September 13, 2026 – 3:00 PM – Arbor Stellae String Quartet
Joseph Haydn Op. 77 No. 1
Robert Schumann Op. 41 No. 1
The Arbor Stellae String Quartet, newly formed in 2026, comprises Leanne Kelso and Michelle Elliott, violins, Spencer Martin, viola, and Eric Miller, cello. It’s members are variously well known to audiences in Wisconsin, Iowa, and beyond as fine chamber musicians, orchestral players, and historical performance experts.
This program features two quartets which both happen to be the first of the last three quartets of both Haydn and Schumann’s output, when both composers were at the height of their powers, thus representing some of the finest writing ever in the genre.
MICHELLE ELLIOTT was a founding member of the Vinca Quartet from 2003-2008, during which time the quartet was awarded a string quartet residency with the Tákacs Quartet at the University of Colorado. The Vincas were prizewinners of the Fischoff, Chesapeake, Plowman, and Premio Paolo Borciani Competition and they were selected to participate in the Banff Summer Music Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove, Juilliard String Quartet Seminar, Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland, and the Emerson Quartet’s Carnegie Hall Training Workshop. Michelle received her BM degree from the University of Illinois, as well as MM and AD degrees from Yale University. She also received her DMA at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Michelle’s primary teachers include Edward Dusinberre, Syoko Aki, Danwen Jiang, Sherban Lupu, Dr. Myron Kartman, Zenaida Gilels, Terrine Gomez, and Mary Nagy. Michelle currently resides in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and teaches privately in her home studio, First Lutheran School, and Luther High School. She joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the fall of 2022.
LEANNE KELSO teaches violin and viola at UW-Whitewater where she has won several awards, including ASTA’s Wisconsin Teacher of the Year. She is also the assistant concertmaster of Madison Symphony and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestras, and artist-teacher at the Illinois Chamber Music Festival. Performing often with the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society chamber music festival, she has collaborated with Toby Appel, Karmit Zori, Parry Karp, and Axel Strauss, among many other inspiring colleagues. Other recent projects include a solo performances of the BeethovenViolin Concerto and Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy with Symphony 847 in Chicago and a presentation on violin pedagogy at the national American String Teachers Convention. Leanne studied modern and Baroque violin with Karen Clarke at Florida State and continues to enjoy early music while performing with the Madison Bach Musicians and leading the Baroque Ensemble at UW-Whitewater. She earned her master’s degree studying with Vartan Manoogian, and was a member of the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas.
SPENCER MARTIN A performer on both modern and historical instruments,SPENCER MARTIN has worked as a violinist, violist, conductor, and teacher throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, Central America, and Europe. He currently serves as Principal Viola of the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra and performs with the Lyra Baroque Orchestra. He has also performed frequently with the viola sections of the Minnesota Orchestra, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra Iowa. His performances have been featured on NPR, CBC, and MPR broadcasts, and his 2012 recording, Gems Rediscovered, was released to critical acclaim.
Spencer holds degrees from the University of Minnesota, Wichita State University, and Butler University and serves on the music faculty of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
ERIC MILLER is a viola da gambist and cellist (baroque and modern) based in the driftless region of Wisconsin, frequently performing solo and chamber recitals on viola da gamba, baroque cello, and modern cello. He has performed with the Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble, Madison Bach Musicians, the Eurythmy Spring Valley Ensemble, Just Bach, Musica Maxima, Madison Choral Project, Madison Youth Choirs, and American Players Theater. Beyond the sphere of classical music, he has recorded and released several hours of improvised lo-fi electronic music with his duo, Basidium. As an educator, he currently teaches private studios in Viroqua, La Crosse, and Madison, WI. He has taught at the Madison Early Music Festival, the Blue Lake Family Suzuki Camp, the Madison Bach Musicians Summer Chamber Music Workshop, is a past director of the Viola da Gamba Society of America’s Young Players’ Weekend workshop. He holds degrees from Northern Illinois University where he studied with Marc Johnson of the Vermeer quartet and the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he studied with Parry Karp of the Pro Arte Quartet.
