The Scheherazade Piano Trio
Abram Minzer
Abe Minzer, piano, earned a master’s degree in Piano Performance from the
Peabody Conservatory, a doctorate in music from West Virginia University, and
has taught at Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. He performs throughout the
US and has appeared as soloist in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major
with the Pittsburgh Symphony.
Dr. Minzer is currently on the faculty at Pikes Peak State College where he
heads the Piano Department, and teaches piano, music theory, music history,
music appreciation and serves as staff accompanist. Abe has also taught piano,
music appreciation, music history, jazz history and music theory at University of
Colorado, Colorado Springs. Dr. Minzer maintains a private piano studio
accepting children and adults of all levels and ages.
In addition to the standard solo and chamber repertoire, Abe Minzer performs
works of living composers, including world premieres of compositions by
Sylvia Hazlerig, Jorge Cardoso, Jim Bosse and Ofer Ben-Amots. Abe directs
and performs Jewish music programs including klezmer music at Temple Beit
Torah, and Chabad of Southern Colorado. The acclaimed Classically Alive
concert series founded in 2006 by Abe Minzer features top local talent and
musicians from around the US and abroad.
Tess Padilla
Tess Padilla, violin, graduated from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with a Bachelor of Violin Performance and extensive training in chamber music. At the Jacobs School of Music, she had the privilege of studying with Mr. Tadeusz Wronski who was also the head of the Frederic Chopin Conservatory in Warsaw, Poland. He was a master of violin technique and was renowned for his ability to correct all technical problems.
In addition to solo studies, Tess studied and performed extensively in small chamber ensembles coached by various respected artists including James Buswell (Lincoln Center
Chamber Society), Rostislav Dubinsky (founding 1st violinist of the Borodin Quartet), Peter Marsh (1st violinist in the Lenox Quartet), Stanley Ritchie (leading exponent of baroque and classical violin performance), and Dr. Joseph Rezits (pianist, soloist, and esteemed pedagogue).
With over thirty years’ experience as a liturgical and secular soloist and chamber musician performing locally, Tess is also the first violinist of the Raphaeli string trio and runs an independent private teaching studio for violin and viola students of all ages and levels. She is a member of the Music Teacher's National Association and the American String Teacher's Association.
Formerly the Concertmaster of the Pueblo Symphony and adjunct faculty at CSU-Pueblo,
Tess taught applied violin and viola and provided cello and bass instruction at the university. Besides applied string lessons, she was the director of the University Chamber Orchestra and taught string pedagogy to all music education majors.
She has been employed by the Diocese of Pueblo at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart as the business and finance manager for nearly twenty-five years.
Norah Clydesdale
Norah Joy Clydesdale, cello, comes from a family of musicians originating in Glasgow, Scotland. She studied with Colin Hampton (Griller Quartet) and Andor Toth, Jr. (Hungarian Quartet) at San Francisco Conservatory, then studied with Gabor Reijto and Bernardo Segall at USC before culminating her training at Boston University with famed cellist and pedagogue George Neikrug,
and participated in masterclasses with Isaac Stern, Walter Trampler, and Eugene Lehner (Kolisch Quartet).
In the Boston area she played professionally with the Artaria Quartet before moving to Paris. In France, Norah was an active educator, teaching cello, violin and the love of music in Paris and developing the string department at the Lycée Omarosa in Lyon, France and teaching music in Milan, Italy as well.
Coming to Colorado a few years ago, Norah has continued to be an active performer and educator. She has performed with the Grace String Quartet, was Asst. Principal Cellist of Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, and was Principal Cellist of the Pikes Peak Philharmonic. Norah performed with the Pueblo Symphony and taught at Pikes Peak Community College and CSU-Pueblo where she taught cello and string techniques pedagogy and was a founding member of the Faculty Piano Trio – The Prometheus Trio.
Norah is currently expanding the Clydesdale Music and Art Studio in Pueblo and is also the cellist in the Raphaeli String Trio.