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→
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
Sponsored by Dan & Barbara Yenglin
David Reimer (2013), Assistant Concertmaster
Adam Liebert (2016)
Connie Markwick (2010)
Second Violin
Jenna Buchner (2015), Principal
Sponsored by Sharon & Louis Nemser
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 & Narhyn Johnson
Cello
Andrea Yun (2013), Principal
Sponsored by Nadra & Narhyn Johnson
Andrew Plaisier (2021)
Damon Coleman (2023)
Zachary Boyt (2011)
Bass
Mark Buchner (2015), Principal
Sponsored by Blarney Castle Oil
Robert Johnson (2017)
Flute
Leslie Deppe (2009), Principal
Sponsored by Fresh Air Aviation
Laura Schipper (2011)
Oboe
Jennet Ingle (2020), Principal
Sponsored by Taffy Raphael & Jim Gavelek
Aaron Wilbert (2022)
Clarinet
Andrew Sprung (2018), Principal
Sponsored by Emily Ruddell
Steve Landane (2009)
Bassoon
Lauren D. Murphy (2023), Co-Principal
Sponsored by Patrick Voight & Joe Keenan
Mark Ortwein (2019), Co-Principal
Sponsored by Sally & Myles Rehkopf
Deanna Erwin (2013)
Horn
Kurt Civilette (2015), Principal
Sponsored by Rebecca & Ward Bentley
Lisa Honeycutt (2005)
Trumpet
Pamela Smitter (2021), Principal
Sponsored by Beaver Island Boat Company
Matt Taton (2015)
Trombone
Joseph Radtke (2012), Principal
Sponsored by Louis Post
Tuba
Jerry Young (2021), Principal
Sponsored by Bev & Larry Seiford
Keyboard
Dorothy Vogel (2018), Principal
Sponsored by Sharon & Louis Nemser
Percussion
Timothy Mocny (2011), Principal
Sponsored by Allen & Cynthia Hunting, Jr.
Harp
Beth Wooster Colpean (2021)
Sponsored by Daryl & Ella Mae Smith
Festival Chorus 2023
Kevin Simons (2007), Choral Director
Sponsored by Myles & Sally Rehkopf
Sarah Todd (2016), Accompanist
Sponsored by Emily Ruddell
Barb Almli (2011)
Peter Amster (2006)
Wendy Biggs (2022)
Thaddaeus Bourne (2019), section leader
Sponsored by Jim Luteyn
Karen Cook (2019), section leader
Sponsored by Taffy Raphael & Jim Gavelek
Matthew Cook (2021), section leader
Sponsored by Don & Diana Taylor
Peg Curley (2018)
Annette Dashiell (2002)
Maureen Delaney-Lehman (2014)
Iris Dimase Nordling (2019)
Jeanne Howell (2002)
Claire Ingersoll (2022)
John Jansson (2019)
Geoff Kelm (2023)
Tammey Kikta (2010)
Lisa Mays (2016)
Madalyn McHugh (2022)
Erika Lawson-Morrison (2019), section leader
Sponsored by Mike Kamrin & Katie See
Steven Naylor (2018)
Louis Nemser (2019)
Lindsey O’Donnell (2022)
Jeanne Petersen (2014)
Michael Skutt (2023)
Don Taylor (2009)
Pierce Tyndall (2021)
Erin Whitfield (2023)
Tiffany Wika (2018)
Choral Interns
Hannah Berberoglu (2023)
Angel Langford (2023)
Clayton Stoker (2023)
Sponsored by Don and Diana Taylor and a grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation
Chamber Ensembles 2023
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
Volunteers 2023
Chris Allen
Linda Allen
Connie Blackwell
Tom Bobovski
Jan Boytan
Annette Dashiell
Donna Fase
Dede Fitch
Jeanne Gullahorn
Bill Freeman
Janice Freeman
Lynne Flanagan
Anne Glendon
Jeanne Gullahorn
Chris Heikka
Sharon Henry-Warren
Doris Larson
Lars Larson
Thea McKiernan
Jan McKnight
Mary Ellen Mauro
Domenica Moroney
Alec Murray
Lucy Niehaus
Jan Paul
Marijean Pike
Adam Richardson
David Robinson
Esther Stewart
Keven Stipp
Lois Stipp
Sue Screven
Linda Wearn
Karen Whitecraft
Audrey Van Dyke