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MATTHEW DALINE, Violinist & Violist

Matthew Daline
Matthew Daline

A Port Townsend High School graduate, Matthew Daline enjoys a versatile career as a chamber musician, violin/viola soloist, and educator. He received the bachelor of music degree from The Juilliard School where he was a Teaching Assistant for Karen Tuttle, and a masters degree from Yale University where he studied with Jesse Levine.

Mr. Daline was the top prizewinner at the Artists International Competition in New York City, which provided a debut recital in Carnegie Hall.

Since giving his viola debut in Carnegie Hall, Mr. Daline has performed worldwide as a viola soloist, principal violist, and has recently taught master classes at Yale University, The Juilliard School, The University of Michigan and Central Conservatory of China, Beijing.

Mr. Daline is a tenured professor and the Coordinator of Strings at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and his students have attained positions in orchestras, teaching, and awards at numerous national and international competitions.

Mr. Daline performs on a Brescian Viola circa 1560.

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LARISSA FREIER, Violinist

Larissa Freier
Larissa Freier

Larissa Freier was born and raised in Port Townsend, beginning her violin studies at age 5 under instruction of Pat Yearian, Kristin Smith, and mainly Barbara Henry. She continued her studies with Professor Maria Sampen and Timothy Christie at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash.

Larissa graduated magna cum laude from the University of Puget Sound in May 2017, with a Bachelor of Music in violin performance and a minor in German. Larissa acted as co-concertmaster and section leader of the University Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the chamber music program, performing often in student groups and recitals as well as alongside faculty on the University of Puget Sound Jacobsen Concert Series.

Larissa spent her summers studying and performing at highly acclaimed music festivals around the country, including the Bowdoin International Music Festival in Maine, the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina, and the Kairos Chamber Music Lyceum in Eastern Washington. Over the years, she has had the honor of performing onstage with renowned soloists such as Itzhak Perlman, Garrick Olson, and Vadym Kholodenko, and she has also participated in violin masterclasses led by Paul Kantor, Frank Huang, Aaron Berofsky, Jubal Fulks, Steve Miahky, and Sergiu Schwartz.

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JULIA EDWARDS, Cellist

Julia Edwards ( photo from Port Townsend Leader)

Julia Edwards is a senior at Bainbridge High School and began her cello studies at the age of 4 with Priscilla Jones.

She is the current student of Rajan Krishnaswami in Seattle. She had been a member of the Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra since the age of 8.

She performs in twice annual studio recitals, the annual Seattle Youth Artists’ Competition, the Marrowstone Festival, and numerous Seattle-area chamber music programs. (PTCO performance May 2018.)

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ROBIN REED, Baritone

Robin Reed
Robin Reed

Coming from a family of professional musicians, Robin Reed started singing at a very early age, singing in church choirs and community chorales. He has been a professional singer since 1970. He has had many varied appearances in opera, operetta, musical theater, movies and television.

Robin and his family lived in Germany for five years while he was engaged by Stadt Theater Bremerhaven as a leading tenor, singing 25 leading roles. He was also a guest artist in Hamburg, Krefeld, Kassel and Osnabrueck, among other German cities. After returning from Europe, Robin continued as a contract artist with Arizona Opera, Virginia Opera, Sarasota Opera and Los Angeles Opera Theater.

He has made many appearances with symphonic orchestras and prestigious choral societies as a soloist performing works from Bach to Mahler.

Robin created a vast repertoire of solo music from parlor songs to classical and has been in demand as a “one-man-show” since high school.

He is very pleased to be making his Port Townsend Orchestra debut.

Robin and his wife moved to Sequim in 2013 due to their love of nature and their desire to visit as many National Parks as possible. Their honeymoon (41 years ago) was a six-thousand mile camping trip from Los Angeles to Winnipeg to Victoria, BC; then returning through Port Angeles via Highway 101, all the way back to their first home in Pasadena, California.

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DIANE VAUX, Cellist

Diane Vaux

Diane Vaux has played cello in orchestras and chamber groups since the age of twelve. She has played in the Port Townsend Orchestra since 2001 and in the Port Angeles Symphony from 2001 to 2009.

In addition, she plays viola da gamba in early music ensembles and piano in several chamber settings.

Professionally, she was a psychologist in private practice for twenty-five years. In addition to providing psychotherapy, she provided sessions in The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, a modality utilizing classical music for healing.

Diane retired from practice when she moved from Pennsylvania to Port Townsend in 2001. Since then she has been enjoying the many opportunities to play music here.

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KARL PERRY, Violinist

Karl Perry
Karl Perry

Karl Perry is a native Washingtonian and a product of the Seattle Public School system’s music program in the 1970s. From fourth through twelfth grade he studied with Elizabeth Rowe, violinist in the Seattle Symphony.

This is his second featured appearance with the Port Townsend Orchestra. Karl has lived in Port Ludlow since January 2000 with his wife Melinie.

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JOEL YELLAND, Vocalist

Joel Yelland first sang in public in fifth grade, performing “This Is the Army, Mr. Jones” in Cub Scout uniform and doughboy helmet.

Joel studied voice at Central Washington University and sang in community choruses for several decades before resuming vocal training a few years ago. He appeared in many community musicals in his former home of Omak, before moving to Sequim in 2010. He sings with Peninsula Singers and in Readers Theater Plus productions; he studies with Linda Grubb and Anneliese von Goerken.

Joel is a family medicine physician and medical director of the Lower Elwha Health Clinic in Port Angeles. His wife, Grace, is a pediatrician and oboist, and his two children attend college.

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LISA LANZA, Pianist

Pianist Lisa Lanza has been performing as a solo artist and collaborator for over 20 years on the Olympic Peninsula and in the greater Seattle Area. She has studied with internationally renowned pianists Maria João Pires and Paul Roberts at The Guildhall School of Theater and Arts in London. She holds a Masters of Music in Piano Performance and Accompanying from The University of Redlands.

As a guest artist she has performed on the Music at St. Leonard’s concert series, Hythe, England; Young Concert Artists Competition, at Weill Hall, New York; the Olympic Music Festival, Quilcene, Wash.; Sierra Opera Institute’s chamber music series, Mammoth, Calif.; and the Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island, Wash.

As an opera and musical theater accompanist, she has worked with companies from Orange County, Calif., to the Seattle Opera, from Issaquah’s Village Theater to Key City Players in Port Townsend.

She holds 1st and 2nd prize medals from the Greater Spokane Music & Allied Arts Festival for her interpretations of Beethoven and Chopin. As a performing member of the Ladies Musical Club in Seattle, she performs regularly at the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Public Library and the Frye Museum.

Ms. Lanza has soloed with the Port Townsend Orchestra in October 2010 and May 2003.

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VICKI HELWICK, Soprano

Vicki was raised in Long Beach, California, and sang her first solo in church there at the age of five. Singing in the choir was, and still is, a favorite pastime. She even met her husband singing in the choirs at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo.

She earned her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at California State University, Sacramento.

After staying home to raise two children (a violist and bass player), she went back to school to earn her teaching credential and is currently teaching 7th grade Language Arts at Sequim Middle School.

Recently, Vicki has done two fundraising concerts, one for Port Angeles High School’s orchestra and another for the Sequim Choir. Both groups were preparing for trips to perform at Carnegie Hall. She sings with the Peninsula Singers. Her daughter, Elizabeth, is a freshman at the University of Idaho majoring in Dance Pedagogy and Choreography. Her son, Michael, is a junior at Port Angeles High School and plans to pursue a degree in Bass Performance.

Vicki recently appeared in Winter Wonderettes, a Readers Theater production directed by Maestro Ehling.

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RAY CHIRAYATH, Vocalist

Ray Chirayath
Ray Chirayath

A native of India, Ray Chirayath began singing at the age of fourteen. While in India, he performed as Joseph in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat; Rusty in Starlite Express; and Mungojerrie in Cats.

As his family traveled the world and lived in many different places, Ray frequently sang with church choirs, usually as a cantor.

He has performed with the Bangalore Academy Chorale, in India; the Moscow Oratorio, in Russia; the Buffalo (New York) Choral Arts Society; the Central Florida Master Choir, in Ocala; and the Peninsula Singers, in our own backyard.

Ray moved to Sequim about a year ago and works as a financial advisor with D.A. Davidson.