Program

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Alison Collins, soprano, is a professional vocalist and voice teacher.  She has sung as an operatic and concert soloist throughout the United States, Europe, and China. She has served on the vocal faculties of San Jose State University and Chabot College. She has maintained a busy private voice studio for over twenty years.

Susan (Dyer) Dias and David Sogg, bassoon, founded the Saratoga Bassoon Duo in 1971 at Saratoga High School. Both studied with Vernon Read, Ann Hubbard, and Jim Butterfield, among others. After winning various Santa Clara County Solo and Ensemble Competition awards, they each went on to play bassoon professionally--Sue in the San Jose area and David in the Pittsburgh Symphony. They are re-convening now for this Soirée.

Brian Holmes, horn, is retired from San Jose State University where he taught physics of music. Having played with San Jose Symphony & Opera San Jose, he currently plays in Peninsula Symphony & the Mission Chamber Orchestra. As a composer, Brian has many commissions & publications, writing mostly for solo voice & for chorus. Composer of more than 70 Christmas carols, Brian claims to be the only past President of the American Beethoven Society you’ll meet this week.

Bill Palmer, violin, is an avid chamber and orchestral musician.  He is concertmaster of the Winchester Orchestra and has served in principal positions for a number of Bay Area orchestras and professional recordings.  Recent solo appearances include the Dvo?ák Violin Concerto, Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending, Beethoven Triple Concerto, Brahms Double Concerto, Mozart Sinfonia Concertante, and Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade. He serves as Treasurer and Membership Secretary for the American Beethoven Society.

Richard Sogg, piano, has studied with Beryl Rubinstein, John Delevoryas, Adolph Baller, and most recently, with Menahem Pressler.  He has been a soloist with the Boston Symphony, San Jose Symphony, Mission Chamber Orchestra, Nova Vista Symphony, and Master Sinfonia.  He is an active chamber musician in Northern California and in Pittsburgh (PA).  While an undergraduate, he was accompanist for the Harvard Glee Club. He has concertized extensively locally and with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony. In his other life, he specialized in neuro-ophthalmology and trained in Boston, Cleveland and San Francisco.  He is Professor Emeritus in Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

The next Soirée Musicale is Friday August 23, 2024