Annapolis Symphony Orchestra
and Annapolis Symphony Academy
Announce the 2026 Cecelia Wyatt Honors Recital
in Memory of Marc and Kirk Elvy
Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 4 PM at Temple Beth Shalom in Arnold, MD
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2026
Annapolis, Maryland — The Annapolis Symphony Academy (ASA), the educational arm of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra that serves students and adults, will host the Cecelia Wyatt Honors Recital in Memory of Marc and Kirk Elvy on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 4 p.m. at Temple Beth Shalom in Arnold, Maryland.
The recital will showcase exceptional ASA students, selected through a rigorous, adjudicated competition coordinated by ASA Artistic Director Heather Haughn. Performers will range from elementary to high school students, and the program will highlight their dedication to musical study and performance. Students were selected by a panel of distinguished musicians and educators from To perform at the Cecelia Wyatt Honors Recital, students’ auditions were reviewed by distinguished music and performing arts professionals. The winners of the competition will perform works by Purcell, Dvořák, Saint-Saëns and and others at the recital on March 22, which is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required. Parking for the event at Temple Beth Shalom in Arnold, Maryland is also free.
The recital celebrates the dedication and hard work of studentswho have earned their place in the Honors Recital through a year of focused musical growth. Designed to be both joyful and inspiring, the performance invites audiences of all ages to experience an afternoon of beautiful music as these talented young musicians share the results of their commitment and achievement with the community.
The program includes music by classical and contemporary composers, and can be viewed at AnnapolisSymphony.org/
Honoring a Legacy of Musical Excellence
The inaugural recital, held in 2025, honored the legacy of pianist Cecelia Wyatt and her children, Marc and Kirk Elvy. Mrs. Wyatt has long supported the Annapolis Symphony Academy. Following a major donation she made to the ASA in 2024, Director Netanel Draiblate and Nolan established the honors recital, naming it for Cecelia Wyatt, pianist, in memory of her two sons, Marc and Kirk Elvy.
“The prestige of the Annapolis Symphony Academy is shaped by the people who stand behind it.” said Executive Director Erica Bondarev Rapach. “When artists and teachers like Cecelia Wyatt lead by example—by underwriting a recital and continuing to invest financially in our work—it affirms the quality, integrity, and purpose of what we are building for young musicians.”
About Cecelia Wyatt
Cecelia Merritt Wyatt began teaching piano as a high school senior in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and she presented her first student recital in 1958. In May 2025, she will celebrate 67 years of presenting students in recitals.
Wyatt earned a B.A. in Piano Performance from Wake Forest University, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and an M.L.A. from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. Her students have earned top prizes from the Anne Arundel Music Teachers Association, Music Educators of Greater Annapolis, and the Maryland State Music Teachers Association.
For 25 years, Wyatt concertized as part of the Piano Duo Wyatt and Lebar, performing primarily in schools throughout the Washington-Baltimore-Annapolis region. The duo received the top prize at the Duo-Piano Competition at the Hartford School of Music in 2000. Wyatt was also coached by Hungarian-American composer and pianist Dénes Agay and contributed recordings for his piano literature books.
Wyatt’s influence extends beyond her studio, serving on the board of the Greater Annapolis Ballet and twice presiding over both the Anne Arundel Music Teachers Association and MEGA (Music Educators of Greater Annapolis). Her studio, Cecelia Wyatt Studio and Conservatory, has mentored students of all ages for over 40 years, emphasizing both technical accuracy and musical excellence. Today, Mrs. Wyatt continues to teach and mentor school age and adult students, including ASO incoming Board Chair Katie Edwards, MD, and Trustee Emeritus Jill Kidwell.
“In more than six decades of teaching piano,” Mrs. Wyatt said, “I have tried to promote with every student, young and old, great respect and careful attention to accuracy when they read a score the first time; as notes and rhythms come into focus, the creative work of interpretation can blossom, exhibiting love and respect for every phrase. It is evident, when I hear the results of the ASA teachers and their work, that they teach with discipline as well as love of the music. These young instrumentalists are a joy to hear in the Honors Recital.
“We want to thank Cecelia Wyatt for her contribution to the Annapolis Symphony Academy and this legacy she has gifted our students,” said Haughn. “I am one of the lucky students who were forever impacted by Mrs. Wyatt’s high standards and high quality teaching. This recital showcases her dedication to music, as well as to the passion and discipline required by students who strive to learn more and to improve their craft.”
In Memory of Marc and Kirk Elvy
Marc and Kirk Elvy were both born in Durham, North Carolina, and spent their early lives in Maryland, growing up in a house filled with books and music. They played horns from a young age, each taking trumpet lessons to start. Marc played trumpet and also piano, while Kirk took up the French horn and trombone. They excelled in their academic pursuits, Marc graduating with a BS in Computer Science from Harvard University and Kirk graduating with a BA in English from Duke University.
Marc was a pioneer in computer science. In 1983, he co-founded Marble Associates, Inc. a Boston, Massachusetts-based technology firm. Working from a Harvard dorm room and the trunk of a 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine, Marc and two fellow students who helped co-found the company provided computer and network consulting and software for major clients such as AT&T and Digital Equipment Corporation. Marc was instrumental in creating Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP), which laid the foundation for modern remote connectivity and telecommuting. Kirk was Marc’s trusted partner, serving as Marble Associates’ chief financial and administrative officer. Marc and Kirk were independent spirits and created and fostered a vibrant community at Marble Associates.
On March 16, 1994, a small plane carrying Marble Associates executives crashed near Dulce, New Mexico. Kirk died on that day. Marc survived the crash but, despite fighting valiantly for nearly five days, succumbed to his injuries on March 20, 1994, at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. Marc was 31, and Kirk was 28.
Honoring a Legacy of Musical Excellence
Following Mrs. Wyatt’s 2024 donation to the ASA, co-founder Netanel Draiblate and co-Director Julie Nolan established the honors recital in a meaningful gesture of appreciation. ASA Strings Department Chair Heather Haughn coordinated the competition and recital. Faculty from Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Peabody Preparatory, and Washington Suzuki Strings adjudicated the competition. They praised the students’ exceptional performances, calling the task of selecting winners “extremely challenging.” The recital performance will feature the young artists chosen by the adjudicators, as well as pianist Jay DeWire.
About the ASA
The Annapolis Symphony Academy (ASA) is the largest educational initiative of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO). ASA provides students with unique opportunities to study and perform alongside ASO’s professional musicians. The Orion Youth Orchestra, ASA’s highest-level ensemble, is directed by Maestro José-Luis Novo, the ASO’s artistic director and conductor.
ASA offers free concert tickets to students for performances by their ASO mentors and provides pre-college advising and audition preparation for students pursuing music degrees. Regular workshops cover topics such as practice techniques, instrument care, goal-setting, and musician wellness. In celebration of its eighth year, ASA is offering free ensemble participation for all students, with need-based scholarships available for lessons in the Virtuoso Pathway program.
Media Contact: Heather Haughn, HHaughn@annapolissymphony.org