T H E U N I V E R S I TY O F T E X A S A T D A L L A S

Sc h o o l o f A r ts a nd H uma ni ti e s pr e se nts

International
ELAN Music Festival

JUNE 9–21, 2008

Dallas

Advanced Practicing Techniques

Chamber Music Rehearsal & Performance Techniques
for
Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano

Ronald Neal and Gary Levinson, Directors

CREATE THE FUTURE ah.utdallas.edu/elan

 International
ELAN Music Festival
Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas
Jonsson Performance Hall, Richardson, Texas
June 9-21, 2008
The Elan International Music Festival program was developed by Ronald Neal in 1996,
as a result of two and a half decades experience as artistic director of music festivals,
collaborating with international concert artists and faculty from the leading musical
institutions of the world including faculty of the Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute,
Oberlin School, University of Michigan, Manhattan School of Music, Yale School of
Music, Korean National School of the Arts, Toho School (Japan) and the Beijing
Central Conservatory. The mission of Elan International is to develop environments
conducive to the study and exchange of musical ideas and techniques for musicians of
international stature from diverse regions throughout the world. Master Artist Teachers
joined by emerging young artists form the basic structure of these cultural exchanges.
Elan International Music Festivals have been held in Taos and Angel Fire, New Mexico
and in Stowe and Stratton, Vermont. The Elan ideal was internationally expanded in
2003 when Ronald Neal served as artistic director of the first Northern China
International Chamber Music Festival held in Shenyang, China. Summer of 2008 will
mark the first Elan venture in Dallas.

The following points will be considered and analyzed:

1. Goals and reasons for practicing.
2. Organization of tools and materials as aids in
development.
3. Preparation of a daily practice routine and schedule.
4. Exercises for right and left hands for strength and agility.
a. Basic left arm, wrist and finger movements, shifting.
b. Basic right arm, wrist and finger movements, bow strokes.
5. The art of listening: Development of technical and
musical refinement with the aid of computer analysis
of performance and practice recordings.
6. Phrasing through variations in bow speed.
7. Intonation: what is “in-tune”? Understanding
resonance and vibrations.
8. Facility and speed: how to acquire and develop same.
 ADVANCED PRACTICING TECHNIQUES

In Week One, spot checks will be made by the directors and assistants during the
individual practice sessions to insure proper understanding of concepts and structure of
time. Each and every participant will be expected to participate in demonstrations of
practice efforts and performance techniques at each seminar. An accompanist will be
on location and perform with students during the repertoire seminar.

CHAMBER MUSIC REHEARSAL & PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES

Observing the daily schedule in relationship to individual preparation, Week Two will
discuss and explore techniques relating to the development and refinement of rehearsal
and performance practices of chamber music (string quartets and piano/strings
ensembles).

DAILY SCHEDULE:
Monday - Friday:
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Arrival and individual practice
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Advanced Practicing Techniques seminar
9:45 – 11:00 a.m. Individual practice
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Technique seminar
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Video presentation/seminar of great artists
including Heifetz, Milstein, Kogan, Oistrach, etc.
2:30 – 3:45 p.m. Individual practice
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Repertoire seminar
Saturday:
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Distribution of new repertoire
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Performance of new repertoire
Each active participant will be given a new piece (appropriate to his or her level of
musical/technical competency) at the 9 a.m. class and will be expected to prepare the
piece for a performance during the final 4 p.m. class.

CONCERTS WILL BE PRESENTED

• by students (soloists and chamber music ensembles) on June 14, 20 and 21
• by the faculty members on June 16.

FEES:
One Week program (choose June 9 - 14 or June 16 - 21)
Register before May 1 after May 1
Tuition: $475 Tuition: $525
Administrative: $25 Administrative: $25
Two Week program (June 9 - 21)
Register before May 1 after May 1
Tuition: $700 Tuition: $750
Administrative: $40 Administrative: $40
Application Fee $20. Enrollment is limited.
Auditors are welcome ($125 for each one-week session).
 Daredjan Baya Kakouberi, pianist, was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and
made her debut at the age of eleven. After graduating from Tbilisi Special
School of Music for the Talented and Gifted, she entered the Moscow
Conservatory, where she continued her studies on the Master’s and
Doctoral levels under the tutelage of famous pianist and professor, Sergei
Dorenski, and Tchaikovsky Competition Gold Medalist Vladimir Krainev.

Ms. Kakouberi has appeared as a soloist with orchestras in Moscow,

Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Italy and the United States. In 1996, she was
among the “World’s Ten Most Distinguished Pianists” chosen by the Palm Beach Invitational
Piano Competition. In the summer of 2000, Ms. Kakouberi was chosen as recipient of the “Most
Outstanding and Distinguished Pianist” award in the IBLA International Competition in Italy. In
addition to her solo recitals, she has appeared as guest soloist in concerts throughout the U.S. and
Europe, including performances at Moscow Conservatory Great Hall, Steinway Hall in New
York, and the Cerritos Center for Performing Arts in California. As a chamber performer, Ms.
Kakouberi made her debut at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in New York in February 2002.

Noted as an outstanding Chamber Music Artist, Ms. Kakouberi is the Artistic Director of the
Blue Candlelight Music Series in Dallas, Texas, where she enjoys collaborating with
internationally renowned artists. She is a household name at the major venues in North Texas,
such as the University of North Texas in Denton, TX, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Eisemann
Center for the Performing Arts.

Gary Levinson joined the Dallas Symphony as the Senior Associate

Concertmaster in 2002. Chosen by Zubin Mehta to join the New York
Philharmonic at age 21, Mr. Levinson made his New York Philharmonic
solo debut under the baton of Erich Leinsdorf in 1991, the same year he
earned his Master of Music degree at the Juilliard School. His teachers
included Dorothy DeLay, Masao Kawasaki, Glenn Dicterow and Felix
Galimir.

A prolific recording artist, Mr. Levinson is currently involved in three

major recording projects. Asked by the Classical Music Recording Foundation to complete their
comprehensive catalog of the chamber music works of Beethoven, he is recording the ten sonatas
for violin and piano with renowned pianist/conductor Asher Fisch. Koch Records will release a
disc of award winning composer George Tsontakis’ chamber music in which Mr. Levinson will
collaborate with David Jolley, Melvin Chen and others. Finally, a retrospective of the important
women composers from mid-19th century to the present is due out with Albany Records in
December 2008. Works feature Libby Larsen, Louise Ferrenc, and Victoria Bond, among others.

Mr. Levinson’s video “DSO Studio: The Master Class” was released in early 2007. It is an attempt
to both elucidate the craft of the professional violinist and address issues both budding violinists,
and kids simply interested in the language of music, can incorporate in their lives.

A laureate of the Jacques Thibaud and Romano Romanini International Violin Competitions,
Mr. Levinson toured Italy last spring commemorating the twentieth anniversary of being named
the Grand Prize winner of the 1986 Romanini Competition. He was invited to open the 2009
chamber music season of the Fondazione di Romano Romanini Recital Series with a solo recital
at Teatro San Carlo in Brescia, Italy. He will make his solo recital debut in the Czech Republic
in the spring of 2008.

Sought after as a chamber musician, Mr. Levinson has collaborated with renowned artists such
as Yo-Yo Ma, Christopher O’Reilly, Ann-Marie McDermott, Lynn Harrell and Lucas Foss. He
enjoys on ongoing collaboration with Eugenia Zukerman and Adam Neiman as a member of
Trio Virtuosi. He has been on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival since 2002, where he has
led the American Academy of Conducting Orchestra at the request of David Zinman. He also
makes regular appearances at the Vail Bravo! Music Festival where his chamber music concerts
have been featured on NPR’s Performance Today.
As the first violinist of the Elysium String Quartet, he recorded two critically acclaimed CDs as
well as touring the Mediterranean as part of the first annual Mykonos International Music Festival
in 2000. Mr. Levinson can be heard on the Albany, CALA, New World and Elysium Records
labels.

Eugene Osadchy is Associate Professor of Cello at the University of

North Texas, co-Artistic Director of the Vetta Chamber Music Series, and
Principal cellist with the CBC Vancouver Orchestra. Mr. Osadchy
regularly performs throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. He
has participated in numerous chamber music series and festivals around
the world including Amsterdam and Groningen International Festivals in
Holland, Music at Blair Athol in Scotland, the Castel Franko Festival in
Italy, the Mozart Festival in Woodstock, Illinois, as well as Vancouver,
Banff, Seattle, Sitka, Maui Music Festivals. He has appeared at the Glenn
Gould Studio in Toronto, the Lincoln Centre Alice Tully Hall, and Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie
Hall. In addition, Mr. Osadchy makes frequent appearances at the Bargemusic Series in New
York, the Autumn Classic series in Anchorage, Chamber Music International in Dallas, Strings
in the Mountains at Steamboat Springs and Durango Colorado, and the Mozart Festival in Long
Island, New York.

Born in Kiev to a family of professional musicians, Eugene started his musical education at the
age of five on the piano and a year later on the cello. After graduating from The Special Music
School for Talented and Gifted Children, Eugene continued his education at the Kiev State
Conservatory of Music and graduated with honors. Mr. Osadchy became a Laureate of the
Republic of the Ukraine Cello Competition. Other music credits include composition of two film
scores and releases of several CD’s on Melodia label featuring Mr. Osadchy’s compositions and
arrangements. He also has numerous recordings on the CBS label.

Violinist Ronald Neal has served as Director-Concertmaster of the Dallas

Chamber Orchestra (DCO) for three decades. In 1977, he created the
DCO and under his direction the DCO has gained recognition as a “tightly
knit, well disciplined ensemble with enormous spirit and enthusiasm”
(Dallas Morning News). The Dallas Observer described the DCO as “A
noteworthy ensemble of virtuosi whose flawless performances are a rare
meeting of the minds, not only among players, but among the audience.”
The Fort Worth Star Telegram described the DCO as “an ensemble that
produces a sound equal in richness and depth to what one expects from the
string section of a great orchestra.” Under his leadership the DCO has recorded for Crystal
Records and Digital Masters and is frequently heard throughout the U.S. on National Public
Radio “Performance Today.” His live performance of Vaughan Williams’ Lark Ascending with
the Dallas Chamber Orchestra was praised as a “miracle of light and sensitivity” by High Fidelity
“Musical America.” In 1997, the DCO was the first Chamber Orchestra invited to perform at the
XIX Festival Internacional de Musica de Camara in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Ronald Neal is the Founder and for fourteen seasons served as Artistic Director of the Killington
Music Festival, an international music festival held in the summer months in Killington, Vermont.
Mr. Neal served as a director of the Manchester Music Festival for eight years prior to his tenure
at the Killington Festival. Mr. Neal was the Founder and Music Director of the Stowe
International Music School and Festival in Stowe, Vermont from 1997–2002. The Elan
International Music Festival program was designed by Ronald Neal in 1996. In 2003, Ronald
Neal developed and served as artistic director of the first Northern China International Chamber
Music Festival held in Shenyang, China. In the same year he served as director of Chamber
Music for the Beijing International Music School and Festival.

Concert activities have taken Mr. Neal throughout North, Central and South America, Iceland,
Europe, China and Japan. An interest in the music of living composers led Neal to the co-
founding of the contemporary music group “Voices of Change.” During his ten year tenure,
Voices of Change premiered over 200 new works, performed throughout the U.S. and Europe,
and recorded extensively.

Mr. Neal has served as a member of the faculty of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern
Methodist University since 1974. Prior to his appointment at SMU he had served Artist in
Residence of the State University of New York at Genesseo as well as holding teaching
fellowships at the Eastman and Juilliard Schools, serving on the pre-college faculty at the Juilliard
School and instructing undergraduates in private lessons at the Eastman School of Music. Mr.
Neal joined The University of Texas at Dallas in the fall of 2007 as Director of Orchestra.

Ronald Neal received the Bachelor of Music degree and the Performers Certificate from the
Eastman School of Music and the Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School. At both
institutions he received a teaching fellowship and was an instructor of violin. His teachers
included Ivan Galamian, Sally Thomas and Carroll Glenn. His mentors for chamber music were
Felix Galimir, John Celentano and Joseph Gingold.
Barbara Sudweeks, violist, is Associate Principal Viola of the Dallas
Symphony and has been a member of that orchestra since 1976. Ms.
Sudweeks has been a concerto soloist with the Dallas Symphony, the
Shanghai Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Latvian Chamber Orchestra,
the Utah Symphony, the Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra in
Durango, Colorado and the New Philharmonic of Irving, Texas. She is a
member of the October Trio (flute, harp and viola) and the new music
group, Voices of Change. She has also played with other groups such as
the Dallas Bach Society, the Dallas Chamber Orchestra, the Richardson
Chamber Music Society and the Fort Worth Chamber Music Society. She has appeared in
chamber music concerts with Pinchas Zukerman, William Preucil, Vadim Gluzman and Yefim
Bronfman. A former member of An die Musik, she has recorded and concertized extensively
throughout the US and Europe. She has been a recital soloist throughout the United States as well
as Australia and China. Ms. Sudweeks has participated in summer festivals such as the Rockport
Chamber Music Festival, San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival and Music in the Mountains in
Durango, Colorado. Before coming to Dallas, Ms. Sudweeks was Principal Viola of the Hamilton
Philharmonic and a member of the Utah Symphony. She also teaches viola, chamber music and
orchestral repertoire at Southern Methodist University.

Besides playing the viola, Ms. Sudweeks loves Chinese music and enjoys playing and teaching
the Chinese erhu. She has been an erhu soloist with the Kaohsiung City Chinese Orchestra in
Taiwan, the Shanghai Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Jiangsu Symphony Orchestra in Nanjing,
China, the Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra in Durango, Colorado and the New
Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving, Texas. She has also been a recitalist in Shenyang, China.
 Elan International Music Festival – Dallas – Application Form
Date_________________________________ Birthdate____________________________

Name__________________________________________________ Male____ Female____

Address___________________________________________________________________

City__________________________________State________________Zip______________

Phone (Home)_____________________________ Cell _____________________________

Email: Student_______________________________________________________________

Email: Parent________________________________________________________________

Parent Name________________________________________________________________

Parent Phone___________________________Mobile_______________________________

Instrument_________________Years studied_____Teacher name*_____________________

Teacher’s Phone___________________________Email_____________________________

Chamber Music Coaches______________________________________________________

School/University____________________________________________________________

One Week Program  June 9 - 14  June 16 - 21 Two Week Program 

Application Fee ($20) included  I would like to Audit the class ($125/week) 
Method of Payment: Check  Visa  Mastercard  Discover 
Make check or money order payable to
The University of Texas at Dallas. Total $ _______________________

Name on Card_______________________________________________________________

Account number _______________________________________Exp. Date______________

Authorized signature ________________________________________Date _____________

To Apply: Complete the above in full. Cut off the application form. Mail the application form,
application fee and audition tape and repertoire list* (see below) to:

After you have received a letter of acceptance you The University of Texas at Dallas
will then be required to complete payments for School of Arts & Humanities
tuition and administrative fees. Limited financial Ronald Neal, JO 31
aid is available based on merit and financial need. 800 W. Campbell Rd.
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
* Students not currently studying with Elan faculty
are required to submit an Audition Tape representing 10-15 minutes of repertoire showing
musical and technical proficiency as well as two letters of recommendation from recognized
musicians. In addition these students should also submit a repertoire list including etude books,
concertos, short pieces, sonatas, solo Bach Sonatas, and chamber music he or she has studied.
The University of Texas at Dallas Non-Profit Org.
School of Arts & Humanities US POSTAGE
PAID
Ronald Neal, JO31 Richardson, TX 75080
800 W. Campbell Rd. Permit 108
Richardson TX 75080-3021