Baroque on Beaver Musicians

Robert Nordling Lectures

About Baroque

Each summer from the last weekend of July through the first weekend of August, the Baroque on Beaver Festival presents world-class orchestral, chamber, and vocal performances on the most remote inhabited island of the Great Lakes. In 2023 the Festival celebrates 22 years of bringing classical music to Beaver Island. Baroque on Beaver is the signature event of the Beaver Island Performing Arts Alliance (BIPAA).

For information about the mission and programs
visit the BIPAA page here→

BIPAA-Logo

Musicians

Ensembles of the Baroque on Beaver Festival

The Festival Orchestra
The centerpiece of the festival is composed of professional performers from Michigan (Grand Rapids Symphony, Michigan Opera Theatre, Ann Arbor Symphony, West Michigan Symphony, Midland Symphony, Traverse Symphony), the Great Lakes region (Indianapolis Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic), the United States, and worldwide.

The Festival Chorus
Singers from Michigan and beyond join to create the Festival Chorus, which features its own concert and appears with the Baroque on Beaver Festival Orchestra to perform major works for chorus and orchestra.

Chamber ensembles feature prominently throughout the week at Baroque on Beaver, with performances by string quartets, woodwind quintets, brass quintet, and other mixed ensembles.

Festival Orchestra 2023

Robert Nordling (2010)
Music Director and Principal Conductor
Sponsored by Paul & Anne Glendon

First Violin
James Crawford (2017), Concertmaster
David Reimer (2013), Assistant Concertmaster 
Adam Liebert (2016)
Connie Markwick (2010)

Second Violin
Jenna Buchner (2015), Principal
Abderrahman Anzaldua (2013)
Kimia Ghaderi (2021)
Marla Smith (2011)

Viola
Michael Hall (2014), Principal
Sponsored by Robert and Lois Nordling Sr.
Dilek Engin-Stolarchuk (2014)
Kim Teachout (2018)
Samuel Koeppe (2023)
Sponsored by Nadra Johnson

Cello
Andrea Yun (2013), Principal
Sponsored by Nadra Johnson
in memory of Naomi Snavely Lather

Andrew Plaisier (2021)
Damon Coleman (2023)
Zachary Boyt (2011)

Bass
Mark Buchner (2015), Principal
Robert Johnson (2017)

Flute
Leslie Deppe (2009), Principal
Laura Schipper (2011)

Oboe
Jennet Ingle (2020), Principal
Aaron Wilbert (2022)

Clarinet
Andrew Sprung (2018), Principal
Steve Landane (2009)

Bassoon
Lauren D. Murphy (2023), Co-Principal
Mark Ortwein (2019), Co-Principal
Deanna Erwin (2013)

Horn
Kurt Civilette (2015), Principal
Lisa Honeycutt (2005)

Trumpet
Pamela Smitter (2021), Principal
Matt Taton (2015)

Trombone
Joseph Radtke (2012), Principal

Tuba
Jerry Young (2021), Principal

Keyboard
Dorothy Vogel (2018), Principal

Percussion
Timothy Mocny (2011), Principal

Harp
Beth Wooster Colpean (2021)

Festival Chorus 2023

Kevin Simons (2007), Choral Director
Sponsored by Myles & Sally Rehkopf

Sarah Todd (2016), Accompanist

Barb Almli (2011)
Karen Albert (2019)
Peter Amster (2006)
Claire Barckholtz (2022)
Wendy Biggs (2022)
Thaddaeus Bourne (2019), section leader 
Karen Cook (2019), section leader   
Matthew Cook (2021), section leader
Annette Dashiell (2002)
Maureen Delaney-Lehman (2014)                   
Jane Girdham (2022)
Jeanne Howell (2002) 
John Jansson (2019)                                              

Tammey Kikta (2010)
Jonathon Lovegrove (2019)
Lisa Mays (2016)
Madalyn McHugh (2022)
Erika Lawson-Morrison (2019), section leader
Steven Naylor (2018)
Louis Nemser (2019)
Jeanne Petersen (2014)
Catherine Rogers (2022)                                       
Don Taylor (2009)
Pierce Tyndall (2021)
Tiffany Wika (2018)

Chamber ensembles

Beaver Island String Quartet

James Crawford, violin
Jenna Buchner, violin
Michael Hall, viola
Andrea Yun, cello

Beaver Island Brass Quintet

Pamela Smitter, trumpet
Matt Taton, trumpet
Lisa Honeycutt, horn
Joe Radtke, trombone
Jerry Young, tuba

Emerald Isle Woodwind Quintet

Leslie Deppe, flute
Jennet Ingle, oboe
Andrew Sprung, clarinet
Kurt Civilette, horn
Mark Ortwein, bassoon

Donegal Bay Woodwind Quintet

Laura Schipper, flute
Aaron Wilbert, oboe
Steve Landane, clarinet
Lisa Honeycutt, horn
Deanna Erwin, bassoon

Festival Staff

Director
Matthew Thomas

Music Director and Principal Conductor
Robert Nordling

Choral Director
Kevin Simons

Operations Director
John Van Patten

Operations 
Jason Tisdale

Audio Engineer
Jean-Yves Münch

Music Librarian
Laura Schipper

Piano Technician
William Schneider

Scroll to Top