Lucas Waldin is a dynamic and versatile conductor whose performances have delighted audiences across North America. He has collaborated with some of today’s most exciting artists including Carly Rae Jepsen, The Barenaked Ladies, Crash Test Dummies, Ben Folds, The Canadian Brass, and Buffy Sainte-Marie, in addition to conducting presentations such as Disney in Concert, Blue Planet Live, Cirque de la Symphony, and the groundbreaking symphonic debut of R&B duo Dvsn as part of the global Red Bull Music Festival. 

Waldin has been a guest conductor for numerous orchestras in the U.S. and Canada, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Toronto Symphony, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. 

Having joined the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra as Resident Conductor in 2009, Waldin was subsequently appointed Artist-in-Residence and Community Ambassador – the first position of its kind in North America. He appeared with the ESO over 150 times and conducted in Carnegie Hall during the orchestra’s participation in the 2012 Spring for Music festival. In recognition of his accomplishments he was awarded the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestral Conducting and received a Citation Award from the City of Edmonton for outstanding achievements in arts and culture.

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Waldin holds degrees in flute and conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Lincoln Suzuki Studio Talent Education, Inc. is a group of string, piano, and flute teachers who use the Suzuki method of instruction. The students in these teachers’ studios range in age from 2 through adult. These students initially learn by ear and continue honing both their ear training and note-reading skills as they advance. For more information, visit www.lincolnsuzukimusic.com.

Drew Duncan, originally from Okoboji, IA, has sung with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Des Moines Metro Opera, Virginia Opera, Sarasota Opera, Castleton Festival, Chicago Opera Theater, Chamber Opera Chicago, Ash Lawn Opera, Opera for the Young, Virginia Consort, Dubuque Symphony Orchestra and was a Central Region Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2010.

Since moving to Nebraska in 2012, Drew regularly sings with Opera Omaha, Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra, Abendmusik, The Nebraska Wind Symphony, First-Plymouth Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, Saint Cecelia Cathedral, UNO, Creighton University, TADA Productions, and sings the National Anthem for the UNO Maverick Hockey team, the College World Series and the Olympic Swim Trials and Curling Trials. 

Bell-issimo had its inception in the summer of 2001 to perform programs and concerts in and around the community. Nancy Youngman, Director, assembled bell ringers who were passionate about handbells, had solid musical ability, and were generous about allocations of their time. Most charter members were also members of two local church handbell choirs: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. As Nancy directed both choirs, she had firsthand knowledge of the ringers’ capabilities. Eventually, other musicians voiced an interest in playing with the group and it evolved to its present incarnation as an auditioned community choir, with auditions being held annually in August. This year’s ringers represent eleven churches from the Lincoln area. 

Bell-issimo has performed with multiple musical groups in the Lincoln area, including Lincoln Choral Artists, the Lincoln Community Concert Band, Dulces Voces, the Lincoln Early Music Consort, along with Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra. Also, Bell-issimo has presented several Pops & Rock Concerts at Vega and the Royal Grove. Regular concerts have been presented in Lincoln and various communities throughout Nebraska. The choir was honored to be asked to participate as special guests of the Christmas Extravaganza in Bossier City, Louisiana in December 2015, playing with a professional orchestra, as well as playing for the church service of the International Conference of the Willa Cather Foundation in Red Cloud. The group is extremely pleased to be included in Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra’s annual Christmas concert. Anyone interested in playing with Bell-issimo or scheduling a concert should contact Nancy at youngmannk@gmail.com.