RPO musicians on the road this summer: Part 1

Remember when you were a kid and you would look forward to summer camp? Following the RPO’s busy summer season (10 concerts in the month of July!), many of our musicians travel in August to teach and perform at music festivals, conferences, and with other symphonies and music groups. For them, it’s a great opportunity to share their time and talents in other markets before the start of another concert season at the Rochester Philharmonic. We caught up with four RPO musicians to learn more about what they are up to this summer. Stay tuned to our blog later this week for the second part of this series!

Joanna Bassett, flute/piccolo

What are your plans for August?
I'll be headed to Washington, D.C. with about 4,000 other flutists, to take part in the National Flute Association's annual convention. I've been going to these almost every year since I was in college and participated in the orchestral competition. Each year's experience is a little bit different, but the one thing I can count on is seeing old friends and being inspired by so many concerts, workshops, and the chance to try state-of-the-art flutes and piccolos.

Joanna Bassett (right) and Jan Angus
at a site visit to D.C. in 2014

Why do you think it’s important to teach/perform outside of Rochester?
I feel very fortunate to be able to do what I love in the RPO, and part of the reason I have taken on this responsibility is to be able to bring people together to share their talents with others. My RPO colleague Jan Angus and I have been working for the past two years to put this together, and it has been the experience of a lifetime! Our theme is "Out of Many, One", so we are showcasing flutists from many different countries, backgrounds and types of playing, and we are also promoting advocacy through music, featuring many musicians who are advocating in their daily lives. I'm looking forward to bringing some of Rochester's musical talent with us to Washington, D.C., and I'm sure we'll be bringing a lot of energy and ideas back with us when we return home!

Joanna checks acoustics and sound bleed at
a site visit for the NFA

Anything else exciting to share?
We are featuring 223 living composers with many world premieres, 28 flute choirs, flutists from Australia, Taiwan, Israel, Greece, Croatia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, and all over the U.S. I am grateful to Jeff Tyzik for writing a new piece for flute and orchestra which will be premiered at a Gala Concerto Concert, and we've also programmed works of Cary Ratcliff, Ken Kreuzer, Katherine Hoover, and Cynthia Folio, to mention just a few local connections.


Perrin Yang, violin

Where are you playing this month?
I'll be playing in a few different places in August and September. Most of August will be spent in Sun Valley, Idaho, playing with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony. Later that month, I will be back in Rochester playing with my band Significant Other at the Food Truck Rodeo (Aug. 26), as well as at the Seneca Park Zoo Brew (Sep. 11) and downtown at the Fringe Festival (Sep. 25).

Perrin Yang

Have you played with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony before?
Yes, for several years now. I enjoy going because I get time to spend with my family (my brother and sister-in-law both play in Sun Valley Summer Symphony as well). It's nice to be able to be part of a great orchestra made up of people from all around the country, and Sun Valley is a beautiful part of the country!

Why do you think it’s important to play in other markets?
It's important for us to be playing in other locations/markets to keep the RPO name alive. We are a great orchestra, so it's good for us to get out in different places and to play with different people to show the rest of the world that we're still a great orchestra after 92 years! Also, by playing in different markets and playing different styles of music, it just helps to expand the RPO audiences!

Perrin onstage with the Sun Valley Symphony

Meet the RPO staff: Director of Ticketing and Sales Ed Solorzano

You have seen our orchestra in action, but what goes on behind the scenes?

Our series continues with Syracuse native Ed Solorzano, the RPO’s Director of Ticketing and Sales.

Ed Solorzano

Could you go into description of what your work consists of at the RPO?

I am in charge of anything ticket-related at the venue. This goes for both the RPO and the Eastman School of Music. Anything from hiring and training box office employees to staffing concerts and managing box office/venue policies and the finances it encompasses.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

My first dream revolved around sports. I played almost every sport under the sun, and I continued sports through high school and into college doing rec. level stuff.

What did you study in college?

I was always intrigued by sports, and wanted to be involved on the business side of it. That is what led me to majoring in sports management at St. John Fisher College. When I started in 2004, it was a new field that wasn't fully tapped into just yet.

In what ways did your prior education prepare you for the RPO?

As a whole, my prior education helped me to get comfortable with speaking in front of people and speaking to people. With doing a lot of presentations and public speaking, interviews were a huge strength for me. Having to go through and talk to people one-on-one helped tremendously. In the sports world, or almost any organization you go to, you start in sales. That could contain a lot of cold calling and customer service, but you put yourself out there and talk to someone. Having this background proved very beneficial in my career.

How did you transition from Sports industry to the Music industry?

People don't think sports and music would be similar, but they are both entertainment and there are a lot of similarities.

After college, I pursued a job offer to sell tickets at CMAC, an outdoor amphitheater in Canandaigua. I was able to work the software system and pick up the operation as a whole really quickly. After that, I worked in customer service at the Auditorium Theatre. It was while working there that I noticed, and made the subsequent decision to not limit myself to just working for sports teams. Overall, my career goal has always been to keep my options open and go where I feel I can have a positive impact on the organization; working for a non-profit offers another level of satisfaction knowing that I am not only helping our patrons, but helping advocate for the arts.

Ed in Bobblehead form!

What has been your most memorable moment at the RPO, thus far?

I have been with the RPO since October 2014. My ultimate goal is making sure our customers and patrons can get into an event without any issues. We want to make sure that everyone is satisfied and it ultimately starts from the day they order a ticket, to when they walk out of the venue.

The coolest, most memorable thus far has been our season opener event, which took place last February. We did a season preview for our upcoming series. It was a way to market our upcoming series to our patrons and the community in a way that not very many orchestras do. It shows the audience what’s to come in the upcoming year.

This was the first time the RPO has ever done something like this. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and I felt that the turnout was both a huge undertaking and a huge success.

What is your favorite type of music?
My favorite type of music was (and still is) hip-hop. However, I have an appreciation for all genres of music - ranging from bluegrass to jazz, jam bands, and everything in between. Music is truly objective and I love being able to experience new genres. And as weird as this sounds, while I enjoy hip-hop, one of my favorite bands is O.A.R.

Which RPO concert(s) are you most looking forward to in 2015-16 and why?

Out of the entire series, I think Home Alone would be really cool. I grew up watching it, and I think it would be really cool to see the orchestral accompaniment to the movie. I grew up playing video games, but never got into Final Fantasy. Video Games Live last year was really cool, so I’m looking forward to seeing FF.

Any favorite summer activities?

I like to hang out at the beach and play sports, but I especially like running races. I like pushing myself, for the health side of it. I want to live to be 150. I just ran a 15k (9.3 miles) for the second year in a row. I will be running a 20k (12 miles) by the end of summer.

About the author: Elissa Murphy is the RPO's marketing/development summer intern. Anticipated for August 2015, Elissa will be receiving her bachelor’s degree in music business and flute performance, with a film studies minor from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

Bravo to retiring musicians: Jan Angus and Jennifer Burch

This feature on retiring RPO musicians is currently running in the summer Bravo program. To see this feature in print, pick up a copy of Bravo at the RPO in Perinton concert on Saturday, July 25 or at the Nazareth College concert on Sunday, July 26. Both concerts are free to attend, but tickets are required for Nazareth (call 585-454-2100).

For Jan Angus and Jennifer Burch, who are retiring from the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the end of the 2014-15 season, retirement doesn’t mean saying goodbye to the music.

“I’m not really retiring, I’m too busy,” said Jan Angus, who came to the RPO as third flute and piccolo in 1979. “I’m looking forward to having more time to focus on teaching. When I stop playing in the orchestra, I’ve thought about writing a book about my flute teaching methods.”

Angus, a master’s graduate of the Eastman School of Music, has been balancing full time work at the Eastman Community Music School with playing in the orchestra. She is a senior instructor in flute at Eastman and also coordinator of the Eastman Pathways Program, a scholarship program for students in the Rochester City School District.

She is collaborating with RPO second flute Joanna Bassett to bring flutists from all over the world to Washington, D.C., this August for the National Flute Association Convention. She also has taught at Hochstein School of Music and Dance and served on the faculties of Nazareth College, SUNY Geneseo, and SUNY Brockport.

“I’ve never been one to promote myself,” said Angus, who has played flute since she was a child in California. “With time and experience comes maturity, and I have learned from my years in the orchestra that it’s not about you, it’s about the product.”

In addition to teaching and playing recitals, Angus is looking forward to having more time to travel with her husband, RPO third horn David Angus, and also spending time with their two grown children and grandson.

Second horn player Jennifer Burch came to the RPO in 1992, direct from a seven-year appointment with the Richmond Symphony, where she played both third and principal positions.

“I felt from the beginning that Rochester was my home,” said Burch, who grew up in Bath, New York, and graduated from the University of Michigan. “There is a tremendous amount of culture here.”

Burch plans to continue teaching at the Eastman School of Music, where she is an assistant professor of horn. This summer, she will return to teach and perform at the MasterWorks Festival in Indiana. She also has taught at Nazareth College, Roberts Wesleyan College, and Hochstein.

“I have really valued my years here at the RPO and nothing will fill that void,” said Burch, who spoke fondly of the camaraderie in her section. “I’ve had a wonderful career and I want to pass that on to others. I love seeing my students thrive.”

In addition to teaching, Burch plans to get involved in volunteer and ministry work. She also is looking forward to spending more time with her husband, Bob Marshall, her three step-children and three grandchildren.

Congratulations to Jan and Jennifer on your years with the RPO! Send your well-wishes to Jan Angus and Jennifer Burch on Facebook or Twitter (@RochesterPhil) with #bravoJan or #bravoJennifer.

Meet the RPO Staff: Administrative & Volunteer Coordinator Kathy Miller

You have seen our orchestra in action, but what goes on behind the scenes?

We now present to you: The staff members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra! Check out what we do inside and outside the office!

Our series continues with Kathy Miller, the RPO’s Administrative & Volunteer Coordinator.

What does your job entail?

The majority of my position is working with all the volunteers. I do the coordination and the recruitment of all of the volunteers. I also schedule the front desk volunteers.

Is there a daily routine that you abide by each day?

In some cases, yes. During the concert season, I am in contact with the volunteers on a regular basis. I schedule our Box Seat concierge volunteers. Dave Meyer (our House Manager) schedules volunteers to usher events. He and I work in partnership. The Box Seat concierges volunteers get to know the patrons really well. They are still considered ushers, but they have a little more responsibility

If something comes up with a volunteer’s schedule where they can no longer attend their assigned night, I find other volunteers. If we have a full house concert, we need all hands on deck to help out in order for things to run smoothly.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I have my bachelor’s degree in fine arts (University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada). I originally wanted to teach ceramics and sculpture, but the market was flooded with art teachers at that time.

I pretty much carried my portfolio under my arm. I worked as an artist for a couple of years, and then stayed at home for 10 years with my children. Then, I freelanced and eventually became employed with the University of Rochester’s Alumni Association as manager of print production.

How did you become interested in the nonprofit organization career path?

Through my job at the U of R, I became very interested in the fundraising and development side of this type of career. At the time, I met a woman who ran a nonprofit agency. She gave me my chance. Five years later, I ended up as the development coordinator of the Lifetime Assistance Foundation, where I did everything from special events planning to fundraising and to public relations. At that time, I worked very closely with volunteers.

What is one piece of advice you could give to our readers that are looking into getting involved in a nonprofit organization?

Volunteer at everything you can. This will give you tons of experience and exposure to this particular career field. If you enjoy writing, get involved and write articles. In development, if you could be as well-rounded as possible, and try to just experience as much as you can, it will really lay that ground work for your career. Grab as much as you can out of each experience you’re able to get. Whether it is PR or grant writing, they all sort of intertwine together. Get to know how they fit and you will gain a better understanding of each project thrown your way.

What is your most memorable or proud moment that you have experienced so far at the RPO?

Mainly, the interaction with the volunteers.

My favorite statement is “There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer,” (Jim Doolittle) because I think that is the essence of volunteering; that you do it because you believe in that particular organization.

This particular volunteer base is so passionate about music and art and the organization. They are just a great group to work with. It made me realize how much of the community embraces the RPO.

What is your favorite type of music?

I like a lot of different styles of music, particularly jazz and country music. Jeff Tyzik’s music is great, too!

Out of the 2015-16 season, which concert(s) are you most looking forward to, and why?

I am looking forward to the Pops Season in general, but more particularly the Holiday ones. It is just my time of year, when Christmas rolls around. I love every aspect of the season. There’s nothing that can bring the spirit of the holidays more. I am looking forward to what they are going to do with Home Alone. The second one I am looking forward to would be the Journey performance, for sure.

What is your favorite outdoor summer activity?

Anything outside, really. My husband and I have a kayak, so that is a lot of fun. I also love bicycling and gardening. 

About the author: Elissa Murphy is the RPO's marketing/development summer intern.

Anticipated for August 2015, Elissa will be receiving her bachelor’s degree in music business and flute performance, with a film studies minor from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.