September 21, 2017
Originally from San Diego, CA, Brice Burton, principal percussion, has played percussion since age 8. Before joining the Charlotte Symphony, Mr. Burton received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Percussion Performance at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he graduated summa cum laude. Mr. Burton has been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, National Orchestral Institute, and Round Top Festival Institute. In 2014 he won first place in the Atlanta Modern Snare Drum Competition.
He has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, and Santa Barbara Symphony, as well as New World Symphony in Miami Beach, FL. |  |
Outside of orchestral performances, Brice was also an active freelancer. He can be seen on productions such as FOX's 'Grease Live!' and SPIKE's 'Coaching Bad' and can be heard alongside actor Jack Black on one of LACMA's 'Sundays Live' radio broadcasts.
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Does your instrument have a special story?
My favorite snare drum I won as a prize from a snare drum competition.
What would most surprise people about you?
I've been fishing multiple times and never caught a fish - something I mean to change out here in NC!
If you could meet one composer, who would it be and what would you ask him/her?
I would like to meet Anton Bruckner. He had an incredible work ethic, but I would like to ask: what is the deal with only one cymbal crash in his 7th Symphony? (It's debated whether he really wanted it or not.)
What's your funniest/most compelling on-stage moment?
I was at a summer program in high school and was playing timpani on Elgar's Enigma Variations when the pedal on the lowest drum got stuck and the pitch would only go up. This happened right before a part where the percussionist comes over and plays on the timpani with snare drum sticks, and because it's an interesting sound people in the audience always look (it's also lightly orchestrated there). The pedal wouldn't budge with my foot so I crouched down on the floor and started pulling on it, somewhat unaware of what was going on around me. Apparently I was making a bunch of noise and the guy playing my drum had to bend over and whisper to me "just let it go". I looked back up and the whole audience was looking at me and the conductor looked furious.
Any pre-performance rituals?
I like to have a full stomach and make sure I use the bathroom before long concerts. There's nothing worse than sitting there uncomfortably during a long tacet moment with nothing else to focus on.
Other than your instrument, what would we find in your instrument case?
Earplugs, a towel, and contact lenses (in case I break my glasses).
What do you love most about being a professional musician?
Making beautiful music with my colleagues and the freedom of making my own musical decisions. I also love the opportunities that music provides - I've had some incredible experiences and met many interesting people (both musicians and classical music fans). People light up when you tell them you're a musician and I love hearing their stories.
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Charlotte Symphony
Charlotte Symphony
Tagged as CSO Musicians, Musicians.
September 18, 2017
Jason McNeel, section bass, began playing bass as a junior in high school. Mr. McNeel has since played with some of the best orchestras in the country, including the Cincinnati Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, and Rochester Philharmonic. As a regular performer with the Cincinnati Sympony, he was able to participate in international tours to Asia and Europe. As a student. Mr McNeel has studied at the University of Cincinnati (Bachelor of Music) with Albert Laszlo and Carnegie Mellon (Master of Music) with Micah Howard. Additionally, he has studied regularly with Solen Dikener, Jeff Turner, and Owen Lee.
Hometown: Winfield, WV |  |
Why did you select your instrument?
The bass is very versitale instrument that can be played in several different genres of music. Early on and still I've had an interest in playing jazz, classical, and many other styles.
Does your instrument have a special story?
My first instrument was made my my father. He is a very dedicated amateur woodworker and took a year of his free time to make a bass that I still love playing to this day.
What would most surprise people about you?
I have spent most of my childhood summers working on the family farm in eastern West Virginia. One of my favorite chores was milking the cow.
If you could meet one composer, who would it be and what would you ask him/her?
Haydn, I'd ask him for another copy of the Concerto for Violone that has been lost.
What's your funniest/most compelling on-stage moment?
The time when I was playing an outdoor barge concert in West Virginia and a beaver ran from backstage, through the orchestra, and into the audience!
Any pre-performance rituals?
I have a good, light meal.
Other than your instrument, what would we find in your instrument case?
Whatever book I'm reading.
What do you love most about being a professional musician?
It's one of the great professions in the world. In studying music, you gain knowledge of culture, science, psychology, physical, and emotional well being, history, and the list could go on forever. I can honestly say that being interested in music has had a direct positive effect on my health and happiness.
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Charlotte Symphony
Charlotte Symphony
Tagged as CSO Musicians, Musicians.
July 20, 2015
As soon as the Charlotte Symphony's Summer Pops series ends on July 3, many of the CSO's musicians head out of Charlotte for exciting and highly sought-after gigs elsewhere in the U.S. Keep tabs on where these talented musicians are headed!
For the first time, Benjamin Geller will be performing at Greensboro's Eastern Music Festival for six weeks, from June 27 through August 1. For more information on the Triad's annual festival, visit easternmusicfestival.org.
From mid-July through early August, Aubrey Foard will serve for the second year as an artist faculty member at Brevard Music Center in Brevard, NC. He then heads out west to perform as principal tubist at Britt Festival in Jacksonville, Oregon.
Jon Lewis will be performing principal cello for Central City Opera for 6 weeks from July 1 to August 9. Central City Opera is the fifth oldest opera company in the country, located in Central City, Colorado.
Husband-and-wife Calin Lupanu and Monica Boboc will again join the Colorado Music Festival as violinists in the orchestra in Boulder, Colorado. Lupanu serves as concertmaster and Chamber Music Coordinator.
Tim Hudson, acting second trumpet
Tim Hudson will spend part of his summer as artist/faculty for the Grand Valley International Trumpet Seminar in Michigan.
For the last 25 years, Cynthia Frank has spent her summers at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York, playing with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, which she refers to as her "second family." The nearly 200-year-old institution is a learning center with courses in art, music, dance, theatre, writing, and more.
Learn more about Charlotte Symphony musicians and conductors.
Charlotte Symphony
Charlotte Symphony
Posted in Summer. Tagged as CSO Musicians, Musicians.
May 21, 2015
Congratulations to our longtime principal clarinetist, Gene Kavadlo, who has been named this year's John Castellini award winner!
The award is named for John Castellini, founder of the Queens College Choral Society, and it is presented annually to a distinguished alumnus or alumna who, as an undergraduate, performed with the Choral Society.
Kavadlo earned his music degree from Queens College in New York in 1967. |
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During his time at the college, John Castellini was one of his professors. "Castellini had a very long and distinguished career at Queens College," says Kavadlo. "Several times during my college career, when I had received some sort of recognition, Castellini's response was always, 'They've made a terrible mistake.'"
When Castellini retired to Jacksonville, Florida, Kavadlo was principal clarinetist for that orchestra and the two became close. "I actually got to know him as an adult, rather than the formal student/teacher relationship," Kavadlo says, "and I discovered that he was charming, witty, and had a great sense of humor."
Kavadlo and his wife, Ali, took a road trip to New York to attend the Choral Society performance on Saturday, May 16, where he was recognized. He closed his acceptance remarks that evening by telling the audience that he was sure Castellini was looking down on the event, thinking the school had made a terrible mistake!
When he's not busy performing with the Charlotte Symphony, Kavadlo enjoys spending time with his family, seeing movies, and performing klezmer music with his band, Viva Klezmer! Kavadlo and his klezmer music were recently featured in an issue of
Charlotte magazine.
Tagged as CSO Musicians, Musicians.
March 19, 2015
What exactly goes into the role of concertmaster? Here, we pick Concertmaster Calin Lupanu's brain about the job.
What exactly is the job?
The Concertmaster is the first violinist seated to the conductor's left. He or she is the leader of the first violin section, the string section, and the entire ensemble. In some instances the concertmaster serves as the conductor's assistant. The concertmaster must be an excellent violinist and musician, but also a very good diplomat, able to help with the conductor's interpretation of the musical score.
What else is different about what you do versus the other violinists?
By setting the standards, through a professional attitude, and very thorough preparation, a concertmaster is also a spokesman of the orchestra. |
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Are your hands insured, like a basketball player or a surgeon?
No, but judging by the amount of times that I get this question, maybe I should think about it!
What's your favorite part of the job?
Just really loving what I am doing. I love being part of an orchestra.
What's the hardest part of the job?
Sometimes I'm so busy that I can't spend enough time with my family or friends.
Well, I'm sure a lot of people can relate to that, but you have to learn a lot of music quickly and work with touring Pops groups and guest conductors, etc. How do you adapt?
I am able to adapt to any conductor pretty quickly. I think that one never stops learning, and that is what guides me in my career.
What if you disagree with their interpretations of a piece?
It's not my job to agree or disagree with any interpretation or with any conductor. I am more of an enabler I help the conductor submit his or her vision of a work. Having said that, I do have strong feelings about how a piece of music should be played ... but I save those feelings for when I play a solo or to some extent in chamber music performances.
What does a typical non-rehearsal/non-performance day entail for you?
There are very few of those! But I do teach a lot. I am currently on the faculty at both Gardner-Webb University and University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I also love chamber music, and I try to perform a lot of quartets, quintets, piano trios ... I have also been appointed as Chamber Music Director of the Colorado Music Festival, so I have to do programming and choose the personnel for those concerts. When I do have the occasional day off, I tend to stay with my family and maybe watch a soccer game with my 7 year old.
Charlotte Symphony
Charlotte Symphony
Posted in Classics. Tagged as Classical, concertmaster, CSO Musicians, interview, Musicians, Violin.
