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The Westchester Chamber Orchestra

History and Highlights
Barry Charles Hoffman
Robert Sherman
Orchestra Personnel
Board of Directors
Advisory Board
Volunteers and Ushers

History and Highlights

The Westchester Chamber Orchestra is a fully professional orchestra, quickly becoming known in and outside of Westchester County for its first rate and inspiring performances, world class soloists, innovative programming and its world premiers of meaningful new works it has commissioned.

Now beginning its seventh season at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, the WCO was founded in 1984 by its Artistic Director, Barry Charles Hoffman. For many years the WCO gave its concerts at various sites throughout Westchester County and in 1994 began its association with Iona College.

In 1996, under the direction of Maestro Hoffman, the WCO commissioned and premiered Seymour Barab's The Selfish Giant. This performance was subsequently broadcast on WQXR. As part or our 1998 - 1999 programming at Iona College, principal players of the New York Philharmonic performed Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat, conducted by Maestro Hoffman and received a standing ovation. In February 2000, the WCO gave its debut at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck with its commission and world premier performance of Seymour Barab's Three Riddles in the Talmudic Tradition. The WCO returned last year to the Emelin Theatre to a sold out house with its world premier of Seymour Barab's How the Elephant Got Its Trunk.

This coming January, the WCO will return to the Emelin with a family program on the theme of Trains, premiering a new commission of Seymour Barab. Commissioning new works is an essential part of the WCO's mission. In 2000 at this Iona College series, the WCO premiered its commission of noted composer Jon Deak, with his Duo Concertante for Violin, Viola and Chamber Orchestra. New York Philharmonic concertmaster Glenn Dicterow and his violist wife, Karen Dreyfus were the soloists.

On WCO concerts, great performances of the standard repertoire are blended with lesser known but equally beautiful works. Innovative programming has also included concert themes such as "Music of the British Isles," "Music of the Heart," and "Music of Appalachia and Appalachian Spring," the latter with renown folk artists Jay Unger and Molly Mason. The WCO has presented many world class soloists in its performances. These have included: harpist Barbara Allen, violinists Glenn Dicterow and Yuri Kharenko, violists Karen Dreyfus and Emanuel Vardi, clarinetist Stanley Drucker, oboist Matt Sullivan, bassoonist Lennie Hindell and tenor Robert White.

This season under the direction of Maestro Hoffman, the WCO continues with its carefully crafted programming. You will be treated to outstanding soloists and inspired performances of some of the greatest works of German composers over the past three centuries; from Gluck to Beethoven to Schumann to Schoenberg. The richness and rewards are here.

Come join our adventure!

Barry Charles Hoffman
Founder and Artistic Director

Barry Charles Hoffman

Mr. Hoffman has made his musical mark on Westchester County as conductor, energetic advocate of new music and tireless champion of music as a vital thread of the community fabric. He was schooled at the Manhattan School of Music, receiving his bachelor's degree in violin performance. Mr. Hoffman has studied conducting with John Miner and, more recently, David Gilbert, and counts his participation in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Conducting Institute and the Pierre Monteux School for Advanced Conducting Studies among his most valued educational experiences.

Barry Charles Hoffman has been primarily noted for his highly engaging and moving performances with the Westchester Chamber Orchestra, which he founded in 1984 and continues to serve as Artistic Director. Reviewers have called the WCO's performances under Maestro Hoffman "imaginative," "exuberant," "daring," and "reverent." His versatility on the podium has been showcased at the WCO's Iona College Series, where his innovative mix of newly commissioned works and standard favorites have won consistent acclaim.

Maestro Hoffman is also creator of the many outreach programs of the WC0 which include: Annual Jazz Institute for Homeless Children (Westhab Family Center in Elmsford), Annual Composers of the Future Program (in collaboration with Songcatchers of New Rochelle), and Annual Student Piano Competition of Contemporary American Composers (New Rochelle Public Library).

Maestro Hoffman is now embarking on the creation of a second orchestra, the Harlem Chamber Orchestra, which will be based in Harlem, New York. Conducted by Maestro Hoffman, the HCO will be comprised predominantly of African American musicians. The Harlem Chamber Orchestra's mission will be to perform standard orchestral repertoire mixed with repertoire that reflects African American cultural themes, and to provide New York City's Harlem area schools with an infusion of ongoing classical music workshops and programs. He and his wife, Adele, herself a WCO violinist and orchestral music teacher in the Bronxville Public Schools, reside in New Rochelle.

Robert Sherman
Host and Narrator

Robert Sherman

Broadcaster, writer, teacher and radio personality, Robert Sherman is probably best known for his work at WQXR, where he has been Program Director, Executive Producer and (currently) Senior Consultant. A Westchester resident for well over thirty years, Robert Sherman has long been indispensable to the musical life of the region. For twenty four years he presided in "The Listening Room," and he continues to present such award-winning series on the station as "Woody's Children," "Metropolitan Opera Previews" and "The McGraw Hill Company's Young Artists Showcase." He writes a weekly music column for the Westchester section of The New York Times and recently co-authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Music.

Orchestra Personnel
2008 - 2009 Season

Violin I
Alex Abayev, Concertmaster
Jee Sun Lee, Assistant Concertmaster
Andrew Wise
Adele Simone Hoffman
Emily Kalish
Ben Hellman

Violin II
Alexandra Bukshpan, principal
Ran Tao
Chern Hwei Fung
Jennifer Ahn
Reiko Kawabata
Nataliya Samuylova
Marina Fragoulis

Viola
Claude Chew, principal
Joseph Demody
Charisa Dowe
Hannah Shaw
Lee Wen Chang
Lakshmi Thorne
Alice Model

Cello
George Dewar, principal
Daryl Nuccio
Natalia Galebsky
Peter Howard
Lesley Retzer
Sinwah Lee

Bass
Emile Botti, principal
Mark Wallace
Anthony Morris
Eric Fischer

Flute I
Keith Bonner

Flute II
Karou Hinata

Oboe I
Mark Snyder

Oboe II/English Horn
Katie Scheele

Clarinet I
Paul Garment

Clarinet II
Mikki Ryan

Bass Clarinet
Sara Phillips

Bassoon I
Leonard Hindell

Bassoon II
William Hestand

Horn I
Kathyrn Ditmer

Horn II
Rachel Smith Drehmann

Horn III
Lauren Hosford

Horn IV
Darlene Kaukoranta

Trumpet I
Brad Siroky
Arthur Murray

Trumpet II
Arthur Murray
Laura Thelander

Trumpet III
Jo Ann Lamolino
Trombone I
Evan Johnson

Trombone II
Sara Lewis

Trombone III
Jonathan Greenberg

Tuba
Ed Vinson

Timpani
David Cox

Piano/Keyboard
Adam Kent

Librarian
Ben Hellman

Operations Manager
Rosemarie Costellano

Administrative Assistant
Martin Maier

Board of Directors

Eugene Mittelgluck, President
Adele Hoffman, Vice President/Secretary
Dr. Norman Gordon, Treasurer
Paul Feiner, Homeless Shelter Outreach Coordinator
Yuhanna Edwards

Executive Director

Barry Charles Hoffman

Advisory Board

David Amram
Elizabeth Fleischer
David Gilbert
Joanne Murphy
Zachery Sheer
Robert Sherman

Volunteers

Bob Bengis
Harrison Brussel
Mira Bramson
Rene Escala
Nancy Gibbs
Betty Goldstein
Joan Goldstein
Sam Goldstein
Dr. Norman Gordon
Rhoda Khan
Elaine and Gene Mittelgluck
Eleanor Seifter

Ushers

Olivia Brustra
Nora Gerson