Ronald Potts began piano lessons at age 4. Through his early years and on through high school years he studied with Donna Eason of Salem, Oregon (who studied with the famous Polish teacher, Theodor Lechetizky), and was a Mu Phi Epsilon scholarship recipient to Stanford University. However, he switched to biology and went on to graduate from medical school at the University of Cincinnati.

Over the years, Dr. Potts has relished the opportunity to give public piano recitals, many of them as benefits for arts and educational organizations. He has studied with Paul Schenley at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Paul Roberts and Charles Owen of the Guildhall School in London, and Susan Chan of Portland State University among others.

Having retired from active medical practice, he is performing more regularly, including solo recitals abroad in Nice and Berlin, and two piano performances in France and at the University of Chicago. He has entered two international amateur piano competitions, gaining the finals in the Seattle International Piano Competition in 2008 where he was given the Audience Favorite award, and placing third in the Bosendorfer International Competition for Amateurs in Vienna in 2009. He is now focusing primarily on the piano four-hand and two piano four-hand literature. He lives in the eastern Columbia River Gorge near Mosier, Oregon, and works part time as medical director for two national organ transplant network organizations.

Karen Eddleman received her Bachelor’s degree in piano with James Steem and flute from Florida State University, and a Masters in Piano Performance from The Manhattan School of Music under Solomon Mikowsky. She also studied seven summers at the Aspen Music Festival as a scholarship student of Herbert Stessin of the Juilliard School. From New York City, she moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to collaborate and compete as a chamber musician. Upon winning first prize in the Pau Casals National Chamber Music Competition, her ensemble was awarded 6 weeks to study with the renowned cellist, Luis Claret, in Barcelona, Spain. While living in Argentina, Karen became enchanted with the music of Astor Piazzolla and the Tango Nuevo genre. Interestingly, while performing in a chamber music concert in Buenos Aires, she was approached by the producer of the Tony-nominated “Forever, Tango!” and subsequently toured with them for nearly two years. More tango shows and ensembles followed, including flute and keyboard performing and recording credits in “Tango Vivo.” In addition to classical and tango music, she has worked for Walt Disney World Entertainment, performed aboard the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II cruise ship, and was assistant Musical Director for Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ longest running production, “Always…Patsy Cline.” Before moving to Oregon, Karen lived in Santa Fe, NM, where she worked extensively with conductor Kenneth Knight for the Canticum Novum chorus and orchestra, and The SF Men’s Camerata. Other organizations included SF Women’s Ensemble, SF School for the Performing Arts, and Theaterworks’.

Upon moving to the Columbia Gorge, Karen has worked as Music Director at Bethel Congregational Church, performed Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto with the Columbia Gorge Sinfonietta, collaborated with the Vinca Quartet Artists’-in-Residence program, and founded the Columbia Camerata, which produced multi-genre concerts with focus on the importance of supporting professional musical artists in a local community. She also received a White Salmon Valley Education Foundation Artist-in-Residence grant to work for one semester with the Columbia High School choir, and was selected to adjudicate the Columbia Gorge District Bach Festival for high school students in 2009. Karen moved to Portland earlier this year.

Ms. Eddleman has held numerous other music director, college staff, collaborative, and teaching positions throughout the United States and abroad.
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