Epic Trio
Sergei Vassiliev recently founded Educational Partnerships Immersive Concerts (EPIC) - a ‘non-stuffy’ classical concert series that received Peak Arts Prize upon its inception in 2020 and has been described by the Colorado Springs Gazette as “not your parents’ classical music series”. EPIC has enjoyed a consistent confluence of world-class talent such as principal musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Paris National Opera Orchestra. More information about EPIC can be found at epicmustsee.org.
Vassiliev has served as principal clarinetist with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra since 2009. Sergei appeared in the US and Europe as a soloist, chamber musician, and clinician. Vassiliev performed chamber music at Chatter, Festival Mozaic, Colorado College Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Sarasota Festival, and Green Box Arts Festival. Sergei held principal clarinet positions with Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra, and Boise Philharmonic, performed as guest principal at the Music in the Mountains Festival, and has performed with Houston, Colorado Symphonies, and many other symphony orchestras. In 2019, he was honored to be featured in the “Signature Series” with the CSPO where he played the role of artistic director and soloist.
Sergei maintains a sought-after teaching studio in Colorado Springs and serves on the faculties of the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs and Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He has presented masterclasses at the University of Connecticut, the University of Tennessee, and the Kharkiv Conservatory in Ukraine. Vassiliev's principal teachers are Yehuda Gilad, Richard Hawkins, Fred Ormand, and Michael Webster.
He holds degrees and awards from the University of Michigan, Rice University, and the University of Southern California. Sergei is a D’Addario Artist.
Vassiliev has served as principal clarinetist with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra since 2009. Sergei appeared in the US and Europe as a soloist, chamber musician, and clinician. Vassiliev performed chamber music at Chatter, Festival Mozaic, Colorado College Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Sarasota Festival, and Green Box Arts Festival. Sergei held principal clarinet positions with Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra, and Boise Philharmonic, performed as guest principal at the Music in the Mountains Festival, and has performed with Houston, Colorado Symphonies, and many other symphony orchestras. In 2019, he was honored to be featured in the “Signature Series” with the CSPO where he played the role of artistic director and soloist.
Sergei maintains a sought-after teaching studio in Colorado Springs and serves on the faculties of the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs and Colorado State University in Fort Collins. He has presented masterclasses at the University of Connecticut, the University of Tennessee, and the Kharkiv Conservatory in Ukraine. Vassiliev's principal teachers are Yehuda Gilad, Richard Hawkins, Fred Ormand, and Michael Webster.
He holds degrees and awards from the University of Michigan, Rice University, and the University of Southern California. Sergei is a D’Addario Artist.
Shauna M. Smith graduated Magna Cum Laude from the College of Idaho with three diplomas: violin performance, philosophy, and visual art. She then went on to earn her Master of Art and an Advanced Certificate in violin/viola performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music, City University of New York. Her passion for music education earned her the 2018/19 Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Association's "Inspire Teacher of the Year Award." Other honors include College of Idaho’s most outstanding musician and concerto competition winner, 2000. In 2010 the Aaron Copland School of Music awarded her most outstanding chamber musician and in 2011 she won the music school’s concerto competition on viola. Before moving to New York, she was the violinist/violist in residence for the Idaho Shakespeare Festival for 4 seasons. Ms. Smith has played section and principle violin and viola with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Spokane Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, the New York City Nova Philharmonic, and Las Vegas Symphony. She is currently a private violin/ viola instructor, freelance musician, frequent sub with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and the director of educational outreach for EPIC, a nonprofit chamber music performance organization epicmustsee.org. Besides music, Shauna loves hiking, backpacking, traveling, and everyday adventures with her family.
Cellist Andrew Kolb has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States as well as in Canada, England, Switzerland and Sweden. For six years he was a member of the Fairmount String Quartet and principal cellist of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. In Oregon, he was principal cellist of the Eugene Symphony and a member of the Columbia Piano Trio, performing concerts in Germany and Austria including the famous Haydnhaus-Wien.
Andrew studied with Timothy Eddy at SUNY Stony Brook, Ross Harbaugh at University of Miami and Steven Doane at the Eastman School of Music. He has taught cello on university faculties in Newfoundland, Kansas and Oregon. Currently Dr. Kolb teaches at the Thomas MacLaren School, Colorado College and UCCS, and performs with the MacLaren String Quartet, Opera Colorado, Boulder Philharmonic and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic.
Andrew studied with Timothy Eddy at SUNY Stony Brook, Ross Harbaugh at University of Miami and Steven Doane at the Eastman School of Music. He has taught cello on university faculties in Newfoundland, Kansas and Oregon. Currently Dr. Kolb teaches at the Thomas MacLaren School, Colorado College and UCCS, and performs with the MacLaren String Quartet, Opera Colorado, Boulder Philharmonic and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic.