Described as energetic, exciting, and rhythmically dynamic, composer
Kenneth D. Froelich’s music has been performed internationally in
Europe, England, South America and Asia, as well as many cities
across the United States. A vibrant new voice in the world of
contemporary chamber and orchestral music, Kenneth has been honored
with awards from ASCAP, the National Association of Composers/USA,
Meet the Composer, the Percussive Arts Society, a grant from the San
Francisco Bay Area chapter of the American Composers Forum, and the
Society of Composers Inc. Kenneth’s works have been presented by
such acclaimed ensembles as the American Composers Orchestra, Duo46,
Earplay, the Empyrean Ensemble, the California E.A.R Unit, the
Jolles Duo, the Indianapolis Symphonic Orchestra, Conundrum, the
University of New Mexico Percussion Ensemble, the University
of Southern California Symphony Orchestra, the Indiana
University New Music Ensemble, and the Orpheus Ensemble of
Fresno. Some of his recent works include Clockwork
Automata recorded by saxophonist Alan Durst on "Tango y
Serenatas", available through Centaur Records; Unwinding Time for
oboe and computer, performed by Krista Riggs at the International
Double Reed Society 2009 conference in Birmingham, England; and Neurotica for
flute and percussion trio, performed by flutist Teresa Beaman at
several venues in South America.
Kenneth received both his Doctorate of Music and Masters of Music
degrees from Indiana University. Kenneth currently resides in
Fresno, CA with his Jennifer and daughter Katerina, where he is
Assistant Professor in Music Composition at California State
University, Fresno.
Douglas Schneider, Music Director
Douglas Carl Schneider is the principal opera coach at
Portland State University, following appointments as
staff accompanist
at Northwestern and DePaul Universities. He has coached
over forty operatic productions from twentieth century to
Baroque, including work as principal accompanist and coach
for Portland Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, Da Corneto Opera,
Bowen Park Opera.
Mr. Schneider has performed at over a thousand recitals,
including collaborations with Sherrill Milnes, George
Shirley, Steven Jordheim, Richard Zelle, Patrice Michaels.
A specialist in early music, Mr. Schneider has conducted -
often from the harpsichord - many baroque operatic and
oratorio works with various ensembles. He performs the
complete Bach organ works and has appeared as harpsichordist
at Back Week in Evanston and with the gamba ensemble Second
City Music on WFMT. He is co-founder and
harpsichordist/organist with the chamber ensemble Urban
Baroque.
Mr. Schneider is the organist at St. Mary's Cathedral of the
Immaculate Conception in Portland. Previously he was
the assistant organist/conductor at Chicago's Holy Name
Cathedral and has also served as the organist/director of
music and liturgy at Chicago's St. Alphonsus Church. As
an organ soloist, he has performed nationally in addition to
his work with many ensembles such as the Portland Symphonic
Choir, the Portland Chamber Orchestra, In Mulieribus,
Cappella Romana, the Alaska Chamber Singers, and the Chicago
vocal ensemble Seraphim. He has collaborated with
Cantores in Ecclesia in numerous liturgies and concerts,
including a concert performance of the two-organ Langlais
Messe Solennelle with Westminster Abbey organist James
O'Donnell. Mr. Schneider also teaches classical
saxophone at Portland State University, and has been
recognized by Downbeat magazine with an award for
outstanding jazz saxophone performance.
Madeleine Denko-Carter,
Director of Movement
Praised by Dance Magazine for its “intuitive inner musicality and
phrasing,” Madeleine Denko-Carter’s choreography has been presented in
New York’s Clark Center of the Performing Arts New Choreographers
Series, Westbeth Theatre Center, Eden’s Expressway, and Dance Theater
Workshop. In 2007 she choreographed and was Director of Movement for the
Baroque opera Dido and Aeneas (Portland, OR). In 2000 she choreographed
The Night Harry Stopped Smoking for Portland Opera Works. Other works
have appeared in the San Francisco Bay Area, Portland, Minneapolis,
Lexington (Kentucky), and at Stockton State College (New Jersey).
M. Denko-Carter has taught ballet and modern dance in studios and
colleges, including Lewis and Clark College, West Texas State A & M
University, the University of Kentucky at Lexington, and
Normandale College (Minnesota). At Portland State University she
designed and taught movement workshops for student singers and
musicians.
From 2004-2008, M. Denko-Carter was a founding board member of the
Northwest Professional Dance Project, a choreographic and mentoring
program for young professional and pre-professional dancers. Formerly
Director of Outreach and Education Services at Oregon Ballet Theatre
(OBT), she has also served on the Regional Arts and Cultural Council’s
Education Advisory Committee.
Her
writing has been published in Dance Magazine,
the Oregonian, and the SF Bay Guardian. She is a graduate
of Bryn Mawr College, and earned her MFA in dance from New York
University Tisch School of the Arts.