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Michael Holmes, Music Director
Michael Holmes has always been active in a wide spectrum
of musical pursuits. While spending much of his early career
performing as a professional French hornist, his interests
gradually shifted toward conducting and early music. Since
then, he has performed extensively as a conductor in Europe,
leading symphonic, opera, and historical performances in Poland,
Czech Republic, Finland, Romania, and Bulgaria.
His artistic activities at home deal mostly with early music
and scholarly pursuits. Currently, he serves as music director
and principal conductor of the Orchestra of the 17th Century
in Washington D.C., artistic director of the Washington Cornett
and Sackbutt Ensemble (one of the USA's premiere period brass
ensembles), and director of the University of Maryland Collegium
Musicum. Holmes has also performed on various historic instruments
or as a vocalist with ensembles such as Stylus Luxurians,
the Washington Bach Consort, the Bach Sinfonia, Musica Antiqua,
and the Washington Baroque Trio.
Holmes has done extensive research in the area of Nordic
music, and he is a candid advocate of the Finnish composer
Jean Sibelius. For the 2001-02 year, he was awarded a Fulbright
fellowship to live in Helsinki, Finland in order to research
Sibelius's life and works. By permission of the Sibelius family
heirs, he was able to view many of the composer's letters,
personal effects and unpublished manuscripts, and was also
granted permission to perform some of the rare scores outside
of Finland. While in Finland, Holmes sang on two tours with
the premiere Finnish male voice choir Ylioppilaskunnan
Laulajat, and was present during their recording of the
Sibelius complete works for male voice choir on the Finlandia
label.
Michael Holmes is currently pursuing a PhD in historical
Musicology at the University of Maryland, College Park. His
forthcoming dissertation will focus on instrumental ensembles
in Northern Germany during the late 17th Century. |
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Phyllis Stanley, Accompanist
Ms. Stanley started studying piano at age 9 and began teaching
piano at 16. She studied organ at Oberlin College. While a
student, Phyllis was substitute organist at a Presbyterian
Church in Easton, Pa., and as a professional, she was accompanist
for the Christian Science Society in Columbia, Md. for 15
years. In 1994, Alice Booth, a friend and member of UUCSS,
told her they were looking for a new accompanist. Phyllis
auditioned and was offered the position. She continues to
teach piano privately, as she has done for 22 years. She is
the accompanist and Music Director for high school and community
musical theatre productions. Phyllis is also an occasional
singer with the choir and is a composer. She improvises piano
accompaniments to original poetry performed by her husband,
Bill, which we are pleased to present at the Suite Treat Café
each year. As pianist, she tours Maryland and Pennsylvania
schools with the Baltimore Museum of Industry’s Professor
Gizmo’s Invention Show, performs on the Liberty Limited
Train in Pennsylvania as singer, actress and keyboardist,
and is Music Director, accompanist for the Fabulous Fifty
Plus Players at the Howard County Center for the Arts.
Last update: 09-21-04 |
