From Bach to Bridgerton with Martin Chalifour, Elizabeth Zoesseder, and Monique Mead
Week of November 30, 2024
Let your spirit soar with uplifting music from Bach to Bridgerton with Los Angeles Philharmonic concertmaster Martin Chalifour, Elizabeth Zoesseder, harp and Monique Mead, violin. With 58 strings between them, these programs will add extra magic to your stay at the Ranch.
Martin Chalifour has been the Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1995. Born in Canada, he graduated with honors from the Montreal Conservatory at the age of 18 and then moved to the United States to continue studies at the famed Curtis Institute of Music.
Shortly after receiving a Certificate of Honor at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, he became a laureate of the prestigious Montreal International Competition. Apart from his L.A. Phil duties, he has maintained an active solo career, playing a diverse repertoire of more than 60 concertos. Chalifour has appeared as soloist with conductors Pierre Boulez, Gustavo Dudamel, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Neville Marriner and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Outside the U.S. he soloed with the Auckland Philharmonia, the Montreal Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the National Orchestra of Taiwan, and the Malaysian Philharmonic, among others.
Mr. Chalifour began his orchestral career with the late Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony, playing as Associate Concertmaster and acting concertmaster for 6 years. Subsequently, he occupied the same positions in the Cleveland Orchestra for 5 years under Christoph von Dohnányi. While in Ohio, Chalifour taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music and was a founding member of the Cleveland Orchestra Piano Trio.
Martin Chalifour is a frequent guest at music festivals including San Diego’s Mainly Mozart and the Ottawa « Music and Beyond » festivals. He has often served on the faculty of the Sarasota Festival, the Montecito Festival and the National Repertory Orchestra.
Maintaining close ties with his native country, he has returned there often to teach and perform as soloist with various Canadian orchestras, most recently in Vancouver and in Hamilton.
He has recorded solo and chamber music for the Telarc, Northstar, and Yarlung labels.
He teaches at Caltech and at the University of Southern California.
Born in the Bay Area, Elisabeth Zosseder graduated with her Bachelor of Music in harp performance from the Colburn School Conservatory of Music and Master of Music in harp performance from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, where she studied with JoAnn Turovsky. She has performed professionally with the Berlin Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, as well as artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Plácido Domingo, Sir Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, James Conlon, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, to name a few. She has also appeared on recordings and onstage with popular artists such as TALK, Randy Newman, John Williams, Laufey and made TV appearances on “Hell’s Kitchen,” Disney’s Encanto Live, and “My Mom, Your Dad.” Elisabeth returned to LA in 2019 from studying in Germany with Berlin Philharmonic principal harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet, receiving her second Master of Music specializing in orchestral harp performance from the Universität der Künste Berlin and is currently pursuing a career as a freelance musician in the SoCal region.
A passionate ambassador of classical music, violinist Monique Mead enjoys a rich career as a performer, educator, and innovator. Inspired and mentored by Leonard Bernstein, Monique has devoted her performing career to nurturing new audiences and curating extraordinary musical experiences. Her programs with major orchestras and festivals in the United States and Europe have drawn international acclaim for their popular appeal and innovative approach. Interweaving live music with education and audience engagement at the highest level, her programs have reached millions through television appearances, a six-year radio series with the Munich Radio Orchestra, and over 20 years of concerts with the Cologne Philharmonic, Munich Symphony, Düsseldorf Symphony, Berlin Radio Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and the Mainly Mozart Festival. Since 2012 Monique has served as Director of Music Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University, where she trains musicians in community engagement, peak performance, and professionalism as she helps them forge new paths as professional musicians. Monique performs on violin made in 1860 by J.B. Vuillaume which was gifted to her at age 19. She enjoys hiking, yoga, homegrown cuisine, and performing with her talented teens, Isabel and Tino.