AD&M Performance Group Musicians

Stephanie Sivers, soprano, a native Santa Barbaran, is a dynamic vocalist and performer. Possessing a nearly four octave range, Stephanie feels comfortable singing many styles of music, including opera, musical theater, and jazz. She has performed variety of roles in opera scenes and complete operas staged by Santa Barbara Grand Opera, California State University at Chico, and the Aspen Music Festival. She has also performed musical theater roles both at CSUC and with the Chico Civic Light Opera including Johanna in Sweeny Todd and Maria in The Sound of Music. In 2006, her album Sultry Standards & Other Jazz Classics was charted in the top 10 on select jazz radio stations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Ms. Sivers has her BA in music from CSUC and has attended the Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium, University of California Summer Vocal Institute, the Aspen Music Festival, and Blanche Thebom’s San Francisco Opera Workshop. Her main vocal teachers were Dorothy Warenskjold in Los Angeles, Maitland Peters in New York City, and Elizabeth Mannion in Santa Barbara. She has been the recipient of several Santa Barbara vocal awards, including The Santa Barbara Foundation Peabody Music Grant, the Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation Competition, and The Léni Fé Bland Competition Grant as well as scholarships from the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado and from her university, C.S.U.C., during undergraduate studies.

Hilary Clark, cellist, received her BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her MM in cello performance from Western Michigan University. Upon completing her Master of Music degree, Hilary moved to Chicago and was active in the freelance scene for 6 years, playing in orchestras including the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, South Bend Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, and Principal Cello in the Elmhurst Symphony. She attended the DMA program at the University of California, Santa Barbara where she received a Young Artist String Quartet Fellowship.

Ervin Klinkon, cellist, received his musical training at the Musik Hochschule in Freiburg, Germany, and at the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He earned his Master of Music Degree from the Catholic University in Washington DC. He has performed as cello soloist and with chamber ensembles in Europe and in the United States. He has played for orchestras in Houston and in Washington DC (National Gallery, Kennedy Center Opera House, National Symphony). Mr. Klinkon served as chairman of the music department at Mongomery College and conducted the Montgomery College Symphony Orchestra for twenty years. Since moving to Santa Barbara, he continues to lead an active musical life, performing chamber music with various ensembles, teaching the cello, and coaching chamber groups.

Norma LaTuchie, flutist, has performed professionally for more than 35 years as a classical and jazz flutist, and has toured extensively as a soloist with chamber orchestra throughout Japan, Hong Kong, Brunei, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Europe and the United States. Ms. LaTuchie has performed with many international and notable jazz and Brazilian musicians, including Toninho Horta, Paulo Braga, Astrud Gilberto, Kenny Werner, Fred Hersch, Bill Frisell, Tom Rainey, Manolo Badrena, Romero Lubambo and with local talents, Randy Tico, Jeff Elliot, the Martinez Brothers, Teka, Hank Allen and Kevin Winard. She has recorded with Toninho Horta (VideoArts Music/Japan), Kenny Werner, Romero Lubambo, Steve Sachs (RVC/Japan), Gilberto Gonzalez, Shikeko Suzuki (BMG-RCA Victor), Manhattan Chamber Orchestra (Koch International/Newport Classics), Whitney Houston/Mariah Carey (Video, “If You Believe” from the Prince of Egypt), Brooks Institute (The Czech Republic – Original score by Randy Tico), and on numerous national/foreign radio and television broadcasts. She also co-produced the CD, “From Ton to Tom” – A Tribute to Jobim, featuring Brazilian guitarist/ composer, Toninho Horta (VideoArts Music/Japan). She is also the Musical Director for Laguna Blanca School’s theatrical productions and teaches music at Cold Spring School.

Nancy Mathison, clarinetist, came to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles in 1977. She performs with the New West Symphony in Thousand Oaks and taught instrumental music in the Santa Barbara School District. She has performed at the Music Center in Los Angeles, with A.C.T. in San Francisco, the Houston Opera, American Ballet Theatre, the late Rudolf Nureyev, Andrea Bocelli, and the Mexico City Philharmonic. Ms. Mathison received her masters degree in clarinet performance from the University of California at Santa Barbara following undergraduate work, also in clarinet performance, at the University of Southern California. She attended the Music Academy of the West and studied privately with Gary Foster, James Kanter and Mitchell Lurie .

Nicole McKenzie, violinist, was raised in Santa Barbara, where she began violin lessons at age five. During high school, to concentrate on violin, she transferred to Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. During her undergraduate studies at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, Ms. McKenzie spent a summer attending the Music Academy of the West. There she studied with Dr. Gary Kosloski, a former Gingold protégé. Dr. Kosloski later became her mentor, and as his graduate assistant, she completed her Master of Music degree at Florida State University in 1999. Since finishing her studies, Ms. McKenzie has been a member of the Cobb, GA Symphony Orchestra, as principal second violin, and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. While in Oklahoma, she was a member of the Wasselisa String Quartet, and received the Sutton Chamber Music Award. She was also a finalist in the Sidell Competition in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Back in Santa Barbara, Ms. McKenzie is active as a chamber music player and soloist. Teaching is very important to Ms. McKenzie, and she currently teaches private violin lessons, violin studio class, after school strings through the S.B. Youth Symphony, and is teacher and co-director for Sandcastle Music Together, a general music program for young children and their families.

Hilary Schoap, violist, is a native of Portland, Oregon. She began musical instruction on first piano, then violin at a very early age. She studied violin under Eileen Deiss, a member of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, and fell in love with orchestral playing after winning an opportunity as a young girl to play alongside members of the Oregon Symphony. She studied viola under Joel Belgique, the Oregon Symphony’s principal violist, and has since performed numerous times with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra. She has also worked with the Central City Opera Company as a baroque specialist, the Oregon Ballet Theatre, the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, the Oregon Mozart Players, as well as many others. She is currently the recipient of the Young Artist String Quartet Fellowship at UCSB, where she studies with the incomparable Helen Callus.