Ronald Francois | violin
A native of Montreal, Canada, Ronald Francois began his career under the tutelage of concert violinist Daniel Heifetz and members of the Guarneri String Quartet. Francois concertized all over the USA and abroad as soloist with Heifetz, and as a member of his "Classical Band". Consequently, Francois has performed several major solo works with orchestras in Canada and throughout the United States. Other teachers include, David Salness of the Audubon Quartet, Elizabeth Adkins, Zvi Zeitlin and taken masterclasses with Charles Castleman.
A former member of the internationally acclaimed chamber Ensemble “I Musici de Montreal”, Francois toured extensively and recorded two CD's as a member of this ensemble on the Naxos Label.
"Duo Francois" with pianist Silvana Santinelli, recently completed concerts at the "Las Galas Festival" in Piedras Negras, Mexico, the Thursday Night Series in Colorado Springs. Upcoming "Duo Francois" engagements include a residency at the Universidad de Guanajuato in Mexico. They will perform in recital and teach a course in chamber music. Concerts are also scheduled in Utah, Colorado Springs and San Antonio, TX and a tour of the state of Guanajuato Mexico for the 2010-2011 season.
In addition to his performance activities, Ron Francois serves as Head of the String Division at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Barbara Thiem | cello
Barbara Thiem was born and raised in Germany where she trained with Siegfried Palm (Cologne), specialist in 20th century cello music. She came to the US for graduate studies in cello with Janos Starker at Indiana University where she received the Master of Music in cello performance and the coveted Performer’s Certificate.
Ms. Thiem has held teaching positions at Iowa State University, the University of Texas at Dallas, several universities in Colorado, and at the University of Wyoming. At present she is Artist-in-residence at Colorado State University. Active as soloist with orchestra and in recitals and chamber music she has been a founding member of the Dallas Piano Trio and the Mendelssohn Trio. Her concerts and radio recordings have taken her all over Europe, the US, and Canada. She has produced several CDs and has published in the field of music and medicine.
She makes her home in Ft. Collins, Colorado, and spends her summers with her family in Austria where she directs the Music Academy at Schloss Ort in Gmunden and the “Villa Mendelssohn Festival.”
Theodor Lichtmann | piano
Born and educated in Switzerland, Theodor Lichtmann received his Gymnasium degree in Classical Languages (Greek and Latin). For his formative years as a pianist he studied with Irma Schaichet (a student of Busoni and Bartok) in Switzerland; later with Leonard Shure ( a Schnabel student) in New York and at the University of Texas at Austin.
Lichtmann embarked early on an international career as soloist and collaborative artist; he appeared in Wigmore Hall in London, Brahms Saal in Vienna, the Lucerne Festival Hall, the BBC, the Swiss Broadcasting Corp. and many more venues. He has recorded for DECCA, TURICAPHON and SUMMIT where he was the first pianist to record Paul Hindemith’s complete works for Brass and Piano. He is also the featured piano soloist in Gerhwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” with the DENVER BRASS.
He is co-founder of the Mendelssohn Trio. Until his retirement from academe Theodor Lichtmann was Professor at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver and Chair of the Piano Division. There he appeared frequently as soloist and as partner with his colleagues.
