Members of the Verdehr Trio

Members

Walter Verdehr Walter Verdehr was born in Gottschee, Yugoslavia, and received his first violin instruction at the Conservatory of Music in Graz, Austria. A student at the Juilliard School, he was the first violinist to receive a doctorate there, and on a Fulbright Fellowship he studied at the Vienna Academy of Music. He was a member of the International Congress of Strings faculty for several summers and Chairman of the String Department at Michigan State University School of Music where he is Professor of Music and recently received the Distinguished Faculty Award. In the U.S. and Europe he has given many solo recitals, has been soloist with numerous orchestras, and has made solo recordings for Golden Crest Records and Crystal Records. The London Times wrote that his performance was "sweeping and vigorous." The Vienna Express said that "he is a perfect violinist with beautiful blossoming tone and noble musicality." He served as juror at Prague Spring International Violin Competition 1997 and Naumburg Violin Competition 1998 and 2003. He performs on the ex-Stephens/Verdehr Stradivarius of 1690.

Elsa Ludwig-Verdehr Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and at the Eastman School, from which she received a Performer_s Certificate and Doctor of Musical Arts degree. She has performed and lectured at many International Clarinet Congresses and for several years was a participant in the Marlboro Music Festival and touring groups. She has appeared frequently in the United States and Canada as recitalist, clinician, and soloist with orchestras. As a member of the Richards Wind Quintet, she played in more than half of the United States, Canada, and at the White House. She was awarded the Distinguished Faculty Award at Michigan State University where she is Professor of Music, and was recently named Distinguished University Professor. Her playing has been called "distinguished and musical" by the New York Times. The Boston Globe noted her "musical tone and elegant sense of phrasing," while the Chicago Tribune wrote of her "virtuosity of a most compelling art." She spends her summers as principal clarinetist of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra.

Silvia Roederer Silvia Roederer was born in Argentina, but her musical training began in the U.S. After graduating from the Eastman School with high honors, she completed her doctoral degree as a student of John Perry at the University of Southern California. She is currently Professor of Music at Western Michigan University, where she serves as Chair of the Keyboard Area, teaches piano, chamber music, pedagogy and coordinates graduate assistant teaching. A winner of several important competitions, including the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition, she has also appeared as soloist with the Denver Symphony Orchestra and the Jacksonville (FL) Symphony Orchestra. Her Los Angeles debut was an acclaimed recital at the prestigious Ambassador Auditorium, where her "control, introspective poise, and elegantly pointed phrases" drew special praise from the Los Angeles Times. In addition to her appearances with the Verdehr Trio, her performing career has revolved around chamber music in the last decade -- as duo pianist with her husband Leslie Tung and as collaborator with her colleagues at Western Michigan University. The Trio plays regularly in Washington D.C, New York City as well as throughout the US and also tours in Europe, South America and the Far East.