Matt Mauser is a songwriter, solo artist, pop/rock bandleader, and Sinatra-style crooner, having spent more than two decades onstage and in the writing room. A lifelong resident of Southern California, he was an all-American swimmer during his younger years before shifting his focus to music.

During a local show with his Orange County-based party band, the Tijuana Dogs, he met fellow athlete, Christina. The two married and began raising a family, with Matt pulling triple duty as full-time family man, daytime Spanish teacher, and nighttime musician. He even combined his love of music and academics into a unique educational project, Rockin’ the Class, which taught children the fundamentals of Spanish through a selection of songs Matt had written, performed, and recorded. 

These days, music isn’t just a job; it’s also a source of therapy for Matt, who lost his wife in the January 2020 helicopter crash that also killed NBA great Kobe Bryant and seven others. Kobe hired Matt to create the music for an educational podcast called “The Punies.” Kobe and Christina also worked together, coaching a girls’ basketball team at the Mamba Sports Academy. Their loss was tragic to an entire world of basketball fans, and it was unspeakably tough for Matt. 

With songs like “Lost,” Matt Mauser is once again using his music to teach lessons and inspire joy. Written during the aftermath of Christina’s passing, the song reaches out to those who’ve experienced similar losses in their own lives. Those who grieve don’t have to grieve alone. And Matt Mauser, during the most challenging season of his life, hasn’t lost his ability to bring people together through his melodies, messages, and music.

Darren Lorenzo is a veteran performer, hailing straight from Atlanta, Georgia. Lorenzo has appeared in numerous productions both nationally and internationally. He received his B.A. in Mass Communications at Clark Atlanta University and further trained with Broadway Theatre Project at the University of South Florida, University of Tampa and with Theatre Emory of Emory University. He has wowed audiences with roles on Cruise Ships, headlining in Vegas, multiple regional, Off Broadway, Broadway, National, and International Touring productions of After Midnight, Vegas the Show, Legally Blonde, Saturday Night Fever, Madagascar, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, No Strings, Fosse, Hair, Tony and Tina’s Wedding, Once on This Island, What The World Needs Now, and several Gospel and Motown Tribute tours throughout Europe. In addition to acting and singing, he also works as a writer, producer, teacher, director and performs solo concerts with bands all over the US.

Chester Gregory is an award winning singer and actor. He was last seen starring in Motown The Musical as the iconic Berry Gordy.  Broadway credits include Motown the Musical, Hairspray, Tarzan, Cry-Baby and Sister Act. Other credits include August Wilson’s Fences and Two Trains Running. He has toured nationally with Dreamgirls, Sister Act, as well as his one-man show The Eve of Jackie Wilson. Chester has received many awards, including the Jeff Award and a NAACP Theatre Award, and has been presented the key to the city of his hometown of Gary, Indiana and in East Chicago. He has also been chosen as an Honorary State Representative of Indiana and has received a Honorary Doctorate from his alma mater Columbia College Chicago. He is currently producing several projects and recordings. Add him on social media @ChesterGregory and chestergregory.com

Conductor Herb Smith is widely known in both the classical and jazz worlds as an exciting performer who inspires musicians and audiences wherever he goes.  Whether he is performing, conducting, teaching or composing, Herb’s expression of music draws from his multifaceted and dynamic musical experiences from around the world.

Voted “Best Instrumentalist” of Rochester 2022 by City Magazine, Herb currently holds the third trumpet position in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the principal trumpet position in the Gateways Festival Orchestra which made their Carnegie Hall debut in April 2022. Herb also serves as principal trumpet in the Gateways Brass Collective, a nationally touring professional brass quintet, sponsored by Conn-Selmer. Being a highly sought after lead trumpeter has afforded Herb the opportunity to play with such notable musicians as Jeff Beck, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, the O’Jays, Johnny Mathis, and Doc Severinsen, to name but a few. He has been a frequent guest soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Rochester Philharmonic.

Herb’s Freedom Trio (composed of trumpet played through electronics, bass and drums) can be seen in performances around the country. This funky, eclectic group, a frequent guest at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, offers its “idiosyncratic yet charming melodies” (City Magazine) in concerts and festivals around the world.

As a composer, Herb has been commissioned by brass ensembles, high school choirs, jazz ensembles and trumpet ensembles in addition to writing for his jazz trio and the Gateways Brass Collective. Herb’s “The Twelve Tones of Christmas,” composed for trumpet, piano and voice, premiered in Carnegie Hall in 2008. Tony Award winning choreographer Garth Fagan commissioned Herb to write a ballet for his Children’s Ensemble. The resulting forty minute, six part work ranged across many styles, including reggae, classical, jazz and funk.

Herb is a regular guest conductor with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He frequently conducts the Symphoria orchestra based in Syracuse, NY and currently directs the Eastman Youth Jazz Ensemble. He also guest conducts for All-State and All-County Bands, Orchestras and Jazz Ensembles all across New York State. Herb recently conducted and curated a Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Brass performance of Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” at a Black Lives Matter rally and a concert honoring Harriet Tubman. This performance united the City of Rochester, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and neighborhood churches in honor of Tubman’s bicentennial celebration.

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Herb is a trumpet instructor at the Eastman Community Music School. He also leads masterclasses and offers lectures on trumpet technique, endurance and sound production. From universities to elementary schools, Herb is frequently invited to serve as teacher, teaching artist and clinician. He co-founded Herb’s City Trumpets, a program that mentors and teaches trumpet to Black students aged 8 to 17, in partnership with the Rochester City School District.

Sérgio Coelho, an accomplished clarinet player and educator based in Los Angeles, collaborates with prestigious ensembles from around the world such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Cleveland Symphony, Los Angeles Opera, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (New Zealand), Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Canada), among others. He performs regularly with chamber music series and festivals like Chamber Music Palisades, South Bay Chamber Music Society, Ojai Music Festival, and Mainly Mozart, to name a few. His talent has been recognized internationally, including winning 1st prize in the AYS and USC Concerto competitions and achieving 3rd prize in the 8th Saverio Mercadante International Clarinet Competition (Italy). Sérgio’s music education journey under mentors like Ms. Luisa Marques, Mr. Nuno Silva, and Mr. Yehuda Gilad has shaped his artistry. Currently, he serves as a dedicated clarinet faculty at Youth Orchestra Los Angeles – Torres and holds the position of principal clarinet in the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra. His passion for music continues to inspire audiences worldwide.

Currently serving as a Conducting Fellow at the Long Beach Symphony and an Associate Conductor at the Westside Youth Orchestra. Pola Benke’s ascent in the world of conducting exemplifies the harmonious blend of talent, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of musical excellence. 

Her journey as a conductor set sail four years ago when she enrolled in a conducting program under the guidance of Christopher Russell at Azusa Pacific University. Concurrently, she took private lessons with Jonathon Heyward. To further refine her skills, she also studied under the mentorship of Tomasz Golka.  

Pola’s talent was acknowledged early on when she was selected for the summer program with Maestro Neeme Järvi. She was invited to the Dartington Music Festival in England to serve as a Fellow Conductor where she worked under the guidance of Sian Edwards. Noteworthy among her recent accomplishments is her invitation to the esteemed Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, where she had the privilege of collaborating with Cristian Macelaru. 

As an accomplished cellist, Pola Benke understands the intricacies of musical performance and how to communicate with musicians to achieve the desired artistic interpretation. Her background as a musician has also given her the ability to analyze and interpret scores with a high level of detail, enabling her to lead ensembles with precision and nuance. This knowledge and experience are invaluable assets in the craft of conducting and allow her to bring a unique perspective to her work as a conductor. 

Pola’s passion for contemporary music has led her to collaborate with living composers, as she seeks to showcase new and innovative works. She also advocates for female artists and often performs their works. Her musical influences include Krzysztof Penderecki, Igor Stravinsky, Thomas Adès, Jennifer Higdon and renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, among others. 

Carolyn Osborn, violinist, has performed throughout the United States and Europe. From 1982-1985 Ms. Osborn’s performances as part of La Duo Musica took her to the International Competition of the Bayerisch Rundfunk in Munich, where the Duo was selected into the semi-final round.  Carolyn has been a member of both the Capriccio Chamber Players and the Vista Piano Trio, performing in numerous venues around the Southland and Arizona.   She played on the Stotsenberg Chamber Music Series at Pepperdine University in a Horn, Violin & Piano Trio.  In March 1997 she performed a violin-piano recital in which she premiered Fantasy Sonata; The Birthday of the Infanta by Maria Newman.  She has also been a member of the Cuarteto Ysaÿe de Los Angeles, the Ariel Ensemble and a guest artist with the Westlake Chamber Ensemble. She performed with the Westlake Chamber Ensemble at the 1998 annual Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC) Convention. She is active as a judge and adjudicator for many of the music competitions around the southland. Carolyn made a CD of Violin/Viola Duos with her group LuminArias, featuring works by mostly living composers.  

Ms. Osborn has been a member of the San Diego Symphony, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, LA Mozart Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay and the LA Opera Orchestra. She is presently a member of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, with whom she has been on tour and made several recordings.  Carolyn was involved in engagements of Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theater where she played Concertmaster several times, and she was Concertmaster of the Civic Light Opera of South Bay for many years.  Carolyn has also been Concertmaster for Michael Crawford when he has performed in the southland. Most recently she has played Concertmaster for The San Fernando Valley Symphony, Thousand Oaks Philharmonic and Principal Second in the New Valley Symphony. She is currently Assistant Principal Second of the Long Beach Symphony since 1991, Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, Assistant Concertmaster of the Thousand Oaks Philharmonic, Concertmaster of the Burbank Philharmonic and has been Concertmaster of the Downey Symphony for the last 34 years. Carolyn has performed as soloist with the Downey Symphony, most recently the Beethoven Triple Concerto, and the San Fernando Valley Symphony. She has participated in the Oregon Bach Festival, Cabrillo Festival, the Seal Beach Festival, KUSC Sunday’s at Four live broadcasts from the Bing Theater, and the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival. She was in the 1996 Grammy Award Show on national television, and again as a member of the orchestra of The Three Sopranos, which was televised from Century City in 1996. She was also part of “The Three Tenors Live” Concert in Las Vegas in April 2000. She has performed on many of KCET specials including Monica Mancini, Vicki Carr. She was a member of the violin faculty at Pepperdine University in Malibu until 2002.  

Currently Carolyn is active in the Los Angeles recording studios, most recently working on such movies as “Spiderman: No Way Home, COCO, Frozen 2, The War for The Planet of the Apes, Incredibles 2, Jurassic World, Moana, Star Trek Beyond”, and many others, as well as many other recording and performing opportunities.  

June 3, 2023

by Susan Swinburne

Our final concert of the 2022-2023 season offers a cornucopia of distinctly American 20th and 21st century music, with works encompassing idioms, styles, and tonalities completely unique to their very American composers’ differing lives and times.

Brian Nabors – Pulse

Composer Brian Raphael Nabors has accomplished quite a lot in 32 years. Born April 10, 1991, in Birmingham, Alabama and raised in a home infused with music and art, the precocious youngster taught himself to play piano at age six, prior to embracing all the musical technicalities as a teenager. With a doctorate in Musical Arts by the age of 28 and a rapidly expanding brag sheet of fellowships and awards, he is sought after for commissions and collaborations by orchestras and ensembles around the globe.

Nabors’ Pulse, composed and premiered in 2019, was inspired by his own introspective ruminations on the nature of connection between humans and their surroundings, both physical and spiritual. “The universe seems to have this natural rhythm to it. It is as if every living and moving thing we are aware and unaware of is being held together by a mysterious, resolute force… our deep connection as living beings to everything within, over, under, and around us.” 

Ellington — Harlem

It is no exaggeration to call Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington an American Icon. His decades-long career as an internationally acclaimed conductor, performer, and composer is legendary, as is his reputation as a cultural ambassador for the explosive artistry of Harlem during and after its groundbreaking Renaissance in the first half of the 20th century. His tone poem Harlem from 1951 harnesses the sounds and images unique to this distinctive Manhattan district at a distinct moment in time, rich with African American cultural innovation and creative energy.

While Ellington’s orchestral compositions are not nearly so well-known as the extensive canon of his jazz works, there is no shortage of exuberant praise for his richly imagined symphonic and chamber orchestra pieces. Eminent composer and critic Gunther Schuller called him, “one of the half-dozen greatest masters of our time.”

So, from whence cometh the “Duke” in Ellington? Ellington acquired his royal nickname at a very young age. As the story goes, his mother made sure he

learned refined habits and manners. Apparently, it worked. He credits the nickname to his childhood friend Edgar McEntree, who felt his grace and style seemed very distinguished. “So, he called me Duke,” and it stuck.

Nan Schwartz – Romanza

Trail-blazing Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated composer and orchestrator Nan Schwartz proudly stands shoulder to shoulder with legions of her male peers who score for film and TV. This prolific artist, known for collaborations with Alexander Desplat and others, and for her work on benchmark films including Oscar winners Argo and Life of Pi, broke the glass ceiling in film composing while still in her twenties. With a body of work that has enlivened film-going audiences for three-plus decades, she is also the next generation of an American musical dynasty. Her father originated the “Glenn Miller sound” as that orchestra’s clarinetist as well as recording often with Frank Sinatra and others; her mother sang with Tommy Dorsey, Dean Martin, Judy Garland, and too many more stars to name.

In Romanza, Schwartz envelopes the listener in a lush carpet of sound, building anticipation that leads delicately to a sweet, piercing solo violin singing of passionately of love.

Florence Price — Piano Concerto in One Movement

The genius of Florence Price, lost to history for decades after her death in 1953, is justly being revived as 21st century audiences discover her remarkable life and boundary-breaking career.

As a young woman of mixed race born in 1887 Arkansas, Price excelled in school and began musical studies as a child with her mother, a music teacher. She was admitted to and attended the New England Conservatory of Music only by “passing” as a Mexican, but she thrived there, graduated in 1906, and subsequently taught music at the college level. In 1927, she relocated to Chicago with her family to escape racial bias and, there in the windy city, her legacy as a composer took flight.

Price achieved an unprecedented triumph in 1932 when her Symphony No. 1 in E minor, having won a prestigious music award, was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and became the first full orchestral work by an African American woman to be performed by a major American symphony orchestra. It received a glowing review in the Chicago Daily News: “a faultless work…worthy of a place in the regular symphonic repertory.”

Two years later, in 1934, the CSO premiered the composer’s Piano Concerto in One Movement. The work demonstrates a masterful weaving of Price’s sophisticated and elegant talent for orchestration with her delightful creative exploration of African American musical themes and spirituals. Again garnering great acclaim, the work was performed in multiple venues around the region. The Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph anointed the Concerto, “real American music.”

Despite the acclaim her work enjoyed during her lifetime, Florence Price became a footnote to 20th century music until a miraculous discovery occurred in 2009, when a derelict house outside of Chicago – later determined to have been her vacation home – was found to contain hundreds of her lost manuscripts… but, not the piano concerto. That turned up only in 2019 at a private auction. Happily, publisher G. Schirmer eventually purchased the entire extant Price catalog and her genius is now attracting the attention it rightfully deserves.

George Gershwin — An American in Paris

George Gershwin, a powerhouse popular composer of show tunes, rags, and patriotic anthems, did a swan dive into the classical music deep end with his experimental composition Rhapsody in Blue. In the audience for that performance in 1924 was New York Symphony (later Philharmonic) conductor Walter Damrosch, who was overwhelmed by the performance and later commissioned Gershwin to write two works for orchestra. Gershwin was eager to do it, but according to his own recollections, he ran out and got “four or five books on musical structure” to be sure he knew what was expected.

The second of these commissions, An American in Paris, was an immediate gangbusters success when it premiered in 1928. Gershwin described it as a “rhapsodic ballet” and explained his intention to “portray the impressions of an American visitor in Paris as he strolls about the city, listens to the various street noises (Gershwin brought home real Parisian taxi horns for its performance), and absorbs the French atmosphere.” It spawned a beloved film in 1951 that won the Oscar for best picture, which later spawned a blockbuster Broadway musical. An American in Paris continues to be a toe-tapping staple of 20th Century American symphonic music.

———–

Susan Swinburne has been a lover and student of music since demanding piano lessons at age six. Her work in orchestra management has enriched her life personally and professionally for the past three decades. A habitué of concert halls throughout southern California, she lives, listens, writes, and researches in the South Bay.

A native of Mountain View, California, Sean Takada is studying under the tutelage of Professor Movses Pogossian at UCLA. A graduate of Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, New York City, Sean lived in Manhattan for five years since 2014, where he was a student of Professor Li Lin at the Juilliard School Pre-College Division. Sean began the violin at the age of 5 and was accepted to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Preparatory Division four years later to study with Bettina Mussumelli. He was awarded First Prize in the Yehudi Menuhin – Helen Dowling Competition in 2012 and was also a winner of Pacific Musical Society later that year.

Throughout the 2013-14 season, he was the youngest member of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. Sean has won the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society Competition representing Stuyvesant High School in 2016, 2017, and 2019, and became the first concertmaster for the New York All-State Orchestra from his school. Sean also received an honorable mention award from YoungArts 2018-19. He has participated as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of The United States in 2019, performing at the BBC Proms and the Young Euro Classic in Berlin. He was also chosen as a fellow for the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, MA. He collaborated with artists such as Andris Nelsons, Thomas Adès, Emanuel Ax, and members of the Juilliard String Quartet. Aside from school and music, Sean grew up playing club soccer, and was the MVP for his high school varsity team during his senior year. He now plays for fun with his friends in the intramural league at UCLA.

Charlie Lin began his musical studies at the age of six in Dallas, TX. He holds a BA in violin performance and biology from Northwestern University and a M.M. from the Thornton School of Music at USC. Lin is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Violin Performance at USC.

Primary teachers have included Glenn Dicterow, Gerardo Ribeiro, Jan Sloman, and Orit Bedar. Charlie Lin has performed in Japan as Principal Second Violinist with the Pacific Music Festival orchestra under the baton of Ken-David Masur and Lahav Shani as well as with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) under the baton of Jaime Martin.