Flutist Mary Palchak enjoys an active career as a freelance flutist in Southern California. She has played with the Pacific, Long Beach and Pasadena Symphonies, Long Beach Opera and numerous touring ballet companies, including Bolshoi, La Scalla and American Ballet Theater. As Founding Artistic Director, President and Principal Flutist of the California Concert Artists, now OrangeCounty's most active professional chamber music series, she has organized and performed numerous concerts with Southern California 's finest musicians in addition to premiering compositions written specifically for the ensemble. Her solo CD, Flute Music by French Composers won critical acclaim in Fanfare Magazine and is a best-selling classical flute CD worldwide. Palchak earned her Master's Degree from the St. Louis Conservatory.

Brian Noel, harpist, holds the Bachelor of Music degree from Cal State Long Beach and the Master of Arts in Music degree from Columbia University. He is currently principal harp with the Rio Hondo Symphony in Whitter, and is the former harpist with the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Concert Band. He has also performed as harpist in numerous musical theater productions. In concert, he has appeared with the California Concert Artists and the Orange County Women’s Chorus in their acclaimed 2005 performance of Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols.” Mr. Noel lives in Long Beach and has an active performance schedule – from orchestral and chamber work to weddings and special occasions.

Jack and Ellyn Williams will host this public events at 41849 Marina Court in Big Bear Lake. The music begins at 4pm on Saturday, September 15, and the ticket price of $25 ($15 students) may be made at the door. For reservations and directions, call 585-5916 or 838-8122. 

The Encore Series was established to bring renowned classical artists to the BigBearValley. The first concert of the 2007 series featured the Desert Wind Trio, a flute-bassoon-clarinet ensemble that performed works by D'Rivera, Beethoven and Mozart at the home of Jack and Ellyn Williams. A concert with Russian-born pianist Mikhail Korzhev followed in June at the John and Barbara King residence.

Arts Council Presents World-Class Pianist June 30, 2007

The Arts Council of Big Bear Valley is presenting another classical concert as part of the Encore Series - -a series where performances in private homes are followed by artist receptions with champagne and hors d’oeuvres. 

The Saturday afternoon concert will star the Russian-born Mikhail Korzhev playing the music of  Beethoven, Schubert and Krenek at the Castle Glen home of John and Barbara King.

Mikhail Korzhev began performing extensively both as a soloist and with orchestra while still a student a the Moscow Conservatory.  Upon his graduation with distinction, he pursued his graduate studies at the Gnessin Institute in Moscow.  In 1991, he was invited to the United States as the featured recitalist for the Southwestern Youth Music Festival, and with six days’ notice performed the Rachmaninoff Concerto No 1 with the Festival Orchestra.  He then auditioned for the faculty of the University of Southern California and was immediately awarded a full-tuition scholarship to pursue his studies under Daniel Pollack. Korzhev holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from USC and is currently on the music faculty of CaliforniaStateUniversity at Fullerton.

The pianist’s career has been filled with accolades. He earned a top award in the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition, which led to a series of performances that included a recital at the Palm SpringsDesertMuseum, and a solo recital and two orchestra appearances in Italy with the International Chamber Ensemble of Rome..  In 1998 he was a winner in the Heida Hermann International Piano Competition in Connecticut; in 2005 he took First Prize at the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in PalmDesert.  Last year, Dr. Korzhev had a highly successful tour in Austria, including a live recording of his critically acclaimed debut in Vienna’s Konzerthaus, which was broadcast by the leading Austrian radio station.

The Encore Series was established to bring renowned classical artists to the BigBearValley. The first concert of the 2007 series featured the Desert Wind Trio, a flute-bassoon-clarinet ensemble that performed works by D'Rivera, Beethoven and Mozart at the Eagle Knolls home of Jack and Ellyn Williams. 

The Mikhail Korzhev concert begins at 3pm on June 30 with a ticket price of $25; payment may be made at the door. For reservations and directions call at 585-5916. 

Press Contact:
Vanessa Finney
(909) 838-8122
vanessa@soundandstory.com