Individual members of Chance have recorded and performed with jazz greats Miroslav Vitous, Herbie Hancock, film composers Lalo Schifrin and John Williams, Herb Alpert, Robert Goulet, Michael Columbier and many others.

Chance has enjoyed considerable airplay in the United States on college stations, National Public Radio, and television, and has been aired internationally in over 30 countries. Currently, Chance is a regular feature at the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, an annual 3-month concert season in Bayfield, Wisconsin. They are frequently heard on "Tent Show Radio", the WPR show compiled from live performances at the Chautauqua. They toured as part of Big Top founder Warren Nelson’s new musical "30th Star", a work commissioned by the state of Wisconsin for its Sesquicentennial celebration of statehood.

Recent credits include the premiere of their new work for chamber ensemble and choir ("Fields: A Cantata for the Peaceful Rain") with world renowned new music ensemble Present Music from Milwaukee. A movement from this work was recorded by celtic harpist Kim Robertson with guests "Solas" on her new CD ("The Spiral Gate") on the Narada label. Over the last two summer seasons at the Chautauqua, Chance opened for the legendary Little Feat. Also, as part of the house band for Big Top Chautauqua, they opened for Willie Nelson and the Smothers Brothers.

Also, they continue their annual work as a cultural partner of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Arts in Community Education (ACE) Program, and has done numerous residencies throughout the country.

Cheryl Leah is a vocalist, composer, and a published poet and lyricist. Known in the music world for her staunch adherence to the pursuit of originality, she has gained the respect of a stunningly wide array of prominent musicians. From the praises of songwriting legend Jackson Browne to those of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Roy Tanabe, the theme remains the same - her voice is one of a kind. Ms. Leah is a graduate of the Dick Grove School of Music in Los Angeles, founded by jazz great and original music theorician Dick Grove. She is also an instrumentalist, playing Baroque Alto Recorder. Ms. Leah is the founder and Artistic Director of the Amaranth Concert Series, now in its fourth season.

Ed Willett earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California School of Music in Los Angeles, California. He is a cellist, guitarist, composer, arranger, and vocalist. During his education at U.S.C., he studied with cellist Eleanor Schoenfeld. While in Los Angeles, he was chosen to participate in the world renowned Piatigorsky master class for cellists. There he studied with Zara Nelsova, Joel Krosnick and Erling Bengston. He has been a member of many symphony orchestras, including the Honolulu Symphony, the Pasadena Symphony, the Glendale Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, and as co-principal of the U.S.C. Symphony, conducted by Daniel Lewis. He toured for several years for Columbia Artists Management with the Clarion Trio as part of their Community Concert Series. In 1999 he premiered his cello concerto, commissioned by the Chequamegon Bay Area Symphony. Mr. Willett performed with the 87-performance tour "Spirit", the nationally touring Native American/rock ballet written by film composer Peter Buffet. This summer, with the house band for the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, he performed with Howard Levy (formerly of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones).
 

The program, though created for grades 4-6, can be easily adapted for any age. While relying on Chance’s performance, it contains many opportunities for class involvement and participation.

Our web site address is: www.chanceworld.com