June 26-28, 2027
The Heathman Lodge, Vancouver, WA
Guest Artists: Theresa Bogard, piano and Glêsse Collet, viola
Theresa Bogard, piano
Theresa Bogard is a distinguished American pianist renowned for her dynamic and versatile performances. She has made significant contributions to expanding the traditional piano repertoire, particularly through her focus on music by women composers and other lesser-known composers. Early in her career, she gained recognition for her performances of underrepresented works, and she has continued to integrate diverse and eclectic pieces into her varied concert programs.
A recipient of a Fulbright grant as a young pianist, Dr. Bogard was able to study historical performance practice and fortepiano at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague in the Netherlands. Her dedication to the study and performance of historical instruments was further solidified when she became a top-prize winner in the International Mozart Fortepiano Competition in Bruges, Belgium. She was recently awarded a second Fulbright to focus on discovering and collecting repertoire for solo piano and chamber music with piano by Brazilian women composers.
Throughout her career, Bogard has performed across the globe, with engagements spanning the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America. She has played in 16 countries across five continents, with notable performances at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall and the Ravinia Steans Institute, where she performed with renowned cellist Misha Quint. Her passion for world cultures is evident in her deep connection to Brazilian music. Since her first concert tour in Brazil in 2007, she has returned frequently, giving masterclasses and performances in major cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Goiania, Florianopolis, Brasilia, Porto Alegre and Curitiba, and has developed a profound
admiration for Brazilian composers.
In addition to her performance career, Dr. Bogard is a highly respected educator. She has taught at major international music festivals, including the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy and the Sulzbach-Rosenberg International Music Festival in Germany. Her students have excelled in competitions and gained acceptance into top conservatories such as The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, and Cleveland Institute of Music, among others. She is also a frequent adjudicator at regional, national, and international piano competitions.
Dr. Bogard’s extensive discography spans a wide range of musical styles and includes recordings of solo piano works, chamber music, and historical performances on fortepiano. A Steinway Artist, she continues to be an advocate for both contemporary composers and the historical performance tradition, cementing her status as an influential figure in the classical music world.
Glêsse Collet, viola
Brazilian violist Glêsse Collet immigrated to the U. S. in 2016 after teaching viola, violin, chamber music and string orchestra in the Department of Music at the University of Brasília for 35 years. At UnB she founded the University of Brasília String Orchestra in January 2002. This conductorless, student group focused on the exploration and dissemination of the repertoire for string orchestras, with particular emphasis on Brazilian music and often featured dancers and other choreographed selections.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Collet moved to Brasilia as a child and spent most of her professional career there. She completed her undergraduate degree in Violin Performance and a teaching certificate in Music Education at the University of Brasília. Her MM degree in violin performance is from the Musik Hofschule in Detmold, Germany where she studied with Ernst Mayer-Schierning and her PhD in Viola performance is from the Federal University of Bahia, with a thesis on “Tuning in String Instruments (Violin and Viola)”. Her book on tuning in string instruments (Afinação em, Instrumentos de Cordas) was published in 2022.
In 1974 she was a top-prize winner at the “Jovens Solistas” competition in Piracicaba, São Paulo. In 1983 she won the position of principal viola in the Symphony Orchestra of Teatro Nacional de Brasília (Brazil) where she played for 5 years. She has played as viola soloist with conductors Claudio Santoro, Oswaldo Colarusso, Gerald Kegelmann, Piero Bastianelli, Elena Herrera and Claudio Cohen. As a member of the Quarteto de Brasília, she has performed throughout Brazil and all over the world. The Quartet has represented Brazil at performances in embassies in many countries and she has performed for high-ranking dignitaries including the
Presidents of Brazil, Portugal, Germany and the United States, and the Prince and Princess of Wales. Critically acclaimed recordings by the Quarteto de Brasilia have received the Sharp Prize for the “best classical music CD” in 1993, the OK Prize in 1995, the Federal District Cultural Merit Order Award in 2001 and the 9th Carlos Gomes Prize for Classical Music in the category “Best Chamber Music Ensemble of the Year” in 2004. Collet is also featured on a solo disc of works by Brazilian composers. In 2008, Collet toured for 40 days in the U.S. with Branford Marsalis as principal viola from an all-Brazilian Orchestra.
In the United States, Glêsse Collet is a member of the Cheyenne Symphony and substitutes regularly with the Fort Collins Symphony, Casper Symphony and other regional orchestras. She is a frequent performer with the Front Range Chamber Players and a sought-after collaborator for chamber music performances.
2027 WSMTA CONFERENCE SUPORTERS:
WSMTA Teacher Enrichment Fund