The IonSound Project is a sextet comprised
of flutist Peggy Yoo, clarinetist Kathleen Costello, violinist Laura Motchalov,
cellist Elisa Kohanski, pianist Rob Frankenberry and percussionist Eliseo
Rael. The members represent some of the most in demand young musicians in the Pittsburgh area. Collectively, they perform with such ensembles as the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Alabama Symphony, the Pittsburgh Opera, the Wheeling Symphony, the Erie Philharmonic, the Youngstown Symphony, the Canton Symphony, and have also appeared with the Columbus Symphony, and the Charleston Symphony. The IonSound Project seeks to add to Pittsburgh's cultural life by programming innovative concerts, commissioning works of new music, collaborating with artists in a variety of disciplines, and exploring the boundaries between concert and popular music.
Peggy Yoo Peggy Yoo began her flute studies during an afterschool music program
and
soon thereafter enrolled in the Pre-College Division of the Juilliard
School
in New York. Her musical training, however, came to a complete halt
when she
attended Swarthmore College where she earned a degree in Comparative
Religion. But she returned to the flute a few years after graduating
and
later began studies at the Manhattan School of Music and then later,
Carnegie Mellon University. She spent three years playing with the
Chicago
Civic Orchestra and currently lives in Pittsburgh teaching and playing
with
various ensembles around the area, such as the Pittsburgh Symphony
Orhcestra, the Wheeling SYmphony and Pittsburgh Live Chamber Orhcestra.
Kathleen Costello Kathleen Costello has been recently appointed the position of Principal Clarinet with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. She continues to spend time in Pittsburgh, where she performs with the ensemble the IonSound Project, which she helped to found in 2004. She has recently graduated with a Master of Music degree from Duquesne University where she studied with Pittsburgh Symphony clarinetist Ron Samuels, and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University where she studied with Russell Dagon. She has also studied with the former Second and Eb clarinetist of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Dan Johnston.
In addition to maintaining an active free-lance career, Kathleen has held positions with the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater Orchestra, the Youngstown Symphony, and the McKeesport Symphony. She has also performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Charleston Symphony, the Canton Symphony, the Wheeling Symphony, and the Renaissance City Winds. During her time in Pittsburgh she has held adjunct teaching positions with Seton Hill University and the University of Pittsburgh. Kathleen spends two weeks each summer performing with the Lancaster Festival Orchestra in Lancaster, Ohio.
Laura Motchalov Laura Motchalov joined the PSO in the 2003-04 season. She completed her Masters of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Her past experience includes the National Repertory Orchestra, Associate/Acting Concertmaster of the Canton Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlantica Trio, and the Calgary Civic Symphony Orchestra. She has won prizes in several competitions including the Corpus Christi International Young Artist Competition, Austrian Canadian Mozart Competition and the Canadian Music Competition.
Elisa Kohanski A native of Warwick, Rhode Island, Elisa Kohanski is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where she studied with Pamela Frame. Elisa received her Masters of Music from Carnegie Mellon University as a student of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras Anne Martindale Williams and David Premo. Ms. Kohanski is principal cellist in the Wheeling Symphony and Pittsburgh Live Chamber Orchestra and performs with several other orchestras, including the Erie Philharmonic and the Columbus Symphony. She serves as adjunct faculty at Grove City College and at Seton Hill University teaching students ages five to 60.
Ms. Kohanski is an avid chamber musician and concertizes often with her fellow musicians in Warwick and Pittsburgh. Elisa is a founding member of the IonSound Project as well as a founding member of Trio Twazami, a cello trio which presented over 75 multi-media concerts as part of a rural residency in Somerset and Pulaski Counties, Kentucky, a program which was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, Center for Rural Development and New Performing Arts. She also performs regularly with her piano trio in RI, Chrysalis.
Elisa resides in Pittsburghs Squirrel Hill neighborhood but travels extensively, having performed in an array of local and international venues, including the Schlossfestspiele in Heidelberg, Germany; the AIMS Opera Festival in Graz, Austria; Royal Albert Hall in London, England; Carnegie Hall in New York City; and locally at Carnegie Music Hall, Pittsburgh Playhouse and Hazlett Theatre. She has performed with artists including Phil Keaggy, Robert Shaw, Garrison Keillor, John Tesh and Olivia Newton John.
Rob Frankenberry Robert Frankenberry leads a multi-faceted career as a tenor, pianist and conductor. His roles have ranged from Mozart in Amadeus to John Adams in 1776 to Pollione in Norma. He has performed in early dramatic works by Monteverdi, Strozzi, Charpentier, Sartorio and Handel in New York City, Palm Beach and at Yale University as a fellow of Millennial Arts Productions Baroque Opera Institute, and with Chatham Baroque for the Pittsburgh R&B Society. A champion of contemporary works, Mr. Frankenberry has created the roles of John Biddle in Jeremy Becks The Biddle Boys and Mrs. Soffel; Spirit Master in Roger Zahabs Uncovered by Night; and Madame Witch in Seymour Barabs Sleeping Beauty. Recent singing engagements have included Cavaradossi in Tosca; Don Jose in Carmen; Tenor Soloist in Carmina Burana; the title role in Don Carlo; and the New York premieres of Daron Hagens Letting Go and Broken Pieces. At the piano, he is a member of the University of Pittsburghs Music on the Edge Ensemble and the Pittsburgh-based IonSound Project. He has worked in various pianistic capacities for the Pittsburgh Symphony, Pittsburgh Opera, Carnegie Mellon University and Chatham College. His credits in musical direction range from Monteverdis 8th Book of Madrigals through the staged premiere of Hagens Vera of Las Vegas, most recently including Offenbachs Tales of Hoffmann and assistant conducting duties for Verdis Don Carlo. Upcoming projects include duties of both assistant conductor and cover for the title role in Donizettis Poliuto in Chicago; GBichung in Opera Theater of Pittsburghs Twilight of the Gods; and the role of Louis Sullivan in Hagens Shining Brow with the Buffalo Philharmonic. Mr. Frankenberry studied conducting with Walter Hendl and currently studies voice with Franco Bertacci.
Eliseo Rael
Eliseo Rael currently performs as Principal Percussionist of The Pittsburgh Live Chamber Orchestra, and is a member of the chamber ensemble IonSound. He earned his Master of Music from New England Conservatory of Music and his Bachelor of Music from the University of North Texas, having studied with Will Hudgins, Kalman Cherry, Leigh Howard Stevens, She-e Wu, and Dr. Robert Schietroma. He recently recieved an Artist Diploma from Duquesne University where he studied with Andrew Reamer and Chris Allen.
Eliseo performs frequently with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and has previously served as Principal Timpanist with the Texas Wind Symphony, and the Arlington Opera. He has been a section percussionist with the Boston Philharmonic, Las Colinas Symphony, Irving Symphony, and the El Paso Wind Symphony.
Eliseo was also a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland. He was chosen for this orchestra in an international audition that included thirty-two countries, and over a thousand applicants. As a member he performed in the Verbier Music Festival, the Swiss Expo, and the World Economic Summit. In addition he played in some of the world's finest halls while on a 30 day European tour under the Baton of Music Director James Levine and gust conductor Mstislav Rostrapovich. He has performed with Chick Corea, and played under the direction of Kurt Massur, Rafael Frubeck de Burgos, Pavo Jarvi, Gunther Schuller, Bobby McFerrin, and Eugene Corporone among others.
Eliseo taught privately in the Dallas area for two years before moving to Pittsburgh. His students have been members of the Dallas all-region band, All-Area band, and Texas All-State band. He recently accepted a teaching position with the Pittsburgh Public School Center for the Musically Talented.
I see you guys are playing a Belinda Reynolds piece...I'm at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying with Dan Becker, her husband. I completed an undergrad at Duquesne about 3 or 4 years ago
Happy New Year! I have a strong feeling that 2008 has wonderful things in store for you! Have a amazing new year!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again for your friendship... you are terrific! Thomas
Have a great concert this weekend, Ion Sound! Sorry we can't make it, but we're playing one of our own. Hope to see you this summer at the PNME concerts at City Theatre!
Greetings Ion Sound! All the best for your upcoming concert. We always enjoy having you at our summer shows for the Pittsburgh New Music Enesmble; we wished we lived closer to come hear your performance. All the best!
your sound is brilliant. thank you so much for the invite!!!!!! i love it......it makes me want to play in an ensamble again with my flute=) keep up the beautiful music and again thank you so much=)
