ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Gonzalo Xavier Ruiz is one of the North America's most critically acclaimed and sought-after historical woodwind soloists. In recent seasons he has appeared both as principal oboist and concerto soloist with most of the leading period instrument groups in America and has performed widely in the U.S. and Europe under conductors such as Christopher Hogwood, Nicholas McGegan, Jordi Savall, Gustav Leonhardt, Reinhard Goebbel and Mark Minkowski. His playing is featured on numerous recordings of solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire. Equally accomplished on the modern instrument, he has performed as principal oboist of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, New Century Chamber Orchestra and the Pacific Chamber Symphony among others. Mr. Ruiz was a prizewinner at the Brugges Early Music Competition in Belgium and for twelve years has been professor of oboe at the Oberlin Conservatory’s Baroque Performance Institute. He has also taught at the Longy School in Cambridge and given master classes at Indiana University. An active chamber musician, he has made numerous reconstructions and arrangements, notably from the works of Bach and Rameau. He has twice been a featured recitalist at the annual convention of the International Double Reed Society. Mr. Ruiz is an acknowledged expert in historical reedmaking techniques, and over two dozen of his pieces are on permanent display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. With his ensemble American Baroque, Mr. Ruiz is also active in the field of contemporary music and was awarded the 2000 ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming.

Katherine Shao, harpsichordist and writer/composer, has performed with many of the nation's finest classical ensembles, including the New Century Chamber Orchestra, The Orchestra of St. Luke's, and the San Francisco Symphony. A Master's Degree recipient from the University of Indiana's School of Music, she also works frequently in the contemporary music realm, and has incorporated new music and performance art elements in many of her endeavors, including the production of her unique work, The Path to the New Music, a radio drama about the composer Anton von Webern, for which she was the author and executive producer. She is the managing director of the award-winning ensemble, American Baroque, and appears on numerous recordings. In addition to her creative endeavors, Ms. Shao is an executive advisor for Forrester Research, and takes care of her two young children.

Joanna Blendulf, baroque cellist, has performed as soloist and continuo player in leading period-instrument ensembles throughout the United States. Ms Blendulf holds performance degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Indiana University, where she studied with Stanley Ritchie, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Alan Harris. In 1998, she was awarded the prestigious Performer's Certificate for her accomplishments on baroque cello from Indiana University. She is currently performing with the Portland, Seattle and Indianapolis Baroque Orchestras, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Musica Angelica and American Bach Soloists and has also been a member of Apollo's Fire Baroque Orchestra and the New York Collegium. Ms.Blendulf is also an active chamber musician, touring with La Riche and Co., American Baroque, Ensemble Mirable, Reconstruction, the Streicher Trio and Wildcat Viols. She was named runner-up in the 2000 Early Music America/Dorian Competition for her recording of the complete cello sonatas of Jean Zewalt Triemer. Ms.Blendulf's summer engagements have included performances at the Bloomington, Boston, Berkeley Early Music Festivals, the Aspen Music Festival as well as the Carmel Bach Festival.