above photos by Katrin Talbot

Dan Lyons (piano) Holding piano performance degrees from DePaul University and a doctoral performance degree from UW-Madison, Daniel Lyons has performed in solo, chamber and concerto performances throughout the Midwest. His teachers include Dmitry Paperno, Howard Karp and Mary Sauer. While completing his doctoral program, he researched and performed piano compositions of Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin. He was also the founder of Madison Academy of Music, a private music studio in Madison that provides private instrumental instruction along with one of the country’s largest and most successful Kindermusik programs. In addition to maintaining a private teaching studio, he serves on the faculty of the UW-Whitewater Summer Piano Clinic and continues to perform as a soloist and accompanist. He lives in Madison with his wife, Monica, and three children, Kenny, Tatiana and Alexander.

Jeanette Casey
Director
Mills Music LibraryUni versity of Wisconsin - Madison

Tyrone Greive
Professor of Music Emeritus, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Emeritus

Norman Gilliland
Host/Producer Wisconsin Public Radio

Sue Jones
Coordinator
Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission

Janse Vincent
       Professional Musician and educator
       con vivo!, Madison Symphony Orchestra
       Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra
       Suzuki Strings of Madison

con  vivo!...music with life is a professional chamber music ensemble founded in 2002 and comprised of seven core musicians who draw upon professional experience with the Madison Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and other regional performing groups to deliver dynamic and high-caliber performances.  These core members are often joined by guest artists from the Madison music community, including at a March 2011 performance of Igor Stravinsky’s masterpiece, The Soldier’s Tale, with conductor John DeMain and actors from American Players Theater.  In November, 2013, Maestro DeMain returned to conduct Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll and Mozart’s Gran Partita for Winds.  Madison classical music critic, John Barker, pronounced this the best classical music concert of 2013 (Isthmus, 12/27/13).  con  vivo! has also represented the Madison arts community nationally by performing at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in New York City on December 13, 2012. In June, 2015, con  vivo! was invited to represent Dane County in a cultural exchange with our sister county of Kassel, Germany.  The ensemble performed three concerts at the Kultursommer Nordhessen Arts Festival in Kassel, Germany.
 con vivo!’s repertoire represents a variety of time periods and styles from the classics to lesser-known chamber works presented in a concert setting that is uniquely engaging and inviting. The ensemble’s home venue, First Congregational Church at University Avenue and Breese Terrace, is ideally suited for chamber music. Each program includes an element of surprise and a dash of humor, through unannounced additions to the program, antiphonal performances and unusual encore selections. Concerts are followed by a reception where audience members and musicians can meet and discuss the performance.

The group’s mission states: We, the members of con vivo!, strive to perform the classical chamber music repertoire to the highest artistic standards. By presenting affordable, informative, and entertaining concerts, we wish to enrich, enhance, and expand the cultural and fine arts community of south-central Wisconsin.

Member Biographies

Derek Handley (cello) holds a Bachelor of Music degree from University of Southern California (2006), where he studied with the late Eleanore Schoenfeld, and a Masters of Music from Northwestern University (2012), studying under Hans Jorgen Jensen there. He has held previous orchestral positions in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra (Assoc Principal) and Heartland Festival Orchestra among others. He currently plays in the Madison Symphony, Rockford Symphony, is Principal Cello for the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, and subs with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Derek moved to Madison in 2014 from the Chicago area with his wife Natalie, and they are embracing the new community.

con vivo!

Olga Pomolova (violin) was born into a family of musicians in Abakan, Russia. She received a doctoral degree in music from the Ural State Conservatory. She played in the Opera and Ballet Theater Orchestra and taught at the music school. After moving to Moscow, Olga played in many orchestras including the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Grand Symphony Orchestra, and the Russian National Symphony Orchestra. She moved to Madison in 2002 and is now a member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and has played with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Beloit-Janesville Symphony and the Dubuque Symphony.

... music with life

Maggie Darby Townsend (cello) received her Bachelor Degree in Music from the University of Iowa in 2002 as a student of Charles Wendt. In 2004, she finished her Masters of Music with Uri Vardi at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over the years, she has attended music festivals such as Madeline Island, Aspen, and Musicorda, and in 2001 performed the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. She has been enjoying playing with the Madison Symphony Orchestra since 2002, teaching private lessons, and working at the Institute for Research on Poverty at the UW-Madison.

Kathryn Taylor (violin) is a violinist and the music librarian for the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and is on the faculty of Suzuki Strings of Madison. She received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wyoming, a Master of Library Science degree from Western Michigan University, and did further graduate work in music at Michigan State University. Kathryn’s previous orchestra memberships have included the Kalamazoo Symphony, Lansing Symphony and Lake Forest Symphony. She derives her musical inspiration from hearing live performances of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic orchestras. In May, 2012, Kathryn was invited by the Berlin Philharmonic from a worldwide pool of 600 applicants to perform in an orchestra under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle. The concert was played to a full house in the Berlin Philharmonic’s concert hall, the Philharmonie.

Robert Taylor (clarinet) received his Master’s degree in music performance from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Wyoming. He has performed with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Children’s Theater of Madison, the Madison Savoyards, and in ensembles and as a soloist for the First Unitarian Society’s “Music for a Summer Evening” series. He has also performed with various orchestras in the Detroit and Chicago areas. Robert has been a performing participant for the Amici della Musica master classes with Karl Leister in Florence, Italy. In May, 2012, Robert was invited by the Berlin Philharmonic from a worldwide pool of 600 applicants to perform in an orchestra under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle. The concert was played to a full house in the Berlin Philharmonic’s concert hall, the Philharmonie.

Board of Directors

Janse Vincent (viola) is a member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and Wisconisn Chamber Orchestra. She also teaches with the Suzuki Strings of Madison and freelances in the area. After completing her undergraduate studies at Furman University, she earned a Master’s degree in viola performance from Northwestern University studying with Peter Slowik and a D.M.A. in viola performance and pedagogy from The University of Iowa studying with William Preucil, Sr. Janse has taught on the faculties of the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City and the Cincinnati String Academy in Wyoming, Ohio. Other orchestra associations include the Dayton Philharmonic, Cedar Rapids Symphony, Chicago String Ensemble and Gainesville Chamber Orchestra.