HCS SPRING CONCERT SERIES 2025
Prelude
Gerald Finzi
Lullaby
George Gershwin
Après Un Rève
Gabriel Faurè
Oblivion, Chau Paris
Astor Piazzolla
Brook Green Suite
Gustav Holst
Featuring the world premier of Kevin Kaukl’s Snow Prayer
Commissioned especially for High Country Sinfonia through a generous grant from the City of Aspen Cultural Vibrancy Fellowship program
Friday May 2 – TACAW, Willits, Colorado 7:00 PM
Sunday May 4 – Aspen Chapel, in partnership with the Aspen Chapel Gallery, Aspen, Colorado 4 PM
Who We Are
The High Country Sinfonia (HCS) is a string chamber orchestra comprised of professional musicians living in the Roaring Fork Valley. As a conductor-less musician-led ensemble, we work collaboratively to create musically inspiring space for mentorship and musical development. We offer valuable musical performances as the only professional chamber orchestra in the region.
HCS musicians have formal training in their instrument and orchestral/ensemble experience in the classical repertoire. Prospective members submit a resume; we do not hold auditions. Our Board, with input from HCS members, welcomes qualified new players.
Mission Statement
High Country Sinfonia, a professional, musician-led chamber orchestra, enriches the communities of the Roaring Fork Valley through accessible performances and diverse programming.
THE BOARD
Wendy Larson – Founder / Executive Director
Liz Bokram – Treasurer
Lorraine Curry – Secretary
Katie Ralston
Nancy Thomas
Bonnie Kowar
Sarah Graf
Camille Backman
CONCERTS
HCS schedules two concert “seasons” a year, with 2-3 performances each— ideally, one set in the fall (September–November) and a second set in the spring (April–May). Each set of performances is scheduled over a week period. Each concert series is regularly attended by more than 300 community members.
We strive to give high quality performances and to appeal to a general concert-going public. Concerts are one hour or less and take place in public venues throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.
HCS also offers an important musical outlet for 20 professional musicians in our area. By helping to keep these musicians actively performing and living in western Colorado, it then enriches our larger communities through the work they do in teaching our youth and their involvement in other arts education programming.
The Board, with input from members, sets the program for each season. Members submit repertoire suggestions in the fall and spring before each programming meeting.
OUR HISTORY
The High Country Sinfonia was founded in the spring of 2015 by Wendy Larson, a musician, teacher, and conductor in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley. Wendy recruited local musicians to form the all‐volunteer group to rehearse and perform works from the classical string orchestra literature.
The Sinfonia has performed a wide range of music, from the Renaissance to the Contemporary, from Matthew Locke to Piazzolla—with Bach, Mozart, Debussy, Elgar, Holst, Britten, and many others between. Invited guests and members have performed solo works with the Sinfonia, among them works for solo voice, piano, organ, trumpet, cello, and violin. The Sinfonia has also collaborated with other groups, including two longtime local organizations, the Aspen Choral Society and Symphony in the Valley.
In early 2021, the Sinfonia established its non-profit corporate status as a 501c3 business. A board was established to oversee administrative tasks, including programming, fundraising, and marketing with the aim to increase the Sinfonia’s musical offerings, expand its audience, and continue to offer all concerts free of charge.
High Country Sinfonia Program History
June 7-8, 2015
Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 3
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
February 28-29, 2016
Mozart: Church Sonatas for Organ
Susan Nicholson, Organ
Vivaldi: Concerto No. 4 for Violin in F minor, “Winter”
Audrey Kwong, violin
Bach: Concerto for Two Violins in D minor “the Bach Double”
Richie Zah, violin and Brittni Brown, violin
October 23, 2016
Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin & Cello in B-flat major
Brittni Brown, violin and Sarah Graf, cello
Bartók: Rumanian Folk Dances
Copland: Quiet City
Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin in F major, “Fall”
Suzanne Porter, violin
May 8-9, 2017
Vivaldi: Concerto No. 1 for Violin in E major, “Spring”
Gaia Vazquez, violin
Britten: Simple Symphony
Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante
Brittni Brown, violin and Erin Gallagher, viola
October 29-30 & November 2, 2017
Mozart: Divertimento
Boccherini: Concerto for Cello in B-flat major, “Adagio”
Sarah Graf, Cello
Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin in G minor, “Summer”
Audrey Kwong, violin
Holst: St. Paul’s Suite
April 22,23, 26, 2018
Vivaldi: Concerto for Two Cellos, in G minor
Sara Graf, cello and Maren Quanbeck, cello
Locke: Tempest
Lowry: Romanza for 4 Violas
Grieg: Holberg Suite
May 10-12, 2019
Rutter: Mass of the Children
in collaboration with Symphony in the Valley & Aspen Choral Society
Mozart: Divertimento
Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 3
Bartók: Rumanian Dances
October 20, 21, 24, 2019
Elgar: Serenade
Albinoni: Sonata for Trumpet
Rob Merritt, trumpet
Piazzolla: Oblivion for 4 Violas
Arranged by HCS Violist NancyThomas
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3
May 21-23, 2021
Bach: Vivace from Concerto for Two Violins in D minor
Katie Ralston, violin and Emily Acri, violins
Suk: Andante con moto from Serenade for Strings
Haydn: Concerto #2 for Cello in D Major
Roberto Arundale, cello
Britten: Simple Symphony
Beethoven: Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9
October 21, 23, 24, 2021
Handel: Concerto Grosso No. 1 in G Major
Vivaldi: Nulla in Mundo Pax Sincera
Emily Burr, soprano
Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings
Montgomery (Jessie): Strum
May 12, 14, 15, 2022
Vivaldi: Concerto for Cello in B minor
Sarah Graf, cello
The Piano Guys: Cello Song
Rossini: William Tell Overture (chorale)
Hindemith: Trauermusik
Jalen Lee, viola
Warlock (Peter): Capriol Suite
Croad (Libby): Suite for String Orchestra
October 20, 22, 23, 2022
Grainger (Percy): Irish Tune from County Derry
Barber: Adagio for Strings
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances from “Prince Igor”
Bach: The Little Fugue
Vivaldi: Sinfonia in G Major
Glass: Arioso for Strings
Villa-Lobos: Aria from Bacchianas Brasilieras No. 5
May 4, 6, 7, 2023
Tchaikovsky: Choral from 1812 Overture
C.P.E. Bach: Sinfonia #2 in B flat Major
Chopin: Concerto #1 for Piano in E minor
Kevin Kaukl, piano
Oct 18, 19, 21 2023
Saariaho: Dolce Tormento
Shelley Warren, piccolo
Mahler: Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 in C# minor
Bach: Coffee Cantata BWV 211 in G major
Beth Noble, Soprano
Katie Hone Wiltgen, Tenor
May 2, 4, 5 2024
Heinrich Biber: Mensa Sonora Part 1 in D Major
Jean Sibelius: Impromptu for String Orchestra
Anton Piazzolla: Libertango: Five Tangos for Violin and Bass Duet, Camille Bachman – Violin, Jeanette Adams – Bass
October 18, 20 2024
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 6
Peter Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme
Kurt Kowar, Cello
Antonin Dvorak: Serenade for Strings
CONTACT US
High Country Sinfonia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Checks may also be sent to High Country Sinfonia, PO Box 694, Basalt, CO 81621.
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