About the Artists. Yehuda Gilad, music director and conductor

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1 About the Artists Yehuda Gilad, music director and conductor Yehuda Gilad has served as music director and conductor of the Colburn Orchestra since its inception in 2003 and has been instrumental in the ensemble s development from a small string orchestra to a full symphony orchestra. A conductor, instrumentalist, and teacher, Mr. Gilad strives for total musicianship and, as a result, he has won the acclaim of both critics and audiences alike. Maestro Gilad s music directorships have included the Malibu Strawberry Creek Music Festival; the 20th Century Unlimited concert series in Photo: Philip Pirolo Santa Fe, New Mexico; the Thornton Chamber Orchestra; the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra; and the Colonial Symphony of New Jersey. During his tenure as director, Gilad transformed the Colonial Symphony into one of [New Jersey s] artistic trendsetters (Star-Ledger). An active guest conductor, his appearances have garnered critical acclaim in the United States, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Finland, and France. In 1987, he became the first Israeli-born conductor to perform in China and has since conducted numerous engagements in Beijing and Shanghai. Mr. Gilad s repertoire encompasses a broad range of musical styles, and he has enjoyed collaborating with contemporary composers such as John Corigliano and Iannis Xenakis, among others. Dedicated to fostering increased public appreciation and support of classical music, Mr. Gilad has appeared in broadcasts on various networks including NBC, CBS, WQXR, WMTR, KUSC, NJN, Cablevision, and the national television of mainland China. In 2012 and 2013, the Colburn Orchestra and Colburn Chamber Music Society concerts were recorded in HD and broadcast on the arts series Open Call on Southern California s independent television station KCET. Mr. Gilad has also led the Colburn Orchestra in recordings for Live Classics, Yarlung Records, and Bridge Records, collaborating with composers Menachem Wiesenberg and Paul Chihara as well as violist Paul Coletti, cellist Ron Leonard, and mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke.

2 An accomplished clarinetist, Mr. Gilad has performed at top music festivals worldwide. He also founded the Yoav Chamber Ensemble, which performed extensively throughout the United States, and the Colburn Woodwind Chamber Players, which toured Germany and China. A passionate educator, Mr. Gilad has developed one of the most sought-after clarinet studios in the world. Serving on the faculties of the Colburn Conservatory of Music, the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts, the Colburn Music Academy, and the University of Southern California s Thornton School of Music, students of Mr. Gilad have achieved top honors in every premiere international clarinet competition, and graduates of his studio hold positions in over 150 major orchestras worldwide. In 2012, he served as president of the jury at the Carl Nielsen International Clarinet Competition. Mr. Gilad is a recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Distinguished Teacher Award from the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and the University of Southern California s highest honor for excellence in teaching. He was also named one of Musical America s 2015 Professional Influencers of the Year. Mr. Gilad is regularly invited to present master classes and performances at music conservatories and major festivals around the globe.

3 About the Artists Richard Beene, bassoon Richard Beene, dean emeritus of the Colburn Conservatory of Music, enjoys an active career as a teacher, soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. In 2001, while serving as professor of bassoon at the University of Michigan, he was awarded the Harold Haugh Award for excellence in studio teaching and, in 2013, he was recognized by the University of Texas in their Distinguished Teacher Series. He has been invited to present master classes and teaching residencies at a number of institutions, including the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, Rice University s Shepherd School of Music, and McGill University. He has also served on the faculties of Michigan State University, Interlochen Arts Academy, and Wichita State University. Photo: Philip Pirolo In addition to performing numerous times with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Beene has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. While maintaining his teaching schedule in Michigan, he also held the position of principal bassoon with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, where he performed many times as a soloist. Music festival engagements have included the Saint Bart s Music Festival, Festival de Musica de Santa Catarina, Colorado Music Festival, Strings in the Mountains, Savannah Music Festival, Sunflower Music Festival, Buzzards Bay Music Festival, Texas Music Festival, and many others. Richard Beene serves as chair of the wind and percussion departments, and teaches bassoon and chamber music at the Colburn Conservatory of Music.

4 Bruce Edward Miller, composer Bruce Miller serves on the faculties of the Colburn Conservatory of Music and Fullerton College, where he directs the theory and composition programs. He received his PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his master s degree from the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. He previously taught at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of New England in New South Wales, Australia, where he was also composerin-residence. In 2015, he received the Dean s Award for Excellence in Education at Fullerton College. He is first place winner in the James Spencer Prize; the Clifton Webb Award; the Henry Mancini Award for the Composition of Music for Photo: Philip Pirolo Motion Pictures and Television, judged by Henri Mancini; the Axel Stordal Award, presented in connection with the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; and the Sadie M. Rafferty Memorial Composition Competition. He received honorable mentions in the BBC Masterprize Competition, the Victor Herbert ASCAP awards, and others. He has been commissioned by numerous schools and organizations across the country. As a teenager, he was the youngest recipient of a grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, was named a Connecticut State Scholar, was inducted into the National Honor Society, and wrote and conducted his first works for orchestra and band. His first commissions were for the town of West Hartford, Trinity College, Connecticut Public Television, and the Watkinson School. He has served as composer-in-residence or guest composer at several music festivals, conventions, and schools in the US, Australia, and Europe, including the International Viola Congress, College Band Directors National Association, American Guild of Organists Convention, National Academy of Music Bucharest, Sunflower Music Festival, Cascade Festival of Music, University of New England, and Idyllwild Arts Academy. He was a Boulez Fellow for the University of California, Los Angeles Pierre Boulez Residency. He has worked in both film and television.

5 About the Artists His work Pluto: The Last Planet was commissioned and recorded by the Boston Brass and recorded by Loft Recordings. It has been performed numerous times across the country and was performed in 2015 by members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Walt Disney Concert Hall. He is published by TRN Music Publishers. Dr. Miller has worked as conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Chamber Orchestra and Armidale Symphony Orchestra, assistant conductor of the Arkansas Symphony, and pianist and organist or choir director for various churches and temples.

6 student Karissa Zadinsky, cello Karissa Zadinsky, 21, is a Bachelor of Music candidate at the Colburn Conservatory of Music, where she studies with Mr. Ronald Leonard. She has performed as a substitute cellist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, and Seattle Opera, and was one of three finalists for the Cleveland Orchestra cello section auditions in 2015 and Ms. Zadinsky made her solo debut at age 15 performing with Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony as a winner of their Young Artist Auditions. Photo: Martin Chalifour As the former cellist of the Calla Quartet, she won the Silver Medal at the 2015 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and performed the same year at the Mimir Chamber Music Festival in Melbourne, Australia. Ms. Zadinsky has distinguished herself in numerous solo competitions, including the Seattle Young Artist Music Festival Concerto Competition and the Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition. She has performed with artists including Martin Chalifour, Joseph Silverstein, Donald Weilerstein, and Alexander Kerr at the Sarasota Music Festival, Perlman Music Program s Chamber Music Workshop, and Heifetz International Music Institute. Ms. Zadinsky began studying cello with Leslie Marckx and has worked with many renowned cellists through private lessons and master classes, including Efe Baltacigil, Meeka Quan-DiLorenzo, Steven Isserlis, Raymond Davis, and Johannes Moser.