2011: Suzy Perelman

Suzy Perelman is a freelance violinist living in New York City. She began studying the violin at age 6 at her public elementary school in Philadelphia, PA. Two years later she enrolled in the Settlement Music School, where she studied for the next 10 years.

In college, Suzy simultaneously attended the Cleveland Institute of Music as a violin performance major and Case Western Reserve University as a music education major. During her double degree program, Suzy also took an intensive two-year course in Suzuki Violin Pedagogy. Much of Suzy's performing in Cleveland happened outside the conservatory. She was the first performer for Access to the Arts – a Cleveland-based organization that sponsors conservatory students to play recitals at nursing homes. She also performed regularly with the Youngstown Symphony. Suzy founded the Suzuki Violin program at the Agnon School in Beachwood, OH. Her violin teachers in Cleveland were Linda Cerone, Bernie Goldschmidt, David Russell, Michele George and David Updegraff.

From 1995 to 1996, Suzy joined the Utah Symphony's violin section. In addition to the music-making with Joseph Silverstein conducting, Suzy enjoyed her private violin studio of 20 children, as well as skiing and hiking. Following her stint in Utah, Suzy was a master of music student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Studying under Andres Cardenes, then concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Suzy was given a Stradivarius violin to play for a year. While in Pittsburgh, Suzy played concertmaster for the Butler County Symphony and taught violin lessons at the Seton Center for Suzuki Studies.

In 1998, Suzy joined the San Antonio Symphony for five years. In addition to symphony concerts every week, Suzy performed solo and chamber music recitals regularly, taught at the Music Advancement Program and maintained a private studio of 18 young violinists.

In 2003, Suzy joined the national touring company of Phantom of the Opera as the concertmaster. For two years, she traveled the country playing classical music by day and Broadway music at night. She performed solo for dozens of benefits throughout the tour as well as in many nursing homes. Despite her busy schedule, she even made time to give violin lessons to one of the hairdressers on the tour.

Suzy has been a guest clinician at teaching workshops and institutes around the country including those in Salt Lake City, Aspen, Vail, Los Angeles, Chicago, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Cleveland, Austin, Dallas and Boston. She has performed at festivals around the world including Tanglewood in western Massachusetts, Aspen, Verbier in Switzerland, National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, National Orchestral Institute in Maryland and Classical Winter in Jerusalem.

Suzy moved to New York in 2005, where she plans to settle permanently. She has been in the orchestra for numerous shows on Broadway, including 9 to 5 alongside Dolly Parton, and off Broadway shows, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. A tenured member of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, she also plays with the Long Island Philharmonic and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas. Suzy performs solo and chamber music recitals regularly in and around New York and teaches weekly private violin lessons as well as group classes to 12 dedicated young students. She is also the vice president and treasurer and frequent performer for Concerts in Motion, a charity that brings uplifting musical performances to the homebound, hospitalized, or people who are otherwise isolated or in need.

2010: Ryan Gardner

Dr. Ryan Gardner is Assistant Professor of High Brass and Director of the Jazz Band at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. Originally from Santa Monica, California, Dr. Gardner received his Bachelor's degree from the Eastman School of Music with highest distinction. After completing his Master's degree from Rice University - Shepherd School of Music, Dr. Gardner moved to New York where he earned his Doctorate in Trumpet Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. Here, he worked with former principal trumpeter Mark Gould and former second trumpet player of the New York Philharmonic, Vincent Penzarella. Dr. Gardner's thesis is based on Vincent Penzarella's pedagogical techniques and philosophies, which include innovative ideas on breathing, air usage and brass playing, as well as performance psychology.

While in New York, Dr. Gardner enjoyed a successful freelance and teaching career. He held faculty positions at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege, Third Street Music Settlement, Music Conservatory of Westchester, Greenwich House Music School, Meyer London School and the Manhattan School of Music Summer Camp.

Aside from his own international private studio, Dr. Gardner also serves as the trumpet professor at a summer chamber music festival at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. He is experienced in teaching individual trumpet and horn lessons, master classes, brass ensemble classes and coaching chamber music ensembles. Dr. Gardner is also an experienced clinician and conductor.

As an orchestral performer, Dr. Gardner has played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Honolulu Symphony, the Charleston Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Fort Smith Symphony, the New World Symphony, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra USA, the Music Academy of the West Orchestra, the Aldeburgh Festival Britten-Pears Orchestra and the Verbier Youth Festival Orchestra directed by James Levine. He has also recently recorded the music of William Grant Still on NAXOS with the Fort Smith Symphony.

Dr. Gardner has performed at many prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, Merkin Concert Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and the Palau de la Musica Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. He has also been privileged to work with artists including Ray Charles, Doc Severinson, the Canadian Brass, Michael Tillson-Thomas, Esa-Pekka Solonen and David Zinman.

An avid chamber musician, Dr. Gardner has played with the Eastman Brass Quintet, the Rochester Philharmonic Brass Quintet, the Houston Symphony Brass Quintet, the Seventh Partial Brass Quintet as well as concerts with the new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound and Crash Ensemble. Dr. Gardner was also the Concerto Competition winner in trumpet at the Eastman School of Music and for the Music Academy of the West Brass Ensemble in which he soloed with both the Eastman Wind Orchestra and the Music Academy of the West Brass.

Dr. Gardner is indebted to all of his main trumpet teachers: Vincent Penzarella, Mark Gould, Marie Speziale, James Thompson, Boyde Hood and Paul Salvo.

Although new to Fort Smith, Dr. Gardner is continuing his active freelance career. He maintains a playing relationship with the Arkansas Symphony, the Fort Smith Symphony and the Distinguished Concerts International in New York City. He is the trumpet instructor for the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Academy of the Arts program and the University of Arkansas Summer Camps. Dr. Gardner has his own private studio in addition to continuing to perform, teach, and provide master classes nationally. Most recently, he lectured at the College Music Society Conference in San Antonio, Texas, and will be following suit at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Sydney, Australia, this summer. Dr. Gardner is a Bach-performing artist and clinician.

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2009: Jade Simmons

Known for her musical creativity and electrifying stage presence, pianist Jade Simmons is committed to expanding the boundaries of Classical music. Though her affinity is for the rhythmic and percussive repertoire of 20th and 21st century composers, Jade offers a diverse mix of repertoire from the classics to the cutting edge. In 2006, she became the first ever New Music, New Places Fellow for the esteemed Concert Artists Guild organization. Under this initiative, she helps to build new audiences and generate interest in concert music by bringing traditional and new works to non-traditional and alternative venues.

A passionate arts advocate, Jade served as the inaugural host for the Van Cliburn Internatinal Piano Competition's live webcast in 2009. The competition, held every four years, is a joyous festival dedicated to the discovery of the world's finest young pianists. In 2007-2008, her notable performances included New York's Symphony Space, on the Ravinia Rising Stars Series and in Symphony Hall with the Chicago Sinfonietta. Highlights of the current season include debuts in Seattle's Meany Hall, Detroit's Institute of the Arts, Washington D.C.'s National Academy of Sciences and at Town Hall and Merkin Hall in New York. Her performance of the piano works of Tania León alongside renowned pianist Ursula Oppens was named one of the Best Concerts in 2005 by ArtForum magazine. June 2005 also marked her debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in a performance of John Corigliano's Piano Concerto under the baton of Leslie Dunner. Jade has performed as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician and her performances have been broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio affiliates. She has performed abroad in Barcelona, the Canary Islands, Paris, Greece and Italy. Her debut record for E1 Music (formerly Koch Records) featuring American works for piano, past and present, was released on March 24, 2009.