Oklahoma cello Festival 2024
March 7th (Thursday evening), 8th (Friday evening), 9th (saturday all day)
Highlights
An immersive three-day event full of cello learning and performance.
Designed for student cellists grades 6 through 12, with a minimum of one year playing experience.
Cello choir preparing for “Latin Nights” Concert Finale, featuring “Oblivion” by Astor Piazzolla, “Rapsodia Cubana” by Isaac Albeniz, “Danzon no.2” by Arturo Marquez.
Two cello masterclasses presented by guest faculty Erinn Renyer (Washburn University) and Dr. Evgeni Raychev (Stephen F. Austin State University)
Cello technique class presented by Dr. Angelika Machnik-Jones (Oklahoma Conservatory of Music, Oklahoma City Philharmonic).
Cello maintenance talk. What to look for when buying your first instrument?
Deadline to register: March 1st.
Registration fee: $80
Select student cellists featured in masterclasses with guest faculty and as soloists in the Concert Finale. If interested in performing in masterclass, attach a video recording of the piece to be presented in masterclass in the registration form.
Festival schedule
March 7th, Thursday
6pm registration
6:20pm Welcome note
6:30pm-8pm Cello Choir rehearsal
March 8th, Friday
6pm student check-in
6:20pm Technique class led by Dr. Angelika Machnik-Jones (5 foundational pillars: bow arm, left hand, shifting, intonation, vibrato)
7:15pm-8pm Cello Choir rehearsal
March 9th, Saturday
9:15am student check-in
9:30am-10:50am Masterclass with Erinn Renyer
11am-12:45pm Cello Choir rehearsal
12:45pm-1:30pm lunch break
1:30pm-2:30pm lecture on cello maintenance, what to look for when buying your first instrument and bow
2:30pm-3:50pm Masterclass with Evgeni Raychev
4pm-4:45pm Cello Choir dress rehearsal
5:30pm “Latin Nights” Concert Finale
Location
CHURCH OF THE SERVANT
14343 N. MACARTHUR BLVD
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73142
cello faculty
Dr. Angelika Machnik-Jones
See bio on OCM Faculty page.
Erinn Renyer
Erinn Renyer is Lecturer of Applied Cello at Washburn University. She also maintains a private Cello Studio of 40 students and is Director of the Topeka Cello Collective, a community of student cellists that perform for local and regional events.
Ms. Renyer serves as managing partner of E & E Cello Music, an international publishing company specializing in cello repertoire. Erinn also performs as a freelance soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician with organizations like the Topeka Symphony, Topeka Festival Singers and other ensembles throughout Northeast Kansas and Missouri.
Ms. Renyer has been a string clinician and vendor for Kansas Music Educator Association’s Annual Workshop and for the American String Teacher’s Association national conventions. She has been a guest conductor and clinician for NKMEA all district honors orchestras, and for various cello ensemble festivals such as Virginia Cello Ensemble Cellobration!, Olathe North High School’s Cello Slam! among many others. Erinn is also on the teaching faculty of the Blanche Bryden Institute as a part of the Sunflower Music Festival.
Dr. Evgeni Raychev
Born in Russe, Bulgaria, Dr. Evgeni Raychev began his studies on the violoncello at the Vesselin Stoyanov School of Music in Russe with Elka Effremova as his teacher. He further continued his music education with professor Zdravko Yordanov at the Bulgarian Music Academy in Sofia, where he received his bachelor's and master's degrees. Upon arriving to the United States in 1997, he attended Florida State University, where he completed his second master's degree and his Doctor of Music with professor Lubomir Georgiev.
Winner of several competitions, Raychev has performed as a soloist with orchestras in the United States, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Colombia. His chamber and solo music experience includes performances in the United States, Bulgaria, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Costa Rica and Italy.
He played for the Bulgarian National Symphony Orchestra for five years during his undergraduate pursuit and served as a principal cellist of FSU Symphony, Chamber and Opera Orchestras, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, Southeast Symphony Orchestra, SFA Symphony Orchestra, Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, Longview Symphony Orchestra and East Texas Symphony Orchestra.
For seven years, Raychev played in the Douzet, an ensemble of 12 cellos, alongside the Yodanov, his teacher and ensemble founder. The ensemble was commissioned and premiered several compositions by leading Bulgarian composers.
He joined SFA's School of Music in 2003 and is continuously working on innovative collaborative music projects promoting classical music to high school and college students. He is the founder of Piney Woods Camerata, a student/faculty collaborative conductorless ensemble, Piney Woods Youth Orchestra, and a founding member of the Alazan Piano Trio, an ensemble dedicated to performing compositions by American composers.
In addition to his performance activities, Raychev is a dedicated pedagogue and an ardent advocate of cello ensemble playing who loves workings with musicians of different ages. In fall 2014, he participated in the foundation of the Cello Club, an organization where cello enthusiasts of all ages are prepared online to gather together for a concert at SFA.
Raychev has recorded for Gega New Ltd. and Centaur Records. He currently plays together with his wife, Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, as the Hachidori Duo. In October 2015, the Hachidori Duo was invited to perform Ravel's sonata for violin and cello in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.