About the Artists
Highly acclaimed violinist Martin Davids founded and directs the Callipygian Players, Chicago’s premier Baroque chamber music ensemble. Mr. Davids is concertmaster of Publick Musick (Rochester , NY), Bach Collegium of Ft. Wayne, Janus Ensemble, Bach Chamber Orchestra, Bach Institute Players at Valparaiso University and the Musical Patriots (Ithaca, NY). He is principal second violin in Chicago’s Period instrument orchestra the Baroque Band and with Brandywine Baroque (DE). In addition, he is a frequent guest performer with the Washington Bach Consort, and the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra. Other ensembles he has played with include Ensemble Galilei, Chicago Opera Theater, Central City Opera, Music of the Baroque, Aradia, Toronto Consort, and numerous others across Canada and the U.S. Mr. Davids earned the prestigious Performer Diploma in Baroque violin from Indiana University where he studied with Stanley Ritchie. He also received a Masters degree from the University of Michigan.
He has recorded on the Albany, Musica Omnia, Plectra and Sonabilis labels. "Concertmaster Martin Davids plays exquisite obbligato passages... his playing alone is almost worth purchasing the recording." (Choral Journal, May, 2007) He is a founding member of the award winning electric Baroque ensemble Discontinuo and is in demand as an electric violinist. He has played on many world premieres of new works including David Borden's K 216.01 for electric violin and synthesizer ensemble. A recognized expert in historical performance, Mr. Davids often gives masterclasses in performance practice and improvisation at many schools and universities including Northwestern, Cornell, and the University of Michigan. Mr. Davids teaches violin and viola at Loyola University Chicago. He performs on a beautiful Baroque violin by Alberti from 1750 and resides in Chicago with his wife Julia, a talented singer and conductor and their daughter Judith.
Craig Trompeter, baroque cellist and violist da gamba performs and teaches throughout the United States. He appears in concert and over the airwaves with Baroque Band, The Newberry Consort, Musica Maris, Chicago Opera Theater, Music of the Baroque, Central City Opera, Lyric Opera Chicago, and the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society. He has recorded on the Harmonia Mundi, Cedille, and Centaur labels. In 2003 he founded the Feldenkrais Center of Chicago where he teaches Awareness Through Movement and Functional Integration.
Equally at home in front of a harpsichord, organ, piano, or fortepiano, David Schrader is "truly an extraordinary musician ... (who) brings not only the unfailing right technical approach to each of these different instruments, but always an imaginative, fascinating musicality to all of them" (Norman Pelligrini, WFMT, Chicago). A resident of Chicago, Mr. Schrader leads an active musical life at home. He performs with Baroque Band (Chicago's period instrument orchestra), Music of the Baroque, the Newberry Consort, and Bach Week in Evanston. Mr. Schrader has appeared with Chicago Chamber Musicians, Contemporary Chamber Players, Chicago Baroque Ensemble, and The City Musick. He is a frequent guest on WFMT radio (Chicago) on recordings and in live broadcasts as part of WFMT's "Live From Studio One" programming.
He has made numerous critically acclaimed recordings on the Cedille, Centaur and CRI labels. Mr. Schrader is on the faculty of Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts - Music Conservatory for performance and academic studies where he has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses since 1986. From 1993 through 1995 he also directed the Collegium Musicum at Northwestern University. He has also taught at the Music Institute of Chicago (formerly know as The Music Center of the North Shore.) Since 1980, he has been the organist of the Church of the Ascension, whose liturgies command a national reputation for musical integrity. Mr. Schrader received a Doctor of Music degree in organ from Indiana University as well as the coveted Performer's Certificate. He received a Bachelor of Music in piano and a Bachelor of Music in organ from the University of Colorado.
Dr. Julia Davids has forged a career as a versatile performer, educator and conductor. She is an avid performer and recitalist specializing in early music, having appeared with Opera Atelier, the Vancouver Cantata Singers, the Toronto Chamber Choir, the Toronto Consort, the Guelph Chamber Choir, the Aradia Ensemble, and the Publick Musick. Recent engagements include Mozart’s Requiem and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the University of Illinois Chicago Chorus and Handel’s Messiah with the St. Cecelia Singers.
Julia is on faculty at Loyola University where she teaches voice, conducting and conducts the Chorus. She is also on faculty at Roosevelt University and serves as Director of Music Ministries at Trinity United Methodist Church, Wilmette. As Artistic Director of Canada’s national professional choir, the Canadian Chamber Choir, she has directed concert tours throughout Canada and has led numerous workshops and clinics for choral students and educators of all ages. Julia has degrees in education, voice performance and conducting from the University of Western Ontario, the University of Michigan and Northwestern University.