The Orion Ensemble

"Every time I hear them I am struck by how much sheer personality there is behind their performances.."
–John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune

Recognized as one of Chicago’s finest chamber music groups, the ORION ENSEMBLE is celebrating its thirteenth year. John von Rhein of The Chicago Tribune calls Orion “one of Chicago’s most vibrant, versatile and distinctive ensembles.” With the possibilities inherent in its unique combination of instruments—piano, string trio, and clarinet—Orion the ensemble offers exciting interpretations of standard repertoire, introduces audiences to rarely-performed masterpieces, and inspires composers with commissions for new works. Orion’s cutting-edge programs feature diverse works by composers ranging from Mozart and Brahms to William Bolcom and Chick Corea to Paul Schoenfield and Augusta Read Thomas.

The Orion Ensemble boasts a roster of five superb musicians who have performed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, as an ensemble and individually in solo, orchestral, and other chamber music roles. In Chicago, Orion presents an annual four-concert series in three venues, is heard regularly on the broadcast series “Live from WFMT,” and appears frequently on the Chicago Cultural Center’s Lunchbreak Series, “Classical Mondays.”

The Orion Ensemble received a Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming for its critically acclaimed millennium celebration, “An Inside Look at Contemporary Music.” The group is currently Ensemble in Residence at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and is on the official artist roster for the Illinois Arts Council ARTSTOUR Program.

Orion recently released its first recording for Cedille Records, entitled Twilight of the Romantics: Chamber Music by Walter Rabl and Josef Labor. In 2003, the group independently released its own acclaimed CD, “A Celebration of American Chamber Music,” featuring works by four outstanding contemporary American composers: Peter Schickele, Augusta Read Thomas, Jackson Berkey and Robert Kritz.

A Chicago native, violist JENNIFER MARLAS grew up studying with Almita and Roland Vamos, and won honors from a young age in the Stulberg and GM/Seventeen National Competitions and first prize in the Talman Home Competition.  Ms. Marlas was a four-year scholarship student of Josef Gingold at Indiana University, where she was unanimously awarded a Performer's Certificate.

After she earned a master's degree and was awarded the Josef Kasper prize at the Peabody Conservatory, Ms. Marlas joined the Pacifica String Quartet as their second violinist.  As a member of the Pacifica, she won Grand Prize at the Fischoff and 50th Anniversary Coleman competitions and the Nathan Wedeen Management Prize at the Concert Artists Guild Competition.  Since leaving the quartet, Ms. Marlas has been active as a soloist, recitalist and teacher.

Ms. Marlas has performed live-broadcast recitals in Chicago and Los Angeles on the Dame Myra Hess series, and has been presented in recital by the Fine Arts Society and Chicago Chamber Music Society.  She has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Bach Ensemble of Baltimore, the Skokie Valley Symphony, and the Viennese Chamber Orchestra of Chicago.  She has served on the faculties of the Yellow Barn and Mimir Chamber music festivals.  

KATHRYNE PIRTLE is clarinetist and executive director of the Orion Ensemble, which she founded with pianist Diana Schmuck and violinist Florentina Ramniceanu. In addition, she is currently principal clarinetist of the Lake Forest Symphony. Other orchestral affiliations include the Lyric Opera Orchestra, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Grant Park Symphony.

In 2004, the Hal Leonard Corporation released her solo album of selected Bach unaccompanied cello and violin suites and sonatas transcribed for the clarinet by Himie Voxman. This represents the first time these transcriptions have been presented in a recording by a clarinetist.

Ms. Pirtle is co-author of the book Performance without Pain, published by New Trends in 2006. The book focuses on the modern dietary influences in common inflammatory and degenerative conditions in musicians, athletes, dancers and the general public. It presents a highly effective solution to healing that utilizes nutrient-dense, enzyme-rich, traditional foods. Ms. Pirtle presents lectures with Dr. John Turner, DC, CCSP, DIBCN on this topic.

Kathryne maintains a private studio, coaches chamber music, gives master classes in clarinet performance and pedagogy, and is an active lecturer on artist career development and organizational development of not-for-profit chamber music groups. She is currently on the staff of The Conservatory of Music at Wheaton College, in Wheaton, Illinois, and teaches in the Chicago suburbs at Hinsdale South High School. In addition, she has served on the faculties of Northern Illinois University, Bradley University, Indiana University and New Trier High School.

Ms. Pirtle studied extensively for 10 years with Larry Combs, principal clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She trained with the Chicago Civic Orchestra from 1985-1988, and created a free chamber music series at the Skokie Public Library from 1988-1990. Ms. Pirtle was a fellow with the Chicago Chamber Musicians from 1989-1991.

FLORENTINA RAMNICEANU, violin, is a founding member of the Orion Ensemble. A native of Romania, Ramniceanu graduated with honors from the Bucharest Conservatory of Music. She has studied with some of the world’s leading violinists, including David Oistrakh, Stefan Gheorghiu and Galina Barinowa. 

Ms. Ramniceanu won the prestigious Romanian National Music Prize for four consecutive years. She has appeared in solo and chamber recitals, and has concertized extensively throughout Europe and the United States. As first violinist with the Consortium String Quartet, known for their collaboration with blues artist Corky Siegel, she has recorded for American Gramophone. 
Other recordings include the acclaimed Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas Album for which she received a gold record. She is also featured on a recording for Columbia College with works by William Russo.

Now a resident of Chicago, Ramniceanu has performed in numerous nationally broadcast series and has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera Orchestra, as well as performing as principal violinist with the Ravinia Festival Orchestra and the Chicago Philharmonic. Since 1990, Ramniceanu served as concertmaster for Bugs Bunny on Broadway, the live orchestra and film stage production that has since played to critical acclaim and sold-out audiences all over the world. In recent years, Ms. Ramniceanu has also served as guest concertmaster for major symphonies in the U.S. and abroad, such as San Francisco, Washington D.C., Detroit, Houston, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Moscow, London, Tokyo, and others. 

Described in the Chicago Sun-Times as "one of the finest chamber pianists on the scene, …playing with her ears as much as her gifted hands," pianist DIANA SCHMÜCK has appeared in concert throughout the United States and Canada, in Europe and as far as the Philippines, where she was a soloist with the Metro-Manila Symphony. She has performed as a soloist at Chicago’s major venues, including Symphony Center, Ravinia, WFMT, and the Chicago Cultural Center. 

A founding member of the Orion Ensemble, she also founded two duos: the Debriana Duo piano team (with Debra Sutter), which received special recognition at the first Murray Dranoff Duo-Piano Competition and was invited to perform at the American Liszt Society in Washington, D.C.; and the Daedalus Duo (with clarinetist Bonnie Campbell). She also collaborates with instrumental musicians from many of the foremost American orchestras and works each summer with world-class singers at Ravinia’s Steans Institute.

Diana is a doctoral graduate of Northwestern University and also holds degrees from DePaul University and Wheaton College. Having taught and coached in several university, college, outreach, and summer festival settings, she currently maintains a studio in Evanston. 

A member of the Orion Ensemble since 1995, cellist JUDY STONE performs regularly with Music of the Baroque where she was a featured soloist in the 2005-2006 season. She also performs with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Philharmonic and Chicago Opera Theater.  Ms. Stone has appeared as soloist with orchestras throughout the United States, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has been recognized in national and international competitions, such as the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, where she was awarded a performers certificate.  

A Chicago native, Ms. Stone received her music education at the Interlochen Arts Academy, and graduated with honors from Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, where she earned bachelor and master of music degrees under the tutelage of cellist Karl Fruh.  She maintains a private teaching studio.

Ms. Stone is a very sought after chamber musician and is frequently heard on television and radio commercials.