WHO: YOU! Enjoying…Rushmore Music Festival Organization

WHAT: Free performance and lecture as part of the Monthly Bellman Brown Bag Series

WHERE: Matthews Opera House Theater

WHEN: Wednesday May 8th from 12:00 to 1:00

WHY: To explore ideas, history, literature, art, and culture

HOW: BYOB-Bring your own bite-to-eat, take a seat, and enjoy entertainment for an hour while you devour

WE’VE GOT YOUR LUNCH HOUR IN THE BAG!

The Rushmore Music Festival mission is to promote access to musical excellence through education and performance to enrich the cultural landscape in our community and beyond.

The Rushmore Music Festival was founded on the guiding principles of artistic excellence and musical accessibility through both education and performance. The Festival has established itself as one of the most prominent, tuition-free, pre-college level programs nationwide.

As we carry-on through the lunch hour we hope you enjoy a comfortable seat at our table and the splendor of your surroundings. We welcome you to invite friends, family, and even that crazy co-worker to try something new at noon!

For more information on how to connect to our community here at the Matthews, give us a call at (605)642-7973, email us at ad@matthewsopera.com, or find us on facebook

THE PRESENTERS

DR. BRETT WALFISH

Violist Dr. Brett Walfish, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Rushmore Music Festival, is a distinguished figure in the realm of classical music. Known for his expressive and charismatic performances, Conductor David Effron has praised his warm sound, describing it as full of a “myriad of colors.” Dr. Walfish has captivated audiences throughout the United States, Canada, China, Ireland, Italy, and Israel. Notable venues include the Tel Aviv Opera House, the National Music Museum, Carnegie Hall, and Mount Rushmore. -Rushmoremusicfestival.org/brett-walfish

Dr. Walfish’s commitment to music extends beyond his performances; he is also a dedicated teacher of violin, viola, and chamber music. During his time at Indiana University, he gained valuable insights into string pedagogy from the renowned Mimi Zweig and completed a two-year Suzuki teacher training certification at the School for Strings in New York City. These experiences served as the foundation for establishing the Walfish Music School. As the founder of this school in Rapid City, Dr. Walfish passionately imparts his musical knowledge through guest masterclasses and private instruction across the United States. His dedication to nurturing talent is evident in the remarkable success of his students, many of whom have earned placements in prestigious institutions such as the Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Harvard University, and Cornell University. Numerous graduates have gone on to secure positions in major symphonies globally.

Dr. Walfish’s membership in the Valencia Baryton Project highlights his dedication to both classical and contemporary repertoire. Through this project, he champions some of Haydn’s least-known yet most prolific musical output while featuring modern compositions written for the ensemble. These concerts have resonated across the continental United States and Canada, showcasing Dr. Walfish’s versatility and deep musical insight.

Passionate about both classical and modern genres, Dr. Walfish invests significant time delving into the contemporary Tango culture through extensive research and collaboration with leading Tango musicians of our modern era. His Tango performances not only showcase his artistic prowess but also establish connections between Baroque and Classical Historically Informed Performance and the Golden Age of Tango. Dr. Walfish adeptly bridges the gap between scholarly research and live performance by directly engaging with modern-day Tangueros who played alongside legends, including Osvaldo Pugliese and Astor Piazzolla, thus enriching and preserving the vibrant heritage of Tango.

Dr. Walfish’s primary mentors include Carol Cole, Michael Klotz, Atar Arad, Martha Katz, Lawrence Dutton, and Nicholas Cords, as well as the Emerson String Quartet.

DR. KATIE SMIRNOVA

Violinist Dr. Katie Smirnova is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Rushmore Music Festival. Throughout the year, Dr. Smirnova enjoys performing with local orchestras such as the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, as well as touring with the Rushmore Concert Artists. She has previously enjoyed collaborating with organizations such as the National Music Museum in Vermillion SD, San Diego Ballet, Stowe Tango Music Festival, Moscow Ballet, Bel Cantanti Opera Company, Hartford Festival Orchestra, Groupmuse, among others. In addition to performing with various chamber ensembles in major halls throughout the United States, Dr. Smirnova places a strong value on outreach and giving back to her community through performance.

An avid teacher, Dr. Smirnova currently maintains a private teaching studio in Rapid City, SD and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Highly interested in child psychology and the early music learning process, she has studied violin pedagogy with Rebecca Henry at the Peabody Conservatory and completed a two-year long-term Suzuki teacher training certification at the School for Strings in New York City.

Previous teachers include Dr. Ann Setzer at the Juilliard School Pre-College Division, Pamela Frank, Shmuel Ashkenasi and Daniel Phillips at the Heifetz International Music Institute, and masterclasses with the members of the Miro, Brentano, Brooklyn Rider, Emerson, and the Juilliard String Quartets.

ABOUT THE BELLMAN BROWN BAG SERIES

The Bellman Brown Bag series is a humanities program designed to explore ideas, history, literature, art, and culture. The Brown Bag program was developed by Dr. Stewart Bellman in the 1990’s. Recognizing the Matthews Opera House as an ideal venue for the exploration of humanities topics, he engaged a line-up of speakers to present programs on a range of humanities topics each month.

Dr. Bellman was a professor of English at Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD. His teaching career spanned thirty years. Bellman retired from BHSU and passed away in November 2002.

Programs are presented on the second Wednesday of each month, noon to 1 pm. Designed to begin and end within the lunch hour, patrons are invited to bring their lunch, if desired, or simply enjoy an hour of learning and entertainment.  This is an opportunity to gain insight into themes that touch our daily lives.