Indiana State University Newsroom

The Indianapolis Chamber Players will perform as part of the Indiana State University Visiting Artist Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in the Recital Hall of the Landini Center for Performing and Fine Arts, located at the corner of Seventh and Chestnut streets.

The performance, titled "Explorations in C Minor," will feature Mendelssohn's "Piano Trio in C minor," Beethoven's "String Trio in C Minor," and Brahms' "Piano Quartet in C Minor."

Members of the quartet include Davis Brooks, professor of violin at Butler University; Michael Isaac Strauss, principal violinst with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra; Minju Choi, a member of the piano faculty at the University of Indianapolis and Kurt Fowler, professor of music at ISU.

Brooks comes from a diverse musical background as soloist, teacher, orchestral musician, studio musician, concertmaster on Broadway, conductor, and chamber musician. His teaching experience has included faculty appointments at Baylor, Wayne State and Bucknell universities and the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, as well as 27 years of maintaining a private studio.

Recently appointed associate concertmaster of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Brooks was a long-time member of the Mostly Mozart Orchestra at Lincoln Center, and the New York Chamber Symphony, which produced more than 20 critically-acclaimed recordings during his tenure. He has been concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of New England, the Harrisburg Symphony, and the Waco Symphony.

Strauss has performed around the world as a soloist, in chamber music and symphonic settings. He made his solo debut with the Minnesota Orchestra in 1990 and has since appeared as soloist with orchestras across the United States. During his 16-year tenure as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra principal violist, he has performed as soloist or collaborator in duo roles nearly every season. He recently joined the faculty of Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He teaches privately, presents master classes, and coaches advanced students and professionals in orchestral audition preparation. He previously held faculty positions at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Swarthmore College, DePauw and Butler universities and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Choi has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia as a recitalist, soloist, and chamber musician. She has appeared as a soloist with the Indianapolis and Shreveport symphonies, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, and the Music Academy of the West and Juilliard orchestras. She has been featured in prestigious venues such as Chicago Cultural Center, Steinway Hall, and the Vancouver Chamber Music Festival. A strong enthusiast of contemporary music, Choi has premiered and performed music by distinguished composers throughout the world. Until age 10, she lived in her native Kwangju, South Korea, where she began playing the piano at age 4. Choi received her bachelor´s and master´s degrees from The Juilliard School.

Fowler has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra l musician. He has performed with the Indianapolis and Syracuse symphonies, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and Rochester Philharmonic, has served as principal cellist of the Bear Valley Music Festival, the Greenville Symphony, and the Binghamton Philharmonic.

An advocate of contemporary classical music, Fowler is particularly active in commissioning new works. In collaboration with saxophonist Paul Bro, he has been the recipient of three ISU Arts Endowment grants resulting in three new works for cello and alto saxophone: "Bid Call" by Libby Larsen, "Walking on Water" by Dorothy Chang, and a work by Chinese composer Zhou Long.

Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the ISU School of Music at 812-237-2771.

Contact: Kurt Fowler, ISU School of Music, kurt.fowler@indstate.edu  
Writer: Paula Meyer, ISU Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu