Twin Cities Concert Association’s 60th anniversary season ends with a community celebration with Orchestre Panache on Sunday, May 20. Orchestre Panache is a chamber orchestra consisting of all local players, conducted by Ken Hardin. Adding to the community camaraderie, the orchestra will feature a chorale from Sierra College Nevada County Campus, and trombonist Eric Starr, son of Ann and Phil Starr of the local Starr Winery.
One of the goals of Orchestre Panache has been to become a “musician-run” chamber orchestra. All of the music on the program was selected by a committee of participating musicians and Conductor Ken Hardin. The selections include a favorite from a past concert, Schubert’s “Symphony No. 2 in B flat Major”. Says Ann Gaines, who is an orchestra member, TCCA board member and Orchestra Committee Chairperson, “Many of our musicians have been asking to play another Brandenburg Concerto, so we have responded to that wish with the much loved “Brandenburg Concerto No. 2”, featuring four of our very own players.”
The soloist, Eric Starr, brings the “Concerto for Alto Trombone and Strings” by Johann Georg Albrectsberger, who was one of Beethoven’s teachers. A native of Nevada City, Starr is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Trombone Performance at Stony Brook University on New York’s Long Island. A proud member of the Nevada Union High School class of 1998, Eric earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Southern California, as well as a Master of Music Degree and an Artist Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Violinist Ann Gaines said “I’ve been thinking that if I didn’t know Eric Starr I’d never get the chance to play this lovely piece of music.”
The well-rounded program ends with Haydn’s joyous and inspiring “Te Deum” with the Sierra College Chorale. Says Gaines, “The orchestra always enjoys playing with the choir, and I’m sure the audience will find this program to be delightful listening.” Both the choir and orchestra are conducted and directed by Ken Hardin. Hardin studied conducting under composer, conductor, pianist and arranger Jay Blackton, best known for his work as music director and conductor for Rodgers and Hammerstein. Hardin also studied conducting (and piano stylings) in Los Angeles with the noted composer and arranger Johnny Green.
A native of Nevada City, Eric is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Trombone Performance at Stony Brook University on New York’s Long Island. A proud member of the Nevada Union High School class of 1998, Eric earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Southern California, as well as a Master of Music Degree and an Artist Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
While attending Seven Hills Middle School, Eric was a member of the Nevada County Concert Band. In high school he played with the Nevada Union Symphonic, Concert, Jazz and Pep Bands under the leadership of Mr. Walt Kaweski and was a member of the Sierra Nevada Winds Orchestra, and the Sacramento Youth Symphony. Honors during high school included being a winner in the 1998 Music in the Mountains Young Musicians Competition and being selected to the California All-State Honor band for three years on trombone and euphonium.
Ensembles Eric has performed with include CityMusic Cleveland, Alarm Will Sound new music ensemble, the Canton Symphony, the Youngstown Symphony, the Orchestra Sinfonica UANL in Monterrey, Mexico, the Cleveland Pops, the Santa Monica Symphony, and the American Youth Symphony. He performed at the Ventura Chamber Music Festival as a member of the South Central Tuba Quartet, and as a member of the Helios Brass Quintet, collaborated on subscription performances with the American Brass Quintet. Eric has also performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the Carnegie Hall Professional Training Workshop, John Adams; Chamber Symphony.
As a soloist Eric was a second prize winner in the brass division of the Akron Tuesday Musical Association (2004 and 2006) and has been featured with the Cleveland Institute of Music New Music Ensemble.
During the summers Eric has performed at the Tanglewood and Aspen Music Festivals and at the Music Masters Course in Kazusa, Japan.
Following this performance, Eric will return to New York to perform with the ensemble TACTUS at the Bang on a Can Marathon in New York City.
Ken Hardin is artistic director/conductor of Twin Cities Concert Association/Orchestre Panache; conductor of Music in the Mountains’ Festival Chorus; pianist/harpsichordist for MIM’s Festival Orchestra; half of the popular piano duo “2x4” with Paul Perry; conductor of the Sierra College Choir and faculty member at Sierra College; has performed with the Reno Philharmonic, Chico State New Music Symposium, Nevada County Composers Cooperative, and various other West Coast presenters. Hardin is also noted as an accomplished jazz pianist. He works with Foothill Theatre Company directing their musical productions, most recently My Way: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra. Hardin graduated from CSU, Northridge and continued on the faculty there until moving to Nevada County in 1984.
Many thanks to our concert sponsors. We wouldn’t be able to present this concert without them.