Taking its name from a strong northerly wind that blows in southern France, the MISTRAL TRIO is a lively and lyrical woodwind ensemble. The trio was formed when Elisabeth Romano, Joanna Schroer, and Ann Churukian were working and performing at Vassar College, and composer Terry Champlin wrote a piece especially for them. The ensemble performs throughout the Hudson Valley; recent and upcoming concerts include the New City Library, the Grand Montgomery Chamber Music Series and, as part of a sextet, Chamber Music at Manor Lake in Kingston. The Mistral plays frequently for private events, and is available for teaching and coaching students on flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.
Joining the trio for PianoFest is Sheila Hamilton, flute. Sheila began her classical music training at age five and sprang into professional performing as a teenager. She has concertized extensively in Cleveland, Ohio and in the Hudson Valley, and appears on numerous CDs including the beautiful Raga Taranga with bansuri flutist Steve Gorn. Sheila was a student of the celebrated Julius Baker and Metropolitan Opera flutist Trudy Kane, both of the Julliard School. A double scholarship recipient (flute and piano), she holds degrees from Eberhardt-Karls Universitaet in Germany and S.U.N.Y. Sheila currently performs on both flute and piano with the Hamilton Bacon Duo, and maintains a private teaching practice. She also serves on the music faculties at Marist College, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Dutchess Community College & Mountain Laurel Waldorf School. Her love of working with children brought her to the Hot Diggity Dog Family Radio Show, where she performed, composed and arranged for the live-telecast show and its female vocal group Swingset. She lives in New Paltz with her daughter Noelani, who will also be performing at PianoFest.
Joanna Schroer studied clarinet with James Pyne and Fred Ormand at the University of Michigan, where she performed with the Wind Ensemble at Alice Tully Hall and played in the LaScala world premiere of a Karlheinz Stockhausen opera. While a graduate student at the Ohio State University, she toured and recorded with the Concert Band in Japan. Joanna currently plays co-principal clarinet with the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra and maintains a private teaching studio in New Paltz. Playing at PianoFest is a family affair for Joanna: her eldest child, Celina, will be on the keyboards, and the New Paltz High School auditorium is husband/band director Ralph's daily workplace.
Elisabeth Romano, bassoon, attended Juilliard Pre-College before earning her Bachelor's degree and Performer's Certificate in bassoon at the Eastman School of Music. She was a member of the Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony and Toledo Symphony orchestras, and has recorded with the Con Spirito Woodwind Quintet and Albany Symphony. Since moving to the Hudson Valley, she has freelanced with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Albany Symphony, and the Jupiter Symphony; she is also principal bassoonist with the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra. Elisabeth is bassoon instructor for Marist and Vassar Colleges and the Dutchess Community College Music School; she maintains a private studio in Gardiner. She is also a certified Music Therapist and owner of Reed Expertise, a provider of hand-crafted bassoon reeds for students and professionals.
Contact: MistralTrio@juno.com or 845-255-0405