The Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra in Indiana has announced the appointment of three principal musicians: ALEX (NICA) MALAIMARE as associate concertmaster, EMILY BRENDENBURG as principal viola, and LEANNE HAMPTON as principal flute. The appointments come with an academic component. Malaimare and Brandenburg will also serve as second violinist and viola, respectively, in the Eykamp String Quartet and as artists in residence at the University of Evansville. Hampton was appointed Consortium instructor of flute at the University of Evansville. The orchestra and university collaborate in the selection and employment of Eykamp Quartet and Consortium personnel.
Violinist Alex (Nica) Malaimare, born in 1989 in Romania, studied at the National University of Music in Bucharest, later completing a masters degree in Antwerp. At the University of Illinois, he studied with Stefan Milenkovich. He has performed as a soloist in orchestral and chamber groups and collaborated with conductors including Igor Coretti (Slovenia-Italy) and Christian Badea (USA). Malaimare has performed in recitals and concerts in Austria, Czech Republic, Belgium, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, and the United States. He won the 2014 Young Artist Competition of Music Teachers National Association, the University of Illinois Concerto Competition 2016, and first prize at New York Artists International Competition, with his quartet.
Violist Emily Brandenburg received a master of musical arts degree from Yale University, studying with Ettore Causa. She completed her masters degree at New England Conservatory and undergraduate degree at the McDuffie Center for Strings. At the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School, she played in youth orchestra and studied chamber music. Brandenburg has performed with orchestras throughout New England, among them the Boston Philharmonic, Atlantic Symphony, and Unitas Ensemble. In May of 2017, her quartet won the Chamber Music Competition at Yale University. She won the Georgina Lucy Grosvenor Memorial Prize from Yale University, awarded to a musician who exhibits the highest potential as a soloist or chamber musician.
Flutist Leanne Hampton, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas received her master of music degree from the University of Colorado and bachelor of arts from the University of Central Arkansas. She completed a DMA at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she served as teaching assistant to Christina Jennings. Hampton has performed with the Breckenridge Music Festival, Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Opera Company, Colorado MahlerFest Orchestra, and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. She has competed and won prizes at the Mid-South Flute Society Young Artist, Oklahoma Flute Society, MTNA, and Plowman Chamber Music Competitions.
Posted August 11, 2017
