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Arapahoe Philharmonic Personnel
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Steve Asheim, Assistant Conductor
Tracy LaGuardia, Concertmaster
James Todd, Principal Cellist
Charley Sampson, Host
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Steven R. Asheim, Assistant Conductor
Steve Asheim, retired as director of bands at Heritage High School of Littleton, Colorado in 2002. He was a
graduate of Western State College of Colorado and received his Masters Degree from the University of Northern Colorado.
He taught public school music for 31 years; six in the Northglenn School District and twenty five at Heritage High
School.
In 1984-85 he taught in the Borough of Waltham Forest as a peripatetic brass specialist. During that school year
he conducted one of the wind bands, the district jazz ensemble, and started a percussion ensemble. He also performed
regularly with the Chris Holmes Brass Ensemble of London. He has been guest conductor of twenty-five Colorado league
honor bands and served as conductor of the 1987 Colorado All-State Jazz Ensemble. He conducted the Rocky Mountain
Brassworks British Brass Band for 13 years. He also conducted the Denver El Jebel Shrine Band for two years. He
was appointed conductor of the WSC - Colorado Brass Band in 2005.
Of the large number of performances Steve has conducted, the most significant was his combined orchestra and chorus
in two performances at the famous "Carnegie Hall", one on Easter 1988 and one on Easter 1994. The concert
in 1988 was reviewed in the New York Times by Allan Kozinn. He said "The Heritage Ensemble's offerings were
largely of an outgoing, festive nature - psalm settings by Bruckner and Whear and splashy potboilers by Nelson
and Friedemann - performed with remarkable energy and considerable polish."
He received the 1997-98 Colorado IAJE Jazz Educator of the Year Award. In 1983 he received the Colorado Bandmasters
Hall of Fame Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Western State College. In 1990, he was a finalist for
the Colorado Department of Educations' Colorado Teacher of the Year Award and in 1991 was awarded the prestigious
National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation. He also has received the 1997-98 Colorado IAJE Jazz
Educator of the Year.
Charley Samson, Host/Commentator
Whether our Arapahoe Philharmonic programs feature some of your favorites or you are hearing the works for the
first time, you will appreciate the droll, thought-provoking commentary of Charley Samson. He is, indeed, a favorite
with our patrons and is on stage in person at all AP concerts.
His fresh, informative notes grace printed programs for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Cheyenne Symphony,
the Longmont Symphony and the Oakland East-BaySymphony, as will as our own.
Samson has been a radio favorite for may years and is now the host of "Mid-day Mozart" and producer
of "Colorado Spotlight" on Colorado Public Radio.
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Concert Master, Tracy LaGuardia
Tracy has been a Professional musician and music educator for the past 22 years.
Her teaching career includes private studio as well as teaching positions in the public schools (Cherry Creek School
District). A native of Colorado Springs, she received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education for the University
of Denver in 1985. She has played violin and viola for 34 years and is a vocalist in a variety of performing groups.
She is currently the Concertmaster of the Arapahoe Philharmonic in Colorado, performs in two country bands (Colorado
Country and The Trailriders), and performs in several jazz groups (electric violin and vocals) . Ms LaGuardia owns and operates her own booking agency - A Touch of Class Music which
specializes in weddings, conventions and special events. She plays in a variety of professional chamber ensembles
while maintaining a full studio of private violin and viola students.Tracy
has performed with many stars including: Led Zeppelin, Lyle
Lovett, Linda Ronstad, Kenny Rogers, Sarah Brightman, Natalie Cole, Bob Hope, Doc Severinson, John Tesh, Sandi
Patti, Dion Warwick, and Larry Gatlin.
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James Todd, Principal Cellist
Jim is in his eighth season with the APO as principal cellist since his return to
the orchestra after a 3 year absence. He had previously joined the orchestra in 1972, and has served as principal
cellist for a combined total of 18 years.
He maintains a very active schedule as a teacher and professional free-lance musician. Jim's teaching commitments
include serving on the faculty of Metropolitan State College as Instructor of Cello. In addition, he teaches private
students of all ages, including beginning adults, and has served as guest clinician/instructor at numerous music
education conferences held throughout the United States.
As a professional free-lance musician, Jim has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Ballet
Orchestra, the Denver Chamber Orchestra, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (Broadway musicals), the Denver
Opera Company and the Colorado Chamber Players. He has appeared as guest soloist with the Arapahoe Philharmonic,
the Denver Symphony, the MSC Symphony Orchestra, the Aurora Symphony, and principal cellist with the Evergreen
Chamber Orchestra. Jim has performed in concert with many touring artists including : Stevie Wonder, Crosby/Nash,
Yanni, John Tesh, Led Zeppelin, Brian Wilson (Beach Boys), Lyle Lovett, Marvin Hamlisch, Wynton Marsalis, Terrance
Blanchard, Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstad, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Mannheim Steamroller, Sarah Brightman, and Smokey
Robinson. Jim has jut completedl working on a personal project of developing and producing his own CD of original
music for cello and piano. The CD is available on his website jtoddcello.com.
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