Concert

The Romantic Century – Great Organ Masterworks of Germany & France

jeffrey-campbellSt. Philip’s Friends of Music kicks off its 21st concert season on Sunday, October 30, at 2 p.m. in the Church with The Romantic Century – Great Organ Masterworks of Germany & France. To celebrate the beginning of Dr. Jeffrey Campbell’s 16th year as Associate Music Director and principal organist at St. Philip’s In The Hills, he explores the captivating late-Romantic musical language of Louis Vierne, Max Rogers, and Camille Saint-Saens. Tucson Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Lauren Rustad Roth joins Dr. Campbell for a rare performance of Josef Rheinberger’s eloquent Sonata for Violin and Organ — a truly sonic celebration of the royal instrument.

Suggested admission for this concert is $15 (students free with ID).

rothThe mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events. For more information see the Friends of Music web site or call 520.222.7277

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under the solar parking structure on the east side. The Friends of Music phone number is (520) 222-7277.

 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Jeffrey Campbell has distinguished himself throughout North America as an organ recitalist, choral conductor, and clinician. A graduate of both the University of British Columbia and Northwestern University in Chicago, Dr. Campbell has specialized in the interpretation of Bach’s organ and choral music, as well as English and French romantic repertoire. Since August 2001, he has been Associate Music Director and principal organist at the Episcopal Church of St. Philip’s In The Hills, Tucson, where, among other duties, he is responsible for organ music and choral accompaniments as part of a large multi-generational music program. He has accompanied numerous choral groups, soloists and instrumental ensembles throughout Southern Arizona. Recent engagements have included performances on the Fritts organ at St. Alban’s in Tucson, the Evensong Recital series at All Saints, Phoenix, and the new Quimby organ at Catalina United Methodist Church.

Lauren Rustad Roth is concertmaster of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and was named Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of Arizona in 2013. Previous to these positions, she was concertmaster of the Canton Symphony. In May 2013, Ms. Roth earned a Master of Music degree for the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of William Preucil, concertmaster of The Cleveland Orchestra. She was a member of the Cleveland Pops orchestra and a substitute with The Cleveland Orchestra.

A native of Seattle, Ms. Roth received a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian studies from the University of Washington, where she was a student of Professor Ron Patterson. During that time, she served as concertmaster of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, Thalia Symphony, Marrowstone Festival Orchestra, and the UW Symphony.

Ms. Roth has appeared as soloist with the Thalia Symphony, Canton Symphony, Sierra Vista Symphony, and the Tucson Symphony. In 2013 she attended the Tanglewood Music Center and received the Jules C. Reiner Violin Prize. An avid teacher and chamber musician, Ms. Roth was an adjunct faculty member at Holy Names Academy in Seattle. She has served on the faculty of Icicle Creek Music Center, International Lyric Academy in Italy, Prague Summer Nights, and she joined the faculty of the Marrowstone Music Festival in 2014. Ms. Roth has performed at the San Juan Island Chamber Music series, Lexington Bach festival, Mainly Mozart festival, St. Andrew’s Bach Society, and Tanglewood Music center and has collaborated and performed with renowned artists including Christoph von Dohnányi, Charles Dutoit, Ron Patterson, William Preucil, Martin Chalifour, André Watts and Lynn Harrell.

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Summer Sizzlers Concert: Jason Carder Trio Plays Our Favorites

jason-carder-smallerSt. Philip’s In The Hills Friends of Music will present the final concert of its popular Summer Sizzler Series on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. in the Church.  Jason Carder Trio, composed of three charismatic musicians—Jason Carder, Jeff Haskell, and Brice Winston—all with international reputations, will perform a concert of jazz standards.

As from their recent album release, Enough Said, Jason Carder Trio will perform songs drawn from both beautiful melodies and common hymns which together create a unique window into our nation’s musical history.  They span the period from the 1500s to 1967, and most have a link to the American South.  With touring demands of each performer prohibiting a regular local performing schedule, this is a must-see opportunity.

jeff-haskell2The suggested concert admission is $20 per person. The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under our solar parking structure on the east side. For more information see http://www.friendsofmusictucson.org or call (520) 222-7277.

brice-winston2

Additional Information:

Trumpeter Jason Carder’s dynamic personality and nimble talent allow him to move fluidly from intimate jazz clubs to concert stages before audiences of thousands. As Yanni’s solo trumpeter since 2008, Carder has performed all over the world as well as recorded four live DVDs: Yanni Voices Live at the Forum at Mundo Imperial, Yanni Live at El Morro, Yanni World With Borders and Dream Concert at the Pyramids of Giza.

Jason has toured with a diverse lineup of artists since 1989 including Ray Charles, Arturo Sandoval, the Jaco Pastorius (Word of Mouth) Big Band, Woody Herman Orchestra, Maynard Ferguson, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra Jr., K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Dr John, the Original Wildcat Jass Band and the Denver based H2 Big band.

Carder has also contributed his talent to more than one hundred CDs. His most recent is the Latin Grammy winner for best instrumental album Mamblue by Dr. Ed Calle (2015). Other notable albums are Sky Blue by Maria Schneider which was nominated for two Grammy Awards, Arturo Sandoval’s Rumba Palace, Americana, and the Grammy Award-winning Hot House. Jason released his debut CD Coming Home on the New Vintage record label in 2011 and has continued his collaboration with Jeff Haskell by releasing his latest effort, Enough Said in 2014.

Jason grew up in Arizona and studied music at Interlochen Arts Academy and University of Miami, with adjunct positions at Mannes School of Music and Florida International University.  Jason is currently an instructor in Jazz Studies at the Fred Fox School of Music at the University of Arizona and the Tucson Jazz Institute.

When pianist/arranger/conductor Jeff Haskell sits down at the piano, something inventive and inspired happens. The word eclectic doesn’t even begin to describe his amazing musical dexterity.

Haskell’s professional credentials are as varied and vast as his musical talent. He began his jazz career as a scat-singing boy soprano in Philadelphia. At age 12, he sang and played saxophone professionally, adding the organ a year later. Soon thereafter, Haskell immersed himself in jazz studies with pianist Ray Smythe and organist Jackie Davis, and at age 16, was jamming with saxophonist Lew Tabackin.

The first winner of the first American Collegiate jazz festival (Villanova), Haskell soon went on to play in Europe with flute great Jeremy Steig and trumpet legend Chet Baker. Haskell has won three Los Angeles Emmy Awards for his work on the much celebrated children’s TV program, “Dusty’s Treehouse”, and critics praised his theme and underscore for the “IT Show” for ABC, for which he received a Los Angeles Emmy nomination. Some of his recent Hollywood music includes arrangements on two Linda Ronstadt albums, cues for “Dudley Do-Right” and “Fight Club”. Locally, you can hear his work every half-hour in the 4-note station ID for KUAT-TV.

“Pastiche Americana”, a composition written for chorus and orchestra, was performed by The Little Orchestra in Lincoln Center. His “Concerto for Jazz Band and Orchestra” debuted with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. And he conducted the world premiere of Billy Taylor’s suite for jazz trio and big band, “Fiesta In Tucson”. He may be the only person ever hired by the Tucson Symphony in the roles of pianist/conductor, arranger/orchestrator, and vocalist (tenor).

A veteran of hundreds of “jingles”, he has orchestrated an album for UP WITH PEOPLE!, has recorded a legendary synthesizer album for Capitol Records, and has served as music director, arranger and conductor for country music legend Buck Owens, with whom he recently completed an album with the Bakersfield Symphony.

Haskell received a B.A. in Music Education from West Chester University (PA) and a Masters in Theory from the University of Arizona. While studying for a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Arizona, he served as the second Director of the Tucson Boys Chorus, which continues to perform extensively in the U.S. and abroad. He recently retired as a professor of music at the University of Arizona, although he has not retired from gigs, writing assignments, and studio dates.

Brice Winston is an American born saxophonist and composer currently living in Tucson, AZ. After attending school at the University of New Orleans, he initially stepped out with trumpeter Nicholas Payton before joining forces with Grammy Award winning trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard. Brice’s 16-year residency in New Orleans and his association with Blanchard  has afforded him the opportunity to record and/or perform with some of the greatest musicians in jazz, including Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, Ellis Marsalis, Lionel Loueke, Robert Glasper, Aaron Parks, Marcus Miller, Dizzie Gillespie, Branford Marsalis, Nneena Freelon, Dianne Reeves, Brian Blade, Patty Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Mark Whitfield, Mark Turner, and Eric Harland, among others. Brice appears as a composer and a performer on numerous Blanchard film scores and CD releases, including his latest effort, Magnetic.

Brice is also one of the co-owners of the Tucson Jazz Institute (TJI) Community Music School in Tucson, AZ. TJI focuses primarily on teaching jazz to middle and high school students in and around southern Arizona. TJI’s ensembles have earned national and international recognition, with its Ellington Band winning the Essentially Ellington competition in New York at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and earning the top high school jazz band title from Downbeat Magazine.

Brice has spent a considerable amount of time on education, appearing as a guest clinician for such prestigious programs as the Thelonious Monk Institute for jazz and the Henry Mancini Institute for jazz, in addition to appearing as a guest artist and clinician at various universities and colleges.

Summer Sizzlers Concert: Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet

Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet snmaller

St. Philip’s In The Hills Friends of Music presents the third of four concerts of their popular Summer Sizzler Series. On Sunday, August 21, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. in the Church, Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet will perform Afro-Cuban-Caribbean flavored jazz, with music mostly by Bill Cunliffe, Oscar Hernannez, Eddie Palmieri, and Amilcar Guevara.

In the early 1990s, the Tucson Jazz Society sponsored its own Tucson Latin Jazz Orchestra, which was quite successful for a few years. However, the size of the group and the departure of Luis Torres in 1997 made the continuation of the orchestra difficult. In 2014, Amilcar Guevara and Homero Cerón thought of starting a group that would have some of the same elements of the former Tucson Latin Jazz Orchestra but with fewer players, hence the birth of the Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet. The group does mainly Afro-Cuban music with a few Puerto Rican and Southeastern Mexican influenced numbers. It is all-instrumental, and improvised solos are a main staple.

Personnel include Rick Peron, trumpet/flugelhorn; Mike Moynihan, saxes/flute; Rob Boone, trombone; Sal Lopez, trombone; Homero Cerón, vibes; Amilcar Guevara, piano; Joaquin Zamudio, electric bass; Dave Walton, congas; and Danny Brito, drum set.

Summer Sizzler Series’ final concert will be on September 18 at 2 p.m. offering Jason Carder Trio with Jeff Haskell on piano and Brice Winston on saxophone presenting jazz standards.

The suggested concert admission is $20 per person. The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under our solar parking structure on the east side. For more information click here or call (520) 222-7277.

Additional Information:
Homero Cerón, concert percussionist. Based in Tucson, Homero has lived a diverse life as a percussionist. Starting in the music business as a 12 year old drummer in Monterrey, Mexico, he went on to study music in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the mid 70s followed by graduate work at the University of Arizona. He has played: drums/vibes/timpani and orchestral percussion in many different settings — from small jazz combos to symphony orchestras, ballet, opera, and in the orchestra pit of numerous touring shows. He has appeared as a soloist on marimba/vibraphone and percussion with various chamber groups including the Tucson Symphony and Tucson Pops Orchestras. Homero presently is the Principal Percussionist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and freelances as a marimba, vibraphone, and steel drum soloist as well as small groups in jazz and chamber music. He is also is co-director of the Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet, an ensemble that specializes in Afro-Cuban jazz.

Amilcar Guevara, pianist, arranger, composer, and producer, was born in Central America (El Salvador) into a family with a musical background based in traditional Latin music. After many years of learning, playing and experimenting with all different kinds of music, he has developed a versatile approach to his playing and his composition. In recent years he has been living in Tucson, Arizona and has worked as musical director of “Salsa” and “Charanga” bands — “Charanga” being a traditional Cuban style of music and dance. He also continues to pursue his interest in Latin jazz with his own Quartet. He has completed a recording, Tan Cerca, Tan Lejos (So Close, Yet So Far), which combines all the elements of his musical background and experience into a fusion of jazz with Brazilian and Caribbean rhythms. The arranging, performing, and producing talents he developed while working for recording studios in Guatemala have been applied to recording projects he has recently completed. These include a CD for the Tucson Latin Jazz Orchestra, the music for an instructional video of Latin dance aerobics, and CDs for individual performing artists in Tucson and Albuquerque.

Summer Series Features Mariachi Luz de Luna

St. Philip’s In The Hills Friends of Music presents the second of four concerts of their popular Summer Sizzler Series.

Luz De Luna WIth Saguaro cropped smaller

On Sunday, July 10, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. in the Church, internationally acclaimed Mariachi Luz de Luna under the direction of Ruben Martin Moreno will perform authentic mariachi music. Most known for collaborations in recording with the alternative indie-rock group Calexico, they have appeared in festivals and venues all over Europe, from the Royal and Barbican theatres in London — to Scandinavia — to Athens, Greece. Mariachi Luz de Luna has also appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel Show from Hollywood, with Jackson Browne, and rock legend Jon Bon Jovi.

Summer Sizzler Series concerts continue on Sundays, August 21 at 2 p.m. (Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet presenting Afro-Cuban-Caribbean flavored jazz, with co-directors Amilcar Guevara and Homero Cerón), and September 18 at 2 p.m. (Jason Carder Trio with Jeff Haskell on piano and Brice Winston on saxophone presenting jazz standards).

The suggested concert admission is $20 per person. The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under our solar parking structure on the east side. For more information see www.friendsofmusictucson.org or call (520) 222-7277.

Summer Sizzlers Series Kicks Off June 12

Once again, Friends of Music presents their popular Summer Sizzler Series on four Sundays over the summer.

Larry RedhouseThe first concert of the series will be on Sunday, June 12, 2016, at 2 p.m. in the Church, featuring the Larry Redhouse Trio with special guest Tony Redhouse. Join us for a Sunday afternoon of hot jazz, Latin, fusion, funk, and reggae.  Enjoy original compositions and hip interpretations of classic jazz standards by Larry Redhouse on piano and keyboards, with special guest — world percussionist Tony Redhouse — and two of Tucson’s finest musicians, Robin Horn on drums and Evan Dain on bass.

Concerts continue on Sundays July 10 at 3 p.m. (this concert only) (Mariachi Luz de Luna presenting authentic mariachi music), August 21 at 2 p.m. (Tucson Latin Jazz Nonet presenting Afro-Cuban-Caribbean flavored jazz, with co-directors Amilcar Guevara and Homero Cerón), and September 18 at 2 p.m. (Jason Carder Trio with Jeff Haskell on piano and Brice Winston on saxophone presenting jazz standards).

The suggested concert admission is $20 per person. The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under our solar parking structure on the east side. For more information see www.friendsofmusictucson.org or call (520) 222-7277.

 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Larry Redhouse Trio has been a featured group at the Grenoble Jazz Festival, have played at concerts featuring such jazz greats as pianist Chick Corea, trumpeter Terence Blanchard. and saxophonist Donald Harrison. The Trio has performed in Washington, D.C., at The Kennedy Center’s famed Jazz Club to wonderful reviews as well other local and national venues.

“Listening to Larry Redhouse play is like hearing all the great keyboard players of fusion jazz’s primal infancy — Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Jan Hammer, Joe Zawinul and Keith Jarrett — swallowed alive, re-emerging through a single pair of hands … Likewise this trio interprets and reinvents classic fare with the perfect mix of virtuosic firepower, coloristic taste and a dancer’s graceful sense of shifting momentum.” (Daniel Buckley, Tucson Citizen music critic.)

Josh Young of the Tucson Jazz Society says of the Trio: “Fresh ideas are improvised with virtuoso technique — some with introspection, others foot-stomping hot, Soul satisfying music.”

Larry Redhouse is an accomplished keyboard artist. He is the youngest of six siblings, all of whom are exceptional musicians. He has been playing jazz piano for over 30 years. His recordings have been finalists for Independent Music Awards and Native American Music Awards. In addition to the Trio, Larry also regularly performs with the Redhouse Family Jazz Band. Known as Arizona’s American Indian First Family of Jazz, the Redhouse Family Jazz Band and Dancers consist of four brothers and two sisters capable of a panoply of performances as musicians, composers, vocalists, flutists, and dancers. They have been featured at the Smithsonian Native American Museum in Washington, D.C.

Larry’s sound has evolved into a modern sound of mature, original jazz innovation, with an edge of raw creative energy. He utilizes the timeless format of the acoustic piano. Then, with a slight twist, from his arsenal of electronic keyboards, he adds colorfully natural synth sounds, giving the compositions added depth.

As a featured performer at the Grenoble Jazz Festival, Le Dauphine Libéré said: “To begin with Larry Redhouse. For his first concert in Europe, the Navajo Indian pianist enchanted with his prodigious fingering technique and his great virtuosity. The style of the American is indefinable. Influenced by funk music, rock, and the Indian culture, he created an original music. Everyone could recognize the airs of great standards among the improvisations.”

tony redhouseTony Redhouse (Navajo) is an accomplished World-Beat percussionist. During Tony’s youth, he was exposed to Afro-Cuban, Latin Rock, and urban soul style drumming in the San Francisco Bay Area, and continued to pursue other African based rhythms which he later fused with Jazz. This fusion of ethnic musical sties during his youth has created the potent multi-cultural drumming that has become his signature style.

Tony combines his ethnic style percussion with Native American flutists and musicians during concerts and in the recording studio, to create a colorful blend of musical textures. The power of the drum to unite all people is expressed by Tony as he weaves the sounds of indigenous instruments and rhythms to his contemporary style of drumming. During his solo performances, Tony plays Native Flute and percussion instruments from around the world. As a musician, dancer, and artist, Tony promotes the arts as a vehicle to bring the message of balance and harmony.

A Navajo hoop dancer from his youth, Tony resonated with the pulse of the Navajo drum, which also served as a reference point for his interest in other indigenous drums later on. “In my music, I utilize indigenous instruments from around the world with their own unique colors and rhythms to create harmonious offerings to the four winds of the universe.”

Mr. Redhouse has performed and recorded with Salsa Orchestras, Jazz-Fusion, Folk Rock, Middle- Eastern Chant, New Age, Flamenco, Funk, Soul, and Traditional Native American Groups. He has recorded with his siblings, the Redhouse Family Jazz Band, on the Canyon Records label CD titled “Urban Indian.” Tony can also be heard on other CDs with Native artists Darryl Tonemah on the “Ghosts of St. Augustine,” and with Robert Tree Cody on “Maze” and “Native Flamenco,” the latter of which fuses fiery Latin percussion with traditional flamenco guitar and Native American flute. Tony is currently working on several solo CD projects, and plays as a guest percussionist with such groups as Maruma (Rock) and The CPR Orchestra, a high energy Latin/Salsa group.

Robin HornRobin Horn has made an international reputation as performer, studio drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and educator. He has worked such artists as Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville, and Joe Sample. Robin has released two solo CDs and also appears on Larry Redhouse’s album Spirit Progression. As an educator, Robin has been an Artist-In-Residence at the University of Arizona from 1994 to the present.

Evan DainEvan Dain is a San Francisco Bay area native who began playing bass professionally in Northern California followed by a stay in New Orleans where he performed and toured with Banu Gibson, Hal Smith, and John Gil. Since moving to Tucson in 1996, Evan has worked prolifically as a performer, arranger and producer and as a member of the popular gypsy jazz band, Hot Club of Tucson.

Friends of Music Concert: Roth-Buchholz-Gibson Trio

R-B-G Trio

Theodore Buchholz, Tannis Gibson, Lauren Roth

On Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. in the Church, St. Philip’s Friends of Music presents the Roth-Buchholz-Gibson Trio.

Tucson Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Lauren Rustad Roth, TSO cellist Theodore Buchholz, and pianist Tannis Gibson complete this powerhouse ensemble presenting virtuosic chamber music for violin, cello, and piano. Works include a wide-ranging program featuring the powerfully expressive trios by Shostakovich and Dvořák plus the enchanting Fantasy Pieces by Schumann.

The suggested concert admission is $20 per person ($10 for students). The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events. For more information see http://www.friendsofmusictucson.org.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under our solar parking structure on the east side. The Friends of Music phone number is (520) 222-7277.

 

Additional Information:

Lauren Rustad Roth is concertmaster of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and was named Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of Arizona in 2013. Before these positions, she was concertmaster of the Canton Symphony. In May 2013, Ms. Roth earned a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of William Preucil, concertmaster of The Cleveland Orchestra. She was a member of the Cleveland Pops orchestra and a substitute with The Cleveland Orchestra. A native of Seattle, Ms. Roth received a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian studies from the University of Washington. During that time, she served as Concertmaster of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, Thalia Symphony, Marrowstone Festival Orchestra, and the UW Symphony. Ms. Roth has appeared as soloist with the Bremerton Symphony, Thalia Symphony, Canton Symphony and the Tucson Symphony. In 2013 she attended the Tanglewood Music Center and received the Jules C. Reiner Violin Prize. An avid teacher and chamber musician, Ms. Roth was an adjunct faculty member at Holy Names Academy in Seattle from 2006-2010.

Cellist Theodore Buchholz has been lauded by newspaper critics as a “Virtuosic cellist,” an “Outstanding performer,” and a “Wonderful musician.” Debuting in New York’s Merkin Hall, he has appeared as a recitalist and chamber musician at important venues including the Spoleto Festival USA, in New York, New Jersey, California, Idaho, Phoenix, Portland, and as a faculty collaborative artist. Dr. Buchholz served as a professional orchestral musician for 10 years in positions that included Principal Cellist of the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Associate Principal Cellist of the Stockton Symphony, and in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated in chamber performances with members of the Audubon, Escher, and New World Quartets, and with members of the Cleveland, Metropolitan Opera, Minnesota, New World, San Francisco, and Sydney Symphony Orchestras. Dr. Buchholz studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, and the University of Arizona. Dr. Buchholz was on the faculty at Pima College for four years. He currently serves as President of the American String Teachers Association of Arizona, is the Director of the Tucson Cello Congress, and is Assistant Professor of Cello at the University of Arizona. This summer he will be performing and teaching at the prestigious Killington Music Festival in Vermont.

Canadian-born pianist Tannis Gibson enjoys a career covering a wide range of solo and chamber music performances. Her playing has been described as “luminous” (Boston Globe) and “thoroughly captivating” (Washington Post) and Fanfare Magazine recently applauded her “powerhouse pianism.” She has appeared in major North American venues including Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall; and the Kennedy Center, Corcoran Gallery, National Gallery Series, Phillips Collection Series (Washington, D.C.). She has also appeared at major venues in London, Paris, Boston, San Francisco, St. Louis and Los Angeles. As a dedicated and award-winning teacher, Ms. Gibson works with a dynamic group of international and domestic students. Her students are top prizewinners in international, national and local competitions and have appeared in concert venues such as the Dame Myra Hess Series in Chicago and Weill Recital Hall. Ms. Gibson has presented masterclasses at arts institutions in Canada, Chile, Bahamas, Korea and throughout the U.S. In recent years she has enjoyed guest-teaching at the leading conservatories of China: Shanghai Conservatory, Shanghai Middle School Conservatory, Beijing Central Conservatory, and China Conservatory. Ms. Gibson is Professor of Music and Coordinator of the Keyboard Area at the University of Arizona in Tucson where she teaches studio piano and coaches chamber music. A Distinguished Visiting Artist at Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles from 2011-2014, she has held numerous residences in the U.S. These included the position of Artist-in-Residence at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Rife Family Quartet Featured in Friends of Music Concert

Rife Family QuartetOn Sunday, April 10, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. in the Church, St. Philip’s Friends of Music presents the Rife Family Quartet.

The Rife family has anchored Tucson’s musical scene for more than 30 years. Join David, Wynne, Melissa, Molly, and family friends Ann Weaver and Mary Beth Tyndall for a rare collaboration whose program will include an afternoon of chamber music favorites comprising works of Haydn, Boccherini, Beethoven and Schubert.

The suggested concert admission is $20 per person. The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events. Click here for more information.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under the solar parking structure to the east. The Friends of Music phone number is (520) 222-7277.

Additional Information:

David Rife, a native of South Carolina, received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Violin Performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Music Degree in Violin Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has studied with Donald Weilerstein, Mazuko Ushioda, Jerry Lucktenburg, and members of the Cleveland Quartet. David moved to Tucson in 1983 to join the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and was its Assistant Concertmaster until 2014. David began studying the piano at age 6, and began playing the violin and trombone at 13. David is a dedicated violin teacher and first violinist of the Southwest String Quartet. In 2005 he was awarded the Outstanding String Teacher in Arizona by the American String Teachers Association. His students have won local and statewide competitions and currently attend top music schools throughout the country. David was inducted into the Tucson Musicians Museum in 2012.

Wynne Wong-Rife is a native of Tucson, where she attended Brichta Elementary, Roskruge Junior High and Cholla High School. She was a member of her public school orchestras from fifth grade through high school, and played in Tucson Junior Strings and Tucson Youth Symphony. Wynne is also a dedicated teacher and loves helping people of all ages learn to play and love the violin. She is the second violinist in the TSO String Quartet/Quintet and the Southwest String Quartet. Wynne and David met at the Eastman School of Music, where she earned her Bachelor of Music Degree in Violin Performance with Distinction. They became engaged when students at Eastman, but Wynne wouldn’t walk down the aisle with David until she had her master’s degree and at least the prospect of a job. Both attended the New England Conservatory and earned their master’s, then married in 1983.

In addition to playing in the TSO, TSO String Quartet/Quintet and Southwest String Quartet, David and Wynne are on the faculty of Chamber Music in the Mountains (Tucson) and Rocky Ridge Music Center (Estes Park, CO).

David and Wynne have two daughters, Melissa and Molly, who are cellists. Both have attended Interlochen, were members of the Tucson Junior Strings and Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra, and have been winners in the TSO’s Young Artist Competition and other local competitions.

Molly Rife lives in Chicago, where she is a member of the 42nd Parallel Ensemble, performs with the Clark St. Quartet and teaches private cello lessons. As a founding member of the Clark St. Quartet, Molly enjoys playing and performing chamber music. She has worked with the Brentano, Orion, St. Lawrence and Tokyo String Quartets. Other chamber music coaches include Stephen Balderston, Nancy Buck, Andrew Campbell, Julian Hersh, Danwen Jiang, Thomas Landschoot, Russell Ryan, Lenny Schranze, Rami Solomonow and Janet Sung. She began playing the cello at age 11 and made her solo debut in April 2007 when she performed as soloist with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra after winning the Gold Medal for the TSO Artists Competition. She has also performed as soloist with the Tucson Pops Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Tucson, and the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra. Molly recently graduated from DePaul University with a Master of Music degree in cello performance, where she studied with Stephen Balderston. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance, magna cum laude, from Arizona State University.

Melissa Rife received a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2008, with further studies towards a Master of Music degree at Arizona State University. Her experience includes performing aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines with the Marks String Quartet. Melissa is a founding member of The Tandem Duo, and also plays with the Aracelli Strings of Tucson.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Ann Weaver began her musical studies at age 6 with her parents, both of whom were then members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. She began her college studies at Arizona State University, then completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she was given the Annual Viola Award for Outstanding Achievement. She earned her Master of Music Performance at Rice University, where she graduated with honors. Her teachers include William Magers, James Van Valkenburg, Heidi Castleman, Wayne Brooks (principal violist of the Houston Symphony), and Roberto Diaz (principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra). Her chamber music coaches have included Anne Epperson and members of the Juilliard, Guarneri, and Cleveland string quartets.

Mary Beth Tyndall has been a member of the Tucson Symphony since 1980.  She
 is also a member of the Southwest String Quartet and the Rocky Ridge Music
Center summer faculty.  An enthusiastic private teacher, she was recently
named the 2016-2017 outstanding studio teacher for the state of Arizona by
the American String Teacher’s Association.  She is honored to play
alongside the Rifes and she is particularly thrilled to play the Schubert
Quintet with Molly Rife, one of her best and most memorable former students.

Bach Marathon

bach marathon flierOn Saturday, March 5, 2016, beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Church, St. Philip’s Friends of Music presents the 25th Annual Bach Marathon, a celebration of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. The 10:00 a.m. concert features University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music international touring performers — UA Musicians on Tour —performing Bach in some unusual combos, such as a bassoon quartet and a saxophone quartet, in addition to the more usual voice, strings, harpsichord, piano, organ, and oboe. Their programs will highlight not only music by J.S. Bach but also transcriptions of music by his contemporaries and other musicians that Bach influenced. These gifted musicians will articulate the immense diversity, texture and influence of the master with a variety of instruments, repertoire, and style.

The morning concert is followed by a “Bach’s lunch” — a box lunch for a modest fee available to order at the door prior to the morning performances. Join fellow concertgoers, friends and family for a light repast and stimulating conversation about the performances.

biggersContinuing at 2:00 p.m., acclaimed organist Jonathan Biggers will perform on the 1986 Holtkamp Organ Bach’s Sinfonia from Cantata 29; Two Chorale-Preludes: Allein Gott in der Höh sei ehr (“All Glory be to God on high”), BWV 662 and Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (“Out of the depths I cry unto Thee”), BWV 686; Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C-major, BWV 564; concluding with Prelude and Fugue in E-major, BWV 566. Hailed by NPR as “one of the most outstanding concert organists in the United States,” Jonathan Biggers maintains an active career as both a professor of organ and harpsichord, and as a concert recitalist of the first order. He holds the prestigious Edwin Link Endowed Professorship in Organ and Harpsichord at Binghamton University (State University of New York) and has presented hundreds of concerts in music halls, church and university settings throughout the U.S.A., Canada, and Europe. He will bring incomparable flair, style and energy to the organ music of Bach.

The concert admission is $25 per person for either the morning session only or the afternoon session only; $40 for both; $10 Bach’s lunch on sale at the door prior to the morning performances. Student admission is $10 for both morning and afternoon sessions.

The mission of Friends of Music is to enrich the musical experience of the parish and community through events such as concerts, outreach, education, scholarships, commissions, and support of special musical events. Click here for more information or call 520.222.7277.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot or under our solar parking structure on the east side. The Friends of Music phone number is (520) 222-7277.

 

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

UA Musicians on Tour is an outreach program sponsored by the Fred Fox School of Music that presents music majors in a variety of performance venues throughout corners of the Southwest. Students participate in organized tours, on concert series, for schools, and in a variety of community settings. The School believes that the hands-on experience gained through performance out in the real-world and through student interaction with presenters, teachers and diverse audiences is essential to the musical education of its students.

 

Jonathan Biggers, hailed by NPR as “one of the most outstanding concert organists in the United States,” maintains an active career as both a professor of organ and harpsichord, and as a concert organist of the first order. He holds the Edwin Link Endowed Professorship in Organ and Harpsichord at Binghamton University (State University of New York), and has presented hundreds of concerts in concert hall, church and university settings throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, including solo and concerto performances for several regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists, including the opening solo concert for the 2010 AGO convention held in Washington D.C. He has appeared as a featured soloist with orchestras in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, including performances with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and has been featured frequently on NPR (“Pipedreams”), the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, and on Radio and Television Suisse Romande broadcasts in Geneva, Switzerland. Scott Cantrell of The Dallas Morning News, writes that Biggers’ performances demonstrate “authority and eloquence,” and adds: “were there more performers like this, the organ would be far less a minority interest.”

Ash Wednesday and Lent at St. Philip’s

ashes3 croppedSt. Philip’s offers four services on Ash Wednesday, February 10. At 7:30 a.m., Holy Eucharist Rite I and Imposition of Ashes; at noon, Holy Eucharist Rite II and Imposition of Ashes; at 5:30 p.m., All-Generations Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes, and at 7 p.m., Sung Eucharist Rite II and Imposition of Ashes.

In addition, the “Ash Mob” from St. Philip’s will be administering “Ashes To Go” at various locations around town: Raging Sage Coffee House on Campbell (8–10 a.m.), Northwest YMCA (9–11 a.m.), Starbucks at Campbell & River (10–11:30 a.m.), the River Walk at Campbell & River on the south side of the river (10–11:30 a.m.).

Ash Wednesday is preceded by the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper on Tuesday, February 9, at 6 p.m. in the Murphey Gallery. The tradition of eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday comes from the need to use up such ingredients as sugar, fat, and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with Lent (“Mardi Gras” is French for “fat Tuesday”). Proceeds from this fun night of fellowship and yummy food ($7 person/$20 family) prepared by the J2A youth and parents go toward the J2A pilgrimage. At 7 p.m. we will transition from Epiphany to Lent with the Burning of the Palms in the Fishpond Garden.

On Wednesdays during Lent, the J2A youth and their parents host Lenten Soup Suppers at 6 p.m. in the Murphey Gallery. Hearty, homemade soups (including a vegetarian option each week), bread, salad and dessert ($7 person/$20 family). Why cook when you can support the J2A pilgrimage, share a Lenten tradition, and enjoy fellowship over a delicious bowl of homemade soup at the same time?

At 6:45 p.m., the Rev. Canon Ted Holt leads an evening class. He invites you to explore sin, evil, and guilt as realities that have affected us all ever since the mythical days of Adam and Eve and that Slippery Serpent. Weaving Biblical, theological, and psychological ways of viewing the themes of sin, evil, and guilt, he will do so in a way that will likely be quite new to you, and along the way expand your understanding of how each functions (as well as malfunctions) in your life and the lives of those around you. The class will end with Close of Day Worship at 7:30 p.m.

Miranda Agnew, trumpetOn Thursdays during Lent, Friends of Music presents noontime recitals beginning at 12:15 p.m. Entitled “Rising Stars in the Next Musical Generation,” the series showcases young high achievers in the Tucson area who will dazzle with their professional polish, maturity and technical prowess. Listen to the newest generation of musicians as they ascend to the professional stage — an entertaining and relaxing way to spend your lunch hour. All concerts are held in the Bloom Music Center. Suggested admission is $10. The series begins on Thursday, February 11, with trumpeter Miranda Agnew performing contemporary classical works. Click here to read more about the series.

rob voyleOn Saturday, February 27, St. Philip’s offers a special Lenten Retreat Day: entitled “Discover Your Purpose” with the Rev. Dr. Rob Voyle. Click here to read more about this offering and to register.

Click here for a schedule of Lenten services, classes, recitals, and other events.

Thursday Noontime Recital Series

St. Philip’s Friends of Music presents noontime recitals during Lent on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. beginning February 11, 2016 in the Bloom Music Center. Entitled Rising Stars in the Next Musical Generation, young high achievers in the Tucson area will dazzle with their professional polish, maturity and technical prowess. St. Philip’s Friends of Music proudly showcases the newest generation of musicians. Listen to them as they ascend to the professional stage — an entertaining and relaxing way to spend your lunch hour.

Miranda Agnew, trumpetThe series begins on Thursday, February 11 with Sound the Trumpet: Miranda Agnew, trumpet. A participant in the Arizona All State Concert Band for the past two years, Miranda is a member of the Tucson Jazz Institute’s award-winning Ellington Band, selected for the Essentially Ellington competition in New York City in 2015 where she received special honors. In this concert of contemporary classical music, Miranda will play works by Stevens, Arutunian and Tchaikovsky.

 

Grace Sheppard, guitarOn Thursday, February 18, Guitar Masterpieces: Grace Sheppard, guitar. With international competition acclaim and her own YouTube channel, Grace Sheppard is unsurpassed as an “under 18” soloist and chamber music ensemble performer for guitars and harp. Grace’s program includes works from Rodrigo, Brouwer and Barrios.

 

 

Daniel Rosenberg, baritoneOn Thursday, February 25, The Life of the Wanderer: Daniel Rosenberg, baritone. Daniel Rosenberg began his career as a treble in the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus. He’s had national first place vocal recognition for four years running, plus Best Actor at the National Musical Theater Awards places Daniel in stratospheric musical territory.

 

 

Carissa Powe, violinOn Thursday, March 3, Voice of the Violin: Carissa Powe, violin. Hailed by the Arizona Daily Star for her “warm, rich tone,” at age 16 Carissa Powe is a rising talent not to be missed. Current concertmistress of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra, Carissa takes top prizes in local competitions and has been showcased in performances with several regional orchestras, including the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

 

Cameron Williams, pianoOn Thursday, March 10, 10 Fingers, 88 Keys: Cameron Williams, piano. In only seven years Cameron Williams has become a rising constellation. In addition to winning Tucson Young Composers competitions, his latest public acclaim was performing Saint Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in 2014. Cameron Williams brings breathtaking interpretive technique and expression to this memorable concert.

Claire Thai, harpThe series concludes on Thursday, March 17 with Glissando! Claire Thai, harp. Internationally recognized harpist Claire Thai fell in love with the harp when she was 2, began lessons at age 5 and never looked back. She has won acclaim locally, nationally and internationally through competitions as one of the most accomplished high school harpists in the U.S.A. She will delight us with virtuosity and her personal musical portrayals of harp repertoire gems.

St. Philip’s is located at 4440 N. Campbell Avenue at River Road. Ample parking is available in the north parking lot. All concerts are held in the Bloom Music Center which is just south down the breezeway from the north parking lot. Suggested admission is $10 to St. Philip’s Friends of Music. Friends of Music provides support to the music program at St. Philip’s, through sponsoring concerts, special musical events, commissions, scholarships, and community outreach programs. For more information click here or call (520) 222-7277.