Michael Goldberg, clarinet
Sunday, October 28, 2007

Michael Goldberg is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, holding a Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance. Highlights of his musical career include performing with the original Broadway production of Into The Woods and touring the major concert halls of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada with the Eastman Wind Ensemble and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. He has recorded for CBS Masterworks, and remains active as a professional musician and teacher. In Richmond, Michael has played with the Richmond Symphony, Richmond Philharmonic, Richmond Symphonic Winds, Commonwealth Winds, and the Richmond Chamber Players. He is the founder and Artistic Director for Crescendo, a professional chamber ensemble. Also an accomplished conductor, Michael is the Music Director of the CBS 6 Wind Symphony, a group comprised of the most talented high school wind players in Central Virginia. The ensemble performs several concerts each year in local malls, helping to raise awareness of the local school music programs.

In sort of a “Goldberg Variation,” he is known as “Mike” to his television audience, serving as Chief Meteorologist for the CBS 6 Storm Team. He has been with WTVR-TV since 1998 and can be seen weeknights on CBS 6 News at 5, 5:30, 6 and 11, as well as the CW News at 10 on WUPV. Mike previously worked at television stations in Rochester and Binghamton, NY, and holds a Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University. He holds the Television Seal of Approval from both the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association, and has been nominated for a Capital/Chesapeake Bay Region Emmy award for “best weathercasting.” On the national scene, Mike serves as a guest meteorologist for The Weather Channel on the show Abrams & Bettes: Beyond the Forecast.

An avid animal lover, Mike is dedicated to helping local animal adoption and welfare groups. He hosts the Paws For Pets and Pets & People segments on CBS 6. Mike is on the Board of Directors for the Henrico Humane Society and has received a Guardian Angel Award for outstanding contribution to animal welfare in Virginia.

Lisa Edwards-Burrs, soprano
Sunday, March 9, 2008

Lisa Edwards-Burrs’ performances in recital, oratorio and chamber music are extensive.  Her operatic roles include the Goddess Athena in The Furies, Ola/Harriet Tubman inVanqui,  Blanche inDialogues of the Carmelites, Monica in The Medium, Despina in Così fan tutte, Treemonisha in Treemonisha, Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore and Poppea in L’incoronazione di Poppea.

She has performed on many occasions with regional orchestras in Virginia and the District of Columbia and has received numerous awards, such as the second-place prizewinner at the national level of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Award Competition and winner of the Carson Silver Medal and monetary prize at the American Traditions Competition of Savannah! Onstage.

Ms. Edwards-Burrs is a past recipient of the award for “Outstanding Vocalist of the Year” given by Richmond Magazine. She has performed for Virginia’s former Governor Mark Warner on several occasions, as well as for other dignitaries such as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Senator John Glenn, baseball great Cal Ripkin, international economist, Dr. Fareed Zakaria, and blues guitarist and singer, B. B. King, all guests of the Richmond Forum. 

She has represented the United States as an Artist Ambassador with pianist, Melanie Day, touring several countries in South America for five weeks, where she gave concerts, conducted master classes and made television and radio appearances. As a recitalist, she has performed on the concert series’ of numerous universities, and at New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral with trumpeter, Michael Davison, and organist, Patrick Carlin. Internationally, she has performed recitals at the International Conference for Moral-Rearmament in Caux, Switzerland, and with the Amalfi Music and Arts Festival where she performed in the Italian cities of Vietri sul Mare, Cava, Salerno, Porcini and Amalfi.  Her performances featuring the works of African-American composers and other contemporary works have also received critical acclaim.

Lisa Edwards-Burrs received her B.Music and M.Music degrees in Vocal Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is the founder/artistic director of BELLISSIMA!, an operatic quintet and of Black, Brown and Beige, a chamber ensemble. She has recorded a compact disc entitled What Songs Were Sung with Lynne Abbey-Lee, former harpist with the Colorado Symphony, and she is featured on two recordings on the Pro Organo label,  With Thanks and Praise and Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether. She serves on the faculty of Virginia State University and is pursuing her Doctorate in Vocal Performance at The Catholic University of America.

Melissa Musulin, French horn
Sunday, May 4, 2008

Melissa Musulin is a principal horn in the Richmond Philharmonic. Ms. Musulin formerly played as solo horn of the Basque National Orchestra and Santa Cecilia Orchestras in Spain. She has toured throughout Europe as a soloist and has given master classes. Ms. Musulin has also played principal horn with the Pamiro Opera Company, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, and has freelanced in the Chicago area with members of the Chicago Symphony and the Lyric Opera. While in Chicago she was a student of Dale Clevenger.

Ms. Musulin's other studies include the Oberlin Conservatory, where she received a Bachelor of Music degree, and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she received an Artist Diploma and a Master of Music degree. She has also studied piano at L'Ecole Americaine in Fontainebleau, France.

In addition to the Richmond Philharmonic, Ms. Musulin currently performs with the Williamsburg Sinfonia, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, the Richmond Brass Consort, the Richmond Symphonic Winds and freelances with the Richmond Symphony.

Ms. Musulin is also a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Paris. She has worked extensively as a pastry chef in Europe, Chicago, and Richmond. She lives in Richmond with her husband and two daughters, Mikaela and Cristina.