Holiday Concert at GPAC
11/15/07
HOLIDAY CONCERT AT GPAC WITH GERMANTOWN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND GERMANTOWN CHORUS
Join the Germantown Symphony Orchestra and the Germantown Chorus for the event that has become a family tradition - the annual Holiday Concert at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre on Saturday, December 8 at 7 p.m. Many of your holiday favorites are in store, concluding with an audience sing-along. Done miss this festive evening!
WHO: Germantown Symphony Orchestra and Germantown Chorus
WHEN: Saturday, December 8, 7:30 p.m.
WHAT: Holiday Concert
TICKETS: Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for children and seniors (plus handling fee). Tickets are available now by calling (901) 751-7500.
Box Office Hours: Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 3 hours prior to the performance or online at www.GPACweb.com. All major credit cards accepted.
WHERE: Germantown Performing Arts Centre
1801 Exeter Road
Germantown, TN 38138
CONTACT: For more information, please contact Carrie Corbett at (901) 751-7501 or carrie@gpacweb.com
ARTISTS WEB: www.germantownsymphony.org, www.germantownchorus.com
BIOGRAPHIES:
GERMANTOWN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Germantown Symphony Pops Orchestra held its first rehearsal on Oct. 30, 1975, under the direction of Noel Gilbert, Memphis Symphony violinist, conductor, and retired Memphis State University faculty member. The first concerts were presented in the spring of 1976.
In 1978, as the orchestra grew and performed more difficult music, the name was changed to the Germantown Symphony Orchestra (GSO). The orchestra enjoyed a period of growth and development through the 1970s and '80s, both in membership and in the challenge of the programming.
John Mason Hodges, former Memphis Youth Symphony director, succeeded Noel Gilbert in 1988. Under Hodges' baton, performances included Bruckner's Te Deum with the Sara Beth Causey Chorale, Henryk Gorecki's Symphony No.3 with soprano JemmiLou Rye Rushing, "A Night at the Opera" with Charles Billings and a concert with soloists and dancers from the Memphis Classical Ballet. Guest conductors Robert Gilbert and George Skipworth joined the GSO for programs in June 1995, following the resignation of John Hodges. In March 1996, the GSO celebrated its 25th anniversary with Jennifer Gilbert, granddaughter of founding conductor Noel Gilbert, performing the Saint-Saens Introduction and Rondo Capriccio.
During the 1995-96 season, Patricia Brumbaugh was named conductor of the Germantown Symphony Orchestra and served in that capacity for two seasons (1997-1999). During the 1999-2000 season, John Chiego, Robert Gilbert, Chris Piecuch and Dr. Ronald Vernon served as guest conductors; Dr. Ronald Vernon accepted the musical director position in June 2000.
Highlights of the 25-year history of the orchestra include the 1976-76 season's All-Tchaikovsky program featuring Joan Gilbert performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1; concerto soloists Julie Hochman, cello, and John Feely, guitar, and Robert Gilbert, French horn, in the 1979-80 season; a performance of Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony by John Hooker in the 1980-81 season, the Glazunov Violin Concerto performed by John Whelan in the 1982-83 season; wind quintets of Mozart with Nick Vergos, Joyce Hommel, Dave Freeman and Doris Parker; David Duro performing various trumpet concerti, and Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos with Daniel Fletcher and Donald Freund. Major works on the programs have included the Franck Symphony in D minor, Dvorak's New World Symphony, Tchaikovsky's Fourth and Fifth symphonies, Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture, and Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. The 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons included several prestigious guest artists, including Carolyn Huebl, violin; The Wang/Rodgers piano duo; Susanna Perry Gilmore, violin; Joan Gilbert, piano, and Felix Wang, cello.
Dr. Ronald Vernon, Music Director, Germantown Symphony Orchestra
Ronald Vernon is Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts, and Professor of Music at The University of Mississippi, where he was appointed to the faculty in 1972. He conducts the University Orchestra and performs as singer and instrumentalist with the Mississippi Early Music Ensemble.
From 1986 to 1996 he served as Chair of the Department of Music. His Bachelor of Music degree is from Louisiana Tech University, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree is from The University of Texas. In addition to his University duties, he is Music Director of the Germantown (TN) Symphony and a member of the Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble.
An active guest conductor of both professional and youth orchestras, he has appeared with the Shreveport (LA) Symphony, East Texas Symphony, Jackson (TN) Symphony, and the Greenville (MS) Symphony. He has served as music director of the Tupelo (MS) Symphony and as founding music director of the Corinth (MS) Symphony. His educational activities include concerts with the Jackson (MS), Houston (TX), Memphis, and Chattanooga Youth Symphonies, as well as festival orchestras throughout the South.
His professional service includes terms as President of the String Division, Mississippi Music Educators, President of the Mississippi String Teachers Association, President of the Mississippi Association of College Music Administrators, President of the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education, and President of the Memphis Youth Symphony Board.
Dr. Vernon was named Music Director of the Germantown Symphony Orchestra In June, 2000.
GERMANTOWN CHORUS
The Germantown Chorus began in 1986 as a group of 20 singers under the direction of Anthony Williams and accompanied by Mary Elizabeth Griffith. The City of Germantown Parks and Recreation Department funded the small chorus to perform at various civic events including the city's Fourth of July celebration. When summer ended, so did the funding, but the group chose not to disband and has grown to more than 90 singers, continuing to perform throughout the Germantown and Memphis area.
The Germantown Chorus is featured at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre in its annual Germantown Series, which includes a holiday concert with the Germantown Symphony Orchestra and a Children's Concert. Its fundraising endeavors include an annual live and silent auction of items donated by individuals and local merchants with chorus members supplying food and drink as well as musical entertainment.
Rick Marshall, Musical Director, Germantown Chorus
Rick Marshall is in his fourth year with the Germantown Chorus, but second season as its director. He has performed as a baritone soloist in various works - Dubois' The Seven Last Words of Christ, Handel's Messiah, and leading roles in My Fair Lady, South Pacific and the operetta comedy, HMS Pinafore. He has also been a soloist and member of various groups including the Memphis Symphony Chorus, the Tennessee Baptist Men's Chorale and the American Choral Directors Association. Rick's career began in architecture. But the call of music was too strong. He left his architectural career in 1978 and received a degree in voice and choral conducting from the School of Music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. Since then he has served five churches in Texas and Tennessee directing numerous choral groups of all ages, instrumental ensembles, orchestras and handbell choirs. In the past 25 years his choral and hand bell choirs received superior ratings by his peers in state and regional festivals. His peers also
selected him to direct a local men's choral group comprised of Baptist music directors. Rick has also directed and produced musical pageantry, dinner theaters and choir tours in the U. S. and South America. His other studies include voice instruction with the renowned, Dr. Van A. Christy, author of vocal training publications, Expressive Singing, Vol. 1 & 2 and Foundations for Singing, and choral conducting with Dr. Gary Bonner. In addition to this Chorus, he serves as the choir director at Union Avenue Baptist Church.
