David Cooper, Balalaika

David Cooper received a BA in ethnomusicology from the University of Illinois and performed as a soloist with the UI Russian Folk Orchestra on domra and balalaika. He was bandleader for the Broadway musical “Foxfire” at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre and has served as conductor and music director for the Balalaika and Domra Association of America. He has appeared as soloist with the Atlanta Balalaika Society, Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival, Anderson Symphony Orchestra, and at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Balalaika Orchestra. He currently performs with the Czar Balalaika and Troika Balalaikas. David won a scholarship to study at the Glier Institute in Kiev, and performed there as well. He is conductor and music director of the Atlanta Balalaika Society. Due to popular demand, this is David’s fourth appearance with The Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta.

Mary Ann Hill, Soprano

Born into a musical family, and performing on stage since the age of five, Ms. Hill earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Syracuse University, with further studies in Italy, Switzerland, and Austria. NYC musical leads include Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, and The Boys from Syracuse. Solo credits include Poulenc’s “Gloria,” “Musical Theatre Special” with the Binghampton Philharmonic, and leads in several Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Operatic leads include La Boheme, Cosi fan tutte, Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, the premiere of a children’s opera, and The Medium. Ms. Hill has performed with the Syracuse Opera, the Cartersville Opera, Bel Canto Opera in Atlanta, and the Portland, Oregon Opera workshop. She recently performed as soprano soloist for Atlanta Balalaika’s 20th Anniversary concert. She is currently President of Pro-Mozart and teaches Voice for the Neighborhood Schools of GSU.

Martin Sauser, Violin

Martin Sauser, violin, has had an illustrious career as a violinist. Following his debut in Chicago in 1941, he served as Concertmaster of the Arkansas State Symphony Orchestra and was invited by Erich Leinsdorf to join the Grant Park Symphony as first violinist. Later, Antal Dorati invited him to be first violinist with the Minneapolis Symphony. In 1951, he joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra where he served as Assistant Concertmaster, Concertmaster, and Concertmaster Emeritus for 37 years. During this time, he was soloist on many occasions under both Henry Sopkin and Robert Shaw. Mr. Sauser was also Personnel Manager for 15 years during which remarkable progress was made by the Symphony. Since retiring from the Atlanta Symphony, he has been active with the Atlanta Pops, the Hollywood Hills Orchestra, and as a recitalist appearing with his granddaughter, Elizabeth Pridgen.

Elizabeth Pridgen, Piano

Elizabeth Pridgen, pianist, began her piano studies at age five. She graduated from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland. While at Peabody she was the recipient of the Azalia H. Thomas Prize, Virginia Carty DeLillo Award, and Pauline Favin Memorial Award. She studied at the Conservatoire Americain at Fontainebleau, France, and was a participant at the 2000 Aspen Music Festival and School. She gave her first solo recital in 1991 at Georgia State University at age eleven. While in high school she performed for Georgia Public Television and CNN News. She also won scholarships from the Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta and The Georgia Music Hall of Fame. She has soloed with the Columbus, Georgia Orchestra, the Atlanta Community Orchestra, and the Georgia High School All-State Orchestra. For the last ten years, Ms. Pridgen has performed with her grandfather, violinist Martin Sauser. She will be attending the Juilliard School this fall.

Stephen Ozcomert was staff soloist at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church and currently sings in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra chorus and Chamber Chorus. He has performed leads with the Savoyards Light Opera and the Cartersville Opera including Naughty Marietta, La Boheme, The Mikado, and I Pagliacci. Recently Mr. Ozcomert has sung in several gala performances with the Roswell Lyric Opera and is in demand as an oratorio soloist throughout Atlanta. His oratorio performances include the Mozart Requiem, Brahm’s Ein Deutches Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Fauree’s Requiem, Bash’s Magnificat, and recently the St. John Passion with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra. For many years, he sang under the baton of Robert Shaw, and was soloist in Shaw’s performances of the Bach St. Matthew Passion at Atlanta Symphony Hall and in Carnegie Hall. A student of Elizabeth Colson, he practices law in his “spare time.”

Victor Robertson has sung with the Atlanta Opera for two seasons in operas Macbeth, Capulets and the Montagues, La Boheme, Sampson & Delilah, Rigoletto, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Turandot. In addition to his numerous recitals at Georgia State University, he has sung for Peachtree Presbyterian’s PBS special Mardi Gras, and for Hillside Baptist’s A Day of Excellence. He was a finalist in the prestigious McAllister Award Competition, and competed in the Metropolitan Opera Competition. He has recorded for Disney Productions and is currently involved in a video duet with Alfreda Gerald of Yanni. Mr. Robertson studies voice with Mary Ann Hill, and coaches with Walter Huff, assistant conductor of the Atlanta Opera.

Anita Norman moved to Atlanta in 1999 from Omaha, Nebraska, where she enjoyed a full career as elementary music teacher, organist, timpanist, theatrical director, and solo pianist. She currently serves as an assistant and accompanist for the music staff at Peachtree Presbyterian Church as well as having the great pleasure of teaching music in the church's preschool. Ms. Norman is the mother of two children, both of whom are actively involved in the church music ministry. This is her debut with The Pro-Mozart Society of Atlanta.

Program

Artists' Biographies