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Easterly Chamber Players to perform Sunday

PHOTO PROVIDED Phil Bressler, formerly of Lock Haven, shows off his skill on the flute.

LOCK HAVEN — The Easterly Chamber Players will present a recital to benefit the Friends of the Pipes at Great Island Presbyterian Church on Sunday, March 8 at 1:30 pm in the church sanctuary, located at 12 W. Water St. in Lock Haven.

Tickets are $15 for adults, free for students and will be available at the door. Parking is available beside the church in the church-owned lot.

Phil Bressler, formerly of Lock Haven, initiated this year’s performance. “It was delightful to have a former member of Great Island Presbyterian Church approach me with an offer to perform,” said Christina Frank, who coordinates the performances for the series.

Bressler is a retired clinical psychologist and an amateur flute player who has studied the instrument beginning in eighth grade and through college with the Penn State Marching Blue Band. After a 20 year service in the United States Air Force, he returned to our area, continuing his career in clinical psychology, with notable service to our Vietnam veterans afflicted with PTSD. In 1994, he resumed his study of flute with Diane Gold Toulson, a study that continues to this day.

Diane Gold Toulson, has performed as principal flutist of the Altoona, Nittany Valley and York Symphony Orchestras. She has taught at The Music Academy in State College and at Bucknell University. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Columbia University, Toulson has performed in recitals throughout the U. S. and Europe, given master classes, and been a frequent performer at the National Flute Association’s national conventions. As a member of the Huntingdon Trio, she was involved in over 40 commissions, and more recently she has been active in the Flute/Clarinet Duos Consortium, which commissions new works for flute, clarinet and piano. Last summer she performed at Eagles Mere concerts and at Main Line Unitarian Church near Philadelphia. She also was with FUSE productions with two shows of As the World Turns, music of Kander and Ebb from Broadway.

Joanne Feldman, violin, is retired from the Penn State University Music Department faculty. She was a member of the Alard String Quartet for 29 years, touring extensively. Joanne has been concertmaster of the Altoona Symphony and is currently concertmaster of the Nittany Valley Symphony. She is an esteemed teacher in the State College area and also a member of the summer Penns Woods Orchestra, along with her son Stephen Feldman, cellist.

Pianist David Curtin is professor of piano and music theory at Lock Haven University, where he has served on the faculty since 2004. He has earned degrees from SUNY Fredonia, the University of Louisville, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Prior to his appointment at LHU, Dr. Curtin served on the faculty of Angelo State University in Texas, Albion College in Michigan, Utah State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He has performed and taught throughout the United States and the U.K., as well as in Mexico, Ireland, Korea, and China.

“Diane Gold Toulson performed with the Easterly Chamber Players here in 2018 and Dr. Curtin performed a solo recital in 2014 to benefit the Friends of the Pipes. Both of those performances were exemplary,” said Mrs. Frank. “I am looking forward to hearing them together within one ensemble.”

The group will present music by J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens, Gaubert, Debussy and the famous Ashokan Farewell.

All proceeds from the concert benefit the historic pipe organ restoration project at Great Island Presbyterian Church.

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