Oasis Ensemble
Dawn Weiss
Flute
Solo and orchestral flutist, DAWN WEISS, has performed concerti with numerous orchestras including the Oregon Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony (WA), Pasadena Symphony, Los Angeles Doctors Symphony, Oregon Mozart Players, Yaquina Chamber Orchestra, Colors of the Baroque Chamber Orchestra, Sunnyside Symphony and Chamber Music Northwest, among others. As a solo recitalist she performed internationally and nationally in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Italy, Mexico, Peru, California, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Critics have called her work “exquisite,” “imaginative, polished and memorable.” She served as Principal Flute of the Oregon Symphony for 25 years. Prior to that she was the Principal Flute of the Mexico State Symphony Orchestra in Toluca Mexico, and a member of the Miami Philharmonic. Ms. Weiss has performed on several CD’s including “Trillium Winds”, “Michael Allen Harrison and Friends”, “Histoire du Tango: Bordel” and "Weiss Family Woodwinds,” with her brothers, David Weiss, (Oboist) and Abraham Weiss, (Bassoonist) which received high critical acclaim. Ms. Weiss has served as adjunct flute professor at several Portland, Oregon colleges and taught several summers for Flute Alliance: “Flute Boot Camps.” For more information, please visit: http://www.dawnweiss.com
Louis Lowenstein
Cello
LOUIS LOWENSTEIN, born in Cleveland and raised in Arizona, began his musical development at age seven as a pianist, discovering the cello two years later. As a 13-year-old he was cello soloist with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra playing the Saint-Saens Concerto, and at 15 studied for two years with Gregor Piatigorsky at USC, Los Angeles. Louis is a former member of both the Chicago Symphony (1990-1992) and Pittsburgh Symphony (1992-2013).
Andrew Pham
Piano
ANDREW PHAM is a versatile collaborative pianist who has been employed as a staff accompanist for numerous national opera companies including Nashville Opera, Opera Tampa, Opera Orlando, Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, Pensacola Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Eugene Opera, and Cascadia Chamber Opera. He has also performed internationally in Costa Rica, Germany, and, most recently, Italy, where he was employed as a staff vocal accompanist for Accademia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti in summer 2019 in Lucca. This upcoming summer 2023, he will serve as a faculty coach and pianist for the Varna International Music Academy in South Carolina and for Opera Modesto's Summer Opera Institute in California. He is a founding member of the touring voice and piano ensemble, "Spire Duo," which has performed throughout the Pacific Northwest. Andrew received master's degrees in Collaborative Piano at the University of Oregon and Piano Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Piano Performance and Music Composition at James Madison University in Virginia. Locally, Andrew serves as a piano teacher and freelance accompanist.
Andrew Cannestra
Piano
Pianist and composer Andrew Cannestra is the grand prize winner of the 2021 Aeolian Classics Emerging Artist Competition. His debut album, Mystic Pool, was released in 2022, featuring one of his own compositions alongside works by William Grant Still, Alexander Scriabin, Frederic Chopin, and Henri Dutilleux.
Andrew has performed at some of Chicago’s premier venues such as Guarneri Hall and Ganz Hall, and he has also been featured as guest artist for the recital series Henry Fogel Presents. In addition, he performed the Ravel Concerto in G across the Midwest on tour with the St. Olaf Orchestra. He is passionate about programming music by living composers and historically under-represented composers alongside more familiar masterworks. In the coming months, he will perform the Amy Beach Piano Concerto with the University of Oregon Symphony Orchestra, and will also give the world premiere of Ryan Johnston’s Piano Concerto no. 1 with Horizon Ensemble.
Equally accomplished as a composer, Andrew often performs his own solo piano music in concert. Notable performers of his other works include the St. Olaf Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the St. Olaf Band, the St. Olaf Philharmonia in 2017, and the Artaria String Quartet in 2016. His music has also been featured in Peter Nelson’s award-winning animated film, Intruder Man.
Andrew currently resides in Eugene, Oregon, where he teaches secondary piano at the University of Oregon. He is currently pursuing his D. M. A. in piano performance, studying with Alexandre Dossin and David Riley. Outside of music, he enjoys fly fishing, hiking, Italian food, and spending time with his wife, fellow pianist Kaitlyn Clawson-Cannestra.
