L'Ensemble's Additional Guest Artists

Oliva Koppell, Violist (November 18-19th) A graduate of Bennington College, Koppell performs with The American Ballet Theatre orchestra and freelances with The New York Pops, Bronx Arts Ensemble, and on Broadway.  She has also participated in the Caramoor, Spoleto, and Cabrillo music festivals in the United States and Europe.  Koppell is a member of The Concert Society of Putnam and Northern Westchester and has been a member of the New Orleans, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and American Symphony orchestras.

Jesse Levy, Cellist (November 18-19th) A native of New York, Levy has received several awards from organizations including seven consecutive Most Valuable Player Awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.  Levy has also premiered numerous solo cello works and recorded the chamber version of Appalachian Spring with Aaron Copland and CBS Records.  He was a featured soloist on several film soundtracks and recordings and most recently peformed in Woody Allen’s movie “Small Time Crooks.”  According to France-Amerique, Levy “possesses all of the attributes which place a musician in the stratosphere: a true virtuoso technique, a warm and expressive sound, a musical instinct that eloquently fills each phrase, a palette of nuances of vast richness.”
L’Ensemble artists have distinguished their musical careers by working with the New York Philharmonic, The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, St. Luke’s Orchestra, and The Mostly Mozart Orchestra as well as with various recording studios of New York.

Richard Brice, Violist (February 16th) has toured throughout Germany, France, Italy and Spain as soloist and Principal Violist of the Munich Chamber Orchestra after making his solo debut with the orchstra in 1984.  Mr. Brice studied viola with Theodore Israel and Eugene Becker while attending the High School of Music and art and later earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Juilliard School where he studied viola with William Lincer and chamber music with the members of the Julliard String Quartet.  He was previously Principal Violist of the Southwest German Philharmonic and the Konzertverein St. Gallen and served as Associate Principal Violist of the Orquestra Sinfonica de Venezuela and was a founding member of the Quartetto Venezuela.  Mr. Brice lives in New York where he was the violist of the Chamber Music ensemble “Andie Musik” from 1985 – 2002.  Mr. Brice has been a guest of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and is the Principal Violist of the Philharmonia Viruosi Chamber Orchestra.

Belinda Whitney, Violinist (February 16th) is a native of Philadelphia,  She has appeared in concert and recitals throughout the United States, as well as Europe and Asia.  Her training includes Bachelor and Master degrees from Temple University and The Juilliard School, respectively.  She served as concertmaster of The Savannah Symphony and as Associate Concertmaster of The North Carolina Symphony.  Ms. Whitney’s awards include medals from the Carnegie Hall International Music Competition and the International Music Competition of Vienna.  In New York City her career extended to the world of popular music, appearing as concertmaster of many Broadway shows, commercial recordings and film scores.  Ms. Whitney is delighted to appear with L’Ensemble.