California Philharmonic

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Pavel Farkas, Concertmaster

Cal Phil's Concertmaster Pavel Farkas is the Artist Professor of Violin and Orchestra Studies at the University of Redlands School of Music. He was born in Czechoslovakia, joined the Bratislava Radio Symphony Orchestra at the age of 17, and only five years later became its concertmaster. He was also a member of the Slovak National String Quartet, representing Czechoslovakia during numerous performances in Western Europe and Russia. Farkas has served as Concertmaster of the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, Dutch Broadcasting Orchestra and the Orqesta Nacional de Mexico.

Other significant musical activities of Professor Farkas include having been a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a co-founder of the Pacific Symphony and serving as the concertmaster for the touring companies of both the Bolshoi and Joffrey Ballets. Farkas has appeared as a soloist in Russia, Germany, Holland, Japan and the People’s Republic of China. He has recorded for Grammy winners Whitney Houston, Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville, Cher, Barry White, John Williams, Maurice Jarre, Michelle Legrand, Lalo Schifrin, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Earth, Wind and Fire and the Police. His credits include film scores for the movies Titanic, Ghost, Dances with Wolves and many other Hollywood blockbusters.

Professor Farkas regularly visits his native country of Slovakia for appearances with the Slovakian Chamber Orchestra. He appeared as soloist in the Millennium Concert with the Bratislava Radio Symphony Orchestra (January 2000) and also recorded the 1958 Violin Concerto by renowned contemporary Slovak composer Alexander Moyzes.

Roger Allen Ward, Composer-in-Residence

Roger Allen Ward (b.1963) was born and raised on the Oklahoma prairie. Bored with his early piano lessons, he took up the cello at age 11. Not content to just play one instrument, by age 14 Roger was also playing oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, euphonium, trombone and tuba. To his chagrin, he wasn’t ever coordinated enough to learn percussion. His initial music studies at college were in oboe performance, but he soon realized that his talents lay in composition and he switched focus, studying with composers Evan Tonsing, Michael Hennigan and Carolyn Bremer.

After taking his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma, Ward moved to Southern California to attend the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with many notable composers including Mel Powell, Lucky Mosko, Morton Subotnick, Arthur Jarvinen, Michael Jon Fink, Marc Lowenstein, Mary Jane Leach and Annie Gosfield. In addition to instrumental composition, his work at CalArts included Balinese music, interactive computer music and vocal performance. After leaving CalArts, he became a full time employee with the California Philharmonic, having started his relationship with the orchestra as an intern and eventually becoming its first-ever resident composer.

Now in his eighth year with the California Philharmonic, Ward has distinguished himself throughout national music circles and is noted for the "powerful lyricism" of his music. His compositions, which consistently draw praise from musicians and concertgoers alike, have been heard around the country in concert halls and radio broadcasts. The Los Angeles Times raved of the "most impressive effect" of his music, while the Pasadena Star-News noted its "tuneful medleys and mind-reeling fast passages."

For the orchestra, Mr. Ward has written six orchestral works (pacific vistas, walk of stars, freeways & surface streets, california dreaming, festive music and music for percussion and orchestra) and two chamber work (the brass quintet dirty martini and meditation: the four elements for flute, harp, violin, viola and cello). Maestro Vener and the California Philharmonic will premiere his latest orchestral work, fanfares & celebrations, this July. He has written other orchestral works, as well as numerous chamber pieces and works in other genres.

In addition to the California Philharmonic, significant ensembles that have performed his music include the California EAR Unit, CalArts New Century Players, Kronos Quartet and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. His music for solo harp was premiered by acclaimed harpist Susan Allen on the World Music Institute's Interpretations series at Merkin Hall during the 1998-1999 season. He composed the original score for the feature-length video Nudity and Adult Situations, directed by Shaun Vinyard, which was selected to open the 1998 Blue Sky International Film Festival in Las Vegas.

Mr. Ward was twice selected as a participant in the Arcosanti Young Composers Seminar and was the first ever winner of the Gregory Sauer solo cello composition competition. Ward holds degrees in composition from the California Institute of the Arts (MFA) and the University of Oklahoma (BM). Furthering the cause of new music, Ward lends his talents in non-profit administration and stage management to the noted Los Angeles based new music group ensemble GREEN.