The Florida Orchestra

Brent Havens, guest conductor

Berklee-trained arranger and conductor Brent Havens has written music for orchestras, feature films and virtually every kind of television. His television work includes movies for networks such as ABC, CBS and The Family Channel, commercials, sports music for networks such as ESPN, and even cartoons. Recently, Havens worked with the Doobie Brothers and the Milwaukee Symphony, arranging and conducting the combined group for Harley Davidson’s 100th Anniversary Birthday Party Finale attended by over 150,000 fans.

Havens just completed the score for the film Quo Vadis, a Premier Pictures remake of the 1956 gladiator film. Havens is arranger and guest conductor for four symphonic rock programs: the Music of Led Zeppelin, the Music of the Doors, the Music of Pink Floyd and the Music of the Eagles.

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Carl Davis, guest conductor

Carl Davis believes that all music has an important place in the world. This is reflected in the diversification of his concert programming. Whether conducting or composing music for feature films, television, silent films, ballets and musicals as well as an Oratorio, his versatility is extraordinary.

Born in New York, Davis' early years of work provided him with the broad musical background on which he continues to draw. In 1959, Davis and fellow student Stephen Vinaver wrote the revue Diversions which won him an Obie (Off-Broadway). Ned Sherrin commissioned Davis to compose for That Was The Week That Was, paving the way for many radio and television commissions. These now include the BBC's Pride and Prejudice, which was received with great acclaim all over the world. Other programs include: The Snow Goose, The World at War, Hollywood, Cold War, The Far Pavilions, The Naked Civil Servant, Good Night Mr. Tom and, most recently, Cranford.

His feature film scores include The French Lieutenant's Woman, Champions, Scandal, Ken Russell's The Rainbow, Widow's Peak, Mike Leigh's Topsy Turvy and The Book of Eve.

He has composed a unique series of scores for restored prints of silent films originally commissioned by Channel Four in 1980. The series featured Abel Gance's epic film Napoleon and in 1983, the French Minister of Culture presented Davis with the order of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres after a screening of the film in Paris. A further restoration of this remarkable film (now lasting 5 ½ hours) has been shown twice at the Royal Festival Hall with Davis' revised and extended score.

Live cinema performances of other classic films continue to take place around the world, showing one or more of the fifty silent scores he has composed. Recently, in May 2008, Speedy was presented with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at The Annual Silent Film Gala, presided over by Dustin Hoffman.

At the Royal Festival Hall there have been regular presentations of these classic films from the silent era. Since 1997, they have included Ben Hur, Flesh and the Devil, Old Heidelberg, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Intolerance, The Crowd and The Big Parade; Chaplin's Behind the Screen and King Vidor's Show People. A Chaplin Festival with the London Philharmonic Orchestra included The Cure with City Lights, The Adventurer with The Circus and The Immigrant with The Kid. His many CD recordings reflect the breadth of his musical enthusiasm. They include scores for many of the silent films, such as Phantom of the Opera, which prompted one reviewer to remark, "…he has composed a lush score full of emotion. You'll want to rush out and see the film."

For eight years Davis held the post of artistic director and conductor for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's Summer Pops Season. As part of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's 150th anniversary celebrations, Davis and Paul McCartney wrote a full length work entitled Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio, premiered and conducted by Davis at the Anglican Cathedral, Liverpool in June 1991 and subsequently around the world.

Chaplin's Mutuals (12 short films) are considered to be amongst his best works. Davis has written and recorded the music to all twelve which are available on two DVDs. In August, 2007, all 12 films were shown live on 4 consecutive evenings at Cadogan Hall with Davis conducting members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Composing music for dance is Davis' particular love. His principal works include A Simple Man (released on DVD); A Christmas Carol for the Northern Ballet Theatre (DVD available); The Picture of Dorian Gray for Sadler's Wells and Alice in Wonderland for the English National Ballet. In 1999, Scottish Ballet commissioned Davis to compose the music for Aladdin, which was subsequently recorded and released on CD in October 2006. David Bintley (artistic director of Birmingham Royal Ballet) took Aladdin to Japan where it was performed in November 2008 by New National Theatre Ballet Tokyo. Davis scored a one act ballet for Ballet Central's UK tour of Pride and Prejudice: First Impressions based upon his original score for the television series. Davis wrote and orchestrated the music for Cyrano de Bergerac (in collaboration with David Bintley), which premiered in 2007. During 2006/07, the ballet production of Alice toured extensively with the English National Ballet (choreography by Derek Deane) and was performed by the Pittsburgh Ballet in April 2008. A further collaboration with Derek Deane resulted in The Lady of the Camillias, which premiered in Zagreb in October 2008.

Davis diversified into radio with his own show. He first recorded a thirteen-week series entitled Carl Davis Classics for Radio 2 in 1997. Due to its popularity, the BBC commissioned additional series.

He made his debut in 1999 at the BBC Proms with a concert of film music with the BBC Concert Orchestra, and this association continued with Proms in the Park, hosted by Terry Wogan, and Friday Night is Music Night.

He has recorded many albums with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the English Chamber Orchestra and the London Philharmonic. Some feature his own compositions, such as The World at War, (a new version of The World at War is available on CD and boxed DVD set), Pride and Prejudice, Champions and The Silents. Davis recorded a very successful Christmas album with The Halle and a CD entitled My Way featuring Sir Willard White.

In 1992 he received an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University, and in 1994, he was awarded an honorary doctor of arts by his old College 'Bard' in New York. More recently, Davis was awarded an honorary doctor of music by Liverpool University. In 2003, Davis received a BAFTA Special Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the world of film and television. In the same year, he was awarded Best Score for An Angel for May at the Ale Kino Film Festival in Poland.

In 2005, Davis accepted a commission to compose a theme for The Leeds Rhinos (Rugby League world champions). A further Leeds connection, in the 1980s John Wells and Davis teamed up to produce Alice The Musical, which was revived by The West Yorkshire Playhouse as their Christmas show and ran at The Birmingham Rep in 2006/07.

Also in 2005, Davis was awarded the CBE (Hon) for the significant contribution he has made to the world of music as both composer and conductor over the years. Following the line of sports, the BBC commissioned Davis to make a new arrangement of Handel's See The Conquering Hero Comes, their theme during coverage of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Davis lives in London and is married to actress Jean Boht. They have two daughters, Hannah and Jessie.

For the latest information on Carl Davis, please visit www.carl-davis.com

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Cherish the Ladies

When describing Cherish the Ladies, the critics say it best – “It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do,” The Boston Globe, “An astonishing array of virtuosity,” The Washington Post, “Expands the annals of Irish music in America...the music is passionate, tender and rambunctious,” The New York Times – and for the past eighteen years, Cherish the Ladies have proven themselves worthy to live up to these accolades and in doing so have become one of the most engaging ensembles in the history of Irish music.

They have grown from a one-time concert concept to an Irish traditional music sensation, literally the most successful and sought-after Irish-American group in Celtic music. Organized by folklorist/musician Mick Moloney and sponsored by the Ethnic Folk Arts Center and the National Endowment for the Arts, they began as a concert series featuring the brightest lights in Irish traditional music. Taking their name from the name of a traditional Irish jig, the group initially won recognition as the first and only all-women traditional Irish band. In a relatively short time, they soon established themselves as musicians and performers without peer and have won many thousands of listeners and fans of their music. With their unique spectacular blend of virtuosi instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements and stunning step dancing, this powerhouse group combines all the facets of Irish traditional culture and puts it forth in an immensely humorous and entertaining package.

The past years have seen the group traveling all over North and South America, the United Kingdom and Europe, Australia and New Zealand performing in the finest concert halls and international festivals. They are equally at home in front of a symphony orchestra, a performing arts center, a folk festival or even the White House.

They have been named Best Musical Group of the Year by the BBC, Entertainment Group of the Year by the Irish Voice Newspaper, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s International Group of the Year Award at the Celtic Connections Festival in Scotland and voted the Top North American Celtic act by NPR Radio’s “Thistle and Shamrock.”

They have shared the stage with such noted entertainers as James Taylor, Joan Baez, Emmy Lou Harris, The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, The Chieftains and dozens of symphony orchestras. The Celtic Album, their collaboration with the Boston Pops Symphony led to a 1999 Grammy nomination.

The Ladies have recorded ten highly acclaimed albums. Their quintessential holiday album On Christmas Night was released to rave reviews and was chosen as one of the top Christmas Albums of the Year by The New York Times, Washington Post, The Village Voice and many other nationally syndicated Newspapers.

Cherish the Ladies have appeared on CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, Evening at Pops, C-Span, PBS and National Public Radio in the United States and on BBC and RTE radio and television overseas. At the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, they were chosen to represent Irish music and culture at the Official Cultural Olympiad.

The girls continue to blaze forward and continue to enchant audiences worldwide.

DANCERS...Cherish the Ladies accesses a roster of regional, national and world champion step dancers who join them in every performance. Their artistry has captivated audiences worldwide.

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Chris Camilleri (Ringo Starr) - drums/vocals

Chris Camilleri was born in Bethpage, New York. An early and extended affinity for the drums bore fruit at the end of his school years, when he began to perform with various bands in the New York tri-state area. A founding member of the internationally renowned Beatle copy band Liverpool, he began performing at the Beatlefest national conventions in 1979 (an extended engagement which continues to this day). During this time, he has performed with many well-known artists such as Mickey Dolenz, Joe Walsh and Billy Squier.

Along with his musical efforts, Camilleri has worked extensively in the computer and voice-over fields. In late 1994, he lent his voice to several area radio campaigns and continues to pursue this field.

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Cirque de la Symphonie

Cirque de la Symphonie is an exciting new production designed to bring the magic of cirque to the music hall. It is an elegant adaptation of some of the most amazing cirque performances witnessed anywhere, and it showcases many of the best artists in the world. The audience is thrilled and bedazzled by aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen. These are some of the most accomplished veterans of exceptional cirque programs from across the globe. They include world record holders, gold-medal winners of international competitions, Olympians and some of the most original talent ever seen. Their performances are uniquely adapted to stage accommodations shared with the symphony, and each artist’s performance is choreographed to the music arrangement provided by the maestro. When the artists of Cirque de la Symphonie perform in front of the full orchestra, an incredible fusion of these two great art forms takes place. The aerialists and acrobats turn the concert into a three dimensional entertainment extravaganza, and the orchestra seems to play with enhanced enthusiasm.  Veteran concert-goers and new patrons alike are thrilled by the exhilarating cirque performances and the majesty of the live symphony orchestra.

Alexander Streltsov is a Russian aerial artist who started working with future Cirque du Soleil choreographer Pavel Brun and famed producer Valentin Gneushev when he was only twelve, performing on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater. The same year he won the gold medal at the prestigious Festival Mondial Du Cirque De L'Avenir in Paris.  His combination of natural strength, artistic expression, and grace sets his performance apart from other aerialists. Also known as “Sasha,” he has performed for three Russian presidents and the Bolshoi Ballet, numerous symphonies in the United States and Europe, and elaborate theater and stage productions worldwide. He has made many television appearances, such as the star-studded ABC-TV special “Christopher Reeve- A Celebration of Hope” and the PBS nationwide broadcast of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Fourth of July Celebration. He continues be a favorite at music halls, where he soars out over the audience in a spectacular display of aerial artistry or performs his riveting spinning cube act.

The mind-boggling strength and agility of Jarek and Darek’s “Duo Design” provides one of the most powerful acts to be included in Cirque de la Symphonie’s captivating program. This dynamic and exciting balancing act consists of Jaroslaw Marciniak and Dariusz Wronski, former Polish national hand-balancing champions. They have competed and performed throughout Europe and the United States, winning championships in Evian, France and Sarasota, Florida. Over the past few years, these prolific performers have thrilled audiences at several NBA halftimes, Cirque du Soleil, Circus Circus, Busch Gardens, and the national tour of Cirque Ingenieux. Their Cirque de la Symphonie performances have left audiences stunned and amazed at music halls everywhere.

Aloysia Gavre is another incredible aerial performer from the Ecole National de Cirque, Montreal, with early training from Master Lu-Yi and the Pickle Family Circus School. Her aerial acrobatics and graceful maneuvers on the aerial hoop, suspended high above the stage, add three-dimensional excitement to the symphony and the music hall. Aloysia was the Special Prize Winner at the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. A veteran of stage and theater performances worldwide, Aloysia is best known as a veteran of Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam and O. Her five years with Quidam established her as one of the best aerial artists in the world, and today she shares that experience with others as choreographer for Cirque Mechanics and Troupe Vertigo and as director of Cirque School in Los Angeles. Aloysia’s regular performances with Cirque de la Symphonie and live orchestras take aerial acrobatics to a new level.

Vladimir Tsarkov provides a spell-binding performance with combinations of mime and juggling feats. A favorite of the younger members of the audiences, Vladimir’s Red Harlequin act features rings, balls, and batons, and he’s even been known to teach the maestro a trick or two! He is a veteran of Circus Circus, Cirque Ingenieux, and various Cirque de la Symphonie performances. Vladimir graduated from Russia’s prestigious State College of Circus and Theater Arts and won the gold medal at the Cirque de Demain International Festival in France. His performance with the symphony is pure entertainment and guaranteed to please audiences of all ages.

Christine Van Loo is a 7-time consecutive National Champion, Female Olympic Athlete of the Year, and Athlete of the Decade in acrobatic gymnastics. She was inducted into the USSA (acro-gymnastics) Hall of Fame and the World Acrobatics Society Gallery of Honor. As a professional aerialist and acrobat she has performed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, at two Grammy Awards (with No Doubt and with Ricky Martin), at the American Music Awards (with Aerosmith), the Miss Universe pageant, and Paul McCartney's European tour. She choreographed the aerials for Britney Spears World Tour and the Stars on Ice US tour. Christine provides spell-binding performances of static silks, aerial hoop, and duo trapeze with Cirque de la Symphonie.

Elena Tsarkova, the “Lady in White,” is a graduate of the famed Moscow Circus School and first-place winner of the prestigious National Russian Circus Festival.  From her “Master of Sports” in gymnastics, Elena developed into a unique and graceful performer with the Big Apple Circus, Switzerland’s Circus Knie, and Germany’s Circus Roncalli. Her combination of contortion, balance, and graceful dance moves has made her a major star with Cirque de la Mur in Florida and Circus Circus in Las Vegas. Elena’s experience with many major stage and theater productions offers a professional background that allows for a truly unforgettable performance with the live symphony. The “Lady in White” provides an elegant touch to Cirque de la Symphonie.

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Daniel Binelli, bandoneón

Internationally renowned master of the bandoneón, Argentine Daniel Binelli, tours extensively in concert and recital. This unique and sensuous instrument is showcased in a wide range of compositions, many of which have roots in the tango of Binelli's native land, where he is known as a dedicated researcher and profound expert of the form.

A seasoned composer in his own right, Binelli is also widely acclaimed as the foremost exponent and now torchbearer of the music of Astor Piazzolla, with whom he has collaborated. The torch was passed naturally after the two toured together in Brazil, Chile, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Holland and Switzerland before Piazzolla's death in 1992. Binelli's late spring 1998 appearance in Japan with the National Symphony of Argentina, a shared program with Martha Argerich, was an unqualified success. In the fall of 2001, he again shared a program with Argerich at Carnegie Hall with the Montréal Symphony. Binelli recorded Piazzolla's Double Concerto and other works with Charles Dutoit and the Montréal Symphony on the Decca label. Another recent recording for Decca teamed Binelli with tenor Juan Diego Florez.

Orchestras with which Binelli has appeared as guest soloist include the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Montréal Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony, Calgary Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina in Buenos Aires and Spain, Teatro Colon Orchestra of Buenos Aires, Mexico City Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Caracas, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony and the Fort Worth Chamber Orchestra. Conductors with whom Binelli has worked include Charles Dutoit, Robert Spano, Sinón Blech, Gisèle Ben-Dor, José Carli, Herrera de la Fuente, Francisco Rettig, Isaiah Jackson, Pedro Ignacio Calderón, Carlos Miguel Prieto, JoAnn Falletta, Michael Christie and Franz Paul Decker. In addition to several European and Asian tours, where he performed with Charles Dutoit and the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, past seasons included an appearance on the Van Cliburn Concert Series with pianists Andre Watts and José Feghali.

In the worlds of modern jazz and contemporary music, Binelli has played with Paquito de Rivera and the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra, Andreas Vollenweider (with whom he recorded Kryptos), Lalo Schifrin, Michael Brecker and Gary Burton. Binelli frequently collaborates with guitarists Cesar Angelieri and Eduardo Isaac and/or pianist Polly Ferman in recital and concert. He is widely known for his contributions to film music and his many recordings.

Daniel Binelli also collaborates with Orchestango and Tango Metropolis, a complete tango ensemble for which Binelli is one of the creators and the showcased artist. Their recent tours of Japan, France, Germany, Portugal and Australia were highly acclaimed.

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Doug LaBrecque, vocalist

Doug LaBrecque thrilled theatre audiences as The Phantom and Raoul in the Harold Prince production of The Phantom of the Opera. In addition, LaBrecque has starred on Broadway as Ravenal in the Hal Prince revival of Showboat, a role he also performed in Canada and Chicago. He was featured in Oscar Hammerstein's 100th Birthday Celebration on Broadway at The Gershwin Theatre and toured nationally with Les Miserables. Regionally, LaBrecque has performed leading roles in Candide, A Chorus Line, and Man of La Mancha, among many others. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he was also featured in the world premiere of A Wonderful Life, written by Sheldon Harnick and Joe Raposo, and starred in the premiere revival of Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner's Love Life.

An active concert performer LaBrecque has been a soloist with some of the world's finest symphony orchestras including the National Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic (Tel Aviv), the Chicago Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony, among many others. In the last few years, LaBrecque's United States appearances have included Seattle Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Houston Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Dallas Symphony, the Utah Symphony and with Marvin Hamlisch both at the Ravinia Festival with the Chicago Symphony and with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Recently, LaBrecque hosted the Yuletide Celebration with the Portland and Seattle symphonies. Other special engagements have included singing with Carole Bayer-Sager at Feinsteins's in Manhattan and the Cinegrill in Los Angeles, performing alongside Broadway legend Jerry Herman with the Naples Philharmonic and appearing onstage with Senators Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch (singing together) at Hickory Hill, the legendary home of Ethel Kennedy.

International engagements have included the Korean National Symphony in Seoul, Korea, the Shanghai Radio Orchestra in China, the Vancouver and Calgary symphonies in Canada, the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro, the Jerusalem Symphony, and numerous return engagements with the Israel Philharmonic. LaBrecque recently appeared in Alba, Italy as the guest soloist in an all Bernstein concert.

For more information, please visit www.DougLaBrecque.com.

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Elena Urioste, violin

Elena Urioste, recently selected by Symphony magazine as an emerging artist to watch, has been hailed by critics and audiences alike for her rich tone, the nuanced lyricism of her playing, and her commanding stage presence. Since making her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age thirteen as winner of the Greenfield Competition, she has appeared as soloist with major orchestras throughout the United States including The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Pops, National Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Hartford symphonies, as well as Hungary's Orchestra Dohnanyi Budafok.

First-place laureate in both the junior and senior divisions of the Sphinx Competition, Urioste made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2004 as a featured soloist in the inaugural Sphinx Gala Concert. Urioste has returned annually to that esteemed venue's Stern Auditorium as soloist and has also performed in recital at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall. In 2009, she will make her debut at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall with award-winning conductor Alondra de la Parra and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas. She has collaborated with acclaimed pianists Christopher O'Riley and Ignat Solzhenitsyn; conductors Robert Spano, Keith Lockhart, and Michael Stern; and violinists Shlomo Mintz, Cho-Liang Lin, and David Kim, among others. A featured artist in the La Jolla, Sarasota, and Kingston music festivals, the International Young Artists Music Festival, and Switzerland's Sion Valais International Festival of Music, Urioste has been most recently invited to participate in the prestigious Marlboro Music Festival.

Urioste's media appearances include multiple performances on the popular radio programs From the Top and Performance Today, as well as on Telemundo. She has been featured in the Emmy award-winning documentary Breaking the Sound Barrier and in numerous magazines, including Symphony, Strings, Careers and Colleges, and Philadelphia Music Makers. Urioste's first CD was recently released on the White Pine label.

The 2007 first-prize winner of the Sion International Violin Competition, Urioste was also awarded the audience prize and the prize for the best performance of the competition's newly commissioned work. She is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Joseph Silverstein, Pamela Frank and Ida Kavafian, and is currently pursuing graduate studies at The Juilliard School with Joel Smirnoff. Other notable teachers include David Cerone and the late Rafael Druian. She is the past recipient of a Starling Foundation Scholarship at Temple University Music Preparatory Center for Gifted Young Musicians in Philadelphia, where she was a student of Choong-Jin Chang and Soovin Kim.

The outstanding violin being used by Urioste is a Michelangelo Bergonzi, Cremona, circa 1750, on extended loan through the generous efforts of Society for Strings, Inc., Meadowmount School of Music, from the private collection of Dr. Charles E. King.

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Ellis Hall, vocalist

Ellis Hall is a multi-instrumentalist virtuoso who possesses a vocal style that commands attention in its diversity and depth. Born in Savannah, Georgia, Hall moved to Boston at the age of five, where he began his musical career, and has been on a direct course for success ever since.

His first release as a solo artist was a version of the Motown smash from the 60s, Every Little Bit Hurts. His talents were showcased nationally and internationally with the Ellis Hall Group, opening for many top performers such as the Temptations, Earth Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, the Spinners and Natalie Cole.

He was featured as lead vocalist on the debut hit single, What Does it Take, from the Kenny G. multi-platinum Duotones album and joined the soul-stirring hit group Tower of Power as lead vocalist and keyboardist, culminating that stint with his co-production and song-writing prowess on their album, Power. He had enormous success as one of the California Raisins with their platinum album, The California Raisins Sing the Hit Songs, and a gold album, Christmas with the California Raisins. He has also lent his vocals and/or performed with such diverse artists as James Taylor, Warren Hill, George Duke, Michael Sembello, Huey Lewis and the News, Bo Diddley, Taj Mahal, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Kimball and ToTo, Jason Scheff of Chicago, Bobby Womack, James Ingram and Stevie Wonder.

Adding to his credits are a series of movie and television soundtracks as well as a variety of International radio and television jingles. He appeared in the award winning ABC TV show, The Wonder Years; performed vocals in New York Undercover, Fox TV; NYPD Blue, ABC TV; Hercules, a Disney feature film; Lion King II, Disney Home Video; DreamWorks animated feature film, Chicken Run, singing the title track Flip, Flop and Fly; on screen as the organist in Big Momma's House, with Martin Lawrence, a 20th Century Fox feature film; singing on screen in a scene with Tom Hanks in the Steven Spielberg movie by DreamWorks, Catch Me If You Can, and his other films, Bruce Almighty, Universal, A Day Without A Mexican, Universal/BMG and Polar Express, Warner Bros.

In 2003, for Camille Cosby's New Visionary Leadership Project honoring Mr. Ray Charles, Hall performed You Don't Know Me at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC. He has also performed at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Millennium Stage, for his Leadership in Arts and Disability. In addition, he performed a salute to Ray Charles at the Kennedy Center Honors Weekend.

At the Recording Academy's Inaugural Grammy Jam in 2004, Hall was featured in a rousing salute to Earth Wind & Fire, and in 2005, he celebrated the music of Stevie Wonder. He was also a featured performer in the Keb Mo Christmas Special at Disney Hall, Los Angeles. In January 2005 on the Bob James Showboat Cruise to Mexico, he was featured in several vocal duets with Michael McDonald and sang lead vocals with Tom Scott's LA Jazz All-Star Band.

In February 2005, Hall was featured at Concord Records Grammy Party which was later shown on the BET Special Jammin' for Ray. In May 2005, he was featured along with Brian McKnight at The Revlon Run/Walk For Breast Cancer at the Los Angeles Coliseum, and in August 2005, he performed with a host of stars in a commemoration for the 75th birthday of Ray Charles, A Night With Concord Records, at the Hollywood Bowl presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association's Jazz at the Bowl series.

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Eri Klas, guest conductor

Eri Klas, a native of Estonia whose musical godfather was the legendary violinist and conductor David Oistrakh, frequently guest conducts on the North American continent.

Klas made his United States debut in 1991 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. In 1995, he made his debuts with The Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony, following highly successfully appearances at the Blossom and Ravinia festivals. Since then, he has appeared with most of the major North American orchestras including the Boston, St. Louis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Vancouver and National symphonies as well as the Minnesota Orchestra.

Equally in demand throughout Europe, Klas was named the chief conductor of the Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow in March 2006. In addition, he is currently the artistic director of the Tallinn Philharmonic in Estonia; principal guest conductor of the Finnish National Opera and the Holland Kammerphilharmonie; and conductor laureate of the Tampere Philharmonic and the Estonian National Opera. He has guest conducted the Berlin, Munich and Rotterdam Philharmonics and appears regularly with the Tonhalle Orchestra, Swedish and Finnish Radio Symphony orchestras, BBC Philharmonic, Stockholm and Helsinki Philharmonics, RAI Turino and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra among others.

Recent and upcoming engagements in Klas' North American schedule include guest appearances with the Toronto, Houston, Dallas, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Seattle and Phoenix symphonies and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. In March 2009, he will led the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra on an extensive tour throughout the United States. In addition to his work in the Netherlands, Finland and Estonia, recent and upcoming engagements in Europe and Asia include orchestral concerts and opera productions in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Japan and Russia, both in St. Petersburg and with the Bolshoi Opera Orchestra in Moscow.

Klas is closely associated with leading contemporary composers. He conducted the world premiere of Alfred Schnittke's Per Gynt at the Hamburg Opera and the Royal Opera House in Stockholm and collaborated with Natalia Gutman performing the world premiere of Schnittke's First Cello Concerto with the Munich Philharmonic. A great champion of Estonian composers, he has conducted world premieres of works by Pärt, Tamberg, Tormis, Tubin and Eller, whose compositions he also often introduces in the United States. In addition, Klas conducted the first performance of Henryk Gorecki's Flute Concerto in Amsterdam and the United States premiere of the same work with the Chicago Symphony. His discography includes Schnittke's Third Symphony, ballet music from Per Gynt and Four Violin Concerti as well as works by Sibelius on the BIS and Ondine labels. Klas' most recent release is a CD of orchestral works by John Corigliano with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra for Ondine.

Klas began his conducting studies at the Tallinn Conservatory and upon graduation went to St. Petersburg to work with Nikolai Rabinovich. He made his debut at the Estonian National Theatre in Tallinn in 1964 conducting Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story. In 1969, he was appointed assistant conductor at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, and for the next 12 years, he appeared regularly on the podium to conduct the famed Bolshoi orchestra, taking part in numerous opera, ballet and orchestral productions in Moscow and on tours throughout Europe. In 1975, he was named music director of the Estonian National Opera, where he served for 20 years before becoming conductor laureate. Between 1985 and 1990, he was music director of the Royal Opera in Stockholm and held the position of chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1996 to 2003.

Greatly interested in the education of young musicians, Klas has worked with many international youth orchestras. He has conducted the Estonian Youth Orchestra and the Sibelius Academy Orchestra numerous times, including on a tour to China with the latter. In addition, he has worked with the Irish Youth Orchestra and led the Asian Youth Orchestra on tours throughout Asia and Europe with Gidon Kremer as soloist. Klas was also a professor of conducting at the Sibelius Academy from 1993 to 1997, and since 1997, he has held the same position with the Estonian Music Academy.

Klas has been awarded the Order of Nordstjernen from His Majesty King Carl Gustav of Sweden, the Order of Finnish Lion and an honorary doctorate from the Estonian Music Academy. A former Estonian lightweight junior boxing champion, he is a member of the Estonian Olympic Committee, Chairman of the Estonian Cultural Foundation and a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.

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Gerald Steichen, guest conductor

With a career that ranges from symphony to opera, Broadway to chamber music, Gerald Steichen has established himself as one of America's most versatile young conductors.

Mr. Steichen serves as the Music Director of the Ridgefield Symphony (Connecticut); Principal Pops Conductor of the Utah Symphony; and Associate Conductor of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted the Boston Pops, New Jersey Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Hartford Symphony, and New York Pops. International credits include the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Tokyo City Symphony, the Norwegian Radio Symphony, and the opening concert of Germany’s Braunschweig Festival with the NDR Orchestra - Hanover.

He has appeared frequently with New York City Opera, debuting at the State Theatre with La boheme. Also for NYCO, he has led performances of Dead Man Walking, The Mikado, The Little Prince, L’elisir d’amore, Cinderella and The Pirates of Penzance. Mr. Steichen has also conducted for Utah Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, New Jersey Opera Theatre, Anchorage Opera, Opera East Texas, Yale Opera, and Utah Festival Opera. A champion of new works and young composers, he has conducted readings of new American operas as part of City Opera's VOX American Composer's Showcase.

Mr. Steichen has also appeared on Broadway, portraying “Manny, the Accompanist” in the Tony Award-winning play Master Class. He toured nationally as associate conductor with The Phantom of the Opera, The Secret Garden, and Peter Pan. He spent two years conducting the Broadway production of Cats, leading the final public performance of that show.

Jerry is a native of Tonkawa, Oklahoma; and holds degrees from Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma City University and the University of Southern California.

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Grant Cooper, guest conductor

Prior to becoming the artistic director and conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra in 2001, Grant Cooper served as resident conductor of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, where he gave almost 600 performances with the orchestra, appearing to critical acclaim on all the major series. Cooper is also artistic director of a summer festival, the Bach and Beyond Festival, in Fredonia, New York.

Born in New Zealand as the son of a professional opera singer, he sang and acted in his first opera at age four, and he studied piano and music theory prior to college. After completing his degree in pure mathematics at the University of Auckland, he embarked on a performance career as an orchestral trumpet player while fostering his growing interest in conducting, the latter leading to a fellowship from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council for study with Gerard Schwarz in the United States. This, in turn, led to performances in New York's Carnegie Hall and at Tanglewood under Arthur Fiedler, where he also performed as principal trumpet under conductors Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and Sir Neville Marriner, among others.

Since then, his many guest conducting engagements have included the Houston Symphony, Spokane Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia and the Syracuse Opera, among others.

A commissioned composer, Cooper is especially passionate about creating works designed to introduce young audiences to the orchestra. In addition, he is currently working on a commission to write original film scores for two Charlie Chaplin movies, which will premiere on the Pops series in March 2009 at the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Cooper has recorded for Delos International, Atoll, Ode, Mark, and Kiwi Pacific recordings and has the unique distinction of having CD recordings of himself as conductor, performer and composer, all currently available in the catalogue.

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Grant Llewellyn, guest conductor

Music director of the North Carolina Symphony and principal conductor of the Handel and Haydn Society, Grant Llewellyn is renowned for his exceptional charisma, energy and easy authority in music of all styles and periods. Born in Tenby, South Wales, Llewellyn won a conducting fellowship to the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts in 1985, where he worked with Bernstein, Ozawa, Masur and Previn. As assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the early 1990s, he conducted concerts at the Tanglewood Festival, the Boston Subscription Series and in the Boston Pops.

To date, Llewellyn's career has led him to hold positions with three European orchestras: principal conductor of the Royal Flanders Philharmonic, principal guest conductor of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and associate guest conductor with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Notable recent European guest engagements have included the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony, the SWR Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart and the Helsinki Philharmonic. He retains close links with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, with whom he continues to undertake numerous television, radio and recording projects.

Llewellyn has conducted many orchestras in North America, most notably the symphonies of Boston, Houston, Montreal, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Calgary and Toronto. This season he makes his debut with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. As music director of the Handel and Haydn Society, America's leading period orchestra, Llewellyn gained a reputation as a formidable interpreter of music of the Baroque and classical periods. Among the highlights of his work with the society have been staged performances of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas in collaboration with director Chen Shi-Zheng and Bach's St Matthew Passion. Llewellyn's first complete season as new music director of the North Carolina Symphony included a series of concerts called "Crossing the Atlantic," featuring composers and works from the United States and the United Kingdom.

An equally accomplished opera conductor, Llewellyn has appeared at the opera companies of English National Opera (The Magic Flute) and the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where his repertoire has ranged from Alexander Goehr's Arianna to The Magic Flute and Handel's Radamisto. In 2001, he embarked on a collaboration with acclaimed Chinese director Chen Shi-Zheng in a production of Dido and Aeneas at Spoleto Festival U.S.A. This was followed by a staged version of Monteverdi's Vespers with the Handel and Haydn Society. Other projects have included numerous opera galas as well as concert performances of operas by Britten, Rossini, Verdi and Puccini. In 2003, Llewellyn made his debut with Opera North in a new production of Massenet's Manon. In June 2005, Llewellyn conducted at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, one of the world's most prestigious singing competitions.

Grant Llewellyn lives in Cardiff with his wife Charlotte and their four children.

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Günther Herbig, guest conductor

Günther Herbig has established himself as a prominent conductor in the international music world, in particular building a strong career in America since 1979. Because of the political situation in East Germany, Herbig's first opportunity in the West came quite late; he was invited to be the principal guest conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1979. After being music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for six years, he was then the music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for five years, a position he gave up in 1994 so as to enable him to work in Europe more often. He continues to live in Michigan.

Since moving to the United States in 1984, he has appeared with all the great American orchestras: the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, the Philadelphia and Cleveland orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony. He toured America several times with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and received high praise for the many performances they gave in New York's Carnegie Hall. In January 1989, he toured Europe with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with Gidon Kremer as soloist to critical acclaim. In 1990, he toured the Far East with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and in the spring of 1991, he toured Europe with them, his 37th international orchestra tour. From 1990 to 1997, he was the visiting professor of conducting at Yale University, with a one week master class each term.

In Western Europe, he started his career in Britain in 1979, when he was invited to become principal guest conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. It was only in 1984, after he had left East Germany, that Günther Herbig was able to have the opportunity to conduct regularly in Western Europe. Very quickly he was invited by the other major British orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then he has conducted most of the major European orchestras and has also toured Japan, South America and Australia many times.

In 2001, he became the chief conductor of the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra for three years in order to rebuild the orchestra and bring it up to a higher level. This was successful with several concerts being shown on French and German television, and he renewed the contract until 2006. Unfortunately, the subsidies to all the German Radio Orchestras were substantially cut in 2005, and Herbig was unable to renew his contract after 2006.

He has recorded more than 100 works, some of which were with the East German orchestras with whom he was associated prior to moving to the West in 1984. Since then he has made recordings with several of the London orchestras, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Saarbrücken RSO.

Günther Herbig began his musical training with Hermann Abendroth at the Franz Liszt Academy in Weimar. He continued his studies with Hermann Scherchen and was one of only a few students chosen for intensive study with Herbert von Karajan, with whom he worked for two years. In 1972, he became general music director of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, and he held the same position with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra from 1977 to 1984, when he resigned and moved to America.

He is famed for his conducting of the 19th century Germanic repertoire, and in 2001, the Edinburgh International Festival decided to present a marathon "Homage to Beethoven" concert, inviting Herbig to conduct. It was a duplicate of the programme that took place at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna on December 22, 1808 when Beethoven presented and conducted the premiere of five new compositions including the Pastoral Symphony. This three-hour programme devised by Beethoven included Symphony No 6, Ah! Perfido, Gloria from the C Major Mass, Piano Concerto No 4, Symphony No 5, Sanctus from the C Major Mass and Choral Fantasia. This programme was also shown on BBC television.

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Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano

A shimmering soprano with enchanting stage presence, Heidi Grant Murphy is one of the outstanding vocal talents of her generation. A native of Bellingham, Washington, she began vocal studies while attending Western Washington and Indiana Universities. Her graduate studies were interrupted when she was named a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and engaged by Maestro James Levine to participate in the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Today, Ms. Murphy has established a reputation not only for her radiant musicianship and impeccable vocal technique, but also for her warm personality and generosity of spirit. "Ms. Grant Murphy was beautifully, serenely and wonderfully consistent. And she, too, shone. She produced phrases that were finely sustained, and yet each note seemed to have a shape of its own, floating out from or into silence." (The New York Times)

Heidi Grant Murphy has appeared with many of the world's finest opera companies and symphony orchestras, notably the Metropolitan Opera, Salzburg Festival, Frankfurt Opera, Netherlands Opera, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Opera National de Paris and Santa Fe Opera. She has been engaged as soloist with the Vienna, New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics; Cleveland, Philadelphia and Minnesota Orchestras; and Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Atlanta, Saint Louis, Cincinnati, Houston, Montreal, National and Dallas Symphonies. Ms. Murphy has worked with such esteemed conductors as Roberto Abbado, Herbert Blomstedt, Christoph Eschenbach, James Levine, Reinbert de Leeuw, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Kent Nagano, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Simon Rattle, Leonard Slatkin, Robert Spano, Jeffery Tate, Michael Tilson Thomas, Edo de Waart, Christoph Von Dohnányi, David Zinman, Bernard Haitink, Pinchas Zukerman and the late Robert Shaw.

Ms. Murphy's Metropolitan Opera debut in the 1989 production of Die Frau Ohne Schatten has led to numerous roles in that prestigious opera house, notably Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Sister Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Servilia in Clemenza di Tito and Nanetta in Falstaff. European highlights have included the roles of Anne Truelove in the Netherlands' Opera production of The Rake's Progress and Celia in Lucio Silla at both the Salzburg Festival and Frankfurt Opera; and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Adina in L'Elisir d'Amor and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier at the Opera Nationale de Paris.

The 2009-2010 season marks the 20th anniversary of Ms. Murphy's Metropolitan Opera debut. During this landmark season at the Met, she sings the role of Genoveva/Suor Angelica in Il Trittico conducted by Stefano Ranzani. Her other engagements this season display her orchestral, operatic and chamber music vocal talents throughout the United States and abroad. Ms. Murphy's season opens with the September release of her latest recording, Lullabies & Nightsongs, based on the children's book illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Prior to the disc's release, she presents a special family performance at New York City's 92nd Street Y. With the Chorus and Orchestra Philharmonique de Radio France conducted by Eliahu Inbal, she takes part in the world premiere of composer Thierry Lancino's Requiem. Mahler symphonies figure prominently in the soprano's season - including performances of Mahler IV with Norway's Bergen Philharmonic, first in the ensemble's home city, and then on a tour of the UK with Andrew Litton, which will also feature Ms. Murphy performing Mozart arias. She performs Mahler IV again with Kansas City Symphony, along with Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915, and Mahler II with Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, the New York Philharmonic makes available for digital download a live recording of Ms. Murphy performing Mahler IV with Maestro Lorin Maazel. The Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia welcomes Ms. Murphy for a performance of Roberto Sierra's Missa Latina, a work she premiered throughout the United States and recorded with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Other recent recordings of Heidi Grant Murphy include Roberto Sierra's Missa Latina with baritone Nathaniel Webster and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on Naxos, Augusta Read Thomas's Gathering Paradise with Lorin Maazel and the New York Philharmonic on New World, as well as an XM Satellite Radio compilation of Sondheim classics. For Koch records, Ms. Murphy has recorded Sueños de Amor a disc of Latin love songs; a holiday disc entitled The Gifts of Christmas; Times Like This, for which the Seattle Times noted that the "gleaming purity and warmth of tone make Ms. Murphy's voice the aural equivalent of candlelight"; Dreamscape: Lullabies from around the world; and a recording of Sir John Tavener's To a Child Dancing in the Wind paired with Sir Harrison Birtwistle's Sappho Fragments.

The Delos label released her recording of Mahler's symphonies No. 2 and 4 with Andrew Litton and the Dallas Symphony. Ms. Murphy's album on Arabesque Records, Clearings in the Sky, featuring Lili Boulanger and Rachmaninoff works, was praised by Gramophone Magazine: "Murphy's crystalline soprano and expressive generosity prove an ideal combination to bring this varied repertoire together." For the Deutsche Grammophon label, Ms. Murphy has recorded Schumann's Das Paradies und die Peri with the Staatskapelle Dresden, as well as Idomeneo (Ilia) and Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina) both conducted by James Levine. Additional recording projects include Vincent Youmans's Through the Years for PS Classics; Twilight and Innocence, a recital disc for Arabesque; Bach cantatas for Arabesque; Hansel and Gretel (Gretel) with Andreas Delfs and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; and the Grammy-nominated Sweeney Todd (Johanna) for the New York Philharmonic's private label.

Heidi Grant Murphy lives in New York City with her husband Kevin Murphy and their four children. She has been a featured guest on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered, A&E's Breakfast with the Arts and BBC Radio 3. In October 2005, Ms. Murphy received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Western Washington University, where she pursued a bachelor's degree in music performance.

"Heidi Grant Murphy has one of those immaculate silvery, youthful voices that make the listener start with pleasure and scan the program to find her name." - New York Newsday

"Heidi Grant Murphy was a vocally exquisite and endearing Susanna. She is a lively musician and a perky actress." - The New York Times

"Heidi Grant Murphy's opening phrase alone was worth the price of admission: in control, in gracefulness, in ornamentation." - The New York Sun

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James MacMillan, guest conductor

James MacMillan is one of today's most successful living composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, his Roman Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended together with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music.

MacMillan first became internationally recognized after the extraordinary success of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie at the BBC Proms in 1990. His prolific output has since been performed and broadcast around the world, placing him in the front rank of today's composers. His major works include Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, the percussion concerto which has received more than 400 performances, a cello concerto for Mstislav Rostropovich, a major choral-orchestral work Quickening, and three symphonies. His recent major works include his new opera The Sacrifice, premiered by Welsh National Opera and conducted by MacMillan, and his St. John Passion, premiered by the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Colin Davis in 2008, with performances in 2009 and 2010 by co-commissioners the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Boston Symphony and Rundfunkchor Berlin.

MacMillan was appointed affiliate composer of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in 1990, and between 1992 and 2002, he was artistic director of the Philharmonia Orchestra's Music of Today series. In January 2005, MacMillan was the focus of a major retrospective in the BBC Symphony's annual composer weekend at London's Barbican Centre, where he conducted concerts with both the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Symphony orchestras.

MacMillan is enjoying increasing international success as a conductor and has been composer/conductor of the BBC Philharmonic since September 2000, a role in which he has conducted new commissions, recording projects for Chandos and performances at the Bridgewater Hall, BBC Proms, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Athens Megaron, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, and an ongoing series of composer-portrait concerts, featuring the music of Kalevi Aaho, Magnus Lindberg, Harrison Birtwistle, John Casken, Unsuk Chin and Brett Dean. Recent guest conducting successes include concerts with the Baltimore Symphony, Munich Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, NHK Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Melbourne Symphony.

During the 2008/09 season MacMillan conducted the Rotterdam Philharmonic as part of James MacMillan: The Story so Far, a season-long focus on his music in Rotterdam. As part of this he also conducted the Royal Flemish Philharmonic and a performance of his large scale work Quickening with local university and conservatoire students, as well as various other performances of his music across the season. Other conducting highlights this past season include a performance at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw as part of the prestigious Saturday Matinee series with the Netherlands Radio Kammer Filharmonie, his music theatre work Parthenogenesis at the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre with Britten Sinfonia, and performances at the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, RTE National Symphony Orchestra and at the Wratislavia Cantans Festival in Poland. He also conducts various projects with the BBC Philharmonic as part of his role as composer/conductor, including a concert at the Bridgewater Hall in celebration of MacMillan's 50th birthday.

James MacMillan has directed many of his own works on recordings for Chandos, BIS and BMG; his latest release features his Organ Concerto A Scotch Bestiary and Piano Concerto No.2 with BBC Philharmonic and Wayne Marshall for Chandos. He was awarded a CBE in January 2004.

James MacMillan is represented by Intermusica. The works of James MacMillan are published by Boosey & Hawkes.

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James Tocco, piano

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Janet Brown, soprano

Soprano Janet Brown has been praised by critics for her warm, clear voice and direct expression. Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe has called her “….one of our most treasurable artists.” Ms. Brown is equally at home on the concert and operatic stages. She has performed roles with the Syracuse Opera Company, the American Repertory Theatre, the Boston Early Music Festival and the Pepsico Summerfare music festival. On the concert stage she has performed the major oratorio roles with the Syracuse Symphony, the West Virginia Symphony, the Cantata Singers of Boston, the Spectrum Singers of Boston, the New England Bach Festival, the Northwest Bach Festival, Handel & Haydn Society, Emmanuel Music of Boston and the Tallahassee Symphony, to name a few. Ms. Brown is also a frequent recitalist with the Skaneateles Chamber Music Festival and has appeared in concerts of new music with the Syracuse-based Society for New Music, and Boston’s Collage New Music. Janet Brown has premiered works by composers Gunther Schuller, Andrew Imbrie, Philip Glass ,Nicolas Scherzinger, Edward Cohen, Howard Boatwright and Ernst Bacon. In addition to her critically acclaimed CD release of selections from Spanisches Liederbuch of Hugo Wolf, she can be heard on a recording entitled "Fond Affection: Music of Ernst Bacon"; both CDs can be obtained at www.cnyclassicalcds.com. Ms. Brown serves as Instructor of Voice and Academic Coordinator at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music. Ms. Brown’s concert schedule can be found at www.janetbrownsoprano.com.  

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Jeff Tyzik, guest conductor

Jeff Tyzik has earned a reputation as one of America's most innovative pops conductors and is recognized for his brilliant arrangements, original programming, and engaging rapport with audiences of all ages. Principal pops conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for over a decade, he also serves as principal pops conductor of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Oregon Symphony.

A native of Hyde Park, New York, Tyzik began his life in music at nine years old, when he first picked up a cornet. He studied both classical and jazz throughout high school and went on to earn both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied composition/arranging with Radio City Music Hall's Ray Wright and jazz studies with the great band leader Chuck Mangione.

Highly sought after as a guest conductor, Tyzik has appeared with orchestras such as the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, the New York Pops, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. He has collaborated with such diverse artists as Tony Bennett, Art Garfunkel, Dawn Upshaw, Marilyn Horne, Arturo Sandoval, The Chieftains, Mark O'Connor, John Pizzarelli, Billy Taylor, and Lou Rawls. In addition, he worked closely with Doc Severinsen on many projects, including producing a Grammy Award-winning album, The Tonight Show Band with Doc Severinsen, Vol. 1.

As an accomplished composer and arranger, he has written over 160 works for the orchestra. Tyzik has had his compositions recorded by ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Summit Brass. He has also produced and composed theme music for many of the major television networks and released six of his own albums. In the summer of 2007, his recording of works by Gershwin with pianist Jon Nakamatsu and the RPO reached No. 3 on the Billboard classical chart.

Actively sharing his passion for music with others, he has been recognized for his community service and educational work by Rotary International, the Monroe County Music Educators, and the Rochester Philharmonic League. Tyzik lives in Rochester, New York, with his wife Jill.

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Jennifer Hines, mezzo-soprano

Lauded by Opera News for her “rich, dark mezzo” and “... a voice so rich and colored that she easily steals any scene in which she appears” (Time Off), mezzo-soprano Jennifer Hines made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Fourth Naked Virgin and as alto soloist in Moses und Aron with Maestro James Levine conducting. Since her debut she has maintained an active relationship with the celebrated company, participating in its Ring Cycle in the 2004-05 season. She made her recording debut in the title role of Astor Piazzola’s Maria de Buenos Aires, Murry Sidlin conducting, recently released on the Koch label.

Jennifer Hines’ current 2009-10 season includes singing as soloist in de Falla’s El Amor Bruja with The Florida Orchestra and appearing as Schwertleite in Die Walküre with Hawaii Opera Theatre. In 2008-09 she returned to Seattle Opera for Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen as Flosshilde and Schwertleite; sang as soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra; made her debut with Atlanta Opera as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, which she also sang with Florentine Opera; debuted with Palm Beach Opera as Maddalena in Rigoletto; and sang as soloist in Alexander Nevsky with the San Antonio Symphony.

Ms. Hines’ recent successes include her debut with Portland Opera as Bertarido in Rodelinda; performances of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Opera Grand Rapids and Nashville Opera; and Page in Salome with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. She appeared as soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Rossen Milanov at both the Mann Music Center and the Bravo! Vail Festival, as well as under Murray Sidlin at the Cascade Music Festival. Other recent concert appearances are Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the National Philharmonic, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St. Luke Passion with the Washington Bach Consort, Messiah with both American Bach Soloists and Minnesota Orchestra, Verdi’s Requiem with the Richmond Symphony, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Cathedral Choral Society. She also performed Bernstein’s Jeremiah Symphony at the Cascade Music Festival.

Among Ms. Hines’ many career highlights are her debuts with both Washington National Opera and Seattle Opera as Flosshilde and Rossweisse in Wagner’s Ring Cycle, the role of Carilda in Arianna in Creta in her debut with Gotham Chamber Opera, directed by Christopher Alden, the title role of Carmen with New Jersey Philharmonic, Annapolis Opera, Longview Opera, West Bay Opera, and East Texas Opera, the American premiere of Philip Glass’ White Raven with the Lincoln Center Festival, and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with both Florentine Opera and Aspen Opera Theatre Center. She has sung the role of Suzuki with New York City Opera, Opera Tampa, Dicapo Opera, Opera Longview, the Eastern Music Festival, and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Hines has had a long association with the New York City Opera dating from the fall of 1999. She has become an integral part of the company singing roles that include the Second and Third Ladies in Die Zauberflöte, Princess Nicolette in The Love for Three Oranges, Mercedes in Carmen, and the Siren in Rinaldo, with Harry Bicket conducting. She was also a featured artist at the Marlboro Music Festival collaborating with esteemed pianists Ken Noda and Mitsuko Uchida, and has performed Messiah with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, and New Choral Society.

Jennifer Hines is a native of Long Island and holds both Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School. She is a former Apprentice Artist with Santa Fe Opera, Tanglewood Music Center participant, and member of Seattle Opera’s Young Artist Program.

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Jim Owen (John Lennon) - rhythm guitar/piano/vocals

Jim Owen was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California. He gained rich musical experience from his father, who played music from the classics for him on the piano and from his extensive library of recordings by the great classical artists.

Owen began studying the piano at 6 and won honors in various piano performance competitions through his teenage years. He was 8 years old when he first heard The Beatles and promptly decided to take up the study of the guitar. His first professional performance as a Beatle was at 16. Then, at age 18, he began touring internationally with various productions of Beatlemania, visiting Japan, Korea, China, Canada, Mexico, and much of South America.

In 1996, Owen began working on his idea for a new show with orchestra. It has long been his dream to share with the public live performances of some of the greatest music ever written and recorded. Classical Mystery Tour was the result.

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Dr. Joseph Holt, interim artistic director

Dr. Joseph Holt enjoys a wide-ranging musical career as pianist, conductor, chamber music performer, arts administrator, educator and arranger. Currently the Interim Artistic Director of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, pianist with The United States Army Chorus and Associate Music Director for The Choral Arts Society of Washington, he has recently been appointed the new Music Director for Gloria Musicae, a professional choral ensemble based in Sarasota, Florida.  In addition, he has also served as Director of Choral Activities at The American University in Washington, DC, and Head of Accompanying at George Mason University in Virginia.

Dr. Holt made his Choral Arts conducting debut with Ariel Ramírez’s Misa Criolla during the 2002/2003 Season.  Misa Criolla was subsequently recorded with Navidad Nuestra by Ramírez and Missa Luba on the NAXOS label and released internationally to critical acclaim.  This recording, entitled Celebrating Sacred Rhythms, was awarded the 2006 Washington Area Music Award (WAMMIE) for Best Classical Recording.  With Choral Arts he has also conducted a performance at the Chester Summer Music Festival during the Society’s tour of England in the summer of 2002; conducted a performance of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (concert version) in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall; and conducted two programs at the National Presbyterian Church including the North American premiere of John Tavener’s Lament for Jerusalem. He has accompanied many artists, notably Jennifer Larmore, Alessandra Marc, Jessye Norman, Denyce Graves, Roberta Peters and Richard Tucker, among others. In July of 2000, he was one of 10 conductors who prepared a chorus of 2000 voices for a world premiere performance by the National Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin conducting, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. He has produced a series of multi piano concerts for The US Army Band featuring ten pianists and five concert grand pianos.

His recordings include Rhapsody in Blue with The US Army Band, music from The Holocaust Museum on Albany and Transcontinental, solo piano works of contemporary composer Gardner Read on Northeastern, accompanying soprano Janice Chandler on The Choral Arts Society Christmas CD, accompanying The United States Army Chorus in concert and accompanying John Mueller, euphonium. As a pianist he has been awarded numerous prizes, including the Brahms award from Wolf Trap, and his appearances in recital and with orchestras in North America, Europe, and the Middle East have elicited acclaim from audiences and critics alike. In the Washington area he has performed at The National Gallery of Art, the Phillips Collection, the Organization of American States, and the Holocaust Museum, among others. He also appears regularly with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and performed during their successful 1997 tour of Europe with Leonard Slatkin, conductor.

Unusual highlights of his musical career include coordinating and conducting the Filene Center Orchestra for a gala performance featuring premier comedian Victor Borge at Wolf Trap, compiling and directing the music for Prodigy, a children's play about Mozart at the Kennedy Center, and assisting in the development of the National Music Conservatory in Amman, Jordan. While in Jordan, he performed for King Hussein and Queen Noor at the Jerash Festival.  He also performed in Damascus, Syria as part of a United States Information Agency tour.

Dr. Holt holds a bachelor of music degree with distinction and the Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, a master of music degree from Shenandoah Conservatory, and a doctor of musical arts degree in chamber music from The Catholic University of America. His primary instructors include David Burge, Nelita True and Marilyn Neeley.

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Julie Albers, cello

American cellist Julie Albers is already recognized for her superlative artistry, her charismatic and radiant performing style, and her intense musicianship. She was born in 1980 to a musical family in Longmont, Colorado. She began violin studies at the age of two with her mother, switching to cello at four. She moved to Cleveland during her junior year of high school to pursue studies through the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Richard Aaron. Albers soon was awarded the grand prize at the XIII International Competition for Young Musicians in Douai, France and as a result toured France as soloist with Orchestre Symphonique de Douai.

She made her major orchestral debut with The Cleveland Orchestra in 1998 and thereafter has performed in recital and with orchestras in the United States, Europe, Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand. In 2001, she won second prize in Munich's Internationalen Musikwettbewerbes der ARD, at which time she was also awarded the Wilhelm-Weichsler-Musikpreis der Stadt Osnabruch 2001. While in Germany, she recorded solo and chamber music of Kodaly for the Bavarian Radio, performances that have been heard throughout Europe. In November 2003, Albers was named the first Gold Medal Laureate of South Korea's Gyeongnam International Music Competition, winning the $25,000 grand prize.

In America, Albers has performed with many important orchestras and ensembles. Her current and upcoming engagements include performances with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Utah Symphony, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Moritzburg Festival in Germany, the Colorado Symphony, the Chautauqua Festival, the Rochester Philharmonic, the Charlotte Symphony, the Arkansas Symphony, the Spokane Symphony, the Syracuse Symphony, the Reno Philharmonic, and the Grand Rapids Symphony.

In addition to solo performances, Albers regularly participates in chamber music festivals around the world. In the fall of 2006, she began a three-year residency with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Two. She is currently active with the Albers String Trio and the cello quartet, CELLO. She is also on the faculty of Kean University as a member of the Concert Artist program.

October 2005 marked the release of Albers' debut album on the Artek label. This disc includes works by Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Schumann, Massenet, and Piatagorsky. Julie Albers performs on a N.F. Vuillaume cello made in 1872 and makes her home in New York City.

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Leon Williams, baritone

American baritone Leon Williams enjoys a fine reputation on several continents for his distinctive voice, charismatic personality and superb musicianship.  Concert appearances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Honolulu Symphony;  Orff’s Carmina Burana with The Florida Orchestra, Baltimore, Reading, Alabama, Westchester, Grand Rapids, Hartford and Colorado symphonies, National Philharmonic, and at the Berkshire Choral Festival;  Britten’s War Requiem, the Mozart and Fauré requiems and Haydn’s Creation with the Colorado Symphony; Vaughan-Williams’ A Sea Symphony with the Portland and Illinois Symphonies and The Florida Orchestra; Fauré’s Requiem with Raymond Leppard and the Kansas City Symphony; Brahms’ Requiem with the Alabama and Santa Barbara symphonies; Haydn’s Il Ritorno di Tobia and Harold Farberman’s War Cry on a Prayer Feather with the American Symphony Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center; Weill’s Lindberghflug with Dennis Russell Davies and the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; Mahler’s Rückertlieder with Christoph Eschenbach at Japan’s Sapporo Festival, and the composer’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Eighth Symphony with Leon Botstein at New York’s Bard Festival; Vaughan-Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall; Mozart’s Requiem with Joseph Flummerfelt at the Westminster Festival; Beethoven’s Mass in C at France’s Colmar Festival; and Copland’s Old American Songs with the Warren Philharmonic.  He recently opened the brand-new concert hall in Amarillo, Texas, performing Lee Hoiby’s I Have a Dream with James Setapen and the Amarillo Symphony and returned there in 2008-2009 for Walton's Belshazzar's Feast.

Passionately devoted to the art of the song, Williams has performed Brahms’ Vier ernste Gesänge with Sarah Rothenberg and the Da Camera Society of Houston (to which he returned for a special program of the music of Charles Wuorinen); an “Art of the Spiritual” program at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater; an all-American program at Japan’s Tochigi Music Festival and Maine’s Arcady Music Festival; and given recitals in Hartford, Pittsburgh, Princeton and throughout his native New York City, including Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall (the songs of Richard Hundley) and the 92nd Street Y (a much-acclaimed all-Poulenc program with Michel Sénéchal and Dalton Baldwin). Opera credits include Anthony in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (Toledo Opera) and Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (Hawaii Opera Theatre), both meeting with unanimous critical and public acclaim.  A much-in-demand Porgy and Bess principal, he sang Porgy in with Yuri Temirkanov conducting in St. Petersburg, Russia; Sportin’ Life with Markand Thakar and the Duluth-Superior Symphony and Jake in the Dallas Opera production.  In summer 2009 he reprised Jake for his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut at the Hollywood Bowl under Bramwell Tovey.  Current highlights include a recital in Oklahoma City, the Verdi Requiem with David Lockington and the Modesto Symphony; Messiah with the National Philharmonic; Carmina Burana with the Jacksonville Symphony and Mozart's Figaro and Schaunard in Puccini's La Boheme with Hawaii Opera Theatre.

Williams has won top prizes in the Naumburg, Joy-in-Singing, and Lola Wilson Hayes Competitions.

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Manuel Barrueco, classical guitar

Manuel Barrueco is internationally recognized as one of the most important guitarists of our time. His unique artistry has been continually described as that of a superb instrumentalist and a superior and elegant musician, possessing a seductive sound and uncommon lyrical gifts.

His career has been dedicated to bringing the guitar to the main musical centers of the world. During three decades of concertizing, he has performed across the United Sates from the New World Symphony in Miami to the Seattle Symphony and from the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic to New York's Lincoln Center. He has appeared with such prestigious orchestras as the Philadelphia Orchestra and with the Boston Symphony under the direction of Seiji Ozawa in the American Premiere of Toru's Takemitsu's To the Edge of Dream. In addition, he appears regularly with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and with San Francisco Performances.

His international tours have taken him to some of the most important musical centers in the world. Highlights include the Royal Albert Hall in London, Musikverein in Vienna, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Philharmonie in Berlin, Teatro Real in Madrid, and Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. In Asia, he has completed close to a dozen tours of Japan and made repeated appearances in Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Barrueco's tours of Latin America have included performances in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico. He has also performed as a guest soloist with other international orchestras such as the Russian State Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Auckland Symphony in New Zealand, and the radio symphonies of Munich and Frankfurt.

Barrueco's recording catalogue includes over a dozen recordings for the EMI label. His recording of Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez with conductor and tenor Plácido Domingo and the Philharmonia Orchestra was cited as the best recording of that piece in Classic CD Magazine, while ¡Cuba! was called "an extraordinary musical achievement" by the San Francisco Chronicle. Nylon & Steel, a collection of duos with guitar greats Al Di Meola, Steve Morse (Deep Purple), and Andy Summers (The Police), demonstrates Barrueco's outstanding versatility and imaginative programming. His latest release, Concierto Barroco, with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia and conductor Víctor Pablo Pérez, received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Classical Recording. This CD contains the world premiere recordings of new works for guitar and orchestra by Roberto Sierra and Arvo Pärt, as well as two guitar concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Other recordings encompass many of the works from the Spanish and Latin American repertoire, as well as Bach and Mozart, Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. He collaborated with soprano Barbara Hendricks and flutist Emmanuel Pahud in Cantos y Danzas, with The King's Singers on a Strauss album, and with the London Symphony on Manuel Barrueco plays Lennon & McCartney. His early recordings, available on VOX, have become a classic amongst guitar recordings.

Barrueco's commitment to contemporary music and to the expansion of the guitar repertoire has led him to collaborations with many distinguished composers such as Steven Stucky, Michael Daugherty, Roberto Sierra, Arvo Pärt and Toru Takemitsu, whose last orchestral work Spectral Canticle was a double concerto written specifically for Manuel Barrueco and violinist Frank Peter Zimmerman.

Manuel Barrueco has appeared on a wide array of American television programs including CBS's Sunday Morning, A&E's Breakfast with the Arts, and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on PBS. His work in music also inspired Michael Lawrence's biographical documentary: Manuel Barrueco: A Gift and a Life which has been aired by PBS stations around the United States including WNET-TV in New York. He was also featured in a Lexus car commercial. Barrueco's performances have been broadcast by television stations around the world such as NHK in Japan, Bayerische Rundfunk in Germany, and RTVE in Spain.

This coming season includes the world premiere of Roberto Sierra's Danzas Concertantes with the Orchestra of Castilla and Leon in Spain and a new quintet by Gabriela Lena Frank, which Barrueco will tour with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano. Other scheduled performances include appearances with the National Orchestra of Spain, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, and the Utah Symphony Orchestra, with recitals in Liechtenstein, Iceland, San Francisco and Seattle to name a few, and he will appear in the guitar festivals of Koblenz, Germany and Cordoba, Spain.

Recent CD releases include two recordings that feature the music of Astor Piazzolla: Grammy-nominated Solo Piazzolla (2007) as well as Tango Sensations (2008), a collaboration with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano that includes the music of Carlos Gustavino. A second collaboration with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano will be released later this year featuring guitar quintets by Gabriela Lena Frank, Michael Daugherty, Roberto Sierra, and Aaron Jay Kernis. These recordings are part of the exclusive Manuel Barrueco Collection on Tonar Music label, a label formed specifically to release Barrueco's recordings.

Manuel Barrueco began playing the guitar at the age of eight, and he attended the Esteban Salas Conservatory in his native Cuba. He immigrated with his family to the United States in 1967, as political refugees. Later, he completed his advanced studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he now shares his love for music with a small number of exceptionally gifted young guitarists from all over the world.

For more information please visit www.barrueco.com.

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Markus Groh, piano