An Afternoon with Elizabeth Phelps and Friends brings to life the dazzling virtuosity of early 17th-century Venetian chamber music, featuring three violins, violone, and bass lute. Violinist Elizabeth “Libby” Phelps, a dynamic performer equally at home on baroque and modern violin, leads an ensemble of esteemed musicians in an intimate exploration of this expressive and intricate repertoire.
All purchases are nonrefundable. First Sundays Concerts is open seating, doors open 30 minutes before the concert. Concerts are 60-90 minutes long with no intermission.
A native of Hamden, CT, violinist Elizabeth “Libby” Phelps leads a diverse career on both baroque and modern violin. Currently based in Seattle, she regularly plays with the Seattle Symphony and numerous baroque ensembles on the West coast. Before moving to Seattle, she served as principal second violin in the North Carolina Symphony from 2013 to 2018. During this time, she frequently performed as a soloist with the group and was sought after as a recitalist and chamber musician throughout the state. She also discovered her love of Historically Informed Performance and attended workshops with members of the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and American Bach Soloists. Subsequently, she began to perform with the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra and Apollo’s Fire in Cleveland. In 2018, she was invited to the Grand Tetons Music Festival to perform a recital with Jeannette Sorrell. An avid chamber musician, she often returns to North Carolina to play with the Mallarme Chamber Players in Durham.
Prior to winning her position in the NC Symphony, Libby completed a four-year fellowship with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, FL, where she performed as concertmaster under Michael Tilson-Thomas, collaborated with Christian Tetzlaff and Paula Robison in chamber performances, and played in a masterclass for Jordi Savall. Other orchestral experiences include the Grant Park Orchestra of Chicago, the Verbier Festival Orchestra, and the Lucerne Festival Academy, where she played under the baton of the late Pierre Boulez.
Libby received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Paul Kantor and Stephen Rose. On baroque violin, she has studied with Enrico Onofri, Marc Destrube, Elizabeth Field, Elizabeth Blumenstock, and David Wilson. She lives with her partner Matthew Decker, a percussionist in the Seattle Symphony, and is passionate about body awareness, art, and a good cup of coffee.
Links: Elizabeth's website