About Fontana
Our Mission
To celebrate chamber music – the enriching, intimate music of small ensembles – through performances by renowned guest artists and educational outreach across the breadth of our community.
Presenting great musicians
Fontana’s programming features an extensive array of world-renowned performers – both established and emerging – and diverse programming ranging from classical to contemporary to jazz.
Delivered in traditional as well as alternative settings, Fontana presents a mainstage concert series from September through May, held primarily at the Dalton Center Recital Hall on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. View the 2025-2026 season »
Enriching our community
Among its innovative and broad-based strategies designed to diversify audiences and increase accessibility are Fontana’s commitment to collaborations with other arts organizations and a ticket pricing structure that includes substantial discounts for students and young adults age 25 and under. Learn how Fontana serves the Kalamazoo area »
Meet our new executive and artistic director, beginning September 1, 2026
“I am excited and deeply honored to join Fontana Chamber Arts and step into the role of leading this vibrant, treasured arts organization in Kalamazoo. I look forward to building on its legacy of presenting inspiring world-class chamber music and continuing to create meaningful musical experiences that will resonate and connect with our community, both new and longtime.”
— Sophié van der Westhuizen
Sophié van der Westhuizen is an internationally recognized pianist, educator, and arts leader whose work bridges performance excellence with visionary leadership in music education and community engagement. A Steinway Artist, she performs globally, with a particular artistic focus on piano duo repertoire as one half of the acclaimed Westhuizen Duo, with her partner Pierre. Their performances—praised for “exceptional pianism through evocative coloring” and “superlative interpretative abilities” (CUE Magazine)—have been featured on major radio networks including NPR, WCLV, WGTE, and ClassicFM, and at leading venues and festivals worldwide.
In parallel with her performance career, Sophié currently serves on the faculty of Kalamazoo College, leads a thriving piano studio, and is a summer artist-teacher at Interlochen Arts Camp. Her leadership extends to the broader arts ecosystem through her role as Board Member and Chair of the Artistic Advisory Committee for the Stulberg International String Competition.
Previously, she served as Director of ArtsConnect for the Cleveland International Piano Competition. In this role, she planned and executed an annual summer concert series, organized special festival events, performances and masterclasses at the competition, and led continuous community engagement initiatives expanding access to high-level artistic programming. Her academic appointments have included faculty positions at Heidelberg University, Youngstown State University, Cleveland State University, Western Michigan University and The Music Settlement, reflecting a career-long commitment to cultivating the next generation of artists and teachers.
A sought-after clinician, adjudicator, and presenter, Sophié regularly leads lecture-recitals and masterclasses at major conferences and festivals. Together with her duo partner, she has held guest artist and teaching residencies at premier institutions including the Cleveland Institute of Music, Colorado International Piano Festival, Chautauqua Piano Institute, Kent State University Piano Institute, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Their artistic achievements include fellowships at PianoTexas International Academy and recognition as Shouse Artists at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, as well as a commercial recording of works by Francis Poulenc for two pianos.
Through a career that seamlessly integrates performance, pedagogy, and organizational leadership, Sophié van der Westhuizen continues to shape artistic communities both on stage and behind the scenes.
Our Staff
- Bradley Wong, Executive/Artistic Director
bwong@fontanamusic.org - April Woodward-Slack, Finance Assistant
awoodward-slack@fontanamusic.org - Tina Gorter, DMA, Director of Outreach, Office Manager
tgorter@fontanamusic.org
Office Hours
Our office hours are generally Monday – Thursday: 9:30 AM – noon. It is best to call first to confirm.
Board of Directors
- Mary Oudsema, Co-Chair
- Chris Shook, Co-Chair
- David R. Bernard, Vice Chair
- Kim Melvin, Treasurer
- Patty Smetana, Corresponding Secretary
- Ken Austin
- Rusty Gorter
- Connie Kamerling
- Ryan A. Kasperski
- Andrew Koehler
- Michael Storms
- L. Marshall Washington, PhD
- Charles Wattles
Fontana Chamber Arts is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization.
