Jonathan McPhee – Music Director & Principal Conductor

Jonathan McPhee is equally at home as a conductor for the symphony, ballet, and opera.  In addition to serving as Music Director for Nashua Symphony Orchestra & Chorus since 2008, Mr. McPhee is also Music Director for Lexington Symphony and the Boston Ballet, which is the second largest musical organization in Boston.

Mr. McPhee was invited to conduct the Nashville Symphony as one of the conductors featured in the 2009 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview by the League of American Orchestras. His collaboration with WCRB classical radio “Kids Classical Hour” earned a Gabriel Award in 1998.  As Music Director for the Longwood Symphony Orchestra from 2005-2011, he garnered a Met-Life Award for Community Engagement in 2007 from the League of American Orchestras and the State of Massachusetts’ highest award in arts and culture, the Commonwealth Award
in 2011.

Mr. McPhee has had guest conducting engagements with many orchestras at home and abroad in recent years including the Hamburg Philharmonic in Germany, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife in Spain, and the Lithuanian National Orchestra.  Other orchestras Mr. McPhee has conducted are the BBC Scottish Symphony, The Hague Philharmonic, Orchestre Colonne (Paris), the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in London, the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Bergen Philharmonic in Norway.

Some of the world’s most distinguished dance companies for which Mr. McPhee has served as conductor include the New York City Ballet, The Royal Ballet (England), Martha Graham Dance Company, National Ballet of Canada, The Australian Ballet, Den Norske Ballett in Norway, and The Royal Danish Ballet in Denmark.  In addition to a broad repertoire in the field of dance, Mr. McPhee has conducted pops concerts, musical theatre and operetta.  He has also conducted grand opera with Opera Boston, the American Opera Center in New York, and Boston University Opera Institute.

Mr. McPhee’s  works as arranger and composer are in the repertoires of orchestras and ballet companies around the world. His edition of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is the only authorized reduced orchestration of this work. Mr. McPhee’s compositions and arrangements are published by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.

Mr. McPhee’s best selling recording of The Nutcracker with the Boston Ballet Orchestra has sold over 70,000 copies.  He has also recorded Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty and Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet with that orchestra available on itunes, and Michael Gandolfi’s Caution to the Wind on the CRI CD label.  Mr. McPhee  conducted the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra for the films of Martha Graham’s works telecast by DANCE IN AMERICA that included Samuel Barber’s Cave of the Heart, Gian Carlo Menotti’s Errand into the Maze, and Edgard Varese’ Integrales, Offrandes, and Octandre. His collaboration with WCRB classical radio “Kids Classical Hour” earned a Gabriel Award in 1998.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. McPhee received his  L.R.A.M. from the Royal Academy of Music, and a B.M. and M.M. from The Juilliard School.  While at Juilliard, Mr. McPhee was the recipient of a Naumburg Scholarship in Conducting and English Horn.  He has studied with Leonard Brain, David Diamond, Thomas Stacy, Rudolf Kempe, Sixten Ehrling, and participated in master classes with Sir Georg Solti and James Levine while at Juilliard.

Diane Cushing – Conductor, Nashua Symphony Chorus

There is never a dull moment for Diane Cushing who plays the role of singer, conductor, and teacher of voice. This fall will mark her sixth year as Conductor of the Nashua Symphony Chorus. Ms. Cushing is the Conductor of The Keene State College Concert Choir and teaches Voice at Keene State and Assumption College (Worcester, MA.) She is also the Founder and Director of The Mount Wachusett Community Chorale in Gardner, MA. Ms. Cushing participates in the music ministry at The Bethany Baptist Church in Gardner, MA., where she is a worship leader and conductor for special choral concerts.

Ms. Cushing recently adjudicated choral festivals in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She is also a frequent performer in the Keene State College Faculty Recital Series. She is a member of The American Choral Conductor’s Association, The National Association of Teachers of Singing, and The Music Educator’s National Conference.

Ms. Cushing received her Bachelor of Music Education degree at Anna Maria College, where she was Assistant to the Choral Director in her Junior and Senior years. She went on to a Graduate Assistantship in Choral Conducting at Syracuse University where she worked under Dr. Rhonda Fleming as Conductor of the concert Chorale and Assistant Conductor of the Oratorio Society. She continued her education at Boston Conservatory, where she earned a Masters in Vocal Performance. Her vocal studies have been with Dr. David Rives, Dr. Robert White, Ruth Golden, Bruce Kolb, Oren Brown, and vocal coaches Michael Strauss and William Merrill.

Ms. Cushing was a member of The Boston Baroque, and has been heard as soloist with the Masterworks Chorale of Boston, The Hamilton Baroque Ensemble, The Cape Cod Chorale, The Bach Society, The Neponsett Chorus, The Thayer Symphony Orchestra, The Assabet Valley Mastersingers and The Monadnock Chorus and Orchestra. She has performed music of American Composers at Queen’s College, New York, and at Newberry College, South Carolina in their Recital Series. She has also performed music of Finnish composers at Fitchburg State College.

Violin

Elliott Markow, concertmaster
Soo Gyeong Lee, assistant concertmaster
Zoia Bologovsky
Jane Dimitry
Raluca Dumitrache
Anne Egan
Sue Ann Erb
Nancy Goodwin
Susan Faux
Sargis Karapetyan
Leonora LaDue
Ana-Maria LaPointe
Carrie LeSage
Adele Ohki
Amy Ripka
Lino Tanaka

Viola

Dani Rimoni, principal
Irina Naryshkova
Kathleen Kalogeras
Elisabeth Westner
Nissim Tseytlin

Cello

Harel Gietheim, principal
Susanne Friedrich
Alexander Badalov
Jia Ma
Nathanial Lathrop
Priscilla Hayes Taylor

Double Bass

Volker Nahrmann, principal
Carolyn Fryer
Robert Hoffman

Flute

Kathleen Boyd, principal
Nina Barwell

Oboe

Cheryl Bishkoff, principal
Ronald Kaye
Kyoko Hida-Battaglia

Clarinet

Steven Jackson, principal
David Martins

Bassoon

Gregory Newton, principal
Sally Merriman
Leo Kenen, contrabassoon

Trumpet

Richard Watson, principal
Richard Kelley

French Horn

Alyssa Daly, principal
Kristin E. Olsen
Michael Weinstein
George Sullivan

Trombone

John Faieta, principal
Tom Otto
Will Lombardelli, bass

Tuba

Takatsugu Hagiwara, principal

Timpani

Jeff Bluhm, principal

Piano / Organ

Joseph R. Olefirowicz CAGO, acting principal

Harp

Katie Lyon-Pingree, principal

Diane Cushing, Conductor

Founded in 1964, the Nashua Symphony Chorus is a highly respected volunteer chorus committed to excellence in choral performance. Under the direction of Diane Cushing, the chorus of approximately 80 talented area individuals will perform three concerts as part of the Nashua Symphony’s 2011-2012 subscription season.

The upcoming season will see the Nashua Symphony Chorus performing A Sea Symphony by Ralph Vaughan Williams on November 19^th, in Nashua; a family Christmas concert on December 16^th at St. Joseph’s Church in Nashua; and on May 12^th, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, the world premiere of Find other lights, too by Ted Mann, and John Rutter’s Requiem.

Since Ms. Cushing’s arrival in August 2006, the NSC has achieved new levels of success. Ms. Cushing’s career as a performing soprano, her 15-year tenure as Founding Director of the Mount Wachusett Community Chorale, and her current faculty position as Director of the Keene State College Concert Choir bring a wealth of experience to our ensemble. It has been a period of intense growth for the Chorus that has deepened relationships, enriched the sound, and broadened the audience.

Chorus Membership: Rehearsals are on Monday evenings, starting at 7:00 pm at the Pilgrim Church, 4 Watson St. in Nashua.  All prospective and returning members should arrive early to the first rehearsal to sign in, pay membership contribution, and pick up music. Rehearsals conclude between 9:00 and 9:30 pm. For directions, click here.

The chorus is currently recruiting experienced singers for all sections. A membership contribution of $100 per person, per season is required ($50 per semester), along with purchase of music as necessary. Those interested in membership information should contact Kathy Crouse, President of the Nashua Symphony Chorus at (603) 888-6973, or email nsc@nashuasymphony.org.

OPEN SUMMER REHEARSALS

On Monday evenings in June and August (July not included), the Nashua Symphony Chorus will hold open summer rehearsals.  These will be held at First Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 115 Concord Street, Nashua, NH 03060.  The rehearsals will begin at 7:00 pm and end at 9:00 pm.  Holly Krafka, Interim Choral Director for the 2012-2013 season, will rehearse Brahms’s Nänie, preparing the chorus for the opening concert of the 12-13 season (October 6).

For more information, please contact Kathy Crouse, President of the Nashua Symphony Chorus.  She can be reached at nashuapilgrimucc@aol.com or by calling 603-888-6973. 

The toes are tapping, the dance floor is full, and there’s a smile on everyone’s face…

Such are the early responses to our “New England Swing” big band, the newest ensemble within the Nashua Symphony Association.  First performing in March of 2010, this group continues to wow patrons of all ages with its stylish performances of traditional swing and big band music.  Led by members of the Nashua Symphony Orchestra’s brass sections, the band draws from several decades of performing experience and can play it all: traditional and contemporary jazz, Latin music, and waltz… just to name a few.  Comprised of some of the Nashua Symphony’s most versatile and seasoned players, they are equally at home in concert settings, dinner events, corporate functions, and weddings.

New England Swing is available for your upcoming function and is sure to be a hit.  Almost any event can be accommodated: concert series, corporate dinners & holiday parties, benefit auctions, weddings, anniversaries, public ceremonies, and any other celebration with live music.

Watch and listen to us HERE and HERE.

For bookings, pricing, or other information, please contact Nick Adams at (603) 595-9156 or nick@nashuasymphony.org.

The Nashua Choral Ensemble (NCE) is an audition-only vocal chamber group belonging to the Nashua Symphony Chorus (NSC) and is comprised of twelve experienced singers.  Members of the NCE  perform with the NSC and as a stand-alone chamber ensemble.  The NCE performs virtually every vocal style, including classical, contemporary, jazz and pop.  Their unique blend and dedication to a cappella singing in particular make them a popular performing group in the greater Nashua area.  The NCE is available for hire by contacting the Nashua Symphony Office at 603.595.9156 or by emailing nce@nashuasymphony.org.

Holly Krafka, conductor

Holly MacEwen Krafka, the founder of the New World Chorale, has been a conductor, educator, and performer in a wide range of musical activities for many years.  A native of Wellesley, MA, she is a graduate of Gettysburg College and holds a master’s degree in choral conducting from Boston Conservatory.  As a singer, Ms. Krafka was a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for 20 years.

Ms. Krafka is a regular guest conductor with the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra in Milford, MA.  She has led the orchestra and the New World Chorale since 2000 in a wide variety of performances for chorus and orchestra.

In September 2009, Ms. Krafka made her Hatch Shell conducting debut with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra and New World Chorale in a performance of Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem.  The Nashua Symphony Association in Nashua, NH recently appointed Ms. Krafka as director of the Nashua Choral Ensemble, the vocal chamber ensemble of the Nashua Symphony Chorus.

A music educator for over 30 years, Ms. Krafka has been music director and vocal director in a number of local area churches and school systems.  She resides in Milford, MA and has three musical sons: Luke (cello), Pete (string bass), and Nick (jazz trumpet).