The opening concerts of A String Fort Smith’s 2022-2023 Season—two (2) Fall concerts which are FREE and open to the public—will take place on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 6pm at ARCOM (Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine), 7000 Chad Colley Boulevard, Fort Smith, and Friday, November 18, 2022, at 7pm, at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 2701 Old Greenwood Road, Fort Smith, respectively. The Friday, November 18 performance will be recorded and offered virtually in perpetuity, on A String Fort Smith’s YouTube Channel. Repertoire to be performed, includes: Allegro, from Brandenburg Concerto No. 6; Allegro, from Violin Concerto in a minor, BWV 1041; Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring; Sheep May Safely Graze; Bist du bei Mir; and Allegro, from Brandenburg Concerto No 5 for Piano, Flute, and Violin—all by one of the greatest and most influential composers in the history of Western music, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
“As we embrace the arrival of the beautiful late fall and early winter here in Fort Smith—marking our third season since the establishment of A String Fort Smith in 2020—I’m thrilled to share the accomplishments of this truly remarkable ensemble of young musicians, faculty, and guest artists, in two public performances! Both programs offer a variety of beautiful and captivating music by one of the foremost composers of all time, Johann Sebastian Bach. Our performances are free and open to all, and I look forward to welcoming everyone on these two occasions!” states Lori Fay, Founder and Director of A String Fort Smith.
A String Fort Smith, founded in the summer of 2020 by Lori Fay, is aimed at fostering excellence and unprecedented performing opportunities for junior- and high-school aged students interested in pursuing careers in the performing arts. Assisted by four devoted colleagues—Anthony Verge, Assistant Director, violin, and viola; Barbara Godette, violoncello; Sean Lewis, double bass; and Cory Winters, viola—A String Fort Smith participants are selected based on an audition.
The ensemble consists of the most advanced and dedicated students—approximately eight to fourteen (8 to 14) participants per semester—who make a commitment to rehearse for one hour once per week, on Monday evenings at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Fort Smith. Members of A String Fort Smith’s 2022 Fall Semester— all of whom won a spot in the ensemble based on an outstanding audition—are from a combination of Southside and Northside High Schools.
Participants include Southside High School students Myles Flanders, violoncello;
Hieu Le, violin; Andrea Ortega, violin; Iana Perry, violin; Adren Stahl, double bass; and Samuel Tran, violin.
Participating Northside High School students include: Angel Duron, viola; Adrian Mazariegos, violin; Vanesa Parga, violin; Emaline Pendleton, violin; and Rylee Whittaker, violoncello. Special guests—all formerly members of A String Fort Smith—include: Gregory Allen, violin, and Blair Ranells, violin, both presently enrolled at UAFS; and college graduate Casey Teoh, violin.
Friends and fans have come to cherish performances by A String Fort Smith, not only because of Fay’s striking programming and the talented student participants, but because of an impressive array of guest artists and student soloists. The upcoming November 17 and 18, 2022 performances will be no exception.
Among the many highlights of the upcoming concerts by A String Fort Smith, will be appearances by guest artists Ginny Hudson, flute, and Shalon Lester, piano. Ginny Hudson is the Senior Instructor of Music and Flute at the University of Arkansas—Fort Smith. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in music, magna cum laude, from Arkansas Tech University and a Master of Music in
flute performance from the Longy School of Music. Hudson is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Higher Education and Community Leadership at Southern Arkansas University. Her principal teachers were Robert Willoughby, Karen Futterer, and Mary Posses. Ms. Hudson currently performs with the Mockingbird Quartet and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SONA) and is frequently featured as a performer with the Fort Smith Chorale. As a chamber musician and recitalist, she specializes in performing and bringing a spotlight to music by female composers. She is a five-time winner of the National Flute Association’s Professional Flute Choir Competition and has been featured as a soloist at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. In addition to her performance schedule, Ms. Hudson maintains a large private flute studio in Northwest Arkansas and the
River Valley, placing numerous students at the top of All-Region and All-State bands and orchestras in both Arkansas and Oklahoma each year.
Shalon Hsin-I Lester was born in Tainan, Taiwan. She started playing piano at the age of three when her mother recognized Shalon’s love for music. Shalon attended the Tainan University of Technology and Music where she completed a five year junior college music program. During this period, she earned the distinction of “Excellent Performance” many times in her solo performance exams. In 2007, she moved to the USA and continued to fulfill her passion for the piano at Oklahoma City University. While at OKCU, she studied under Dr. Amy I-Lin Cheng and Steinway artist, Dr. Sergio Monteiro; Ms. Lester eventually earned both her Bachelor and Master Degrees in Piano Performance. While studying, Shalon successfully participated in several competitions earning high marks for her interpretive and emotive performing. She has also performed and
collaborated with many artists at the Interharmony International Music Festival in Germany. Shalon currently resides in Van Buren, Arkansas, and teaches at UAFS, Community School of the Arts, and maintains an active private piano studio. She is the staff accompanist at Heritage Church and occasionally performs with the Fort Smith Symphony.
Founder and Director Lori Fay, is a widely respected violinist, and brings years of symphony orchestra, chamber music, solo performing, and recording experience to the Fort Smith area where she resides. Ms. Fay received a Master of Music in Violin Performance from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University (Houston, TX), as well as a Master of Music in Teaching from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin, OH). Since settling in Fort Smith over 15 years ago and establishing a career as Associate Concertmaster of the Fort Smith Symphony, Co-Founder and Co-Director of DuoBrava (www.duobrava.com), private violin, viola, and piano instructor, and more, her passion remains working with young string players interested in improving
their skills and deepening their love of music.
A String Fort Smith concerts are FREE and open to the public. Both venues—ARCOM and St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church—are accessible for the physically impaired. For patrons who cannot—or chose not to—attend a performance by A String Fort Smith, the Friday, November
18, 2022 performance taking place at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, will be offered virtually in perpetuity, on A String Fort Smith’s YouTube Channel.
For more information about the work of A String Fort Smith, or for string players interested in auditioning for A String Fort Smith, please send an email to [email protected]
