Music Academy of the West  Santa Barbara, CA

2001

Luke Maurer
Santa Barbara, CA

Luke is a viola student at the USC Thornton School of Music. In 2000 he attended the Banff Centre for the Arts and has performed orchestra, chamber and solo works with the Santa Barbara Symphony and the Santa Barbara Music and Arts Conservatory. He also attended the Music Academy in 1998 and 1999.

The Foundation's scholarship made it possible for Mr. Maurer to have the opportunity to work with artist faculty member Donald McInnes. Luke performed in all four Festival Orchestra concerts this year under guest conductors Roberto Abbado, Jeffrey Tate, Andrew Litton and Kazuyoshi Akiyama and in the opera orchestra under Randall Behr. Most importantly, Luke performed throughout the summer in masterclasses, chamber music ensembles and our highly-acclaimed student Picnic Concerts, and sustained his work with our faculty at a very high level.

2002

Kate Reddish

Ms Reddish studies at the University of Southern California Thorton School of Music. She has performed throughout California, appearing in concert with Emanuel Ax, John Williams and the Westwood Chamber Orchestra. Kate performed in all four Festival Orchestra concerts this year under the guest conductors Asher Fisch, Andrew Litton, Jeffrey Tate, and Bramwell Tovey.

Throughout the summer she sustained her work with our faculty at a very high level and her performances in our highly acclaimed masterclasses, chamber music ensembles, Festival Orchestra concerts and student Picnic Concerts were received enthusiastically by our audiences.

David L. Kuehn, D.M.A., President
Music Academy of the West

2003

2003 Summer School and Festival
Justin Ranney

23, born in Missoula, Montana, is a graduate student at Northwestern University, where he graduated summa cum laude in economics with departmental honors and magna cum laude in viola performance with departmental honors.

He studies with Roland Vamos. Mr. Ranney was a recipient of the 2003 Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Competition and has served as principal of the Northwestern Philharmonia and Symphony orchestras and been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He attended the Music Academy in 2001.

2004

Maren Reck
Iowa City, Iowa

Maren Reck, 23 is a graduate student of Nico Abondolo at USC Thornton School of Music, where she is a merit scholar and principal of the Symphony Orchestra. She is also principal of the American Youth Symphony, and has performed with the Plymouth and Toledo symphonies, and at the Kennedy Center and Disney Hall.

Awards include second in the 1998 ASTA national Solo Competition and recipient of the 1998 Lucy P. Weed Bass Competition. She has attended summer festivals in Interlochen and Aspen, where she performed with the Sinfonia Orchestra.

2005

Maia Jasper
Santa Monica, California

Maia Jasper, 23, a native of Santa Monica, California, recently completed graduate work at USC Thornton School of Music, where she was a Colburn Fellowship student with Martin Chalifour.

She is currently the Assistant Concertmaster of the American Youth Symphony and recently won a contract with the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. She also performs with Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra.

She has received awards from the National Foundation for Advancement of the Arts, Young Musicians Foundation, Colburn Foundation, Maestro Foundation, Pasadena Showcase House Instrumental Competition and Yale University, where she received her bachelor's degree and was awarded the Master's Prize for her contribution to the musical life of her college. While an undergraduate, she was the youngest member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, where she held the Jeanet S. Curtis Chair.