‘Curtis Presents’ Showcases the Exceptional Artistry of the Curtis Brass Faculty February 8

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‘Curtis Presents’ Showcases the Exceptional Artistry of the Curtis Brass Faculty
February 8

Philadelphia, Pa., February 6, 2015—Experience musical excellence at the heart of the Curtis tradition through the rich, resonant sounds of the Curtis Brass Faculty on Sunday, February 8 at 3 p.m. This illustrious quintet of Curtis faculty and Philadelphia Orchestra members includes David Bilger and Jeffrey Curnow, trumpets; Jennifer Montone, horn; Matthew Vaughn, trombone; and Blair Bollinger (’86), bass trombone. Curtis Presents highlights the school’s unparalleled artistry with four recitals curated by Curtis alumni and faculty. The  format allows headlining artists to draw from an extraordinary group of student, alumni, and faculty musicians, resulting in a unique musical portrait where innumerable programs are possible.

Filled with music ranging from the early Baroque to the latter half of the 20th century, the Curtis Brass Faculty concert opens with Samuel Scheidt’s Canzona Bergamasca (arranged by Conrad DeJong), and is followed by Charles Small’s Conversation for Tenor and Bass Trombone, Fernand Andrieu’s Concertino, and Malcom Forsyth’s The Golyarde’s Ground. J.S. Bach’s Fugue in G Minor (“Little Fugue”), arranged by Ronald Romm, opens the second half of the program followed by Villanelle by Paul Dukas and Thom Ritter George’s Quintet No. 4 (1982). Pianist Jungeun Kim, director of instrumental accompaniment at Curtis, and Curtis trumpet student Noah Dugan also play alongside members of the quintet.

The recital takes place in Field Concert Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music, 1726 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Tickets are $25 and are available from the Curtis Patron Services Office at (215) 893-7902 or www.curtis.edu/Tickets. All proceeds from these benefit concerts support current Curtis students, with the hope of inspiring and supporting future generations of great artists. The Curtis Presents season is sponsored by Blank Rome LLP.

David Bilger joined the Philadelphia Orchestra as principal trumpet in 1995, and previously held the same position with the Dallas Symphony. He has performed in recital throughout the United States and Canada and appeared repeatedly as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Other solo appearances include the Dallas, Houston, and Oakland symphonies; Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia; Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York; and Orchestra of St. Luke’s. In 1998 he performed the Tomasi Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and on tour in North and South America.

Jeffrey Curnow, associate principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra, graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from Temple University, where he was a student of Seymour Rosenfeld. Soon after, he was appointed principal trumpet of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and joined the New York Trumpet Ensemble. In 1987 Mr. Curnow left New Haven to record and tour as a member of the internationally renowned Empire Brass Quintet. In 1995 he was appointed principal trumpet of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He is well established as an educator, clinician, adjudicator, arranger, and producer and has taught at the universities of Connecticut, Scranton, and Boston; Tanglewood Institute; and the Royal Academy of Music in London. Mr. Curnow joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 2003.

Jennifer Montone joined the Philadelphia Orchestra as principal horn in 2006. She was the principal horn of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2003 to 2006. Formerly associate principal of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, she was an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University and was a faculty performer at the Aspen Music Festival and School from 2005 to 2009. She has performed concertos with the Saint Louis, Dallas, and National symphony orchestras; the Philadelphia Orchestra; and the Polish National Radio Symphony, among others, and has performed chamber music with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, as well as at festivals in La Jolla, Santa Fe, Marlboro, Bay Chamber Concerts, and Spoleto, Italy.

Matthew Vaughn has been a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1999, and currently serves as associate principal trombone. Previous positions have included principal trombone of the San Antonio Symphony and service in the United States Air Force Concert Band in Washington, D.C. He has performed with the Los Angeles and Israel philharmonics, Atlanta and National symphonies, and the “Super-World” Orchestra in Tokyo; and has been featured as a soloist with the San Antonio, Lafayette, Indiana University, and Richmond (Indiana) symphonies, as well as the Temple University and United States Air Force bands.

Blair Bollinger is the bass trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which he joined in 1986. He has made solo appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, and National Symphony of Taiwan, as well as at many international and domestic trombone conferences. Mr. Bollinger has given recitals and master classes in Brazil, Chile, China, Holland, Israel, Japan, Poland, Taiwan, and throughout the United States. His recordings include a solo CD (Fancy Free), two discs with Four of a Kind trombone quartet, and a disc with the Canadian Brass.

Jungeun Kim has performed as a recitalist and guest artist with orchestras and ensembles in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and the Far East; and she has appeared on CBS, CBC, Voice of America, and NPR broadcasts. She has been featured in the Philadelphia Orchestra’s chamber music series and has collaborated with such distinguished artists as Sarah Chang, Ida Kavafian, Ruggiero Ricci, Aaron Rosand, Peter Wiley, Riccardo Chailly, James DePreist, Charles Dutoit, Kurt Masur, and Wolfgang Sawallisch. Ms. Kim is the founder of the New York Summer Music Festival, where she serves as the executive director. She joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 1999.

Noah Dugan, from Scottsdale, Ariz., entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 2012 and studies with David Bilger, principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra. All students at Curtis receive merit-based full-tuition scholarships, and Mr. Dugan is the Charles and Judith Freyer Annual Fellow. He has appeared on NPR’s From the Top and has performed as a soloist with the Scottsdale Arts Orchestra. In 2011 he won the High School Solo Division of the National Trumpet Competition. Mr. Dugan has attended Brevard Music Center, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and Interlochen Arts Camp, among other programs.

One of the world’s finest and most selective conservatories, the Curtis Institute of Music offers a tuition-free, performance-inspired learning culture to 175 students from all corners of the world. Nurtured by a celebrated faculty, its extraordinary young musicians graduate to join 4,000 alumni who have long made music history. From Leonard Bernstein to Alan Gilbert, Samuel Barber to Jennifer Higdon, Anna Moffo to Eric Owens, Richard Goode to Jonathan Biss, Curtis alumni personify the school’s commitment to excellence—onstage and in their communities—inventing careers with impact. Recent graduates forging 21st-century careers include violinist Adrian Anantawan, a performer and teacher dedicated to helping young people with disabilities make music; Joseph Conyers, director and founder of Project 440 and assistant principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra; and Jennifer Koh, a violin soloist recognized for both her dazzling virtuosity and impassioned musical curiosity, dedicated to performing repertoire of all eras, from traditional to contemporary.

A busy schedule of performances, including more than 200 a year in Philadelphia and around the world, is at the heart of Curtis’s distinctive “learn by doing” approach. Dedicated to a tradition of excellence and innovation since its founding in 1924, Curtis is looking toward its centenary in a flexible and forward-thinking way, evolving strategically to serve its time-honored mission.

Curtis Presents: Curtis Faculty Brass Ensemble
Sunday, February 8 at 3 p.m.
Field Concert Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music
1726 Locust Street, Philadelphia

SCHEIDT – Canzona Bergamasca (arr. DeJong)
Curtis Faculty Brass Ensemble

SMALL – Conversation for Tenor and Bass Trombone
Matthew Vaughn, trombone
Blair Bollinger, bass trombone

ANDRIEU – Concertino
David Bilger, trumpet
Noah Dugan, trumpet
Jungeun Kim, piano

FORSYTH – The Golyarde’s Ground
Curtis Brass Faculty Ensemble

J.S. BACH – Fugue in G Minor (“Little Fugue”) (arr.Romm)
Curtis Brass Faculty Ensemble

DUKAS – Vilanelle
Jennifer Montone, horn
Jungeun Kim, piano

GEORGE – Quintet No. 4 (1982)
Curtis Brass Faculty Ensemble

Tickets: $25, available from the Curtis Patron Services Office at (215) 893-7902 or www.curtis.edu.

The Curtis Presents season is sponsored by Blank Rome LLP.

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