Musicians who play with us:
Kristin Rangel
Kristin Rangel, business manager and violinist in the quartet, is in her fifth year as a member of String Quartet Con Brio. As a violinist, Kris has played professionally for the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, the Greeley Chamber Orchestra, the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra, the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, the Larimer Chorale Orchestra and the Classic String Quartet. She has played with the likes of Doc Severinsen, Michael Bublé, Quincy Jones, Gladys Knight, Patty Austin, James Ingram, Kenny G, Kansas, and for the rock band Styx. Kris has also had the opportunity to sing with the Larimer Chorale in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as the Die Meistersingers in Omaha, Nebraska. Currently she freelances in the Northern Colorado area and is currently a member of String Quartet Con Brio.
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In addition to her playing, Kris spends her time repairing/rehairing string instrument bows at Boomer Music. Kris was also privileged to be an assistant conductor for the Northern Colorado Youth Orchestra from 2022 until 2025, performing with the students at the National ASTA conference in Atlanta and also on the stage at Carnegie Hall in June of 2025. She retired after thirty-six years in education in the public schools. Her last 11 years of teaching were at Preston Middle School in Fort Collins, Colorado as the Orchestra Director. Kris’ early teaching experiences were for Weld County School District 6 and the Lincoln Public Schools in Lincoln, Nebraska for 14 years. While living in Nebraska, Kris had the privilege of writing orchestra music reviews for the Nebraska Music Educator Journal for several years.
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Kristin enjoys her family and is very involved with them. Her husband, Don, is the former Superintendent of Weld County RE1 School District. Don is currently the Executive Director for CO-ALAS as well as the owner of DVR Educational Consulting. Their three boys – Donny, Bradley, and Matthew (all former or practicing musicians), are very involved with their careers and their families.​​
Sue Temple
Sue Temple, former business manager, is the violist and an original member of the String Quartet Con Brio. Performing in the Front Range area since 1976, she has played extensively with the Ft. Collins Symphony and Greeley Philharmonic Orchestras and continues to perform as a free-lance musician throughout Colorado.
Ms. Temple is also the Founder and Artistic Director of Just Chamber Music, a summer chamber music festival for aspiring musicians ages 8 and older. Since it’s inception, Just Chamber Music has received high acclaim as being one of the best festivals for musicians who want to be challenged to grow musically, explore new ideas and build skills.
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As a private teacher, Sue has maintained an active private studio for over 35 years and currently coaches strings and chamber music at Fort Collins High School. Her students have won top prizes in various Concerto Competitions and have been selected to perform in the master classes of violists Jesse Levine, Simon Rowland-Jones, Carol Rodland, Mimi Zweig, David Holland, Dr. Juliet White-Smith and the Borromeo, Cavani and Alexander String Quartets.
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Originally from the New England area, Sue received her Bachelors' Degree in Music with an emphasis in Performance from Bennington College in Vermont and a second Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Therapy from Colorado State University.
Beth Wells
Beth Wells, cello, has been a member of the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra cello section for 30 seasons. She is also a member of the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra and has held positions in the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, the String Quartet Con Brio, and the String Quartet Fantastique.
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Since retiring from Poudre School District in 2012 where she taught orchestra in several secondary schools, Beth has maintained an active cello studio teaching lessons to elementary through high school students. From 2013-18, Beth was director of the Northern Colorado Cello Choir, and chairperson for the Colorado Chapter of American String Teacher Orchestra Festival from 2015-2016. She is a member of the Colorado Music Adjudication Association, and enjoys the opportunity to conduct, clinic, and adjudicate middle and high orchestra festivals around the state. Currently, she is an active member of the Fort Collins Symphony Education Committee.
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Beth is married to Tom Bittinger, principal bassoonist of the Fort Collins Symphony and Cheyenne Symphony. They enjoy summer music and film festivals around Colorado, and are grateful to have had national and international travel opportunities. Family time spent with their five children, three grandchildren (soon four!) and their basset hound, Jasper, is precious.
Zo Manfredi
Zo Manfredi is a performer and teacher in Northern Colorado. Dr. Manfredi has served as Instructor of Violin and Chamber Music at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and has formerly held the positions of Teaching Artist of Violin and Viola at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and Assistant Music Associate of Violin at Grinnell College. Dr. Manfredi currently runs her private violin and viola studio, ZHM Violin Studio in Loveland, Colorado and enjoys playing with Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, Fort Collins Symphony, Quartet Con Brio, and a variety of chamber ensembles along the Front Range. She has also held positions within the violin sections of the Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra, the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Des Moines Symphony.
During the summers, Dr. Manfredi co-directs the Just Chamber Music Festival in Fort Collins, Colorado and has served on the faculties of the Red Lodge Music Festival, the David Adler Center for the Arts Chamber Music Camp and as guest artist with the Cedar Valley Chamber Music Festival.
In August 2015, Dr. Manfredi received her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas under the direction of renowned pedagogue, Julia Bushkova, where she was awarded both a Teaching Fellowship and Teaching Assistantship. She earned her M.M. at Arizona State University and her B.M. from the University of Puget Sound. Dr. Manfredi is currently receiving her Till Method Pedagogy Certificate with Sophie Till- a pedagogical approach to playing that uses the physical logic we already use within daily activities as a foundation for healthy, career-sustaining technique. More information on the Till Approach can be found at https://www.tillproject.com/.
Dr. Manfredi is originally from Billings, Montana and currently resides in Loveland, Colorado with her husband Matt, their daughter Louisa, and their son Jack. She enjoys spending time outdoors and in the mountains with friends
and family hiking, biking and running.
Leann Griffey
Leann Griffey, violin, began studying violin at the age of 4, following in the footsteps of her mother (former Concertmaster of the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, Carla Hager) and grandmother. As she grew, Leanne expanded her musical studies to include piano and voice, being inspired by her legendary Music Educators in Poudre School District and at Colorado State University. Ultimately, Leanne earned her Music Education degree from CU Boulder and has since taught orchestra, choir, and band in public schools for more than 15 years. She is currently the Orchestra Director at Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School in Fort Collins.
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Throughout her career, she has maintained a steady “diet” of both teaching and performing, having taught private violin, viola, and voice lessons in addition to teaching in schools, and performing with multiple ensembles in Colorado and Virginia. She has played with the Fort Collins Symphony, Cheyenne Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Richmond (VA) Symphony, Williamsburg Symphonia, and the Front Range Chamber Players. She is currently serving as Concertmaster for the Greeley Chamber Orchestra for her 13th season and enjoys playing in string quartets for many events.
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As much as she loves teaching and performing music, Leanne’s true loves are her husband and daughter. As a family, they enjoy adventuring around the world and close to home in the Colorado mountains, especially to go snow skiing!
Robert A. Kreutz
Robert A. Kreutz, violin, a native of Colorado, has spent the past 30 years as a music and strings educator in the Thompson School District in Loveland. In 2012, Mr. Kreutz was awarded the Thompson School District teacher of the year from the Loveland Rotary Society and in spring 2014, educator of the year from Thompson Valley High School. Since retiring from public school teaching in the Spring 2014, the String Quartet Con Brio welcomed Bob into their family of performers.
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As a violinist, Mr. Kreutz performed regularly as a member of the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra for 25 years retiring from full time performance in 2008; and has also performed with the Cheyenne Symphony, Loveland Chamber Orchestra, and Quartet Con Brio. He now performs as a regular substitute for the Fort Collins Symphony.
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Mr. Kreutz is active as a clinician and adjudicator throughout Colorado, creating great music with tremendous orchestral students in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Fort Morgan, Grand Junction, Jefferson County, Longmont, Thornton, and Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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Bob holds a Bachelor’s degree in music education from Colorado State University and a Master’s degree in Orchestra conducting from the University of Denver where he earned distinction for academic achievement and outstanding chamber music performance.
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Mr. Kreutz attributes his love of music to his father, noted Colorado composer, Robert E. Kreutz; and his mentors, Wilfred Schwartz and Steve McNeal; renowned Colorado conductors and educators.
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His hobbies include fly-fishing, golf, nature and quality time with his family.
Marcri Pilon
Marci Pilon, violin, a native of Colorado began studying violin at age nine. As a teenager, she performed in Boettcher Concert Hall with the Young Artists Orchestra of Denver under the direction of David Lockington. By 1990, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy graduating as a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. In 1995, she received a Master’s of Music degree from Colorado State University and later held a faculty position at CSU in the Department of Music Therapy.
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Throughout the last twenty-two years, Marci has performed with the Fort Collins and Cheyenne Symphonies, the Greeley Philharmonic, Larimer Chorale, Centennial Children’s Chorus, String Quartet Fantastique, and the Fort Collins Opera.
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During this time, she has enjoyed being a part of music performances of Chris Brubeck, Trisha Yearwood, Zuill Bailey, Elizabeth Pitcairn, and Eugene Fodor. Marci has shared her love of music with others by working as a violin and piano instructor and as a neurologic music therapist for people with special needs.