Oakwood Chamber Players

During our season opener on Sunday September 11 2022 at 2 PM, you’ll hear a theme and variations for flute and string quartet by Amy Beach, a string quartet by French impressionist composer Germaine Tailleferre, the Sequoia Trio by Jenni Brandon, for oboe, clarinet, and bassoon, about the “big trees” of John Muir’s writings from Yosemite, and Life of Birds by Mason Bates for flute, clarinet, violin, and cello, a study of miniatures exploring the characteristics and physics of everyday birds.

An ever-inventive group of creatives, the Oakwood Chamber Players have been a chamber music staple throughout the Madison community for over 36 years. Driven by excellence in performance, program selection, and outreach to the community, the OCP is committed to bringing Madison and Wisconsin the finest in classical and new art music. Maintaining “a long tradition of stimulating programming” (Madison Magazine), this six-piece, mixed string/wind ensemble’s performances consistently lift up unheard voices, introducing audiences to new composers and works that are sure to become fast favorites. The OCP is particularly overjoyed to be partnering with ALL this season for a year of unforgettable performances. If you’d like to learn more about the players and their upcoming season, please visit https://oakwoodchamberplayers.com/ or find them on Facebook/Instagram

Get your tickets now

Amanda Szczys

A native of Toledo, Ohio, Amanda King Szczys received her Bachelor of Music degree, Summa Cum Laude, in Bassoon Performance from the University of Cincinnati College–Conservatory of Music. She then earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. Formerly a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Amanda is currently Principal Bassoon of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Second Bassoon of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Amanda has also appeared with the Milwaukee, New World, and Toledo Symphonies. She joined the Oakwood Chamber Players as an Artistic Director in 2007.

Maggie Darby Townsend

An Artistic Director and member of Oakwood Chamber Players since 2011, Maggie Darby Townsend 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. She works at the Institute for Research on Poverty at the UW-Madison, is a member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and plays in chamber music groups in the Madison area.

Elspeth Stalter-Clouse

Hailing from the far-off land of Iowa City, Iowa, Elspeth Stalter-Clouse has been playing the violin since she was 5 years old. She moved to Madison in 2012 to pursue her master’s degree in violin performance, where she studied with David Perry. While in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Elspeth held a performance assistantship with the Hunt Quartet, an education and outreach ensemble that performs in elementary schools throughout Madison. She joined the Oakwood Chamber Players in 2019. Elspeth now lives in Madison with her husband and her ornery cat, OllieBall. Outside of Oakwood, she plays with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and the Underground Chamber Collective. When not practicing or rehearsing, Elspeth can be found outside on long hikes when the weather is bullish, and inside knitting when the weather is bearish.

Marilyn Chohaney

Marilyn has been an Artistic Director with the Oakwood Chamber Players since 1989. She studied flute with Bill Hebert in Cleveland, Michel Debost and Jean-Pierre Rampal in France, and has her undergraduate degrees in flute performance and chemistry from Wellesley College. She is a retired family physician Professor Emeritus from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She and her husband, David Lonsdorf, have three grown children scattered across the country. She is an active freelance musician, and has a passion for playing piccolo, which she indulges as piccoloist with the Capitol City Band.

Nancy Mckenzie

Nancy Mayland Mackenzie is a native of Madison and is an original member and Artistic Director of the Oakwood Chamber Players. Nancy performs regularly as Principal Clarinet of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Second Clarinet of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Nancy pursued advanced degree work in clarinet performance at the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

CALENDAR