The Cal Poly Symphony and the Madrone String Quartet will present a collaborative season opener that features side-by-side performance, captivating chamber music, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.”
Three of the quartet’s members — Emily Lanzone, violin; Mike Whitson, viola; and Laura Gaynon, cello — serve as applied faculty in the Music Department. With guest artist Valerie Berg-Johansen, violin, all four bring rich experience in performance and education to this collaboration. In addition to performing, the quartet will coach the students of the symphony in both orchestral and chamber music during the quartet’s residency.
Berg-Johansen grew up in a family devoted to violin pedagogy. While serving as a graduate teaching fellow with Eugene Symphony and the University of Oregon, she completed her doctorate in violin performance and violin and viola pedagogy. She teaches a full private studio in San Luis Obispo, performs often with local symphonies, and serves on the board of Redfish Music Festival.
Lanzone is concertmaster of the San Luis Obispo Symphony and a member of the Santa Cruz Symphony, Santa Maria Philharmonic and Oregon Coast Music Festival. She is a past member of the Eugene Symphony, San Francisco Conservatory Baroque Ensemble and Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
Whitson has shared the stage with Itzakh Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder and many others. He is a regular studio musician, having performed on numerous movie scores such as “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Despicable Me” and “The Lego Movie” and performs with numerous ensembles, including the Los Angeles Opera.
Gaynon has performed on both modern and baroque cello in concert halls across the Canada, China, Europe and the U.S. She has performed with the American Bach Soloists, the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and with major artists. She has performed at numerous festivals including the Toronto Summer Music Festival and St. Lawrence String Quartet Seminar.