Lisa Shihoten, Violin
Violinist Lisa Shihoten enjoys an active career as a chamber musician, recitalist and teacher. She made her New York solo debut at Avery Fisher Hall with the Juilliard Orchestra under the direction of Kurt Masur and has received top prizes and awards from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, the Marcia Polayes National Competition, and the Seventeen Magazine/General Motors National Competition. She has appeared with the ensemble Concertante, the American Chamber Players, the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players, and has performed at numerous summer festivals including the Caramoor Music Festival, the Ravinia Festival, the Verbier Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival, and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. She has also toured throughout Israel, Greece, and Turkey, and regularly tours this country in duo recital with organist Ken Cowan. Ms. Shihoten received her Bachelor’s degree from the Juilliard School and her Master’s degree from the Yale School of Music.
Ken Cowan, Organ
A native of Thorold, Ontario, Canada, Ken Cowan received his Master’s degree and Artist Diploma from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, studying organ with Thomas Murray. Previous positions have included Associate Professor of Organ at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, Associate Organist and Artist in Residence at Saint Bartholomew’s NYC, and Assistant Organist posts at St. James Episcopal Church, Saint Mary the Virgin in NYC, and Saint Clement’s Church in Philadelphia. In 2012 Mr. Cowan joined the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University as Associate Professor and head of the organ program.
Mr. Cowan maintains a full studio of organ students and is one of the most sought-after concert organists in North America. He has won numerous awards in the United States and Canada; he has been a featured artist at regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society and the Royal Canadian College of Organists; and he has been on the roster of Associate Organists for the famous Wanamaker Grand Court organ in Philadelphia. Mr. Cowan has also recorded several critically acclaimed CDs on the JAV label, and many of his recordings and live performances are regularly featured on the nationally distributed radio show PIPEDREAMS from American Public Media.
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