids Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber, Ars Viva Symphony, and Montgomery Symphony Orchestras. The only violist featured on WFMT Chicago’s recent list of “30 Under 30” top classical musicians, highlights of Mr. Lipman’s 2014-15 season included collaborations with Leon Fleisher at the Caramoor Center and a three continent tour with David Finckel and Wu Han culminating in a Wigmore Hall debut. He recently performed Penderecki’s Cadenza for solo viola live on WQXR with the composer himself in attendance and is a member of CMS2 at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Having performed under the auspices of the Marlboro, Ravinia, Perlman Music Program, and the Music@Menlo Festivals, his collaborators include Miriam Fried, Gary Hoffman, Ani and Ida Kavafian, Itzhak Perlman, and members of the Cleveland, Emerson, and Guarneri Quartets. A top prizewinner of the Tertis, Primrose, Washington, Stulberg, and Johansen International Competitions, and the NFMC, Minnesota Orchestra, and Juilliard National Competitions, Mr. Lipman is the recipient of a Kovner Fellowship at the Juilliard School, where he serves as a teaching assistant to Heidi Castleman. He has also studied with Steven Tenenbom, Misha Amory, and Roland Vamos, and performs on a 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola from the REB foundation.

Arkansas Tour Schedule

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 • 7:30 p.m.
Mabee Fine Arts Center
Ouachita Baptist University
410 Ouachita St.
Arkadelphia, AR 71998

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 • 7:30 p.m.
Stilwell Humanities Music Hall
Texarkana College
2500 North Robison Rd.
Texarkana, AR 75501

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 • 7:00 p.m.
Fine Arts Center
University of Arkansas at Monticello
346 University Ct.
Monticello, AR 71655

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 • 11:00 a.m.
Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church
4823 Woodlawn Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 • 2:30 p.m.
White Lecture Hall
Robert Burns Building
Northwest AR Community College
#1 College Dr.
Bentonville, AR 72712

AFMC is pleased to announce the 2016 winners of the AFMC William Yick Collegiate Award.

Hunter Mabery

Hunter Mabery is a Senior piano performance major at Henderson State University. In 2012, Hunter performed Haydn’s D Major Piano Concerto with the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra as the winner of the Young Artist Concerto Competition. In 2013, 2014, and 2016, as a winner of the annual President’s Concert Concerto Competition, Hunter performed Mozart’s Piano Concerto in G Major K.453 and A Major K.488, and most recently, Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto with members of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra at HSU. Hunter especially enjoys collaborating with other musicians, and is passionate about refining his skills as a collaborative pianist. In 2015, Hunter attended the American Institute of Musical Studies’ (AIMS) six-week summer program in Graz, Austria where he studied the art of vocal collaboration with an emphasis on German Lieder. In fall 2016, Hunter will be furthering his musical studies by pursing a Master’s degree in Piano Accompanying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Brice Maxey

Brice Maxey is finishing his Associate of Arts degree at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, and plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He has been performing at the Arkansas Public Theatre in Rogers since he was in elementary school and has been playing drums at his church for several years. Mr. Maxey sang in the Arkansas All-State Choir and has begun playing piano and guitar recently.

Mr. Mabery and Mr. Maxey will perform at the AFMC Convention in Little Rock on Saturday, April 23, 2016.

Christie Conover, soprano

Christie Conover, the 2015 NFMC Young Artist Winner in Voice, has been selected to perform the annual Young Artist tour in Arkansas. Ms. Conover will be accompanied by Dr. Naoki Hakutani, professor of piano at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Described as a “jewel” with a “lovely timbre, perfect trill, and soaring top,” soprano Christie Conover is a rapidly rising star. Her voice, rich and warm, is partnered by a personal grace both on and off the stage. Her sensitive portrayal of characters such as Liù (Turandot), Juliette (Romeo et Juliette) and Micaëla (Carmen) have garnered her critical acclaim, as well as her fiery portrayal of Musetta (La bohème) and effervescent, comedic rendition of Clorinda (La Cenerentola). Most recently, however, Ms. Conover was “the standout, expressing her character’s reticence and yearning with radiant vocalism” singing Caroline Abbott in Opera San Jose’s world premier Where Angels Fear to Tread.

Arkansas Tour Schedule

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 • 7:30 p.m.
Mabee Fine Arts Center
Ouachita Baptist University
410 Ouachita St.
Arkadelphia, AR 71998

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 • 7:30 p.m.
Great Room, Truman Arnold Center
Texarkana College
2500 North Robison Rd.
Texarkana, AR 75501

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 • 7:00 p.m.
Fine Arts Center
University of Arkansas at Monticello
346 University Ct.
Monticello, AR 71655

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 • 4:00 p.m.
Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church
4823 Woodlawn Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 • 7:00 p.m.
Oak Cliff Baptist Church
3701 S. Gary St.
Fort Smith, AR 72904

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 • 2:30 p.m.
White Lecture Hall
Robert Burns Building
Northwest AR Community College
#1 College Dr.
Bentonville, AR 72712

NFMC is proud to announce the outstanding winners of 2015 Young Artist Awards selected in Fargo, North Dakota.

Nicholas Susi, piano

Current NFMC Young Artist, pianist Nicholas Susi has performed extensively as recitalist, soloist, and accompanist across the United States and Europe. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, he continued his piano studies at the University of Kansas (B.M. Piano, minor in German), the University of Michigan (M.M. Piano), and at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln as a two-time DAAD grantee. Primary teachers include Zena Ilyashov, Jack Winerock, Zitta Zohar, Arthur Greene, and Nina Tichman.

Christie Conover, soprano

Described as a “jewel” with a “lovely timbre, perfect trill, and soaring top,” soprano Christie Conover is a rapidly rising star. Her voice, rich and warm, is partnered by a personal grace both on and off the stage. Her sensitive portrayal of characters such as Liù (Turandot), Juliette (Romeo et Juliette) and Micaëla (Carmen) have garnered her critical acclaim, as well as her fiery portrayal of Musetta (La bohème) and effervescent, comedic rendition of Clorinda (La Cenerentola). Most recently, however, Ms. Conover was “the standout, expressing her character’s reticence and yearning with radiant vocalism” singing Caroline Abbott in Opera San Jose’s world premier Where Angels Fear to Tread.

Matthew Lipman, viola

The recipient of a 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant, American violist and NFMC Young Artist Matthew Lipman has been hailed by the New York Times for his “rich tone and elegant phrasing.” He recently recorded Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with violinist Rachel Barton Pine and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Sir Neville Marriner and has performed with the Juilliard, Grand Rapids Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber, Ars Viva Symphony, and Montgomery Symphony Orchestras. The only violist featured on WFMT Chicago’s recent list of “30 Under 30” top classical musicians, highlights of Mr. Lipman’s 2014-15 season included collaborations with Leon Fleisher at the Caramoor Center and a three continent tour with David Finckel and Wu Han culminating in a Wigmore Hall debut. He recently performed Penderecki’s Cadenza for solo viola live on WQXR with the composer himself in attendance and is a member of CMS2 at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

It is with great sadness that AFMC announces the death of two of its members: Lorain Danner and Patsy Pryor.

Lorain Danner

Lorain Duffin Danner (1924-2015) was a member of the Searcy Beethoven Club and a Life Member of the Arkansas Federation of Music Clubs. She was active in the music ministry at First Baptist Church in Searcy and served for years as the Chaplain of AFMC. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church in Searcy on Monday, March 2, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Mrs. Danner’s obituary and online guestbook are located at the Roller-Daniel Funeral Home website.

Patsy Pryor

Patsy Ruth Pryor (1938-2015) was a member of the Searcy Beethoven Club and a member of the Arkansas Federation of Music Clubs. She was an elementary school teacher for 42 years and a talented musician and artist. Mrs. Pryor designed the beautiful AFMC state insignia. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church in Searcy on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. Mrs. Pryor’s obituary and online guestbook are located at the Powell Funeral Home website.