From Bach to Biber Before Crossing the Tiber K. V. TURLEY
How one musician found her way into the Church. As a violinist specializing in historical performance, I was increasingly surrounded by sacred music: hymns and Masses and cantatas and the great composers and priests who wrote them. This served to strengthen my faith in general and drew me steadily towards the Roman Catholic Church.
Fiona Hughes was received into the Church in 2017.
From her home in Virginia, she spoke to the
Register March 26 about music, faith and the life of a professional musician during a pandemic.
What Hughes terms her small v vocation as a musician is something she feels called to do primarily because of Catholicism. As it turns out, her professional calling has played its part in a deeper one. Over 10 years working in Baroque repertoire, she explains, being aware of Renaissance and Medieval and Classical eras, I started to observe again an
Photo by Joe Kusumoto / Breckenridge Music
The National Repertory Orchestra and Breckenridge Music are offering subsidized private music lessons to middle and high school students through a new scholarship program, which aims to remove financial barriers for students and provide work for local musicians.
National Repertory Orchestra CEO Dave DePeters said the idea for the program came from music teachers at local schools.
“We went to them and said, ‘What is it that we can do for you that will support your program, and how can we best serve you and the community through the music program?’ And this is what they asked us to do,” DePeters said.
Photo by Susan Bestul / National Repertory Orchestra
When you’ve been on the job for over 40 years, finding your replacement isn’t taken lightly.
Music Director Carl Topilow was hired in 1972 as an assistant conductor for the National Repertory Orchestra by its founder and original music director, Walter Charles. In 1978, he took on the role of music director and conductor. Then a few years ago, he let the orchestra’s leadership team know he was ready to move on to other musical endeavors, and the search for a new director began.
On Tuesday, Jan. 12, the orchestra announced it had hired acclaimed conductor Michael Stern, the culmination of a two-year search.
Michael Stern Named Music Director of National Repertory Orchestra
(c) Kansas Symphony
The National Repertory Orchestra (NRO) has announced the appointment of Michael Stern as its third Music Director in the organization’s 61-year history. The National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado, is an intensive performance and education summer festival for young professional musicians, ages 18-29.
Stern, 61, is Music Director of the Kansas City Symphony and the Stamford Symphony in Connecticut. He is also the founder and artistic director of the innovative Iris Orchestra in Germantown, Tennessee.
Stern’s appointment follows the 42-year tenure of Carl Topilow, who steps into the role of Music Advisor.