The Wells Family Stone May 10^th at the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts

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Fairfield's grassroots community radio station, KRUU-LP 100.1 FM 'The Voice of Fairfield, Iowa', featured in the March issue of ArtScene, will be presenting a gala evening of classical excellence on Saturday May 10th at 8pm in the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, co-sponsored by the Fairfield Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Iowa Source.

Gifted artists Eleanor Wells, her husband Dr. Charles Lee, and sister Catherine Wells, of Boulder, Colorado, will be the featured performers in what promises to be a night of classical delight. Performances will include: J S Bach's "Selections from Unaccompanied Cello Suites," Charles Lee, cello; W A Mozart's "Two Cello Sonata," Eleanor and Charles, cellos; and George Crumb's "Solo Sonata for Violoncello," Eleanor, cello, Catherine, dancer.

Opening the evening will be Fairfield native and pianist extraordinaire Meara Oberdeick, an honors student at the University of Iowa. Her pieces will include: J S Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in G major, The Well Tempered Clavier Book One," and Joseph Haydn's "Sonata No. 53 in E minor."

Eleanor Wells is a member of the Boulder Philharmonic, Central City Opera and the Colorado Ballet. Ms. Wells grew up in Fairfield, graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts, and studied at the University of Colorado as a full scholarship student with Judith Glyde, where she received the Denes Koromzay Quartet Award and placed in the finals of the honors competition two years in a row. She received her M.M. from the University of California at Santa Barbara studying with Geoffrey Rutkowski, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at CU Boulder.

Cellist/composer/conductor Dr. Charles Lee received his bachelor’s degree in composition/piano from the Eastman School of Music where he won the Bernard Rogers composition award. After receiving a master’s degree in cello performance at Temple University under Jeffrey Solow, he moved to Boulder to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts degree under Judith Glyde, which he received in 2004. Principal cellist of the Boulder Philharmonic orchestra since 1998, and principal cellist of Colorado Ballet Orchestra since 2002, Dr. Lee is currently serving as instructor of cello and director of chamber music at the Regis University in Denver.

Catherine Wells trained with the prestigious Tanya Pearsons Classical Coaching Academy in Sydney, Australia and has taught for the School of Ballet Nouveau Colorado since 2003. Prior to BNC, Catherine danced with Dance Theatre of Iowa, the Sydney City Youth ballet, and the South Australian Classical Youth Ballet Company, performing lead and featured roles in many productions. An accomplished violinist and pianist, she also studied with the Atlanta Ballet summer program, and the Fairfield Ballet School.

Meara Oberdieck, now in her sophomore year at the UI, received a full scholarship to study under Dr. Ksenia Nosikova. In high school, she placed first in several statewide and tristate competitions, including second place in the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra Competition. She plans to pursue composition as well as performance.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students, with children 10 and under admitted free. All the proceeds from this show are going to the operating budget at KRUU 100.1 FM. KRUU-FM, whose mission is giving voice to Fairfield. KRUU has inspired over 35,000 volunteer hours, broadcasts 80 shows a week produced by over 100 show hosts. With the addition of LISCO's fiber optic stream, the station's online website traffic is well over 100,000 a month. www.kruufm.com

'The Voice of Fairfield, Iowa' will present four annual benefit concerts in 2008, expanding to six next year. What a great way to support the station that supports you. Join the KRUU for its first annual Classical Gala Benefit Concert. Tickets will be available at FACC and the station at 405 N. 2^nd Street.