Get to Know the Summer Rhapsody Performers: Strings

Central Park Plaza will be alive with the tunes of American Musicals on August 6, 2011, during the Summer Rhapsody Music Festival, the park's inaugural concert. In the weeks leading up to the concert, we will be featuring several musicians from the orchestra, to give you an inside look at the people behind the music!

Raised in Greendale, Wisconsin, harpist Jamie Haney began her classical music training at the age of 3. Growing up, she performed with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Wisconsin State High School Honors Orchestra and began playing weddings, quickly establishing a solid clientele for weddings, banquets, receptions and other special occasions. While attending Albion College, she received a music scholarship to play harp and piano in the Albion College Symphony Orchestra and was one of three featured concerto contest winners with the Symphony, performing the Rondeau from Francois-Adrien Boieldieu’s Concerto for Harp. Relocating to Valparaiso for graduate school, she continued to perform for special events, including the Valparaiso University's Retirement Reception for President Alan Harre and Inaugural Reception for President Mark Heckler, the 2009 Hoosier Star Competition with the LaPorte Symphony Orchestra, and the 2010 Hartsfield Village Christmas Party. She continues to perform for a variety of occasions, while working part time at Purdue University- North Central and being with her family.

Cellist Patricia White is a graduate of the Juilliard School and a member of the Northwest Indiana Symphony.  An active performer in the Chicagoland area, Patricia made her debut as soloist with the Chicago Symphony when she was 16, after having won the Illinois Young Performer's Competition.  Focusing primarily on teaching, she has a commitment to passing on the art of playing the cello to the next generation.  Patricia can be heard with violinist Tamara Ringas on a cd recording of hymns and classical favorites entitled "Be Still My Soul", available on iTunes.

Libby (Schnabel) Martin graduated from Chesterton High School in 2006. She studied music education at Indiana University in Bloomington and was a cello student of Sharon Robinson. She graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor’s in Music Education for vocal, instrumental, and general music. She teaches choir and orchestra full time in Indianapolis at Herron High School.

Martin Meyer is the son of Tom and Joann Meyer of Valparaiso, Ind. He is a senior at Valparaiso High School, where he is principal cellist of the Chamber Orchestra. He is a private student of Mrs. Patricia White. Marty was the winner of the Indiana Music Teachers Association (IMTA) Hoosier Auditions, String Division, (2009). Martin has been a member of the Indiana All-State Orchestra, (2009-2011), principle cellist, (2010, 2011). He has participated in chamber groups with Valparaiso University (2007-2009), and Roosevelt University (2009-2011). He has participated in Valparaiso University’s Confucius Institute (2008), and Butler University’s Cello Day (2009). Martin has been a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, “Symphony Orchestra”, (2009-2011), and was co-principal cellist in 2010. He also participated in the CYSO Encore Orchestra, which performed for Ricardo Muti’s inaugural concert, as well as the Chicago Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Muti. Martin’s other interests include composing, piano, basketball, and cycling, as well as his involvement in NHS and Key Club at VHS.

Stylianos (Stan) Shepard (Violin, Viola) is an active participant in the LaPorte County Symphony, the South Shore Orchestra, and the Whiting Park Festival Orchestra. In addition, he is a founding member of the Bartlett Trio, performing light classical, traditional, and folk music for weddings, receptions, and charitable events. He is also blessed to participate in the drama and music ministries of his local church.

Don Parker has played Bass Violin for 42 years, in 9 orchestras, in approximately 150 concerts, 1300 musical theater performances, and in various small ensembles. He is a management and grantwriting consultant, and lives in Wanatah.

Phillip W. Serna is an active and enthusiastic performer of early music, as well as the contemporary, solo, orchestral, and chamber repertoires. On double bass, he has performed with other orchestras including the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonic Orchestra, Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, the Northshore Camerata, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and many others. In his role as an Early Music specialist, Phillip regularly performs on violas da gamba, period double bass/ violone and vielle with modern orchestras such as the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, as well as with period instrument ensembles such as Ars Antigua, the Bach Collegium of Fort Wayne, the Callipygian Players, the Chicago Early Music Consort, Duo fantaisie en Echo, the Madison Bach Musicians, the Newberry Consort, the Oriana Singers, the Second City Musick, the Secret of the Muses, the Spirit of Gambo - a Chicago Consort of Viols, the Third Coast Viols and many others. In performance, he has appeared on Chicago’s 98.7FM WFMT, Wisconsin Public Radio and Milwaukee Public Radio. For his work through ‘Viols in Our Schools’, Phillip received the 2010 Early Music America Outreach Award, which honors ensembles or individual artists for excellence in early music outreach and/or educational projects for children or adults. In addition to teaching privately around the Chicago area, Phillip is instructor of double bass and viola da gamba at Valparaiso University, and is on faculty at the Music Institute of Chicago’s Early Music Department. Phillip holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Masters and Doctorate degrees from Northwestern University School of Music where he studied double bass with Michael Hovnanian and DaXun Zhang as well as viola da gamba with Newberry Consort founder Mary Springfels.

Michael Linert grew up in Valparaiso studying cello primarily with Patricia White, Tim Kopf, and Monica Schafer.  He graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in cello performance summa cum laude from The Hartt School in Hartford, CT and has performed with members of orchestras in Chicago, New York, Germany, France, Norway, South Korea, and Canada. His varied musical career also includes professional vocal, piano, and baroque cello engagements.  Last year, Michael served as Visiting Artist to Valparaiso’s Middle and High School Orchestras directed by Tim Kopf and Sherri Nord.  Michael currently resides in Bloomington, Indiana at Indiana University where he pursues a Master of Science degree in music education, and where he holds positions as an Associate and Assistant Instructor.