STRING CLINIC FACULTY
Violin
Helen Bohannon *
Karen Lord-Powell †
Kathryn Burger Johnson *
Viola
Christopher McKay†
Cello
Susannah Onwood*†
Lori Getty *
Bass
Karl Olsen*†
*IU Southeast Music Department faculty
†Member of the Louisville Orchestra
Helen Bohannon (violin) is a 1982 graduate with a performance degree from Indiana University, Bloomington. She studied with renowned artists such as James O. Buswell IV, Miriam Fried, Greg Fulkerson, and with Stanley Ritchie for Baroque Violin. Helen has performed with the faculty of the Eastman School of Music and as a member and soloist with the Owensboro Symphony. As an auxiliary member of the Louisville Orchestra, she performed with the orchestra in their 1989 tour to Carnegie Hall. Helen has performed as concertmaster for the Southern Baptist Seminary Orchestra, the Indiana University Southeast Orchestra, and the Jewish Community Center Orchestra. She has been a member of the IU Southeast Music Department faculty since 1991 and conducted the IU Southeast Orchestra during its 1997 concert season. Helen is also the first violinist and vocalist for the Classical Choice Trio and is Music Director at Grace Lutheran Church in New Albany, and served is co-director of the Floyd County (IN) Youth Symphony during the 2004-2005 season. In 1999, the Floyd County (IN) Council for the Arts recognized Helen Bohannon as a Floyd County Artist of the Century.
Kathryn Burger Johnson (violin) was a founding member of the Floyd County (IN) Youth Symphony. After graduating with honors from DePauw University, she performed with the Louisville Orchestra, then served as a graduate assistant at the University of Hawaii. Ms. Johnson returned to Indiana to teach in the New Albany/Floyd County school system where she currently instructs elementary string students. She recently received a Master of Science in Music Technology degree from Indiana University-Purdue University. Ms. Johnson continues to perform professionally and enjoys arranging music for young string players.
Karen Lord-Powell (violin) is a member of the Louisville Orchestra with experience performing in both violin sections of the orchestra. Her previous orchestral experiences include leadership positions in the New World Symphony, Spoleto Festival Orchestra USA, and the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra. She has performed concertos with the Glenelg Chamber Orchestra in Maryland, the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, and the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra. She has been a member of the Orrington and Amaranth String Quartets, the Ceruti Chamber Players, and has performed with the Kentucky Center Chamber Players. Karen is also currently on the faculty at the St. Francis Academy of Music. Karen received her degree in music as a scholarship student at Northwestern University with Myron Kartman, and pursued additional studies with Shmuel Ashkenazi, Daniel Heifitz and Victor Danchenko.
Christopher McKay (viola) has served in many capacities including orchestral musician, recitalist, soloist, and teacher. Currently he is an interim member of the viola section of the Louisville Orchestra. Past orchestra engagements include principal viola of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, assistant principal of New Jersey Opera, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, and the Owensboro Symphony. His summer engagements include fellowships at Tanglewood Music Center (1998 and 2006), Spoleto Festival USA, and the Artur Balsam Chamber Music Workshop. While in Evansville (2001-07), McKay was violist of the Eykamp String Quartet, the resident string quartet for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of Evansville. Their mission was to bring a high level of music making to the Southern Indiana/Tri-state community. His solo engagements include W.A. Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and Richard Strauss’ Don Quixote, in addition to regular recital performances. Mr. McKay’s teaching experience encompasses a wide range of ages including adjunct instructor of viola at the University of Evansville, visiting instructor of viola at Indiana University-Bloomington, faculty member at Blue Lake Arts Camp, as well as the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (Indiana) Summer Music Clinic. Mr. McKay received his viola performance degrees from Louisiana State University and Indiana University. His primary teachers were Jerzy Kosmala and Alan deVeritch, with additional instruction from Paul Neubauer and James Dunham.
Susannah Onwood (cello) has been Principal Cellist of the Louisville Orchestra and Teacher of Cello at the University of Louisville since 1975. She was born in Toledo, Ohio, earned her Bachelor of Music and Performer's Certificate at the Eastman School of Music and her Master of Music at Indiana University. Her major teachers include Ronald Leonard and Janos Starker. She has played in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and been principal with the Ft. Wayne Philharmonic and the Orquesta de la Minera in Mexico City. She participated in a number of summer festivals including the Aspen Festival in Colorado and the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, as well as summer study at Meadowmount and the Chautauqua Festival. Ms. Onwood was for many years the cellist with the Louisville String Quartet and the Luvisi/McHugh/Onwood Trio. She has performed with the Ceruti Chamber Players, the Kentucky Center Chamber Players, has given many cello and chamber recitals and been featured soloist with orchestras such as the Toledo Symphony, the Ft. Wayne Philharmonic, the Indiana Chamber Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Louisville Orchestra, and the Louisville Jewish Community Center Orchestra. In 1985, she founded the Kentucky Cello Club and for six years was President. More recently, she along with other members of the Louisville Orchestra formed The Crescent String Quartet which has played many recitals, both to high critical acclaim.
Lori Getty (cello) is a graduate of the University of North Carolina with a Master's Degree in Cello Performance. She has Suzuki training in violin and cello and maintains a private studio. She has been the cellist for Classical Choice String Trio for 10 years and is currently principal cellist with the Indiana University Southeast Orchestra.
Karl Olsen (bass) began musical studies in Suzuki Violin, in Wausau, Wisconsin. Mr. Olsen began double bass studies in 1991 with David Dunn at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. Before earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1996, teaching at the Wausau Conservatory of Music and playing in numerous Big Bands and combos, Mr. Olsen decided to begin orchestral studies in earnest and eventually focused completely on orchestral playing, enrolling at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. While working with Bruce Bransby at IU, Mr. Olsen continued his teaching both privately and as an IU Associate Instructor. Between 1996 and 2001 Mr. Olsen completed a Master of Music degree and began Doctoral studies. During those years he performed regularly as Assistant Principal in the Evansville Philharmonic and Owensboro Symphony Orchestras, Principal Bass of the IU Philharmonic, New Music Ensemble and Baroque Orchestra, earned fellowships and titled positions in Music Festivals, studied with Gary Karr, Stuart Sankey, Paul Ellison and Edgar Meyer and freelanced in many professional groups from Charleston, South Carolina to Albuquerque, New Mexico. In September of 2001 Mr. Olsen joined the illustrious New World Symphony Orchestra, a fellowship training orchestra under the baton of Michael Tilson-Thomas, Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. On October 16th, 2001, Mr. Olsen became the newest member of the Louisville Orchestra bass section.