Blog - Page 8 of 10 - Port Townsend Symphony Orchestra

February 12, 2019August 11, 2019

PAVANE POUR UNE INFANTE DEFUNTE by Maurice Ravel, 1875-1937

(Pavane for a Dead Princess)

Maurice Ravel was born in 1875 in Ciboure, France, a small Basque town near the Spanish border. He and his parents moved to Paris when he was very young. By the age of seven, he was taking piano lessons and studying harmony and composition. In 1889, at age fourteen, he passed the entrance exam into the Conservatoire de Paris by playing music by Chopin.

Ravel won the first prize in the Conservatoire’s piano competition in 1891, but otherwise did not stand out as a piano student. His ambition was to become a composer, but his early works were not well received by the faculty and he was expelled from the Conservatoire in 1895. In 1897 he was re-admitted and began to study with Gabriel Fauré who considered Ravel’s work “very imaginative.”

It was during this time, in 1899, that Ravel composed his first widely known piece: “Pavane pour une Infante Defunte.” The pavane was originally written for piano and it was played everywhere “by young ladies who did not play the piano very well.”

Eleven years later, Ravel orchestrated the piece into the form we hear today, a version featuring the tonal intricacies of a symphony.

February 5, 2019August 11, 2019

FANTASIA PARA UN GENTILHOMBRE by Joaquin Rodrigo, 1901-1999

(Fantasia for a Gentleman)

Joaquin Rodrigo is the most popular Spanish composer of the 20th century. Although he wrote music for many different instruments and ensembles, he is best remembered for his pieces for the guitar.

At age three, he completely lost his eyesight after contracting diptheria. His blindness did not diminish his musical abilities. He began to study piano and violin at age eight, and harmony and composition at age sixteen. He was accepted into the Conservatoire de Paris where he was a pupil of Paul Dukas.

Rodrigo’s own compositions were written in Braille, then transcribed into standard musical notation for publication. His most famous works, both for Spanish guitar and orchestra, are “Concierto de Aranjuez” and “Fantasia para un Gentilhombre.”

Rodrigo composed “Fantasia for a Gentleman” in 1954 at the request of guitar virtuoso Andres Segovia. It is in four movements based on short dance melodies from a 17th century instructional guitar manual by Spanish composer Gaspar Sanz. Many believe that the “gentleman” referred to in the title is Sanz. But Rodrigo probably intended this concerto to honor Segovia, the guitarist.

This piece was premiered on March 5th, 1958, in San Fransisco, with Segovia as the soloist.

January 29, 2019August 11, 2019

PAVANE, OP. 50 by Gabriel Fauré, 1845-1924

Gabriel Fauré was born in the south of France in 1845. At age nine, he was sent to Paris to be trained as a church organist and choirmaster. Among his teachers was Camille Saint-Saens, who became a lifelong friend. As a young adult, Fauré made a modest living as an organist and teacher, leaving him little time for composition.

By middle age ha had become the director of the Conservatoire de Paris (the Conservatory of Music in Paris), and during the summers he would retreat to the countryside to relax and concentrate on composing.

On an 1887 creative outing, Fauré wrote to his wife, “while I was thinking about a thousand different things of no importance whatsoever, a kind of rhythmic theme in the style of a Spanish dance took form in my brain… This theme developed itself, became harmonized in different ways, changed and modulated, in effect, it germinated itself.”

That theme became Fauré’s Pavane Op. 50, and it recieved its premiere in Paris the following year (1888). The pavane is bnased on one basic melody first introduced by solo flute with pizzicato strings imitating a guitar accompaniment. Its pattern and form were used by Fauré’s student at that time, Maurice Ravel, for his “Pavane pour une infante defunte.”

December 1, 2018August 11, 2019

GWEN FRANZ, Violist

As a performer, recording artist, teacher, and scholar, Gwen Franz is a diverse violist of multiple musical traditions. In 2017, she was awarded a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Washington in classical viola performance, which also included studies within the jazz and ethnomusicology departments.

Her research on improvisation and oral traditions resulted in her thesis topic, “The Homeric Answer: How By-Ear Learning and Improvisation Enhance the Musicianship of Classical Performers.”

Dr. Franz has been featured as a concerto soloist and chamber musician throughout the Pacific Northwest, has toured throughout the United States and Chile.

She has also performed with eclectic musicians such as Darol Anger and Eugene Friesen. In 2013 she released two albums, Airoso, with classical guitarist Hilary Field, and Douce Ambiance, with jazz violinist Michael Gray and cellist James Hinkley.

Her many years of professional orchestra experience include performing with the Seattle Symphony, Northwest Sinfonietta, Grand Rapids Symphony, Lansing Symphony and Evansville Philharmonic. She recently moved to Port Townsend with her husband, Ernie Franz. (Dec 2018)

September 26, 2018September 27, 2019

Past Soloists – Master List

Linda Bach, December 2003, December 2001
Saro Babikian, February 2019
Nancy Beier, April 2013
Lorraine Burdick, December 2003, December 2001
Michael-Ann Burnett, October 2007
Kyle Campbell, December 2010, April 2009, October 2004
Kim Clark, October 2006, October 2002
Paul Creech, February 2015
Ray Chirayath, February 2017, December 2015
Christopher Cox, December 1998
Dennis Crabb, May 2008
Roger Crook, February 2006
Matthew Daline, October 2018, October 2008
Jann Degnan, March 2003
Chuck Easton, December 1999
Gwen Franz, December 2018
Larissa Freier, April 2018
James Garlick, March 2002
Arthur Grossman, October 2009
Carl Hanson, February 2016
Michael Helwick, October 2014
Vicki Helwick, February 2017, April 2014, December 2012, October 2011
Barbara Henry, December 2010, December 2007, December 2006
Judy Johnson, February 2010, April 2005, October 2000, October 1999
Beatrice Kaufman, October 2009
Hollie Kaufman, February 2012
Anne Krabill, October 2015, February 2011
Ben Krabill, February 2008
David Krabill, October 2015
Paul Krabill, February 2009
Trent LaCour, February 2015
Sharon Annette Lancaster, April 2013
Lisa Lanza, April 2016, October 2010, May 2003
Jaclyn La Rue, May 2002
Andy Mackie, April 2010
Charlie May, May 2004
Elizabeth McKinnon, February 2009
Mary Lou Montgomery, February 2000
Phil Morgan-Ellis, February 2014
Hillary Nordwell, December 2000
Zachary Nordwell, May 2001
Peninsula Singers, December 2014, April 2011, February 2007, February 2004, October 2001
Karl Perry, February 2016, February 2004
Bill Peters, December 2007
Stefan Puchalski, December 2005, December 2002
Rainshadow Chorus, December 2009
Alan Rawson, April 2006
Robin Reed, February 2017, October 2016
Jessica Reid, February 2009
David Ritt, February 2004
Susan Roe, April 2013, April 2012
Anson Ka Lik Sin, October 2013
Kristin Forssen Smith, December 2016, December 2010, December 2006, October 2003
Marilyn Sterbick, December 1998
Christopher Taber, February 2005
Michael Thomsett featured composer, February 2001
Diane Vaux, December 2016, February 2016
Miles Vokurka, October 2012
Christina Walters, December 2008
Kim Walters, December 2008
Cynthia Webster, February 2017, December 2015
Joel Yelland, December 2012

July 13, 2018August 11, 2019

MATTHEW DALINE, Violinist & Violist

A Port Townsend High School graduate, Matthew Daline enjoys a versatile career as a chamber musician, violin/viola soloist, and educator. He received the bachelor of music degree from The Juilliard School where he was a Teaching Assistant for Karen Tuttle, and a masters degree from Yale University where he studied with Jesse Levine.

Mr. Daline was the top prizewinner at the Artists International Competition in New York City, which provided a debut recital in Carnegie Hall.

Since giving his viola debut in Carnegie Hall, Mr. Daline has performed worldwide as a viola soloist, principal violist, and has recently taught master classes at Yale University, The Juilliard School, The University of Michigan and Central Conservatory of China, Beijing.

Mr. Daline is a tenured professor and the Coordinator of Strings at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and his students have attained positions in orchestras, teaching, and awards at numerous national and international competitions.

Mr. Daline performs on a Brescian Viola circa 1560.

March 4, 2018August 11, 2019

LARISSA FREIER, Violinist

Larissa Freier was born and raised in Port Townsend, beginning her violin studies at age 5 under instruction of Pat Yearian, Kristin Smith, and mainly Barbara Henry. She continued her studies with Professor Maria Sampen and Timothy Christie at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash.

Larissa graduated magna cum laude from the University of Puget Sound in May 2017, with a Bachelor of Music in violin performance and a minor in German. Larissa acted as co-concertmaster and section leader of the University Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the chamber music program, performing often in student groups and recitals as well as alongside faculty on the University of Puget Sound Jacobsen Concert Series.

Larissa spent her summers studying and performing at highly acclaimed music festivals around the country, including the Bowdoin International Music Festival in Maine, the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina, and the Kairos Chamber Music Lyceum in Eastern Washington. Over the years, she has had the honor of performing onstage with renowned soloists such as Itzhak Perlman, Garrick Olson, and Vadym Kholodenko, and she has also participated in violin masterclasses led by Paul Kantor, Frank Huang, Aaron Berofsky, Jubal Fulks, Steve Miahky, and Sergiu Schwartz.

March 4, 2018August 11, 2019

JULIA EDWARDS, Cellist

Julia Edwards ( photo from Port Townsend Leader)

Julia Edwards is a senior at Bainbridge High School and began her cello studies at the age of 4 with Priscilla Jones.

She is the current student of Rajan Krishnaswami in Seattle. She had been a member of the Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra since the age of 8.

She performs in twice annual studio recitals, the annual Seattle Youth Artists’ Competition, the Marrowstone Festival, and numerous Seattle-area chamber music programs. (PTCO performance May 2018.)

December 14, 2016August 11, 2019

ROBIN REED, Baritone

Coming from a family of professional musicians, Robin Reed started singing at a very early age, singing in church choirs and community chorales. He has been a professional singer since 1970. He has had many varied appearances in opera, operetta, musical theater, movies and television.

Robin and his family lived in Germany for five years while he was engaged by Stadt Theater Bremerhaven as a leading tenor, singing 25 leading roles. He was also a guest artist in Hamburg, Krefeld, Kassel and Osnabrueck, among other German cities. After returning from Europe, Robin continued as a contract artist with Arizona Opera, Virginia Opera, Sarasota Opera and Los Angeles Opera Theater.

He has made many appearances with symphonic orchestras and prestigious choral societies as a soloist performing works from Bach to Mahler.

Robin created a vast repertoire of solo music from parlor songs to classical and has been in demand as a “one-man-show” since high school.

He is very pleased to be making his Port Townsend Orchestra debut.

Robin and his wife moved to Sequim in 2013 due to their love of nature and their desire to visit as many National Parks as possible. Their honeymoon (41 years ago) was a six-thousand mile camping trip from Los Angeles to Winnipeg to Victoria, BC; then returning through Port Angeles via Highway 101, all the way back to their first home in Pasadena, California.

January 16, 2016August 11, 2019

DIANE VAUX, Cellist

Diane Vaux has played cello in orchestras and chamber groups since the age of twelve. She has played in the Port Townsend Orchestra since 2001 and in the Port Angeles Symphony from 2001 to 2009.

In addition, she plays viola da gamba in early music ensembles and piano in several chamber settings.

Professionally, she was a psychologist in private practice for twenty-five years. In addition to providing psychotherapy, she provided sessions in The Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music, a modality utilizing classical music for healing.

Diane retired from practice when she moved from Pennsylvania to Port Townsend in 2001. Since then she has been enjoying the many opportunities to play music here.