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
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