Kansas Arts on Tour Roster - Classical Music Ensembles

The Tallgrass Trio was formed in 2006, and has quickly become a popular ensemble in northeast Kansas, performing both classical and lighter fare in a variety of settings. Trio members include violinist Kristin Mortenson (Coordinator of Publicity/Outreach and Instructor of Music Theory at Kansas State University, Associate Concertmaster of the Topeka Symphony), clarinetist Abby Richmond (Education Director for the International Association for Jazz Education), and bassoonist Susan Maxwell (Instructor of Music Theory at K-State and Principal Bassoon of the North Arkansas Symphony). 

Program Descriptions

The Tallgrass Trio offers a unique blend of wind and string instruments playing a wide variety of musical genres from Baroque to Classical to Contemporary, as well as seasonal and lighter fare. Programming can be varied according to specific desires, but may be based upon one of our available themes:

• Classical Beauty (standard composers of classical music)
• A Night at the Opera* (arrangements of arias from well-known operas)
• Wearin' O' The Green* (traditional Irish fare)
• If it Ain't Baroque* (famous composers from the Baroque period)
• It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like* (standard Christmas and Holiday classics)

The trio also can present interactive children’s programs chosen from Peanut Goes to Europe or Peanut Tours American History, both of which feature the adventures of a fun-loving dog named Peanut as he travels the country and the world. 

*Concerts marked with an asterisk are especially appropriate for school concerts as the individual selections are shorter; therefore, more variety can be presented in a shorter concert format. Concert choices/selections may be combined to expose younger listeners to a variety of music.