Come hear acclaimed pianist Gregory Taboloff close out our Bach Enthusiasts Recital as he discusses and performs selections from Bach's stunning Toccata in E Minor and introspective Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother. This performance is free of charge.

About Gregory Taboloff

Taboloff earned his Bachelors & Masters Degrees at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. His mentor, Leon Fleisher, was honored with a Kennedy Center lifetime award. Taboloff studied composition at the San Francisco Conservatory under the world-famous composer, John Adams.

Taboloff has won numerous awards and accolades since he started performing at age 15. He made his major debut at Carnegie Hall in his twenties and received critical acclaim from New York Times’ critic Tim Page, who praised his "irrepressible energy, poetry and genuine introspection.” An energetic world-class performer, Taboloff dazzles audiences with his powerfully emotive style. His “commitment to the emotional soul of the music is unmistakable,” says one critic.

Taboloff premiered his breathtaking magnum opus, Piano Concerto No. 1, “The Mystic” at the Walnut Creek Lesher Center for the Arts, under the baton of James Sullivan, and later with David Ramadanoff. The East Bay Times lauded his premier with the headline: “Bravos Greet World Premiere before a widely enthusiastic audience.” He debuted at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco also performing his Piano Concerto "The Mystic" and received unequivocal glowing praise, "As good as the Beethoven Concerto was, (Taboloff's "Mystic") made an even greater impression...cast in the grand manner." The Piedmont Post continued "Unlike many contemporary composers, Taboloff is a melodist. His melodies are memorable and seethe and undulate...Give me Taboloff any day."

Called to adjudicate piano competitions, Taboloff has judged for the prestigious International U.S. Open Music Competition. He has given Master Classes at the University of the Philippines and at other prestigious venues. An active fundraiser, Taboloff raised over $100,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, performing an impressive three piano concerti in one night at Wente Winery in Livermore. He made an amazing solo bike marathon to Oklahoma City from California to raise funds for the Oklahoma City bombing victims and concluded that trip with a benefit solo concert.

Jennifer Rhees is an Idaho native and began her musical career with piano and flute. She has a Bachelor of Music from Boise State University, where she studied with Sara Williams, and a Master of Music from Baylor University, where she studied with Helen Ann Shanley. Jennifer has appeared as soloist with the Boise State Symphonic Winds, Treasure Valley Concert Band and the Meridian Symphony. She is currently principal flute of the Meridian Symphony.​

Mrs. Stein has had a long and varied career in music, as a professional violinist, teacher, and as music director of the San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra.

A graduate of SJSU with a degree in violin performance, Stein has held tenured posts in the San Jose Symphony, Opera San Jose, and San Jose Chamber Orchestra.  She also performed with Ballet San Jose and is a founding member of the Jasmine String Quartet.  Mrs. Stein has performed in master classes with Franco Gulli, Andor Toth and Helen Dowland.  

Passion for music education has been an enduring motivation throughout her career, leading to the formation of educational programs for the California Youth Symphony,  the San Jose Youth Symphony and SJYCO, as well as teaching and coaching string players from elementary school through high school.  Mrs. Stein recently retired from her post as Music Director of the San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra after serving in that capacity for 18 years.  

David Stein has been teaching and coaching cellists, pianists and ensembles for over 45 years.  He teaches all levels at his home in the Central Rim area of Boise. His specialties include classical, jazz, and popular styles, with music theory infused into the lessons. As a cellist David has studied under Irving Klein, Hiro Kano, David Kadarauch, and Millie Rosner. David has served as principal Cellist and soloist for Monterey County Symphony, was a member of the Santa Cruz Symphony, and has performed in many other orchestras, including Symphony Silicon Valley. David is a founding member of The Jasmine String Quartet, in which he performed and recorded from 1980-2017.

As a pianist David has studied with Christian Nilssen, Aiko Onishi, and Marina Grin. He was staff pianist at San Jose State University from 2006 through 2020.  He has extensive experience in both accompanying and recording. 

Dr. Svetlana Maddox is a classical concert pianist who represents the third generation of professional musicians in her family.  Winner of the First Prize in the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in New York and as the recipient of the Grand Prizes in the Princeton Music Festivals, Svetlana had the honor to perform in Carnegie Hall in 2009, 2012, and 2013.  In 2014 Svetlana performed at Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center in New York City.

While living in New York in 2004-2009, Svetlana studied privately with the renowned international concert pianist, Professor Bella Davidovich of Juilliard School.  Svetlana earned her Doctorate degree in Piano Performance from the University of Arizona and two Master’s Degrees in Piano Performance: from The Gnesins Academy of Music in Moscow, Russia and from Boise State University (with Dr. Del Parkinson). 

Svetlana’s numerous concerts across the US resulted in articles, interviews, and concert reviews that appeared in magazines and newspapers in New York, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Kansas, and Idaho.  Svetlana performed at the Liszt International Festival at California State University in Northridge, Los Angeles; gave a lecture-recital and a master class at the Franz Liszt University of Music in Budapest, Hungary; performed a solo recital at the Chopin International Festival in El Paso, Texas.  Svetlana was one of the featured Artists in the Stars of Steinway Concert Series in 2019, 2017, 2015, and 2014.  She also took part in the “Boise’s Finest” video concert project in 2021.

Dr. Svetlana Maddox combines her active performance career with teaching at Boise State University and the College of Western Idaho.

Wendy Bachman holds Performance and Pedagogy ARCT diplomas from The Royal Conservatory of Music, a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of British Columbia and a Master’s Degree in Piano Pedagogy and Performance from Westminster Choir College. Her teachers include Edward Parker, Harold Zabrack, Frances Clark, and Louise Goss.  

Over the past forty three years, Wendy has taught in conservatories in Princeton,  Minneapolis, Vancouver, and Seattle.  In 1990 she was selected to teach and perform at the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy in Chicago.  Most recently, Mrs. Bachman taught at The Pennsylvania State University and recently relocated to Star, Idaho, where she is building her in-person studio.  As a specialist examiner with thirty years of experience, Mrs. Bachman has adjudicated thousands of candidates for the Royal Conservatory of Music and prepared hundreds of her own students for RCM piano exams, some scoring the highest marks in their State. Wendy also serves as a US Ambassador for the RCM Certificate Program and is currently President of the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association. Wendy has judged numerous music festivals including the Kiwanis International and the Burnaby Clef.  In her spare time she loves to bake. 

Ethan Seegmiller is a pianist and teacher in Meridian. He teaches and performs in a variety of styles, including classical, jazz, religious, and original compositions. This year, Ethan received a grant through the Music Teachers National Association to fund a solo piano recital.

Rebekah Carter holds her Bachelor of Music degree from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle where she studied Piano with Dr. Peter Mack. Her other instructors include Dr. Thomas Otten, Dr. Alexander Shtarkman, and Dr. Deborah Cleaver. Rebekah studied Harpsichord and Early Music under the tutelage of Jillon Stoppels Dupree, Tekla Cunningham, and Dr. Stephen Stubbs of the Seattle Baroque Orchestra. 

Rebekah was awarded Portland Piano International's Tholen Fellowship from 2016-2018. She has performed as a soloist with the Treasure Valley Symphony and Mildred Hill Concert Series. She received training and experience as an adjudicator through the Oregon Music Teacher Association's Syllabus Program where students and teachers routinely compliment her warm, approachable manner and encouraging comments. 

Her professional development workshops were commissioned by the Oregon Community Foundation Grant and well received. Rebekah has served on multiple positions at the State and Local level with the OMTA Executive Board and Blue Mountain District. In 2020, Rebekah was invited to present her workshop at the OMTA State Conference. 

Rebekah has maintained a private piano studio for over 20 years and is Nationally Certified to teach piano under the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). She has held music teaching and accompanist positions at numerous schools in Boise and the Pacific Northwest, including an adjunct position at Treasure Valley Community College and founding music programs at two Boise-area schools.

Rebekah loves nerding out with music theory and recently started playing around with composition. She loves bringing humor to her student's lessons. Secretly, Baroque repertoire is her favorite.