By EMILY CLANCE
A&E Editor

Piedmont’s newest chamber ensemble had its first concert on Sunday, Aug. 24 at 4 p.m.
in the chapel.
Named “Piedmont Camerata,” the new ensemble consists of violinist Heather Strachan,
violinist Rachael Fischer, cellist David Peyton, pianist Jeri-Mae Astolfi and Megan Chisom
Peyton on the viola.
In Sunday’s concert, the ensemble performed works by 19th-century composers Gabriel
Fauré, Joaquín Turina and Antonín Dvorák.
Both Strachan and Astolfi are currently working at Piedmont, Strachan as an adjunct
professor and Astolfi as an artist-in-residence. Astolfi also had her own solo concert at
Piedmont last year.
A native of Ringgold, Ga., Fischer has performed across the United States and Europe.
She not only plays as a chamber musician, but also in orchestras and as a soloist, along
with her role as an educator.
David Peyton is pursuing his Ph.D in music theory at the University of Georgia while
performing professionally. He plays in symphony orchestras across the Southeast,
including those in Augusta, Toccoa, Greenville and Chattanooga. He toured with the
ARCO Chamber Orchestra in Italy in 2011.
Megan Chisom Peyton also toured with the ARCO Chamber Orchestra in Italy in 2011.
She is currently a member of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera.
In addition to teaching at Piedmont, Strachan is concertmaster of the Greater Anderson
Musical Arts Consortium. In the past, she has performed with the Atlanta Opera
Orchestra, the Macon Symphony Orchestra, the Alabama Symphony Orchesta and Georgia
Sinfonia.
Astolfi’s performances have been featured in radio broadcasts and released by Albany
Records, Innova Recordings and as part of Ravello Records’ Capstone Collection.
For more information and to keep up with Piedmont Camerata’s performances, visit
www.piedmont.edu/FA.