February 3, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … In a showcase of young talent, more than 100 young musicians and singers from around the Portland area will be featured in “Creative Kids,” an Oregon Symphony Kids Concert to be led by Guest Conductor Charles Olivieri-Munroe and featuring the world premiere of a work by 15-year-old Joshua Humlie on Sunday, March 5 at 1 and 3 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Media support is provided by Metro Parent and Radio Disney.
Thirty Suzuki violin students, ranging in age from four to 12, will join the orchestra’s string sections to perform George Frederic Handel’s “See the Conquering Hero Comes” from “Judas Maccabaeus.” All of the Suzuki students currently study with Symphony violinists Clarisse Atcherson, Eileen Deiss, Erin Furbee, Kathryn Gray and Lisa Hansen.
The concert will also showcase works written by well known composers at early ages, including: Richard Strauss’ “Festmarsch,” written when he was a teenager, and Mozart’s first symphony. Portland Youth Philharmonic string and brass players will be featured in works by Vivaldi and Respighi, and the Pacific Youth Choir will join the orchestra for selections from Benjamin Britten’s “Friday Afternoon,” choral pieces written for Britten’s brother who taught them to his students when they were restless on Friday afternoons.
“Elskër Dég!” 15-year-old Joshua Humlie’s prize-winning entry for the “Creative Kids” Composition Competition sponsored by the Symphony in preparation for this concert, will receive its world premiere. “Elskër Dég!” according to Joshua, is a Norwegian term of endearment meaning “Love You!” He has dedicated the piece to his parents. Joshua began composition studies in 2005 with Kevin Walczyk at Western Oregon University. He also studies jazz piano and drums, the latter with well-known Portland drummer Mel Brown. Olivieri-Munroe is the chief conductor of the North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tickets range from $7 to $36 and may be purchased in advance at the Oregon Symphony Customer Service Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Discounted tickets for groups of eight or more are available through the Group Sales hotline at (503) 416-6380. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.
Canadian conductor Charles Olivieri-Munroe has at the age of 35 accumulated a unique wealth of experience on the orchestral podium. During the early 1990s as a student of conducting in Czechoslovakia he immersed himself in the country and its music, absorbing the musical tradition of Central Europe. Ten years later at a ceremony held in Prague’s historic City Hall he was awarded 1st Prize in the prestigious 2000 Prague Spring International Music Festival Conducting Competition, launching an international career.
The 2005-2006 concert season represents Olivieri-Munroe’s ninth season as chief conductor with the North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra which has been completely revolutionized in the past decade enjoys top status among Czech orchestras today. Highlights of this relationship include several high profile tours across Europe including the 1999 gala concert in Monte-Carlo with Maxim Vengerov under the auspices of Prince Rainier; the celebration concert at Prague Vysehrad Castle held in May of 2004, on the occasion of the Czech Republic joining the European Union and the 2004 concert tour of Spain honoring the anniversary of Pablo Casals.
In 2005-2006 Olivieri-Munroe will have debut performances with the Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra, Gdansk Philharmonic, Schleswig-Holstein Symphony Orchestra, St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK, among others. Recent highlights include debut performances with such orchestras as the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony in Ala., Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie, Lubeck Philharmonic Orchestra, Hagen Philharmonic, Berlin Landesjugendorchester, New York based Naumburg Chamber Orchestra, Arthur Rubenstein Philharmonic in Lodz, Mexican National State Orchestra, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.
Olivieri-Munroe held the position of Chief Conductor of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Bratislava from 2001 until 2004. Olivieri-Munroe has also been principal guest conductor of the Janacek Philharmonic in Ostrava and continues a close relationship with the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra. He was formerly also permanent conductor with the Brno Philharmonic (1995-1997) and the Karlsbad Symphony (1993-1995).
As a guest conductor, Olivieri-Munroe has worked with such orchestras as the Deutches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Danish Radio Symphony, Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra, Budapest Symphony, Prague Philharmonia, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, Royal Brussels Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Orchester der Beethovenhalle Bonn, Athens State Symphony Orchestra, Royal Seoul Philharmonic and the Northern Israel Symphony in Haifa.
In March 2005, he conducted a new opera production, “The Last Leaf ,”by American Gary Papach.
Olivieri-Munroe has distinguished himself in several international conducting competitions. His first success came in 1996 when he won 1st Prize in the Dinu Niculescu Competition in Rumania. In 1999 he was a laureate of three competitions: the Antonio Pedrotti Competition in Italy; the Lovro Von Matacic Competition in Zagreb and the Gregorz Fitelberg Competition in Katowice, Poland. He also won the 3rd Prize at the Nicolai Malko Competition in Copenhagen. He has been recognized by the Canada Arts Council, which awarded him the $20,000 career grant in 1997.
Joshua Humlie was born in McMinnville, Ore. in 1991. He began drum lessons at the age of seven and currently studies with renowned jazz drummer Mel Brown. Humlie began piano studies at the age of nine with Elizabeth Walczyk and currently studies jazz piano with Dana Libonati. He began composition studies in 2005 with Kevin Walczyk and credits his father George Humlie and music teacher Mark Dana as early musical influences during his formative years.
Born into a musical family, Humlie performs as a drummer for the professional bands SoulShot and HeRose. He also performs as a percussionist in the band and with a vocal jazz ensemble at McMinnville High School. He is also a drummer for the amateur group Arrows. Humlie also has a private drum studio where he currently teaches nine students. He has earned Double Grand Champion status at the Oregon State Talent and Performing Arts competition for three straight years performing in groups as a drummer, vocalist and improviser.
As a composer Humlie has written works for worship band and several works for piano. His early influences include diverse popular genres, citing fusion-rock bands Tower of Power, Chicago, Earth, Wind and Fire as well as contemporary Christian artists and orchestral film scores as most influential to his own writing style.
Humlie has attended Oregon Symphony concerts for the past three seasons and has written “Elskër Dég!”(his first orchestra composition) for the Oregon Symphony and the Creative Kids Composers Competition. He plans to pursue advanced degrees in music where he will continue to perform and compose.
Humlie’s piece, “Elskër Dég!,” is Norwegian for “Love You!,” which has been a term of endearment in his family for generations. The work is dedicated to the composer’s parents and is comprised of two sections. The first section is energetic, with great intensity and is inspired by 1) the dramatic character of orchestral film scores and 2) a portion of a melody from the song “Make Me Smile” by the rock group Chicago. The contrasting second section makes use of a lyrical melody introduced by the oboe, and accompanied by extended harmonies. The work ends with a brief reprise of the energetic first section.
With more than 25 years of choral education experience, Mia Hall Savage is known for her choral artistry, along with her enthusiasm and passion for conducting young people. She has received recognition from national and international conductors for her work with youth choirs. In addition to being Artistic Director of PYC, Savage directs the Coventry Singers at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, has an active voice studio, and is a popular adjudicator and clinician, conducting the All City Honor Choir, the Portland Public Schools Middle School Honor Choir, and the Gresham Middle School Honor Choir.
Before founding the Pacific Youth Choir in 2003, Savage was director of the Oregon Repertory Singers Youth Choirs, gaining regional and national recognition for their top choirs. She led a highly successful Youth Choir Program at First Presbyterian Church and taught choirs and music at all levels at Oregon Episcopal School.
Choirs under Savage’s direction have received coveted invitations to perform at the Golden Gate International Festival, Heritage Gold Festival, Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium, American Choral Directors Association Regional Convention and Pacific International Children‘s Choir Festival.
Savage holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the University of Oregon. She also studied in Stuttgart, Germany at the Musik Hoch Schule where she had the opportunity to sing professionally under many outstanding choral directors including Helmuth Rilling and Frieder Bernius.
Pacific Youth Choir (PYC) is a community of six choirs of young singers from ages six through 20. The organization is committed to building and sustaining choirs that perform major works from the choral repertoire at the highest level of musical excellence, while instilling a lifelong love of music in each student.
PYC is dedicated to enriching the lives of its singers by developing their choral artistry in a joyful, caring and nurturing environment. It maintains an extensive and active scholarship program that enables students from low-income families to fully participate in every aspect of its activities, including touring. Through the ongoing process of rehearsal and performance, each PYC singer emerges as a confident young adult whose life has been transformed through a musical education that focuses on community building as an essential aspect of personal growth.
Since its inception in September 2003, the PYC choirs have been in demand, performing in a wide variety of venues at the local, regional and national levels. Performances have included The Chicago Gold Heritage Festival, The Pacific International Children’s Choir Festival, Trinity Cathedral Concert Series, Oregon Symphony Prelude Series, Aurora Women’s Chorus, Aaron Meyer and many other guest concert appearances.
