Natalya Ageyeva has dazzled audiences
throughout the United States and
internationally, including Italy, Austria, and
Israel, as well as on tour in her native Russia.
Her performances have also been broadcast
several times locally on KING-FM in Seattle
and televised in Moscow and Chicago. She
has appeared at a broad range of venues,
including the Governor's Mansion in Olympia,
Carnegie Hall in New York, Benaroya Hall in
Seattle, and the Rachmaninoff Hall in
Moscow. Her pianism prompted one reviewer
to write "Immediately apparent was a
tremendous technique at the command of a
sharp musical intelligence and fingers of
steel." Her artistry has earned her awards and
recognition around the world, including the
Young Artist Competition in Moscow, Rotary
Club Scholarship in Chicago, Brechemin
Scholarship at the University of Washington,
Solo Competition Award from the Ladies
Musical Club of Seattle, the Green Lake Music
Festival Competition in Wisconsin, Bradshaw
& Buono International Piano Competition in
New-York, and the Zinetti International
Chamber Music Competition in Italy.
May 31 - Heather Bentley
Violist/violinist Heather Bentley is
Concertmaster of Scrape: an original music
string orchestra, a group that blends
improvisation with chamber music; and is
Principal Viola of the Northwest Sinfonietta.
She is also violist with Trio Pardalote: together
with violinist Victoria Parker and cellist
Rowena Hammill they run a collaborative,
roving chamber series called Club
Shostakovich. Heather is on the music faculty
of Seattleʼs Lakeside School where she
teaches a studio of violinists and violists and
runs a chamber program. She was Director of
the Westside Chamber Program at the Seattle
Conservatory of Music from 2001 - 2009 and
was Conductor of the Northwest School
Chamber Orchestra from 2000 - 2008.
June 7 - Jerome Wright
Dr. Jerome Wright possesses over fifty years
of professional conducting experience, and 27
of those years include his leadership of
Seattle Girls' Choir. In the fall of 2009 he
began the transition of leadership culminating
in his retirement in January 2010. Not to worry
- Dr. Wright will continue as an integral
resource for the Seattle Girls' Choir's for years
to come. A native of the State of Washington,
he received most of his musical education at
the University of Washington, and majored at
the graduate level in Symphonic Conducting
under the late Stanley Chapple, while studying
choral conducting with Rodney Eichenberger.
He has five degrees, including two doctorates.
June 14 - Toby Saks
Professor of cello at the University of
Washington since 1976, she is a frequent
adjudicator at regional and national
competitions. Ms. Saks has performed in the
U.S., Canada, Europe, the former U.S.S.R.,
and Israel. Her chamber music credits include
Boston Chamber Music Society and the
festivals of Sitka, Vancouver, Cascade Head,
Bargemusic, St. Cére, New Mexico,
Amsterdam, Juneau, Marlboro, Stratford,
Spoleto, and Anchorage. In 1988 she led
musicians of the Seattle Chamber Music
Festival on a two-week tour of the Soviet
Union. Ms. Saks was first prizewinner at the
International Pablo Casals Competition in
Israel and a top prizewinner at the Tchaikovsky
Competition in Moscow. A recipient of
Fulbright and Rockefeller grants, she studied
with Leonard Rose at The Juilliard School and
with Andre Navarra at the Conservatoire de
Musique in Paris. Ms. Saks made her New
York Town Hall debut at age 18, after winning
the New York Young Concert Artists auditions,
and was a member of the New York
Philharmonic from 1971-76.
Mike Brooks came to Seattle from the East Coast more than 20 years ago. It didn't take long for Mike to become enthralled with the Northwest's nature and hospitality. He joined KING FM in the spring of 2007 and has en- joyed the return to his "radio roots." His first radio job was at a classical station in his hometown of Baltimore, Md.
