Kevin Matheson and Judith Clark

Violinist Kevin Matheson founded the Classic Strings Duo with his brother, Bryan, and received critical acclaim at their Carnegie Weill Recital Hall début as part of the Ibla Grand Prize competition winners’ tour. The duo has been recognized for its mesmerizing and spirited performances – two perfect virtuosos, playing as one. Their two successful tours to Japan included recorded performances at Yamaha Hall in Tokyo and they have also performed in Sicily, Ireland and the Czech Republic. Matheson is a contract member of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, teaches at Hollins University and founder of the Rainier Trio, which tours for the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Matheson has performed with David Stewart Wiley, conductor of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, as guest soloist with the Irish Sinfonietta Orchestra in New York City, and for nine seasons was concertmaster of the Viva Vivaldi Chamber Orchestra, which recorded for Centaur Records. He performed in the Ameropa International Chamber Music Festival in Prague and was concertmaster of the festival orchestra. For eight seasons Matheson served as concertmaster of the RMA Chamber Orchestra, performing throughout the southeastern United States and in Ireland, including the prestigious West Cork Chamber Music Festival and the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.

As a sought after performer, teacher and educator, he has conducted the Wythe Bow and String Orchestra and the Roanoke Youth Symphony’s Summer Music Institute’s Chamber Orchestra and String Ensemble. He has guest conducted the Valley Chamber Orchestra at Hollins University and he has been a clinician for string orchestras in the Norfolk City Schools and Conducting Assistant for the RMA Chamber Orchestra. He also is a performing artist for Young Audiences of Virginia.

Pianist Judith Clark received an undergraduate degree in music from Mary Washington College and a master’s degree in piano performance from Northwestern University where she was awarded a graduate fellowship in accompanying. She has taught music in both public and private schools and has served on the faculties of Roanoke College, Hollins University, Mary Baldwin College, and Washington and Lee University. As an accompanist, she has collaborated with such artists as Marilyn Dubow, William Dupré, Ralph Evans, Jonathan Mack, Nicholas Loren, Steven White, and Elizabeth Futral. Following her performance at the Rossborough Festival at the University of Maryland, The Washington Post called her “a most impressive accompanist.” As an arts administrator, she managed the performing arts facility and community arts program at Roanoke College from 1978-1988 and served as founding Executive Director of Opera Roanoke. She was rehearsal accompanist for Opera Roanoke for more than a decade, serving under conductors Victoria Bond, Scott Williamson, Milton Granger, Steven Crawford, and Steven White. She has performed twice in Japan, served as regional coordinator for Young Audiences of Virginia and is currently organist at South Roanoke United Methodist Church, and freelance coach/accompanist.

You can find the duet’s performance here.