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The Woodvale String Quartet, classical wedding music, Home

Robert Curtis, violin.

Lisa Kempskie, violin and viola.

Lynne Canavan, violin.

Roger Kimball, cello.

"Encore! Encore! Words can't begin to describe your performance during our ceremony! My family and friends are still talking!" Kathy F.


The Musicians

Robert, Lisa, Lynne, and Roger have performed together as The Woodvale String Quartet since 1985, providing elegant classical chamber music for hundreds of weddings, receptions and public/private/corporate events in New England. Throughout these years the quartet has developed a reputation for its ability to please all audiences with its wide variety of repertoire, rich beautiful sound and prompt, professional, reliable customer service.




 

Robert Curtis - violinist

Robert earned his bachelor's degree in violin performance at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, where he studied with Joseph McGauley and Alfred Schneider of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He later went on to study chamber music at the American Conservatory of Music in Fontainbleau, France.

Mr. Curtis has concertized throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, The West Indies and the Far East performing in a wide variety of settings ranging from opera in Italy to a concert tour of the Far East as assistant concertmaster of the Mantovani Orchestra. Now a busy free-lancer in Boston, Robert has performed with Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Boston, The Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Boston Classical Orchestra, The New England String Ensemble, Opera New England, and the national touring companies of "The Lion King" and "Wicked". Other engagements in Boston include appearances with Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bachrach, Smokey Robinson, The Irish Tenors, KD Lang, Englebert Humperdinck and Johnny Mathis. Mr. Curtis teaches violin at the Boston Latin School in Boston, MA, and hosts a website, www.blsviolin.com, with pertinent information.



 

Lynne Canavan - violinist

Lynne received her undergraduate degree in violin performance from The University of Lowell, Massachusetts, and master's degree in management from Lesley College. She has studied violin with Alfred Schneider and Joseph McGauley of The Boston Symphony, and John Lowry, now associate concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as Virginia Neikrug.

Ms. Canavan has been a freelance violinist in the New England area for over 20 years, performing with The Civic Symphony of Boston, Cape Ann Symphony, New Hampshire Philharmonic, Indian Hill Orchestra, the Concord Symphony, the Claflin Hill Symphony, and Worcester Symphony Orchestra. She is currently Assistant Director of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Orchestra and chamber music coach for the Medwin Honor's String Quartet. Among her many past accomplishments, Lynne has taught traditional and Suzuki violin at The Westford Suzuki School and at Indian Hill Arts in Littleton, MA. She also successfully designed and implemented a pilot string program for the Billerica Public School system. In addition to Lynne’s classical music endeavors, she also enjoys performing as a strolling violinist for memory impaired residents in assisted living communities throughout the Boston area.


 

 

Lisa Kempskie - violist, violinist

Lisa has a degree in violin performance from UMass Lowell, where she studied with Joseph McGauley and George Neikrug, and is doing graduate work in music education at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. In recent years she has studied jazz and alternative styles of music and plays viola with the Underground Jazz String Quartet. She also has studied bow-making , repair, and rehair with Lynn Hannings at the Violin Craftsmanship Institute in New Hampshire.

Ms. Kempskie freelances throughout the greater Boston area, having performed with many groups including the Central Mass. Symphony Orchestra, Indian Hill Symphony Orchestra, Lafayette Swing Orchestra, Tsubumskie Piano Trio, and the New England String Ensemble. Lisa is currently completing an internship through the Music for Healing and Transition Program, which trains musicians to play individually-tailored live therapeutic music at the bedside of the sick or dying. She spent the past 7 years directing the elementary and middle school string program in the Winchester Public Schools and maintains a private studio.


 



 

Roger Kimball - cellist

Roger studied classical music at Boston University and both jazz and classical at the University of Miami, Florida. He studied cello with Mischa Nieland of the Boston Symphony and Ingus Naruns of the Miami Philharmonic, as well as bass with Lucas Drew of the Miami Philharmonic.

Based in New England, Mr. Kimball has performed throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Middle East with numerous ensembles and orchestras. He has accompanied several artists including Carly Simon, Warren Vache, Billy Eckstein, The Ink Spots, Little Anthony, The Shirells, Frankie Avalon, The Coasters, Fabian, Leslie Gore, and the late Del Shannon. Roger has numerous recording projects to his credit, including three recent critically acclaimed CDs by jazz clarinetist Harry Skoler (BROWNSTONE Records). He is a professional music arranger and copyist, and functions as one of the principal arrangers for the quartet. He hosts a website, www.rogerkimball.com, which contains additional information regarding available jazz or dance ensembles for special events.



 



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Robert Curtis Lisa Kempskie Lynne Canavan Roger Kimball