The Gallatin Woodwind Quintet is the premiere woodwind ensemble in Montana. It was founded in 1972, and three members of the current group, flutist Karen Leech, oboist Lorna Nelson and bassoonist Alan Leech were among the founding members of the Quintet. The Quintet is known throughout the region for their innovative programming, presenting the early classics of the repertory like quintets of Danzi and Reicha up through music written especially for the GWQ. The Quintet has amassed a library of woodwind quintet music that is second to none. Held by the Music Department of Montana State University,where they are an ensemble-in-residence, the Chamber Music Library encompasses over 350 works for woodwind quintet. Bassoonist Alan Leech has also written several pieces for the group which include ‘Japanese Song Fantasy,’ published by International Opus. The Quintet is also noted for its tours in Asia, having performed in the Kumamoto area of Japan and throughout the island nation of Singapore. Members of the Quintet are faculty in the Department of Music at Montana State University and are also associated with the Bozeman Symphony. They are available for Bozeman area concerts through the Bozeman Symphony’s “Far Afield” program.
Karen Leech, Flute, nationally recognized as an outstanding teacher has been flute professor at MSU for 35 years and her students are active throughout the United States performing and teaching. Her former students include recitalist and teacher Leonard Garrision, recording artist Rhonda Larson, and music administrator Renee Westlake. As a performer she filled the principal flute chair of the Bozeman Symphony for 34 years, played with world music groups the Montana Consort and MusiCollage and has performed several times at National Flute Association Conventions. She is a member of the International Flute Orchestra and has toured Eastern Europe, China, and Greece with this ensemble. She holds degrees from Smith College and the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. She has studied with William Hebert and George Hambrecht and has played in master classes with Marcel Moyse, William Bennett, Julius Baker, and Samuel Baron.
Lorna Nelson, Oboe and English Horn, is recently retired from MSU where she taught oboe and organ for 30 years. A founding member of the Gallatin Woodwind Quintet, she has also served as principal oboist of the Bozeman Symphony for over forty years and has been a member of the Helena Symphony, the Intermountain Opera, and the Montana Ballet. In addition to her Montana performance affiliations, she has been principal oboist with the Gladsaxe Orchestra in Copenhagen and has presented recitals in Copenhagen and Paris. Her most recent Paris recital was performed in March of 2006 at Eglise de la Sainte-Trinite Church, accompanied by Carolyn Fuster Fournier. Her degrees are from the University of Montana and she has studied oboe with Hal Herbig and Jorgen Hammergaard.
Mary Ann Jacobson holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Clarinet Performance from Texas Tech University and a Master of Music degree in both Clarinet and Vocal Performance from The University of Montana. She is principal clarinetist in the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra and plays in the Gallatin Woodwind Quintet, Three Rivers (viola, clarinet, and piano trio), the Intermountain Opera Orchestra, and the Montana Ballet Orchestra. A fourteen year veteran in the Billings (MT) Symphony, she has played in numerous regional orchestras throughout Montana, Wyoming, Texas, and New Mexico. In 2003, Dr. Jacobson joined the faculty at Montana State University in Bozeman as the Professor of Clarinet. She was a 2008 recipient of the Award for Excellence, one of the highest honors to be given a teacher at MSU. Dr. Jacobson has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at the University of Montana and has taught at Texas Tech University and MSU-Billings. She has soloed with the MSU Orchestra, performed in numerous chamber music ensembles, and plays in the Alte Kameraden, a folk band from Red Lodge (MT). In addition to her instrumental performing experience, she has sung in the Santa Fe (NM) Desert Chorale, the Montana Chorale, and the Billings Repertory Singers. Dr. Jacobson is a frequent presenter of Clarinet Workshops in area schools, and she is often sought to judge both instrumental and vocal performances at Music Festivals.
Alan Leech, bassoon, is Professor Emeritus in music at Montana State as well as principal bassoonist of the Bozeman Symphony and a performer with world music groups (Montana Consort and ‘musiCollage’) as well as with other chamber music groups (Flutes and Friends, SaxSummit). He has held principal bassoon positions with many growing American orchestras across the U.S. He was a founding member of the Gallatin Woodwind Quintet and has composed several pieces for them. He received his BM and MM degrees from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati where he studied bassoon with Otto Eifert, and conducting with Max Rudolf and Erich Kunzel. For further information about Alan, visit Alan Leech Music.
Greg Notess, French horn, has played with the Gallatin Woodwind Quintet since their tour to Japan in 1996. He has been a member of the horn section of the Bozeman Symphony for the past sixteen years and also performs locally with the Billings Symphony, the Nutcracker Ballet Orchestra, the Gallatin Chamber Orchestra, and the natural horn ensemble, ‘Parforce’. He studied horn with Michael Hatfield and Lowell Greer in Cincinnati and has Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. He also holds a Master of Librarianship degree from the University of Washington and is currently a reference librarian at Montana State University. For further information please see Montana State University Library Faculty.