Andrew Duckles and Marcia Dickstein

Andrew Duckles, viola, and Marcia Dickstein, harp, perform Fantasy Sonata for Viola and Harp by Arnold Bax. Please join us for our opening Music at Noon and the delightful pairing of viola and harp.

Violist Andrew Duckles leads a diverse musical life as a recording artist, chamber musician, soloist and teacher. Formerly principal viola of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet orchestras, Duckles now makes his home in Southern California. He began his orchestral career with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and has made appearances as principal viola of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Long Beach Symphony, and the New West Symphony. An enthusiastic chamber musician, Duckles appears regularly as a guest artist on a number of chamber music series throughout the United States and Europe and shares the stage frequently with the Alexander String Quartet and the Capitol Ensemble. He teaches viola and chamber music at California State University, Long Beach, and is a studio artist at Biola University. For over ten years he has been featured regularly as a recording artist on television and motion picture soundtracks. Duckles has been featured as a performer on programs such as Saturday Night Live, The Grammys and the Tonight Show. He has degrees from both the Eastman School of Music and the New England Conservatory.

Marcia Dickstein has been enticing new audiences to the harp in chamber music and solo with orchestra, and inspiring composers to write new works in classical and jazz genres. As Founder/Artistic Director of The Debussy Trio which celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year, she has performed worldwide: in the US, Europe, Scandinavia and Japan, over NPR radio, on commercial & PBS TV. She plays with the Long Beach Symphony and has over 375 film credits. Her many CDs include solo chamber music and solo with chorus. Adjunct Professor of Harp at Cal State University/Long Beach, Westmont College, Santa Barbara and Cal Poly/San Luis Obispo, CA, Ms. Dickstein holds Master Classes throughout the USA and maintains a private studio in Los Angeles. Her transcriptions and scholarly editions of solo and chamber music for professional and student level harpists are published by Fatrock Ink of Los Angeles (available at www.fatrockink.com). Her latest recording on Klavier label, “Look Ahead,” features 10 new works especially written for The Debussy Trio.