This week’s concert features Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” known for it’s dazzling violin solos. Guest concertmaster, Rebekah Durham is tackling this piece with an artistry and flair you don’t want to miss! Get in person tickets or livestream access for the concert here: https://www.arapahoe-phil.org/events/concerts/musichighseas/

More about Rebekah: Rebekah Durham began playing violin at age four in her hometown of Midland, Texas. A dedicated classical violinist all her life, she holds a Bachelors degree and an Artist Diploma from University of Denver as well as a Masters degree from Juilliard. She has served as concertmaster with many ensembles including the National Repertory Orchestra and was featured as a soloist with the NRO as well as with many local orchestras including the Denver Philharmonic, the Niwot Timberline Symphony, and the Lamont Symphony.

Rebekah has also performed non-classical music extensively over the past ten years. She was a member of San Fermin, a Brooklyn-based indie band, and with them she toured the USA, Canada, and Europe with artists such as Alt-J, Courtney Barnett, Sam Amidon, and Son Lux. Rebekah has a passion for bluegrass and string band music and was a member of local bluegrass band Ginny Mules with whom she performed at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Arise Festival, and Durango Meltdown. Since 2019 she has been a member of Ragged Union, a string band whose new record “Round Feet, Chrome Smile” is set for release September 30, 2022. She enjoys a wide variety of freelance opportunities such as teaching violin students, playing hundreds of select events each year, and playing with the Colorado Symphony as a substitute violinist. Rebekah is honored to be playing with the Arapahoe Philharmonic as guest concertmaster this season.

#aphighseas #rimskykorsakov #scheherazade #localorchestra #denvermusic #lonetree #lonetreeartscenter #pirates #dresslikeapirate #devinpatrickhughes #music

Exciting news, mateys! At our “Music on the High Seas” concert, belly dancers from Bella Diva World Dance will be entertaining in the lobby before the performance and at intermission. Learn more about Bella Diva Dance here and get your tickets to “Music on the High Seas” here!

Our annual campaign, Orchestrating Community, begins today! A small monthly gift makes a big difference in helping us achieve our mission to orchestrate community. Learn more here!

Jason Richard Olney, our fantastic principal clarinetist, will be featured on our April 29th concert on Eric Ewazen’s “Ballade for Clarinet, Harp, and String Orchestra.” Get in person tickets or livestream access here!

More about Jason:

An active musician in the Denver area, Clarinetist Jason Olney never turns down an opportunity. He has played with orchestras like Denver Philharmonic, Longmont Symphony, Boulder Symphony and Steamboat Symphony, opera companies like Boulder Opera and Opera Steamboat, as well as a number of choirs, chamber ensembles and others. Just this year he has played Stravinsky’s L’histoire du Soldat, Verdi’s Il Trovatore and Dominick Argento’s virtuosic and absurd Postcard from Morocco, where he played clarinet, bass clarinet and alto sax. Since joining Arapahoe Philharmonic in 2016 as Principal Clarinet, Jason has performed solo concerts, chamber works and Copland’s Clarinet Concerto.

A teacher with an eclectic and varied background, Jason not only teaches clarinet but also saxophone and trumpet, and even runs several Beginning Bands. Before coming to Colorado to study under Dan Silver at the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2009, Jason worked with Drs John Masserini and Shandra Helman in Idaho. Jason continued his development in masterclasses by the acclaimed Imani Winds and Boulder’s own Takas Quartet.

Our amazing principal harpist, Hillary Schefter, will be featured on this week’s “Maestros of the Classroom” concert playing Eric Ewazen’s “Ballade for Clarinet, Harp, and String Orchestra.” Don’t miss this spotlight on one of Colorado’s most talented harpists! Get your tickets or livestream access here.

More about Hillary: Hillary Schefter is a native of Colorado and received her undergraduate and masters degree in harp from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.  She has held the position of Principal Harp with the Arapahoe Philharmonic for 7 seasons and is also currently the principal harp of the Boulder Symphony. When she’s not playing concerts and freelancing, she runs a restaurant in Denver with her husband Ben, and enjoys cooking, hanging out with her cats, teaching advanced pole dancing classes, and learning jiu jitsu. 

Are you ready to hear some truly virtuosic playing at our “Maestros of the Classroom” concert this Friday? The concert features our 2019 concerto competition winner, cellist Ethan Blake, on Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor. Get your in person tickets or livestream access here.

About Ethan: Ethan Blake has played around the world for a variety of audiences. As a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician, Ethan has performed a wide variety of repertoire in venues across the United States, Italy, and Japan. He has participated in numerous music festivals, including the Brevard Music Festival, Innsbrook Music Festival, and the Bowdoin International Music Festival. Additionally, he has been a two-time fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival and a fellowship recipient at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. He was the first prize winner of the T. Gordon Parks Concerto Competition, the Pikes Peak Philharmonic Concerto Competition, and the CU Boulder Undergraduate Honors Competition, and was recently a prize winner at the Jefferson Symphony Young Artists Competition.
Ethan is an avid cellist in the Front Range of Colorado and currently serves as Assistant Principal Cello in the Boulder Philharmonic, and regularly plays with ensembles such as the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Fort Collins Symphony, and the Boulder Symphony. He has also performed with the Sphere Ensemble and Pro Musica Colorado. As a teacher, Ethan serves as a cello instructor at the Boulder Symphony Music Academy and as a Teaching Artist at El Sistema Colorado, along with working frequently with middle and high school cello sections around the area.
Currently a senior at the CU Boulder College of Music, Ethan is a recipient of the Don & Maria Johnson Scholarship and Bixler Foundation Scholarship. His main teachers have included David Requiro, Alice Yoo, Matthew Zalkind, Annemarie Dawson, and Steven Doane. Outside of music, other interests include cycling, basketball, and spending time with his dogs when he can. Ethan is a passionate (and sometimes heartbroken) Boston Celtics fan.
#ethanblake #dvorak #celloconcerto #apmaestros #dvorakcelloconcerto #apmusiceducatoroftheyear #devinpatrickhughes #denvermusic

Congrats to the winner of our “Music Around the World” Kid’s Video Contest, Duggy! Check out Duggy’s awesome video about his favorite part of our Discovery concert.
Duggy and his family will get free tickets to our “Maestros of the Classroom” concert on 4/29. Get your tickets here.

The building of our main venue has new owners! Welcome to the congregation of BRAVE Church! Denver First Church’s congregation has moved to the building down the street. We wish them luck in their new home. For a map to the venue and more info, click here.

At the Arapahoe Philharmonic, we deeply value the impact our music educators have on our community and the future of music. To show our appreciation, we began the annual Arapahoe Philharmonic Music Educator of the Year Award. The award recognizes exemplary public school instrumental music teachers who work in Arapahoe or Douglas County. Click here to learn more about the award and nominate your teacher!