http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/blog daily 0.75 2014-02-19 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/images daily 0.75 2015-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1441740984004-3461LGSM0TO1ITV7FFT2/image-asset.jpeg Images https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1441740984004-3461LGSM0TO1ITV7FFT2/image-asset.jpeg Images http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/concerts daily 0.75 2025-10-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756330329498-1VMAONZ8EVJTF9TC6MZ4/Old+Friends+in+New+Clothes+Cover.png Season 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756330329498-1VMAONZ8EVJTF9TC6MZ4/Old+Friends+in+New+Clothes+Cover.png Season 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756330228888-KEF1LHRM3HN9K84W17RI/1.png Season 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756330331217-VS6LIO8WB0FDK6NDUR6H/Voices+From+the+Middle+Cover.png Season 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756829170602-QLPL9VH38TF0U4ACZ8RO/Beaufort+Doug+Talley+Cover.png Season 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756330328804-M9DR282G3LG2K5RFK8BQ/Dusk+to+Dawn+Cover.png Season 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756330327000-34QH0TRUVRDFS6839B5E/Budding+Potential+Cover.png Season 14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1760636337436-7Z4ZGF2OEHUBDFUHFCOQ/May+graphic.png Season 14 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/rehearsal-schedule daily 0.75 2024-05-23 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/about daily 0.75 2024-07-05 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/home daily 1.0 2025-09-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1756330329498-1VMAONZ8EVJTF9TC6MZ4/Old+Friends+in+New+Clothes+Cover.png Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/6ee30efd-9d93-45b4-8211-32dd90ff36a1/Official+S14+poster+%2811x17%29.png Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/89841fd7-086f-4eca-9f66-94a7fc88736c/_DSC2966.jpg Home - Make it stand out May 1, 2022 at the Folly Theater Photo Credit: Andrew Schwartz — Veritography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1463869657703-TOCLGPFCQX7XHVWYE872/Heritage.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1463869710396-0L8DI4RTENXTBGN36TW8/Luyben.gif Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1463869767765-OY2HER84U66QT1TIAUOI/LCR+color+logo.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1752688094071-EXZUU53MUEO30NNOSELH/Screenshot+2025-07-16+at+12.48.00%E2%80%AFPM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1484950387492-OG0343831TQVPKEG1JUZ/BRC_Banner-4-5-16.gif Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1533572396364-GK4VRWXSGRKHNS9WD8E7/MMKF-Logo.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1599430896618-UQ22G4KTVPG6GNKWNYVN/thermo-logo-reg.png Home http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/donate daily 0.75 2026-03-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/7edf88e8-edd1-4ee2-9354-d1f6c56b701b/_DSC2308.jpg Donate - Make it stand out Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz — Veritography http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/youth-concerto-competition daily 0.75 2020-02-07 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/recordings daily 0.75 2025-09-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1590631440687-42T86MOVLYOLWLCT24KJ/MCE%2Bcover2019%2BOldFriends.jpg Recordings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1590631560778-DI7AGG01WTK5TNB07DUX/Screen+Shot+2020-05-27+at+9.05.44+PM.png Recordings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1590631604521-4OJF868ED1HQFSZU7NLB/11693826_1590431027874250_5873030011768339399_n.jpg Recordings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1443537097003-TO01TT1VOUPA6HTYLYK9/recording.jpg Recordings Recording Joseph Kern's Chamber Symphony at BRC Audio Productions in Kansas City, KS, in May 2015. http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/conductors daily 0.75 2023-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/6a08362e-d28a-4651-9209-ee0c2f257532/_DSC2922.jpg Artistic Leadership Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz — Veritography LLC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1591499707035-EPGCVPDFD31YDBE5W2WM/36143775243_dec296664b_k.jpg Artistic Leadership https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/2729fc17-4b73-4af5-81a6-b44501408b99/_DSC1390.jpg Artistic Leadership Photo credit: Andrew Schwartz — Veritography LLC http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/about2 daily 0.75 2023-03-06 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/concerts1516 daily 0.75 2016-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447453001213-4HPRCJ5G8CV4R28OEJ6K/20141028_7891.JPG Concerts1516 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447454518936-36899NH10BFSXQXE0FNG/image-asset.png Concerts1516 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447454560307-7MJHNGV4615X0OTD45B6/image-asset.png Concerts1516 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1448645853794-8OZ9IOENKOKNBR98NNFK/image-asset.jpeg Concerts1516 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447453813329-T5OO70Z51YPHB4BPS7V3/DSC_0123ab+%281%29.JPG Concerts1516 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447453643729-7U68R5UZYYUE7EX6ABRT/image-asset.jpeg Concerts1516 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447453482156-WF4KH86F1ITN8SPBFQ5Z/image-asset.jpeg Concerts1516 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447453865983-XDVHPFTAUZWBTT9R3YDS/image-asset.jpeg Concerts1516 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/listen daily 0.75 2019-10-26 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/choralfest daily 0.75 2022-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/0806b3da-8489-4aac-be49-610489a5dcf7/_DSC1826-Pano.jpg choralfest - Make it stand out May 1, 2022 at the Folly Theater Photo Credit: Andrew Schwartz – Veritography http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/translations daily 0.75 2019-08-11 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/beaufort-winds daily 0.75 2024-10-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/6878c5a9-8fe3-4787-8819-6e1a60c7b928/_DSC2334.jpg Beaufort Winds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/0d91804f-e0e0-49cd-8847-ca28ab72fe5b/Virginia+Q+Backman+headshot.jpg Beaufort Winds - Make it stand out VIRGINIA Q. BACKMAN, flute, is originally from Oak Harbor, Washington, and is a flutist and educator in the Kansas City area. Passionate about both performance and music education, Dr. Backman has taught in public schools as well as at the university level, is sought after as a clinician, adjudicator, and teacher, and performs frequently as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral flutist. An active performer of new music, Backman has appeared as a guest artist at the National Conference of the Society for Composers, the University of Central Missouri New Music Festival, the Society of Composers, Inc. Region V and VI Conferences, and the Missouri Western State University Electronic Music Mini-Festival. Backman is currently principal flutist of the Midwest Chamber Ensemble and one of the founding members of the Beaufort Winds Woodwind Quintet. She has performed with the Topeka Symphony, St. Joseph Symphony, Kinnor Philharmonic, Kansas City Symphony, the Skagit (WA) Symphony, and the Kansas City Civic Orchestra. She has performed in master classes of Jeanne Baxtresser, Walfrid Kujala, Zart Dombourian-Eby, Tim Munro, John Barcellona, William Bennett, Lorna McGhee, Sarah Jackson, and Catherine Payne, and also studied with Kim Breilien. Backman earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (2020) and a Master of Music degree (2009) in flute performance from the UMKC Conservatory, where she studied with Dr. Mary Posses. She earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree (2006) in Instrumental Music Education and Flute Performance from Central Washington University, where her teacher was Dr. Hal Ott. Backman lives in Lenexa, Kansas with her husband and two daughters, where she has a thriving flute studio. In addition to her performing career, she is an avid runner and rock climber. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/432970eb-d730-4212-8cd5-d249ada98fa8/Shawn+Nemati-Baghestani+headshot.jpg Beaufort Winds - Make it stand out SHAWN NEMATI-BAGHESTANI, oboe, graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia summa cum laude in 2013 with a Bachelor of Music in oboe performance. At Mizzou, he held principal chairs in both the Wind Ensemble and University Philharmonic. Shawn studied oboe with Dan Willett and Edward Dolbashian and performed in master classes with Daniel Stolper, Phil Ross and Andrew Parker. He also spent time with Eugene Izotov, Alex Klein, and Frank Rosenwein. As a member of Trio Nouveau, Shawn was a semi-finalist in the 2010 Plowman Chamber Music Competition and was featured on the Odyssey Chamber Music Series. In 2013, Shawn won the concerto competition at Mizzou and performed the Mozart Oboe Concerto with the University Philharmonic the following year. Since graduating, he has maintained an active performance and teaching schedule in Kansas City and will soon become an associate of the Society of Actuaries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/4e3df70a-3473-44b3-83a8-b7f2e86d9ee5/Steve+Lewis+headshot.jpg Beaufort Winds - Make it stand out STEVE N. LEWIS JR., French horn, has enjoyed a diverse musical career as both a conductor and French hornist. Steve is the Music Director of the Medical Arts Symphony of Kansas City and is a founding member of the Beaufort Winds wind quintet. Steve attended high school at the North Carolina School of the Arts where he studied French horn with David Jolley. Steve holds degrees from East Carolina University (BM, Theory/Composition) where he studied French horn with Mary Burroughs and the University of Missouri- Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance (MM, Orchestral Conducting) where he studied conducting with Robert Olson and French horn with Ellen Campbell and Martin Hackleman. He was twice awarded the EAMA/Florence Gould Foundation Michael Lovenko Fellowship to study conducting in Paris as part of the European American Musical Alliance at the historic Schola Cantorum. While there Lewis received special mention in both solfege and counterpoint. Steve has received career and continuing education grants from the ELCA Central States Synod, Anna Sosenko Trust, and the Koch Cultural Trust. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/fb7db62f-d744-4b33-a092-c044dce5f9e0/Mark+Adair+headshot.jpg Beaufort Winds - Make it stand out MARK ADAIR, bassoon, is a bassoonist and pedagogue from Wichita, KS, completed his Master of Music degree in Bassoon Performance from the Jacobs Schools of Music at Indiana University, studying under William Ludwig, as well as his Bachelor of Music and Music Education at the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory studying with Marita Abner. While in Kansas City, Mark was a sought-after musician and teacher, working as a guest clinician, private teacher, and district teacher for schools in both Kansas and Missouri. Additionally, he has performed with the Jefferson City Southside Philharmonic, Northland Symphony, Lee’s Summit Symphony, Midwest Chamber Ensemble, Washburn University, and Baker University. In 2019, he won First Prize in the Collegiate Division of the Midwest Double Reed Society Annual Young Artists Competition. During the summer of 2022, Mark served as a contrabassoon fellow for the Aspen Music Festival. As an advocate of new music, he can be heard in recordings of UMKC’s Wind Symphony, the Midwest Chamber Ensemble, and IU’s New Music Ensemble. His educational outreach work with the Kansas City Symphony has brought performance experiences to thousands of children across the KC metro area. In 2017, Mark was awarded the Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar Award for his musical and educational achievements at UMKC. In 2021, he was named a recipient of the Koch Cultural Trust to further advance his musical endeavors. During his time at Indiana University, Mark taught contrabassoon and assisted in designing and implementing studio coursework. While maintaining an active private studio, he also teaches double reeds in multiple districts across the KC Metro and is the acting bassoon instructor for MidAmerica Nazarene University. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/13daba31-7633-47ed-b151-88aca469fe26/alex+4_1.JPG Beaufort Winds - Make it stand out ALEX DERGAL, clarinet, has lived in Overland Park, Kansas for the past two years. After receiving degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and the Yale School of Music, he felt it necessary to settle down in a community to establish artistic roots. Alex spends a majority of his time as an educator. He has built a private clarinet studio and also teaches music theory, saxophone and piano in the greater Kansas City area. A member of the Topeka Symphony, Alex also performs with the Kansas City and Omaha Symphony Orchestras. In his free time Alex enjoys reciting poetry and walking his dogs. http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/individual-tickets daily 0.75 2024-07-05 http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/artisticleadership daily 0.75 2025-07-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/717c4324-e75d-4cb1-881c-78d2aaf8cb2b/IMG_1891+2.jpg Artistic Leadership https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1b1096bf-5df6-44a1-bdd5-3e12b94dd4df/image0.jpg Artistic Leadership https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/a0652759-ce98-474a-bc91-7ce094be2ee6/AD_2025-2.jpg Artistic Leadership - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/2729fc17-4b73-4af5-81a6-b44501408b99/_DSC1390.jpg Artistic Leadership - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55da1c6ae4b0e4c4287b2bec/1447453356165-OYBA1DJEOR3ENZ5GY7EZ/image-asset.jpeg Artistic Leadership http://www.midwestchamberensemble.org/tickets daily 0.75 2025-09-19