By Elinor Keck, student news writer, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky – Les Six, a six-member wind and piano ensemble, will perform at Campbellsville University’s Ransdell Chapel, 401 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville, Ky., for a guest concert on Friday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Included in the program is a transcription of “Carnival of the Animals,” the famous orchestral work by Camille Saint-Saëns. The performance is in conjunction with the Kentucky Music Teachers’ All-State Keyboard Ensemble Feb. 17-19 at Campbellsville University.
Les Six, based out of Louisville, Ky., was born in 2015 when a group of wind players joined pianist Denine LeBlanc in her piano recital at the University of Louisville to perform the Sextet by Francis Poulenc. This chance concert became the first of many as the sextet agreed playing chamber music with piano was “fun” and named itself Les Six.
Denine LeBlanc, who plays piano, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, a Master of Music from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music. She has played both traditional and contemporary concerts throughout the United States and in Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Poland.
Michele M. Chapman, who plays horn, holds a Master of Music from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Music from the Crane School of Music from The State University of New York at Potsdam. She has performed as a freelance hornist with the Louisville Orchestra, Louisville Bach Society, Music Theater Louisville, Broadway Series, Mesa Symphony and several chamber music groups.
Lynette Davidson, who plays oboe, has her Master in Music Education from Morehead State University. Davidson was assistant principal oboist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, an English Hornist with the Lexington Philharmonic and a casual player with the Louisville Orchestra and Owensboro Symphony.
Margaret Foote Jamner, who plays flute, joined Les Six in the winter of 2017. She is a member of the music faculty at Indiana University Southeast, Bellarmine University and the Louisville Academy of Music. She also served twelve years as second flute and assistant principal flute in The Louisville Orchestra.
According to his biography, Tony Smith began playing the clarinet at age 10 “because he liked the way it sounded on a musical game at school.” He studied with the late James Livingston in Louisville and Phil Miller at the University of Kentucky. Smith plays with the Louisville Philharmonia and other local ensembles.
Nan Tate, who plays bassoon, coaches bassoonists at local schools and is principal bassoonist with the Louisville Civic Orchestra and Indiana University Southeast Orchestra, contra bassoonist with the Louisville Philharmonia and a bassoonist for the Chamber Winds Louisville Concert Band, the Quintessential Winds Quintet. Tate also sings in her church choir.
Les Six also performed in Ransdell Chapel in March 2016.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university that offers over 100 programs including doctoral, master, bachelor, associate and certificate programs. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.