Symphonic Honors Initiative Program
SHIP
The Symphonic Honors Initiative Program (SHIP) is an outreach program designed to provide orchestral experience for the exceptionally talented high school and middle school string players primarily in Coles County in addition to the surrounding counties. I invite these students to perform in concert performances with the Eastern Symphony Orchestra. I see this as an occasion to provide your child professional orchestral experience as a way of preparing them for future orchestral opportunities and the over-all college orchestral experience.
SHIP and now SHIP Jr. participate in the ESO orchestral rehearsals on Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00-4:50pm. SHIP also meets at 6PM on Wednesday Evenings right before ESO rehearses. At 7 PM they combine in a full rehearsal with the Eastern Symphony Orchestra. The Symphonic Honors Students will be finished with rehearsals no later then 9 PM (with the exception of dress rehearsals which will be from 7-10PM). After which, The Eastern Symphony Chamber Orchestra will continue to rehearsal until 10 PM. SHIP Jr. will be excused around 8:00/8:15.
If you feel that you would like your child to participate and would like to be considered for the program please feel free to contact me. Thank you for supporting and having such an invested interest in the artistic growth of your child!
Sincerely,
Richard Robert Rossi
Director of Orchestral & Choral Activities
217-581-3111
rrrossi@eiu.edu
SHIP Faculty
Anna Cromwell, Violin
Dr. Anna Cromwell is Assistant Professor of violin and viola at Eastern Illinois University. She has been on faculty at Western Kentucky University, Minnesota State University in Makato, Bravo! Summer String and Keyboard Institute, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and Tennessee Valley Music Festival. An avid chamber musician and clinician, she performs regularly as a member of Duo XXI with cellist Dr. Mira Frisch. Dr. Cromwell earned both her M.M. and D.M.A. under Sally O’Reilly at the University of Minnesota. She graduated from the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University where she won the Concerto Competition, received the Jean Keller Heard Prize, and graduated summa cum laude. She has studied string pedagogy with Sally O’Reilly and completed her Suzuki pedagogy training with Mark Bjork. Her former teachers include Elaine Richey, Kathleen Winkler, Christian Teal, and Sally O’Reilly.
email: alcromwell@eiu.edu
Terry Coulton, Violin
Violinist Terry Coulton is a native of Seattle Washington. She received a bachelor's degree in violin performance from Fort Wright College in Spokane Washington, where she was a student of Sr. Xavier Courvoisier. She holds a Master of Music degree in violin performance from the University of Notre Dame, having studied with Adrian Bryttan, and chamber music with Karen Buranskas and William Cerny. She has performed as a member of the Spokane Symphony, Elkhart Symphony, South Bend Symphony, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Prairie Ensemble, and Eastern Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Coulton is a member of Downstate Strings chamber ensemble, and was the second violinist in the LeVeck String quartet. She maintains a private violin studio at her home in Charleston, Illinois.
email: Terrycoulton@hotmail.com
Megan Goff, Viola
Violist Megan Goff was raised on a farm along with her 7 brothers and sisters in East Central Illinois. She was awarded a full scholarship to attend the University of Illinois, where she earned a bachelor's degree in viola performance. She has studied viola with Mr. Rudolf Haken, Mr. Thomas LeVeck, and Dr. Kathreen Ryan. Chamber music coaches include Dr. Peter Schafer and members of Pacifica String Quartet. She has studied piano with Dr. Meg Gray and Dr. David Hobbs. She has played in the University of Illinois Symphony, as well as Sinfonia da Camera. She currently performs and has traveled with Eden String Quartet, a group formed with her sisters in 2001. In addition to performing, Megan has kept up a growing studio of piano, violin, and viola students for the past 13 years. She resides in Oakland, Illinois, with her husband and three young children.
email: goffandfamily@yahoo.com
Ka-Wai Yu, Cello
Ka-Wai Yu is currently a Doctoral music student at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, where he studies cello with Brandon Vamos. He obtained his Master of Music from Indiana University under the tutelage of Helga Winold. A recipient of the Yamaha Music Scholarship, Yu graduated with First Class Honours from the Chinese University of Hong Kong studying with Ming-Yuen Cheung. He holds the Royal Schools of Music Diploma in Cello Performance. In addition, he has studied with Csaba Onczay and David Starkweather.
Winner of Senior and Intermediate Cello Solos at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, Yu was awarded the Most Outstanding Musician Trophy by St. Paul’s College Hong Kong. He has performed at master class by cellists János Starker, Llius Claret, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Lászlό Mezö, Sharon Robinson, Elizabeth Dolin and Jeffrey Solow. Devoted to chamber music, Yu has studied with members of the Tokyo, American, Pacifica and Parker Quartets.
Yu was Principal Cellist of the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Stage Ensemble, Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra and St. Paul’s College School Orchestra. In 2003, Yu received the Asian Cultural Council Scholarship to study with Anthony Elliott at the Aspen Music Festival. He has also attended the Toronto Summer Music Academy and Orford Arts Centre, Montreal.
email: yukawai@gmail.com
