The Grossmont Symphony String Quintet is the resident string quintet of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra at Grossmont College .It's two-fold mission is to serve San Diego 's East County community through performances of chamber music at local venues, in addition to performing educational concerts at Junior High and High Schools throughout our San Diego 's East County community. As principal members of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra's string section, they also assist the music director of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra in coaching members of its string sections, in addition to mentoring their inside stand partners in rehearsals/ performances. Its varied performing repertoire includes chamber music suitable for serious chamber music concerts, to educational performances, to lighter music for social events.
C. Debussy - Mvt 1 - String Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 10 ________________________________________ Ondrej Lewit, first violinist with the Grossmont Symphony String Quintet, and Concertmaster of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra. Ondrejwas born in Prague (Czech Republic), Ondrej Lewit began studying violin at the age of seven at Elementary School of Music, later continued at State Conservatory of Music (BA) and at Academy of Performing Arts – HAMU (MA). As a member of Camerata Pragensis, Camerata Nova, concertmaster of J. Suk’s Chamber Orchestra and especially as a first violin of Cuartetto Cassoviae played in many cities in the European continent and made recordings for the Czechoslovak Radio and Television, Italian RAI and recording companies such as Supraphon, Opus and Edigsa. As a guest concertmaster he played with orchestras in Barcelona, Sabadell, La Coruna, Bilbao and Valladolid. From 1988 to 1992 he was an Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra member (1992 an associate concertmaster), chamber music player and a faculty at Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC. Between 1995 – 1997 the Spanish Youth Orchestra and Catalonia Youth Symphony invited him to work with them as a violin teacher and a chamber music coach during their summer camps. In 2000 Ondrej moved to Barcelona where he played until 2003 as concertmaster with the Liceo Opera Theatre Orchestra. He was frequently invited as a guest concertmaster by Valles Symphony (Sabadell), Galician Symphony (La Coruna), Bilbao Symphony and Castilla-Leon Symphony (Valladolid). In 2005 – 2010 was appointed concertmaster of Baja California Orchestra and violin teacher at Conservatory of Music in Tijuana. Since 2004 he has maintained a private violin/viola studio in San Diego, where he is frequently performing with Encore Trio, Violin and Piano Duo Yrion with Irina Bendetsky, Quartetto Sorrento and Sorrento Camerata. ________________________________________ Elizabeth Valdez, second violinist with the Grossmont Symphony String Quintet , and Principal Second Violinist of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra. Elizabeth Valdez is passionate about music! The granddaughter of an accomplished pianist and folk harp maker, her musical roots run deep. Through early private study with Lillian Hester and playing with the Helix High School Orchestra and Honor Orchestras, it was seemingly effortless for Elizabeth to create a foundational love for music. Her abilities continued to flourish in local orchestras, including the USD Symphony, Palomar Symphony Orchestra and the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra. Her talents and eagerness to learn from mentors have advanced her to the professional level that she now enjoys with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and Grossmont String Quintet. With over 10 years volunteering as Principal 1st Violin for the CCT (Christian Community Theatre) Orchestra, she has performed in hundreds of musical theater productions. Elizabeth has also taught privately from her home and coached numerous string players throughout East County. With a strong developed style of playing she has naturally progressed into a leadership role. Performing with her home church vocal band and in several local church orchestras as well as co-founding Sunrise Strings (for weddings and parties), Elizabeth continues her quest to grow professionally and is eager to learn from her classically trained peers in the String Quintet. Elizabeth is currently active in providing a new music program for grades K-6 at Murdock Elementary School in La Mesa. Elizabeth is very grateful to her husband and two boys for their support of her musicianship. ________________________________________ Alyze Dreiling, violist with the Grossmont Symphony String Quintet, and Principal Violist of the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra, was born in Detroit, Michigan. She began her studies with Mischa Mischakoff -the Detroit Symphony and the Music Study Club of Metropolitan Detroit sponsoring her education. Ms. Dreiling graduated from Indiana University where she studied with Josef Gingold. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Indiana University and Master of Music from United States International University with an emphasis on Orchestral Performance. She has attended Kneisel Hall, Blossom Music Festival and Academy of the West for chamber music and worked with Walter Trampler, Karen Tuttle, Janos Starker and Menahem Pressler. She has appeared as soloist with the Detroit Symphony, Philharmonia Hungarica at the Vienna Summer Festival, Florida Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony and Knoxville Chamber Orchestra and served as concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony and Knoxville Chamber Orchestra before coming to San Diego. In the San Diego area, she has appeared as soloist with the International Orchestra, Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and the San Diego State Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Dreiling was founding Artistic Director and Conductor of Classics for Kids as well as being Violinist/Conductor of the International Chamber Players at USIU. Presently Ms. Dreiling is on faculties at USD and USD Chamber Music Festival and is violinist with Trio Licenza, the piano trio, in residence at USD, a violinist with Quartetto Sorrento and member of the California Consort. Ms. Dreiling is an orchestra coach for Rancho Bernardo, Westview and Del Norte High Schools and maintains a private teaching studio. She is a member of the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC) and adjudicator for the Certificate of Merit program, member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and the National Piano Guild. ________________________________________ Gordon Grubbs, cellist with the Grossmont Symphony String Quintet and principal cellist with the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra, has performed in chamber music and as soloist throughout Southern California and Mexico. He began studying cello in his home town of Wichita, Kansas, with master teacher Lois Ayres Gordon, and quickly distinguished himself as a soloist, a chamber musician, and orchestral player, winning competitions and scholarships to help further his musical studies at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan. Mr. Grubbs joined the Wichita Symphony Orchestra while pursuing a degree in music performance at Wichita State University. These years provided many opportunities including founding The Chamber Orchestra of Wichita, and becoming a member of the W.S.U. Faculty 20th Century Ensemble while still an undergraduate. After relocating to Southern California, Mr. Grubbs studied with Los Angeles Philharmonic cellist, Ronald Leonard. He has toured extensively in Mexico with the Camerata de Ensenada de Todos Santos and recorded with the Orquesta Pro Musica Ensenada. Mr. Grubbs stays active in the professional musical life of San Diego appearing frequently in recital. ________________________________________
Marc Olsher, bassist, is enthusiastic about learning and playing a wide range of musical styles while also committed to helping other musicians learn the music they are passionate about. Having recently graduated with honors from the University of California in San Diego with a degree in music (B.A.); Marc emphasizes in classical performance, jazz studies, contemporary/new performance techniques, improvisation, and composition. His teachers include Bertram Turetzky, Mark Dresser, Don Palma, Bob Magnusson and many others throughout the years. Marc is versatile when it comes to playing the bass and has a wide range of experience performing a multitude of different music. Instead of being a classical/jazz bassist, Marc labels himself as a musician because he truly believes that there are only two types of music- good and bad.
Concert #8 Chamber Music for Woodwind & String Quintets
Saturday, April 18, 2020 at 2 pm – Foothills United Methodist Church
Repertoire: Persichetti Pastorale Op. 21 Wilder Woodwind Quintet No. 2 Martinu Serenade No. 2, H. 216 for Two Violins and Viola Rossini Duet in D Major IGR 19 Cello and Doublebass Copland Appalachian Spring: Suite for 13 Instruments
Admission: $15 General, $10 Senior/Military, $5 Student
For more information, please call the Grossmont College Music department Office at:
