Blues and boogie-woogie pianist Mark Lincoln Braun has become one of the premiere purveyors of a vanishing art. Having learned his craft first-hand from the early masters, he is a rare living link to the first generation of blues and boogie pianists. Steeped in the rich legacy of this tremendously exciting music, Mr. B learned directly from blues and boogie legends like Little Brother Montgomery, Boogie Woogie Red, and Blind John Davis. In demand for both educational programs and concert performances, he has performed coast to coast and throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico, and South America. In 2002 he was a guest artist at the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. He is also the organizer of the annual Mr. Bʼs Blues and Boogie Piano Celebration that attracts major figures in the blues and jazz piano world to Ann Arbor for collaborative performances with

Joan Raeburn Holland is Clinical Associate Professor Emerita of Harp for the SMTD of the University of Michigan. Along with her position on the faculty at Michigan, Professor Holland is resident harpist and Instructor of harp at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. In addition to her strong commitment to teaching, she maintains an active career in solo, chamber, concerto performances and orchestral performing. She is currently principal harpist for the Midland (MI) Symphony Orchestra, co-principal of the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, Traverse City, MI, and substitute harpist for a number of Michigan orchestras. Before joining the faculty at Interlochen, she was principal harp for the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Ballet Orchestra. She has performed as substitute harpist for the Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, and

Haley Hunt is a Vocal Performance major at the University of Michigan, studying with Freda Herseth. Haley is from Pittsburgh, PA where she formerly studied with Lauren Corcoran Emrich. Haley has been named a finalist and a winner in many vocal competitions including NATS Michigan Division for the First-Year Level, and reached the Semi-Finals for the Lower Undergrad Division in the Schmidt Vocal Arts Competition.  

Haley performed as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel and covered Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro with SOO Opera Theater. Other past credits include Miles in Turn of the Screw and Opera Choruses at University of Michigan, as well as Chorus in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Named for Past SMA president Rosalie Edwards ΣΑΙ, the Rosalie Edwards Youth Music Competition was started for local students in 2003, and is also sponsored by the Society for Musical Arts in conjunction with King’s Keyboard House. The competition is open to musicians (instrumentalists and vocalists) ages 13–18 who reside in Washtenaw County. Participants in this competition are also professionally judged, and the winners also receive cash awards, publicity and a performance opportunity in the Society for Musical Arts’ Spring concert series.

Dr. Deborah Rebeck Ash directs the Lower Michigan Low Flute Ensemble, and the Peace Jubilee Brass Band (Civil War Saxhorns). She plays contrabass flute with the Michigan Flute Orchestra and travels the world playing alto flute with the International and Metropolitan Flute Orchestras. Her flute compositions have been performed at conventions in Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Illinois Virginia and Texas. Dr. Ash also taught flute at the University of Windsor, Canada and studied the Saito Conducting Method in Saskatoon, Canada. She currently teaches flute online and at Emerson School in Ann Arbor, is a published poet, and a colored pencil artist.

 LOWER MICHIGAN Low Flute Ensemble was founded by Dr. Deborah Rebeck Ash in 2024 for the 3rd International Low Flute Festival in Herndon, Virginia. Consisting of alto,

Warren & Flick explore the nuanced textures of a two-person ensemble. Using both original material and arranged standards from many genres, this ensemble finds new depth in the simplicity of a duo. Jacob Warren plays double bass, while Grant Flick plays violin, tenor guitar and nyckelharpa. The two met at the 2015 Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS), a program for young string players from around the world to collaborate and hone their improvisation, composition and performance abilities. A part of the Savannah Music Festival in Georgia, AMS is led by multi-instrumentalist Mike Marshall.

Their music is a reflection of their friendship and wide musical interests. Jacob and Grant spend much of their time arranging, composing and performing together primarily developing original works. The duo documented their sound with their first album “Kestrel,” released in 2019, and their