Secular Music
2023-2024
CONCERT SERIES
featuring
Faculty, Collaborating Musicians, and Choirs of the Musicā Oramus Catholic Conservatory
CONCERTS
2023:
Sunday, November 5th, 6:30 pm
Saturday, December 16, 6:00 pm
2024:
Saturday, February 17, 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 16, 7:00 pm
Saturday, April 27, 6:00 pm
Saturday, July 27, 7:00 pm
Concerts held at St. Mary’s Visitation Parish, 1260 Church Street, Elm Grove, WI.
The Secular Music Department of the Conservatory forms young musicians
with classic traditional methods and collaboration with professional musicians.
Email: [email protected] or click on Contact Us to coordinate your plan of study!
Curriculum:
1) Private lessons / coaching
Work with your instructor to determine frequency and length of your private studies.
2) Performance opportunities
Concerts held on a monthly basis to help students develop performance skills and overcome stage fright.
3) Chamber music opportunities
Young musicians prepare and perform chamber music with their peers or with professional musicians or both! Work with your instructor to determine the details of your chamber music project. Registration Form.
4) Audition Preparation
Tailor a program to help you prepare for auditions, competitions, performances, recordings, etc. Don’t go into that important performance unprepared!
Louis Cucunato, Director of the Secular Music Department of the MO Catholic Conservatory
B.M. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Guitar Performance
M.M. Indiana University, Guitar Performance
P.D. Indiana University, Guitar Performance
Louis Cucunato is a classical guitarist, arranger, and composer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He began piano studies at the age of 6 and added classical guitar studies at the age of 13. He studied classical guitar with Elina Chekan in the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Pre-College program and was a teaching assistant at the UW-Milwaukee Suzuki Pre-College Workshop in 2009. He received his B.F.A. from UW-Milwaukee in Classical Guitar Performance cum laude under the guidance of Rene Izquierdo. At the age of 18, he won second place in The Society of American Musicians Guitar Senior Division Competiton. He is a teacher, performer, and composer. He has played in master classes for some of the most internationally-renowned guitarists and musicians which include Benjamin Verdery, Marcin Dylla, Lorenzo Micheli, William Kanengiser, Deniz Azabagic, Carlos Rafael Rivera (composer), and Jakob Lindberg (lute). He graduated from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with a Masters Degree and Performer Diploma.
Click here to read more about Louis and hear some of his work: www.louiscucunato.com
Juliette Williams, Co-Director of the Secular Music Department of the MO Catholic Conservatory
B.M. Indiana University, Violin Performance
M.M. Northwestern University, Violin Performance
In 2002 at the age of 14, Mrs. Williams won both the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Menomonee Falls Orchestra Concerto Competitions. As the winner of these competitions, she performed Sarasate’s Ziguenerwiesen with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor with the Menomonee Falls Orchestra. During her pre-college and undergraduate studies, Mrs. Williams studied with Professor Mimi Zweig at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, which is where she earned her Bachelor of Music. After receiving a full tuition scholarship to Northwestern University, she pursued a Master of Music under the direction of Professor Almita Vamos. While studying for this degree, she was chosen by Professor Vamos to learn and perform John Corigliano’s Red Violin Chaconne for Mr. Corigliano; she received rave reviews from the composer at her performance. After graduating with a Master of Music at the age of 22, Mrs. Williams became a member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra from 2010-2012 and joined the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for its 2012-2013 season. She serves on the Board of Directors for Musicā Oramus and has been involved in the sacred music project since its inception in 2010.
Fabian Qamar, Voice
B.M. Lakeland University
M.M. UW-Madison
Fabian Qamar received his music degree from Lakeland University in 2014 with emphases in voice and viola. Following this, he earned his Master of Music in voice from UW-Madison in 2016. He went on to serve as Adjunct Instructor of Voice at Lakeland (2017–2018), Director of the Sheboygan Symphony Chorus (2015–2019), and Director of the Sheboygan Symphony Youth Orchestra Sinfonia (2016–2021). He currently serves as Associate Director of Music at St. Stanislaus Oratory in Milwaukee. In this role, he is featured as a singer and chamber musician in repertoire ranging from Gregorian chant to orchestra masses and he regularly collaborates with members of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He also teaches children’s choir, offers voice lessons, writes orchestra parts, plays organ, and conducts as needed. Fabian also maintains his own private studio in Sheboygan, where he teaches voice, violin/viola, and piano. In addition, he is the vocalist and pianist for the jazz trio, Jive Safely, and enjoys other freelancing opportunities throughout WI. He also remains committed to the preservation of the legacy of his father, jazz and world music luminary, Nadi Qamar aka Spaulding Givens. Besides music, Fabian enjoys many things including time with loved ones, good food, nature, Tolkien, and sports.
Julie Cucunato, Director of Musicā Oramus
B.M. Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Piano Performance
M.M. Michigan State University, Piano Performance
Months before completing a bachelors degree in mathematics and science, Julie Cucunato was invited to enter the world of piano performance at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music College by renowned pedagogue, Adelaide Banaszynski. She was also invited to be her private pedagogy student and teach at the Conservatory. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Mrs. Cucunato went on to earn a graduate degree in piano performance studying with the winner of the first Van Cliburn Competition, Ralph Votapek, who was also a former student of Adelaide Banaszynski. After graduating and years of teaching piano, Mrs. Cucunato founded and directed The Adelaide Banaszynski School for Piano Studies which flourished for several years until she entered the world of sacred music. Ten years later she founded and became the director of Musicā Oramus, a project dedicated to restoring the treasury of Catholic sacred music through the Latin Mass, and the restoration of traditional, classical music education through the Conservatory of the Arts.
Collaborating Musicians:
Martha Ebent
B.S. Vocal Performance, Millikin University
M.S. Music Education, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign
Martha Ebent is thrilled to be making beautiful sacred music with Musica Oramus. Martha uses her Bachelors in Vocal Performance and Masters in Education to teach Music at Aquinas Academy inMenomonee Falls, WI. She also teaches Latin to students from age 5-9. Martha is devoted to the music of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form and bringing it back to the ears of the Church. She also sings with the choir at St. Stanislaus Oratory under the direction of Christopher Berry.
Adrien Zitoun
M.M. Cello Performance, Indiana University
P.D. Cello Performance, Indiana University
Cellist Adrien Zitoun joined the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in 2001. He also performs with Present Music and the Philomusica String Quartet, which has residency at the Wisconsin Lutheran College. Mr. Zitoun teaches at the Wisconsin Lutheran College, coaches the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestras, and has a handful of dedicated private students. In 2016, Mr. Zitoun, along with his cellist wife Braden Zitoun, co-authored the book Play Cello Today!, published by Hal Leonard. He recently received the 2017 CIVIC MUSIC Certificate of Excellence for Studio Music. In 2001, as a member of the Eusia String Quartet, he was awarded the Gold medal at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition and the Music Pen club award in Japan for the best Chamber music recording in 2006 for their recording of music by Britten, Purcell and Takemitsu. In his native land of France, Mr. Zitoun studied cello at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Lyon with Yvan Chiffoleau. In the United States, Mr. Zitoun earned his Artist Diploma and a Masters of Music from Indiana University where he studied with Tusyoshi Tsutsumi and Janós Starker.
Braden Zitoun
B.M. Cello Performance, Indiana University
M.M. Cello Performance, Indiana University
Braden Zitoun holds both a Bachelors and Masters degree in cello performance from Indiana University, Bloomington. Her main teachers included Helga Winold, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and masterclasses with Janos Starker. She also had the opportunity to study chamber music with Josef Gingold, Menahem Pressler, and Rostislav Dubinsky of theBorodin Trio. Ms. Zitoun is a very dedicated cello teacher. She taught at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music from 2002-2010. She currently has a private cello studio, and is an adjunct cello teacher at Cardinal Stritch University. She coaches MYSO students in their chamber music program, and is also very busy with the Mequon-Thiensville School District, working with their cello students at every grade level. Before moving to Milwaukee she taught at the Cappelli Institute of Music in Oak Park, Illinois from 1999-2003. Braden Zitoun is a very active teacher and performer in the Milwaukee area. She has been a member of the Wisconsin Philharmonic Orchestra since 2006 and is currently Assistant Principal Cellist. She also participates in their education outreach program, performing and giving clinics in Waukesha area Elementary and Middle schools every year. She has also played with Bel Canto Chorus, Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Florentine Opera, Festival City Symphony, Kenosha Symphony and Racine Symphony. Since 2003, she has been involved in the ACE (Arts in the Community Education) program with Present Music, performing in K-5 classrooms all over Milwaukee. In 2016, Ms. Zitoun, along with her cellist husband Adrien Zitoun, co-authored the book Play Cello Today!, published by Hal Leonard. Ms. Zitoun is the owner of Gabriel’s Horns, a sought after ensemble in the Milwaukee area for special events and weddings.