2010 annual Jazz Night

Mark your calendars for CWSO's Jazz Night.  It's May 7th at 7:30 in the Sentry Theater @ 1800.

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Lee Ayers pairs up with CWSO

CWSO Announces 2009 Young Artist Competition Winner

This past September the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra held the fourth of its "CWSO Young Artist Competitions." The biennial competition drew very skilled high-school aged musicians from the central Wisconsin area. The year's winner is cellist Chris Peck of Stevens Point. His parents are Ed and JoAnne Peck.

The Young Artist Competition Honorable Mention was awarded to oboist Kelly Tillotson, a Custer resident and student of UWSP Associate Professor of Oboe and Music Theory Stacey Berk.

Peck is a senior at SPASH and currently serves as principal cellist of the Stevens Point Area Senior High School Orchestra, as well as the Central State Chamber Orchestra. He began his musical studies with piano lessons at the age of five, and at age of nine he began to study the cello in the Aber Suzuki program. Chris' past teachers ALSO include Dr. Lawrence Leviton and Dr. Tim Mutschlecner. He now travels weekly from Stevens Point to Madison to study cello with Karl Lavine.

Peck has won numerous awards, including five times for Outstanding Performance at District Solo and Ensemble Contest. He was also selected three times for the Wisconsin State Honors Orchestra and was a finalist in the 2009 Fox Valley Concerto Competition. Though Peck was born in Hartford, CT, he considers himself a Wisconsin native, having lived here since he was four years old. In addition to his musical talents, he is on the SPASH varsity tennis team and plans to attend college to pursue a double major in cello performance and math or physics.

Part of Peck' award is the opportunity to perform as a guest soloist with the CWSO during its "Holiday Extravaganza" concerts this December 5th at 7:30 pm and 6th at 1:00 and 4:00pm in Sentry Theater, Stevens Point. He will perform the 1st movement of Franz Joseph Haydn's virtuosic Cello Concerto in C Major with the full orchestra and under the direction of Guest Conductor James Carpenter. The concert also will include James Stephenson's Holiday Overture and Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer and George Frideric Handel's Overture to the Messiah, as well as various selections to be performed by the Monteverdi Chorale and Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite, featuring the Point Dance Ensemble and members of the UWSP Dance Department.

Dougherty Elected as CWSO President

Dan Dougherty was elected as Board President of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra during its July 20th Annual Meeting at The Holiday Inn, Stevens Point. The CWSO board of directors, staff, music director and orchestra were thanked for their dedication and hard work. This past 60th anniversary concert season celebrated diverse music programs featuring special music programs, film, and diamond raffles at each concert. Educational outreach activity associated with each concert impacted hundreds of area students of all age levels including a morning concert for approximately 1300 area 4th graders in February.

Outgoing board members, Anne Schierl and Timothy Laatsch were recognized for their many contributions to the organization. The new slate of board members elected were Amy Bakken and Mary Weis. Current board members re-elected for a second term were Jeff Morin and Casey Danielson. Officers elected to the board were Dan Dougherty, President; Gerard McKenna, Immediate Past-President, Rita Eisenhauer, Secretary; and Joy Palmer, Treasurer. Board members continuing their terms are Kitty Munck, Barb Massoglia, Lynn Holborn, Tom Stenborg, Kelly Wohlbier, Ed Peck, Kathy Trachte, and David Anderson.

The CWSO will celebrate its 61st concert season under the direction of Music Director Patrick Miles with a series of four concert weekends. The season titled "it's Symph-fantastic" features highly renowned professional and local musicians. Concert season dates are: October 10th and 11th - "Season Opener" with guest artist Molly Roseman, piano; December 5th and 6th - a concert featuring James Carpenter as guest conductor, the Point Dance Ensemble and Monteverdi Chorale and the Young Artist Competition Winner Chris Peck with a family-priced matinee concert at 1:00 pm on Sunday, December 6th; the February 27th and 28th concerts feature duo harpists Matthew Agen and Rachel Brandwein; and April 17th and 18th with Holly Wrensch, mezzo soprano. Season and individual tickets are available for all concerts by stopping in or calling the UWSP Ticket Office, UWSP Dreyfus University Center at 346-4100 or toll free at (800) 838-3378. For more information, visit the website www.cwso.org.

The Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras' mission is to enrich the cultural lives of the residents of the Central Wisconsin area by presenting high quality concerts, fostering an appreciation of symphonic music, providing a performance venue for area musicians, and developing an educational opportunity for youth.