Vivace String Camp Faculty

Faculty

vivacesfaculty

Click on photo or name to see biography.


Martha Thomas	Steve Thomas	Leslie Bahler	Bryan Eckenrode

Greg Docenko	Lisa Lantz	Sam Marchan	Rintaro Wada

Bill Staebell	Sarah K. McIlhatten	Gavin Morgan	Mary Anne Cappellino

Directors

Violinist and teacher, Martha McIlhatten Thomas has performed with some of the greatest musicians of our time—Aaron Copland, Joseph Silverstein, Arnold Steinhardt, Ida Kavafian, Nadja Salerno- Sonnenberg, Dizzy Gillespie, Marvin Hamlisch, Glenn Dicterow, Leonard Slatkin, and Kurt Mazur.
She also solo-serenaded baseball legend, Yogi Berra, on his 74th birthday! For nine years, she studied with Sally Thomas, Ivan Galamian's assistant and a member of the Juilliard violin faculty, attending both The Mannes College and the prestigious Meadowmount School.
As Assistant Principal Second Violin with the Virginia Symphony for eight seasons, Ms. Thomas also performed extensively in New York City, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Before moving to Buffalo, she held a teaching post at Montclair State University, where thirteen of her younger students were selected to perform for violinist, Joshua Bell.
Ms. Thomas holds a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, the equivalent in Music, a Master's Degree in Violin Performance, and extensive Suzuki Certification.
Former Concertmaster of the Amherst Symphony Orchestra, and currently performing with WYNCO, the Southern Tier Symphony, and at Shea’s, Ms. Thomas has teaching studios in both Amherst and Houghton.
She is a proud mother and grandmother who lives with her husband Steve Thomas and enjoys needlepoint and fitness walking. Martha and Steven Thomas will also be filling the role of registrar this coming year with Vivace String Camp.

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An educator, conductor and performer, Steven Thomas has taught high school orchestra programs in the town of Amherst, New York for 28 years. Recognized for their fine musicianship and technical skill, Mr. Thomas's orchestras have earned Gold with Distinction awards at the New York State School Music Major Organization Festivals and Superior ratings at Dixie Classics Music Festivals.
Many of his students have established careers in music and include David Kim, the concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Karen Wagner, oboist in the Oregon Symphony, Leslie Ryang of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and Amy Schroeder of the Attacca String Quartet.
Mr. Thomas is the Conductor and Music Director of the Amherst Symphony Orchestra (ASO), a regional orchestra in Western New York. Guest artists with the ASO have included pianists Steven Manes, Claudia Hoca and Barry Snyder, violinists David Kim and Amy Glidden (BPO Assistant Concertmaster), flutist Carol Wincenc and ensembles including the Amherst Saxophone Quartet, Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, Philharmonic String Quartet and the Amherst Bel Canto Choir.
Mr. Thomas has guest conducted the Long Island String Festival Association orchestras, county festivals in Erie, Chautauqua, Niagara, Monroe and Putnam counties, and NYSSMA Area All State festivals in Potsdam, Cortland, Oswego and Syracuse as well as festivals in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Summers have found Mr.Thomas on the staff of Crane Youth Music and the ASTA with NSOA String Conference at Fredonia. Mr. Thomas lives with his wife Martha and is a father, grandfather, pilot, bicyclist and outdoorsman. Steven and Martha Thomas will also be filling the role of registrar this coming year with Vivace String Camp.

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Leslie Bahler has spent a lifetime in music as a performer and educator. She has been a member of the Richmond, Palm Beach and Wheeling Symphonys and the Florida Philharmonic; the latter recorded an award winning CD of Mahler's Symphony # 1 on the Naxos label.
She presently is a member of, and has been a soloist with Ars Nova and Camerata di Sant' Antonio, and performs with the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra. Ms. Bahler has performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic orchestra and can be heard on the Buffalo Philharmonic's Naxos CD, Music of Aaron Copland and Viva Vivaldi Vignettes, the most recent Ars Nova CD.
She teaches viola and violin at Community Music School. Leslie directed the Florida Music Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for seven years, and has been Co-Director of Vivace since its inception. She also sings with the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus.

Conductors

Cellist and conductor Bryan Eckenrode made his Lincoln Center Debut in 2003 with a return engagement in 2006. He is on the faculty of Niagara University, Canisius College, Daemen College, and is conductor and music director of strings at Villa Maria College.
He is music director of the Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony conducting the Prelude Strings Orchestra and the Young Artists Orchestra. Mr. Eckenrode graduated cum laude from SUNY at Stony Brook and holds a Master of Music degree from SUNY Buffalo.
He is principal cello with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and a member of the Lexington String Quartet, Vinci d’Amore and Camerata chamber groups. He has performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Ars Nova, Erie Philharmonic Orchestra, Erie Chamber Orchestra, and the British Columbia Mozart Festival Orchestra.
He has recorded with artists Ani DiFranco, Sixpence None the Richer, Seven Day Faith, Them Jazzbeards, John and Mary, Allison Pepitone, not only as a cellist but as a bagpiper and flutist. He is married to the internationally acclaimed soprano, Cristen Gregory.

Lisa Lantz, Chair of the Division of Performing Arts at Alfred University, is an Associate Professor of Music/Strings, and Music Director of the AU Symphony Orchestra. She is also an Adjunct in Italian for the Division of Modern Languages.
Dr. Lantz received her Master of Music from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Ruggiero Ricci, and her Doctor of Musical Arts from the Ohio State University. She also studied with Aaron Rosand in Nice, France; Nathan Milstein in Zurich, Switzerland; and Jacob Krachmalnick, former concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
An experienced orchestral and chamber musician, Dr. Lantz has performed with many regional orchestras including as Co-Concertmaster of the Southern Tier Symphony, The Orchestra of the Finger Lakes, Flint, Saginaw, and Ashland Symphony. She has taught at Kenyon College, Ohio University, The Ohio State University, University of Michigan, and University of Toledo, and has served as a chamber music clinician for the Delaware Music Festival at Ohio Wesleyan University.
Within the community, Dr. Lantz is the music director of the Alfred University Youth Orchestra, Junior Strings, and heads the Beginning String program, all of which she founded upon her arrival at Alfred University.
Dr. Lantz is an experienced orchestral conductor with performances in both symphonic works as well as choral, including Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bach’s Magnificat, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Mozart’s Requiem. In June 2005, Dr. Lantz participated in an International Conductor’s Workshop, in Varna, Bulgaria.

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Violin

An active freelance violinist, Greg Docenko was born to a musical family. He studied violin with Bernard Mandelkern, Mathew Tworek, Thomas Halpin, and Charles Haupt, received his Bachelors of Music from the University of Buffalo and studied abroad, receiving his Masters of Music at the Conservatorio D'Andrea in violin performance and music education.
He has appeared in concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Erie Philharmonic, Chautauqua Symphony, Clarence Summer Orchestra, and as guest soloist with various community orchestras. Mr. Docenko is the soloist/conductor of the Johann Strauss Orchestra and first violinist of the Richmond String Quartet, both based in Buffalo.
A guest lecturer at Buffalo State College since 2002, he teaches a string techniques course for music education students. He has developed a renowned private studio for classical violin, jazz studies, and world music and also owns Docenko Studios, known for instrument repair, sales, and appraisals.
Well respected as an arranger and composer for all types of ensembles, he also plays the accordion, guitar, and piano. Mr. Docenko, his wife, and two children live in Orchard Park, along with his Vuillaume acoustic violin and his homemade electric violin.

Viola

Sam Marchan, a native of Venezuela, has established himself as an outstanding performer and teacher. He is part of the Artist Faculty at the Walnut Hill/Sphinx Academy in Boston.

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Cello

Rintaro Wada is the Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Olean. His solo, chamber music, and orchestra performances have been given in Japan, Italy, and the US. and he has been invited to perform by radio programs, universities and concert associations.
He studied in Rochester, NY, and Japan, earning a Master of Music in performance and literature from Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree and post-graduate diploma in cello performance from Showa College of Music.
He has studied cello performance with Joichi Sano, Ryoichi Hayashi, Hiromi Uegusa, Hirofumi Kanno, Stefan Reuss, Marcy Rosen, Nathaniel Rosen, Steven Doane, and Alan Harris, also chamber music with Richard Killmer, Paul O’Dette, Christel Thielmann, Margery Hwang, and John Graham as well as with members of the Amadeus Quartet, Bartok Quartet, Mendelssohn Quartet, Ying Quartet, and Fine Arts String Quartet.
Mr. Wada is a cellist of the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and orchestra teacher of the Olean City School District, adjunct faculty of the Houghton College, Greatbatch School of Music as well as the St. Bonaventure University.

Bass

Bill Staebell has been teaching music at the Iroquois School District since 1983, where he conducts five orchestras and coaches numerous chamber groups. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music; he studied Jazz studies and contemporary media/music education, and received his Masters Degree from Fredonia College.
Bill is currently conductor of the Southtowns Youth Orchestra, and has also conducted Orchard Park Symphony, Erie County Festival groups and various All State and County Orchestras throughout New York State. As a classical bassist, he has performed with major symphony orchestras, including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, New Mexico Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, National Symphony of Canada in Ottawa, Gulf Coast Symphony,Florida, and the Boston Pops Orchestra.
In demand as a Jazz bass player, he has recorded on Motown Records with Bobby Militello, on Chrysalis Records with the group "Auracle" and performs with many local artists such as Sal Andolina, Mary Stahl, Rick Strauss and Carla Valenti. Bill resides in Orchard Park with his wife and three children.

Piano

Photographer

Sarah K. McIlhatten, currently in sarasota, Fl. is based in New York City. Sarah has been passionate about photography for several years now. Sarah has assisted many professional photographers in the NY/NJ area. Sarah is currently working as a portrait photographer for World Yach Dinner Cruises in New York City. Sarah is extremely passionate about her work, and enjoys being creative every day.

Webmaster / Designer

Gavin Morgan, currently in sarasota, Fl. is based in New York City. He is an avid fan of art and design of all kinds, creative from a young age he decided to pursue his love of art as a career. An associate of Graphic Design, He has garnered experience in the photography, textile and fashion industries, as well as freelancing from college to now in layout, branding,and web design projects. Has created textiles that have been produced nationwide and overseas, selling to such clients as Delia's, Nike, Macy's and The Gap. Currently Web Master for Vivace and Designer helping with productions and branding for the camp.

Water Colorist

Mary Anne Cappellino

With more than 20 years experience designing fitness programs, MaryAnne motivates her listeners to positive lifestyle change as a national speaker, wellness consultant, watercolor artist, author and exercise trainer. MaryAnne has helped thousands of people change their bodies and direct their minds in new and positive ways. Mary Anne serves as spokesperson for “Be Active" New York State, The American Heart Association and is wellness director for The Buffalo Athletic Club. Her passion for exercise and her commitment to a healthy lifestyle is contagious and her dynamic speaking style engages audiences everywhere in the fun of fitness and the importance of investing in a healthy future!

Registrar

The role of registrar this year will be filled by Martha and Steve Thomas this year.