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Program

Pallavi Mahidhara, Piano

Liebestraume No. 3 | Franz Liszt

Preludes Op. 23 | Sergei Rachmaninoff
– No. 5 in G minor
– No. 4 in D Major

Paul Bratcher Jazz Trio

Paul Bratcher, organ
Josh Walker, guitar
Mark Hunsberger, drums

Blues Everywhere | Shirley Scott

Daddy James | Jimmy Watson

Do Nothing till You Hear from Me | Duke Ellington & Bob Russell

Nova Peyton, Levine Music Theater

Don’t Rain On My Parade, from “Funny Girl” | Bob Merrill and Jule Styne

(They Just Keep) Moving The Line, from “Bombshell” | Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman

Wherever He Ain’t, from “Mack and Mabel” | Jerry Herman

Defying Gravity from “Wicked” | Stephen Schwartz

About the Artists

Paul Bratcher, organ

Paul Bratcher is co-chair of the piano faculty at Levine Music and Director of Jazz Studies at Georgetown University. A native of Harrisburg, PA he began playing piano at age 11. After high school Paul continued his education at Messiah College where he had the pleasure of playing with and learning from such jazz masters as, Tim Warfield, Kirk Reese, Cyrus Chestnut and Bruce Barth. Paul continued his education at Michigan State University in the Jazz Studies program under world-renowned bassist Rodney Whitaker. Paul has shared the stage with Rodney Whitaker, Diego Rivera, Etienne Charles, Michael Dease, Tim Warfield, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Branford Marsalis and, after graduating with his M.M. in Jazz Studies in 2013, has been busy playing and touring with Anthony Stanco and the Crucial Elements. He has participated in multiple international tours in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Canada, and Uruguay Indonesia, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, and Germany.

Mark Hunsberger, drums

A native of Somerset, Pennsylvania, Mark began playing percussion at age 11. He found a passion for music through his first percussion instructor and IUP professor, Ronald Horner. Mark followed his passion to Messiah College where he earned a B.A. in Classical Percussion Performance as well as his certification in Music Education. During his time at Messiah, Mark discovered and cultivated a love for jazz, and his studies with Kirk Reese, Tim Warfield, Lenny Rogers, and Dan Monaghan provided him a strong foundation in the jazz tradition. In 2014, Mark earned his M.M. in Jazz studies from Michigan State University where he had the opportunity to study and perform with jazz masters Randy Gilespie, Rodney Whitaker, Diego Rivera, Reggie Thomas, Michael Dease, and Etienne Charles. Mark maintains an active performance schedule as well as a private studio in which he teaches both classical and jazz lessons. He serves as the Director of Education for the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and is on faculty at Central Penn College and Messiah College.

Pallavi Mahidhara, piano

Indian-American pianist Pallavi Mahidhara made her orchestral debut at the age of 10, performing at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. She is the econd Prize winner and Young Audience Award winner of the 69th Geneva International Piano Competition, and of the VI International Prokofiev Competition in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She has won the Steinway Förderpreis in Germany, the Astral Artists National Auditions in the US, and has received on multiple occasions, the “Sobresaliente” Award from the hands of Queen Sofía of Spain.

Praised for her unique artistry and charismatic stage presence, she has appeared in solo and orchestral concerts across five continents, performing at the Konzerthaus in Berlin, the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and the Grand Hall of the Dimitri Shostakovich Philharmonia in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Pallavi has performed at important festivals such as Marlboro Music and Verbier Festival. She has given chamber music performances with renowned artists such as Wolfram Christ, Arnold Steinhardt, Peter Wiley, and Michael Rusinek, and has performed under the direction of Arjan Tien and Thomas Sanderling, amongst others.

After studying at Levine, Pallavi received her Bachelor’s Degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, and her Master’s Degree at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler. She studied for several years with Dimitri Bashkirov at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, where she is now the Artistic Advisor and a Piano Professor for their Young Artists Program, and their Music & Culture Summer Camp in Madrid, Spain.

Nova Y. Payton, soprano

Chances are that you’ve heard the amazing soprano voice of Nova Y. Payton on with the internationally staged musical, 3 Mo’ Divas, on television, or in countless regional theatre productions across the country. Boasting a prolific catalog of artist collaborations, the former American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) student has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Levi Kreis, Bobby McFerrin, John Michael Higgins, Yolanda Adams, Betsy Wolfe, Michael Uris, Anthony Hamilton and Michelle Williams.

Nova Payton is a DC native with a rich history in music and performance. Here in town, Nova leads and directs the choir Favour at St. Martin’s Catholic Church and is on faculty with Levine Music Theatre. She is a celebrated jazz vocalist, cabaret artist, worship leader, and vocal coach.

Nova is also one of the most familiar faces in the DC acting scene, having been nominated for 5 Helen Hayes awards and winning in 2012 for her portrayal of Motormouth Mabel in Hairspray at Signature Theatre. Recently she has been seen on stage at The Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theatre, Signature Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Arena Stage.

Josh Walker, guitar

Josh Walker teaches contemporary guitar at Levine Music and is the Professor of Jazz Guitar at Shepherd University. He earned his B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University, an M.M. from Howard University, and spent an additional year of graduate study at the Peabody Conservatory. A few of Josh’s performances include the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and the Toronto Jazz Festival. He has also performed at the Kennedy Center. Josh currently holds the guitar chair in the award-winning Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra.