“an extremely taut and accurate traversal”
New York Sun
Staff < Board
Matthew Dirst
Artistic Director
Kinga Ferguson
Executive Director
board of directors
William Pannill
President
Miles Smith
Vice-President
Richard Viebig
Treasurer
Susan Scarrow
Secretary
Robin Angly
Joyce Fox
Stephen Friedlander
Dr. Robert Furse
Timothy Jones
Victor Kendall
Dorry Shaddock
Eleanor Viebig
Dr. Joan Weltzien
Freda Wooldridge
MATTHEW DIRST
Artistic Director
First American musician to win major international prizes in both organ and harpsichord, known for his stylish playing of Baroque music in particular. About his recent performances of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” critics have noted that Dirst “illuminated the contrapuntal wizardry, but also radiated the joy of this most life-affirming music” (Dallas Morning News) with performances that were “of irresistible rhythmic impulse... technically dazzling, and deeply moving” (Houston Chronicle). Dirst is also Associate Professor of Music at the Moores School of Music, University of Houston, and organist of St. Philip Presbyterian Church in Houston. His degrees include a PhD in musicology from Stanford University and degrees in organ and sacred music from the University of Illinois and Southern Methodist University.
KINGA FERGUSON
Executive Director
Kinga Ferguson has experience in both arts administration and vocal performance that spans three countries. She holds an MBA from the University of Lyon, France, and has worked, in Paris, for the Jacques Thelen Agency and European Artistic Management. She has also worked with the USA International Harp Competition and a number of arts organizations in Poland. She holds a Masters and Performer’s Diploma in Voice from Indiana University and has sung with Chicago Opera Theatre, Chicago Humanities Festival, Marion Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Opera Company of the Highlands, Indiana University Opera Theatre, and Houston’s own Opera Vista. She holds an Artist’s Diploma in Piano from the State School of Music in Lodz, Poland. Ferguson is a Fellow of the Paul Daisy Soros Foundation for New Americans.
TONI VALLE
Administrative Assistant
Toni Leago Valle received a BA in Theatre, specializing in dance, from University of Houston in 2000. Ms. Valle has received an Individual Artist Grant from HAA in 2002, a DiverseWorks Artist Residency in 2006, and an Individual Artist Grant from HAA for 2008. Her choreography has been seen at DiverseWorks, JCC, HSPVA Houston, University of Houston, San Jacinto College and various art openings and outdoor events. Since 2000, she has performed with Suchu Dance, Becky Valls & Company for Young Audiences, Dancepatheatre, Psophonia Dance Company, and Travesty Dance Group. As Project Director of Dance Source Houston, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting dance, Ms. Valle maintains the houstondance.org website, the DSH Dance newsletter, the DSH marketing table and the printed Dance Card.