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c.2006Natalie Devore
Adam Berkowitz, clarinet
As an emerging musician, Adam Berkowitz’s musical interests range from classical/contemporary music to klezmer. Currently he is studying with Maureen Hurd while pursuing a DMA at Rutgers University. There, he is focusing on contemporary music and clarinet techniques. This has enabled him to join with percussionist Stephen Solook and soprano Tiffany DuMouchelle to form Tonal Center. In addition he is currently the clarinetist for Ensemble 212. Ensemble 212, directed by Yoon Jae Lee, is a chamber music and orchestral project designed to give young artists performance opportunities. In addition, he has: been a guest performer with the insideOUT quartet and appeared on several Mannes Composition concerts. Adam has been studying and performing klezmer for nearly ten years. In the past, this has led to appearances at the long-standing Klezmer Brunch series at Tonic curated by David Krakauer. With these skills, Adam is pursuing an interest in music that blurs the line between classical and klezmer forms. Last year he was chosen as a runner-up in the Rutgers University concerto competition for his performance of Robert Starer’s Kli Zemer Concerto.

c.2004Julie Brimberg

Tiffany DuMouchelle, soprano

Soprano, Tiffany DuMouchelle, grand prize winner of the 2006 Mannes Concerto Competition and recipient of the prestigious Richard F. Gold Career Grant, is well known for her musical versatility and her championship of new music. This past November under the baton of Maestro David Hayes, Ms. DuMouchelle made her Lincoln Center debut as a soloist at Alice Tully Hall, performing Joseph Schwantner's Shadowinnower and Black Anemones with the Mannes Orchestra. A specialist in new music, Ms. DuMouchelle has co-founded two contemporary music ensembles: Tonal Center Trio, with percussionist Stephen Solook and clarinetist Adam Berkowitz; and Aurora Borealis, a duo with Mr. Solook. A performing member of the New York Composers’ Circle and a member of the Areté Ensemble, she has appeared as a guest artist with the American Composers Alliance, Downtown Chamber Music Productions, Ensemble 212, Yale University's Norfolk Contemporary Ensemble, the Mannes Contemporary Music Festival, and CIRCE. Ms. DuMouchelle frequently commissions and premiers works by American composers. In the past three years alone, she has sung more then 30 premiers by such composers as: Adolphe, Cohen, Loeb, Russell, Tcimpidis, and Zannoni. Her performance repertoire includes: Arnold Schoenberg's, Pierrot Lunaire; George Crumb's, Apparition and Night of the Four Moons; Luciano Berio's, Circle's; Schwantner's, Sparrows; and Viñao's, Hildegard's Dream. As a concert artist, Ms. DuMouchelle has appeared in such prestigious venues as: The New York Historical Society, The Center for Jewish History, The Polish Consulate, The Bruno Walter Auditorium, and The Ukrainian Institute. On the operatic stage, she has appeared with The Center for Contemporary Opera, Cape Cod Opera, and Mannes Opera, performing such roles as: Pamina, Anne Truelove, Susanna, Zerlina, and Abigail Williams. Ms. DuMouchelle is presently a Master of Music degree candidate at the Mannes College of Music where she also received her Bachelor of Music degree.

c.2006Natalie Devore

Stephen Solook, percussion

Percussionist Stephen Solook is an active classical, world, and solo musician in New York City. Currently, Steve is the Principal Percussionist/Timpanist with NY Repertory Orchestra and Ensemble 212 Orchestra, and works as a freelance percussionist for several orchestras. As a chamber musician Steve is a member of the Arete Ensemble, NY Composers Circle, the trio Tonal Center, and the duo Aurora Borealis. He has also been recorded with Cantori NY, under the baton of Mark Shapiro, with the Klezmer group, Klezmer Battery, and the Brass Band, Imperial Brass with Joseph Alessi as guest soloist. Recently, Mr. Solook has been working with the internationally renown Jose Limon Dance Company, having performed with them in Dallas, Atlanta, and New York City on the major revival, Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias. Steve has performed in concerts with such artists as Judy Collins, Lauren Flanigen, Glen Velez, Bob Becker, and under such conductors as John Rutter, JoAnn Falletta, Paul Nadler, and Edwin Outwater.
As a soloist, Mr. Solook has worked consistently with rising composer Davide Zannoni. Under the baton of Yoon Jae Lee, with Ensemble 212 Orchestra, Steve gave the NY premiere of the Zannoni’s Concertino del’ Incenso for solo marimba and orchestra, and has recorded the concerto with the Mannes College of Music Orchestra, with David Hayes conducting. His duo Aurora Borealis gave the NY premiere of Zannoni’s Three Rossetti Songs, for vibes and soprano. Mr. Solook’s recording of Six Fleeting Moods for solo marimba can be found on Davide’s website at www.davidezannoni.com. Currently, Zannoni is writing the new work, Archers of Solitude, for Tonal Center and the Mannes Percussion Ensemble, commissioned by James Preiss, to be premiered in April.
As an active commissioner of new music Steve has worked with such composers as Bruce Adolphe, Raphael Fusco, David Loeb, James Maxson, Osnat Netzer, Seth Rozanoff, Richard Russell, Jorge Sosa, Michaela Straub, and David Tcimpidis. Both his duo Aurora Borealis and trio Tonal Center have been featured in concerts sponsored by the Mannes Composition Department consisting of works specifically written for each group, by Mannes faculty, alumni, and students.
Steve received his bachelor degrees in performance and music education at Ithaca College; where he studied with Gordon Stout, and his Master of Music at Mannes College of Music studying under Jim Preiss and Glen Velez. Steve is currently working on his Professional Studies Diploma at Mannes.


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