51st Season 2007-2008

Symphony of the
Southwest

Photo by B. D. Farrar

GUEST ARTISTS

"Schimmel Winners Shine, Again!"

Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.
  Location:  Mesa Arts Center (Ikeda Theater)
1 East Main Street, Mesa, Arizona

Symphony of the Southwest
Cal Stewart Kellogg, Conductor

 and

Special Guest Artists:
International & Local Winners
of the Schimmel Competition
Kenric Tam and Stephen Charnicki
Join us November 10, 2007 in welcoming the new starts of the music
universe, local and international winners of the Schimmel Competition.
Beethoven:  Coriolan Overture
Beethoven:  Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor
performed by Stephen Charnicki
Chopin:  Piano Concerto No. 1 performed by Kenric Tam

   
Kenric Tam,
Winner of the Schimmel USASU Senior
International Piano Competition

Kenric Tam, 16, made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Concert Hall last April. In January 2007, Kenric was named the first prize winner of the Schimmel International Piano Competition and was awarded, along with a cash prize, a recital in Germany and a concerto performance with the Mesa Symphony in Arizona. Kenric was awarded the first prize of the 2006 “Individualis” International Music Competition in Ukraine, the second prize of the 2006 Eastman International Piano Competition in Rochester, New York, the first prize of the 2005 Lennox International Young Artists Competition in Dallas, Texas, and the first prize of the 2003 Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition. Kenric has performed extensively with such symphonies as the Richardson Symphony in Dallas, Texas, the Fremont Symphony, the Peninsula Symphony, San Jose Youth Symphony, California Youth Symphony and other Bay Area orchestras. In addition to his orchestra performances, Kenric has been invited to play solo recitals for the Steinway Society, the 10^th Annual World Pedagogy Conference, Sherman Clay of San Francisco, and was the featured artist of the 2007 California State Conference of the Piano Technicians Guild. He is invited to give a concert tour in Ukraine and Russia in May and will be the featured soloist touring Eastern Europe with the San Jose Youth Symphony this summer.

After winning first place in California last November and the Southwest Division in January 2007, Kenric was named a winner of the MTNA National Piano Competition. At the state level, he was awarded the grand prize of the 2007 Mondavi Young Artists Competition. He also received first prizes in the MTAC Concerto and Solo Competitions in 2005 and 2006, and the CAPMT Concerto Competition. As the first prize winner of the 2005 Palatino Solo Piano Competition, Kenric was awarded a grand piano. 

 

Stephen Charnicki
Winner of the Arizona Young Artist
Concerto Piano Schimmel Competition

Stephen Charnicki, 18, has been a student of Mrs. Karen Maison for the past twelve years.  He has competed in various musical festivals throughout the Phoenix area and has consistently received top ratings:  he was the Phoenix Music Teacher's Association's Celebration of Music Junior High Division Superior Trophy Winner in 2004, the Phoenix MTA's Celebration of Music Senior High Division Trophy Winner in 2005 and 2006, a Gold Medalist with Distinction in the 2005 James R. Anthony Honors Recital Senior Division and the 2007 Schimmel Young Artist Piano Competition Senior Concerto Division First Prize Winner.  This will be Stephen's first piano performance with an orchestra; but, he has also performed extensively with both orchestras and bands on tuba and trombone.  He has performed trombone as a member of several jazz ensembles and has performed in a wide variety of ensembles on tuba, including the Honor Band and Honor Orchestra at the Northern Arizona University Summer Camp, the Chaparral wind ensemble, the Chaparral marching band, the Phoenix Youth Symphony Symphonic Winds and various other honor bands and orchestras, most recently the 2007 Arizona Band and Orchestra Director's Association All-State Honor Band.  Stephen recently graduated from Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.  In the fall Stephen will begin study at Barrett:  the Honors College at Arizona State University, where he received a full academic scholarship to pursue degrees in music and electrical engineering.

Competition background for Stephen Charnicki,  winner of following competitions:
(as listed at www.KarenMaisonMusic.com)  studied piano under Karen Maison.
2002 Chet & Ann Goldberg Young Musicians Competition Division One Winner
2004 Phoenix MTA Celebration of Music Junior High Division Superior Trophy Winner
2005 Phoenix MTA Celebration of Music Senior Division Superior Trophy Winner
2005 James R. Anthony Honors Recital Senior Division Gold Medalist With Distinction
2006 Phoenix MTA Celebration of Music Senior High Division Superior Trophy Winner
2007 Young Artist Piano Competition Senior Concerto Division First Prize Winner
Stephen has recently received a $50,000 merit scholarship at ASU and accepted into Honors College and will be majoring in engineering as well as well as piano. 
 

"New Year's Eve Concert"
CONCERT CANCELED!
Monday, December 31, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.
  Location:  Chandler Center for the Arts
250 North Arizona Avenue, Chandler, Arizona 85225
(North of Chandler Blvd. on Arizona Avenue)
Symphony of the Southwest
Cal Stewart Kellogg, Conductor
 and
Special Guest Artists:
Lisanne Norman, coloratura soprano
Andrew Gray, bass-baritone
James Flora, tenor
join the Symphony of the Southwest in a salute to the
Blue Danube, the Merry Widow and other favorites from
the Viennese and US Operetta stage.


Lisanne Norman, soprano

A native of Southern California, Ms. Norman's beautiful coloratura voice has been described as one of "limitless power and faultless technique." She possesses a versatile sound that lends itself to both musical theater and opera. .    She has been singing with the Arizona Opera for the last seven seasons and was most recently seen in the role of Adele, in their production of Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. Other recent performances include the roles of Musetta in La Boheme, with The Phoenix Metropolitan Opera and Magnolia in Showboat with Utah Festival Opera.  Although she is a frequent artist in her home state of Arizona, she performs with symphony orchestras and opera companies throughout the western states.

Lisanne received wonderful training and experience in “Opera Outreach Programs” with both Arizona Opera and Utah festival Opera, in Logan, Utah, where she received her B.A. in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Utah State University.

Ms. Norman has had several opportunities to do concert work in Prague, Budapest, Romania and Salzburg, Austria where she was involved in a graduate study program, as well as performing concerts and fund raising events throughout her home state of Arizona, where her audiences are thrilled by this exceptional performer.    
Learn More From her website:  http://www.lisannenorman.com

Andrew Gray, bass-baritone

A native Arizonan, Andrew Gray has established himself as an outstanding singer and actor with performance experience in opera, theatre, oratorio, and mime, and in off-Broadway productions.

Mr. Gray has appeared at Arizona Opera as  Elder Ott in  Floyd’s Susannah, Haly in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algieri, First Man in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, The Notary in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Mr. Kofner in Menotti’s The Consul, and The Jailer in Puccini’s Tosca.  Additionally, Mr. Gray has performed with the Symphony of the Southwest, Borderlands Theater, Arizona Rose Theater Company, Southwest Chamber Orchestra, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University.

This season at Arizona Opera, Mr. Gray performs the main stage roles of Second Priest and Second Armored Man in Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Baron Duphol in Verdi’s La Traviata, and understudies several roles.

James Flora, tenor
(Photo Unavailable)

James Flora, an up and coming tenor, has been invited to take part in Arizona Opera’s inaugural Marion Roose Pullin Resident Opera Studio beginning in the 2007-2008 season where he will sing several small roles and cover leading tenor roles in productions of Die Fledermaus, The Magic Flute and La Traviata. He recently made his debut with Arizona Opera as Malcolm in their 2006 production of Verdi’s Macbeth and was asked to return in the role of Elder Gleaton this past April in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah.  During the summer of 2006, Mr. Flora participated in New Jersey Opera Theater’s Studio Program, covering Ferrando in Cosí fan tutte, and performing in the scenes programs.  James also performed the role Pablo in Muddy River Opera’s production of How Nanita Learned to Make Flan.

Mr. Flora holds a Bachelor’s of Music degree in Voice Performance from The Ohio State University and a Master’s of Music degree in Voice Performance from Florida State University.  There he sang Orpheus/Orpheus in the Underworld and, Mayor/Albert Herring, and The Man/The Art (world premiere).  At Florida State he worked with Grammy Award winning artists like Janice Harsanyi, Stanford Olsen, and John Corigliano.

"Made in the USA"
CONCERT CANCELED!
Saturday, January 26, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.
  Location:  Mesa Arts Center (Ikeda Theater)
1 East Main Street, Mesa, Arizona
Symphony of the Southwest
Cal Stewart Kellogg, Conductor
 and
Special Guest Artists:
Native American Flutist, Carlos Nakai
and
Chuck Marohnic Trio
An All-American evening celebrates our country's rich musical tradition. 
East and West Coasts meet in a program featuring
Native American Flutist, Carlos Nakai and the Chuck Marohnic Trio.
Bernstein's Overture to Candide and West Side Story Symphonic
Dances round out the program.
 

I
Native American Flutist,
Carlos Nakai

To become the world's premier Native American flutist, R. Carlos Nakai had to rely more on research and innovation and less on his Navajo-Ute heritage. While the Diné had a strong flute-playing tradition, it was lost when they migrated from the Northwest Plains of Canada to the Southwest over five centuries ago. While Nakai may not have been "born to the flute," it was curiosity about his heritage that led him to it.

During the late 1960s while researching American Indian music and traditional instruments, the wooden flute piqued Nakai's interest, but it wasn't until 1972 that he took it up seriously. Prior to that Nakai had devoted his musical energies to classical training on the cornet and trumpet.

In his usual determination to have a thorough knowledge of the instrument, Nakai crafted his own. He later learned from a flute-making teacher that rather than the oak Nakai was using, cedar is the only wood that works well. He also discovered that when it comes to flute making, there are no standard dimensions. The finger holes and air column are based on hand and finger measurements and are never the same. As a result, each flute has a different sound and pitch which makes the tonality of the instruments random. Nakai views each flute less as a musical instrument than "as a sound sculpture - a piece of art that also creates sound."

Part of Nakai's philosophy is to ensure that the native flute does not become a "museum piece" of a bygone culture. Through his original compositions and other musical collaborations, Nakai intends to show the instrument's versatility and capabilities. Over the past two decades, Nakai has melded his classical training with his expertise on the cedar flute to form a complex, sophisticated sound that not only reveals the flute's uniqueness, but covers the spectrum of musical genres: jazz ensembles, piano and guitar collaborations, and the concert hall. Additionally, Nakai creates new sounds for the flute using electronic technology such as synthesizers and digital delay.

A native Arizonan, Nakai's southwestern surroundings as well as his culture, heavily influence his work. He points out that "A lot of what I've been taught culturally, comes from an awareness of the environment. ...How I feel is based on my impressions of being in certain spaces at certain times. Thinking back...on personal tribal stories and the history of my culture figures into how I organize my music."

Nakai’s first album, Changes, was released by Canyon Records in 1983, and since then he has released over thirty-five albums with Canyon plus additional albums and guest appearances on other labels.  In addition to his educational workshops and residencies, Nakai has appeared as a soloist throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan, and has worked with Grammy® winner flutist Paul Horn, guitarist/luthier William Eaton, composer James DeMars among many others. The famed American choreographer Martha Graham used Nakai's second album, Cycles, in her last work Night Chant.  Nakai contributed music to the major motion pictures New World (New Line) and Geronimo (Columbia).

Nakai has received two gold records (500,000 units sold) for Canyon Trilogy and Earth Spirit which are the first (and only) Native American recordings to earn this recognition.  He has sold over four million albums in the course of his career.  Grammy® nominations include Ancestral Voices (1994 Best Traditional Folk Album), Inner Voices and Inside Monument Valley (both for 2000 Best New Age Album), In A Distant Place (2001 Best New Age Album), Fourth World (2002 Best New Age Album), Sanctuary (2003 Best Native American Album), and People of Peace (2004 Best New Age Album).

A Navy veteran, Nakai earned a Master’s Degree in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona.  He was awarded the Arizona Governor’s Arts Award in 1992, and an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University in 1994.  In 2005 Nakai was inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame.  Nakai has also authored a book with composer James DeMars, The Art of the Native American Flute, which is a guide to performing the traditional cedar flute.

To learn more or buy CD’s by Carlos Nakai go to: 
http://www.rcarlosnakai.com
and
http://www.silverlakemusic.com/art/anakai.html

Chuck Marohnic

For 13 years, Chuck had the privilege of serving as Music Minister in numerous churches including United Methodist, Roman Catholic and United Churches of Christ.  He also has been a frequent guest performer and clinician at many Lutheran, Presbyterian and other churches, including serving for over five years as Director of Music for the well known Studio worship service at Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ.

Chuck has recorded 30 albums and CDs. Downbeat Magazine awarded his performances 4 stars. Rolling Stone Magazine's review states "Marohnic's ingenious changes and arrangements show that he should not be overlooked." Cadence Magazine concluded, "The Chuck Marohnic Trio could become the standard of interactive mastery in this decade." Early in his career, Chuck worked as a sideman with Ira Sullivan, Joe Henderson, Jamey Aebersold, Buddy Rich, Chet Baker and many others.

Chuck has served as a visiting clinician and performer at festivals in Germany, Brazil and France. For five years he acted as Coordinator of Jazz Studies and a guest artist at the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Fairbanks, Alaska. In May of 1998, Chuck visited Brazil for a second time where he performed concerts and presented clinics for a week's residency. While in Brazil he recorded an instructional video for MPO entitled The Creation of a Solo Jazz Piano Arrangement. Chuck has also been invited to perform the Concerto with the Bulgarian National Youth Symphony Orchestra for a European tour in the Fall of 2000.

Having retired in 2003, Chuck was the Director of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University since 1981. His former students include John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood; Scott Henderson of Tribal Tech; Phil Strange, formerly with Joe Henderson; German pianist Klaus Ignatzek; Tim Ray, pianist for Lyle Lovett; and Joey Sellers, now a prominent arranger living in New York City.

Chuck has written 4 jazz publications. His books on jazz education include "How to Create Jazz Chord Progressions", "12 Keys to Jazz Concepts", "50 Practical Pro Tips", and "Jazz Keyboard Study" from Advance Music Publishers. In addition, Chuck has written jazz piano arrangements of familiar church hymns and worship and praise songs, taking them from inside church walls to the entire community. What started as a sabbatical leave project from his position as Director of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University, turned into a book entitled Sanctuary Jazz, (July 1998, Shawnee Press). Joseph Martin, acclaimed pianist and keyboard editor for Shawnee Press says, "Chuck is one of the best writers in the country today." Since this first book was published, Chuck as written eight collections of piano arrangements and three collections of brass quintet music for Shawnee Press and Morningstar Music Publishers.

To learn more about Chuck Marohnic or buy his music visit:
http://www.sanctuaryjazz.com

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