Trisha Ditsworth, Louie Strentzel Muir Trisha Hart Ditsworth Is Honored to Be Here Singing This Incredible Music
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From the Artistic Director: It is with great delight that I have accepted the position of Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for ProMusica Arizona! I look forward to taking ProMusica to the next level and programming future concerts that will entertain, inspire and even stretch you, musically. Our presentation of Mountain Days will do just that. John Muir’s passion for making sure the beauty of America was preserved for generations to come has been gloriously captured in story and song by my long-time friend and mentor, composer Craig Bohmler, and lyricist Mary Bracken-Phillips. To be able to bring a work of this magnitude to you is the experience of a lifetime. A production of epic proportion! Much of the text in the script and songs are Muir’s own words from his journals and books – beautifully brought to life by our award-winning cast. Through words and music, you will get to know the passionate John Muir and his unquenchable thirst for exploring this great country of ours, his love for his wife Louie, his friendship with Theodore Roosevelt, the struggle and heartbreak of losing Hetch Hetchy Valley – and his beloved wife. Sweeping melodies and intensely glorious orchestrations will transport you to the grandeur of Yosemite. We'd also like to invite you to join us for our free “Bon Voyage” concert on June 2nd as we prepare to go to Ireland on concert tour with a small ensemble from the Chorale. The program is all American music, including Musical Theater, Folk Songs and Spirituals. Planning for our 2019-2020 season is underway and our programs will be announced very soon. In the meantime save these dates: October 19 & 20, December 14 & 15 and March 21 & 22. Musically yours, Patti Graetz If you are interested in joining the ProMusica Chorale and Orchestra, visit our Website at pmaz.org and click on the Audition tab. ProMusica Arizona is supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts. Biographies Craig Bohmler, Composer Craig Bohmler (b.1956) is a pianist and composer whose works have been frequently performed in Europe, North America and Japan. Primarily a composer for the “singing theater” and the solo voice, Mr. Bohmler has four operas and 12 musicals to his credit as well as 200 art songs and numerous choral, orchestral, and band works. He has written operas for the Houston Grand Opera, Opera San Jose, and Arizona Opera who premiered his Riders of the Purple Sage to record ticket sales and sold-out houses. His musical Gunmetal Blues (which premiered at Phoenix Theatre) has had over 250 productions and played in London in 2016. Enter the Guardsman won first prize in the International Musical of the Year competition and premiered in London where it was nominated for an Olivier Award for “best musical.” Both musicals have played Off-Broadway. He has a long-time relationship with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra who has recorded his works, including a piano concerto written for him by composer Michael Ching. He is grateful for an ongoing relationship with Phoenix Theatre (Phoenix, AZ) which has premiered five of his musicals. Craig has been the recipient of several grants, including three NEA grants and three "meet the composer" grants. His works are published by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW), Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Samuel French, and Dramatic Publishing and have been recorded by Columbus, Centaur, Original Cast, and BMS records. Helen Brons, Accompanist Helen was born and raised in the Netherlands. In 2000, her family moved to a small town in Iowa. In 7th grade, she started to accompany her grade school choir, which sparked her interest in accompanying. In high school, she became the accompanist for the Siouxland Boys Choir, toured with them, and recorded 12 CDs. She also served as a local church organist. During high school and college, she was the rehearsal and performance pianist for many musical and opera productions such as Oklahoma!, the Sound of Music, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Helen moved from Iowa to Arizona and graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with an emphasis on accompanying. She went on to complete her Master of Music degree in Collaborative Piano from Arizona State University. During her years of study, she had the opportunity to participate in many master classes, including those led by Jeffrey Swan, Dmitry Rachmanov, and Zuill Bailey. Helen has studied privately with Prof. Rita Borden, Dr. Walter Cosand, and Prof. Russell Ryan and is currently a music faculty adjunct at Grand Canyon University. Trisha Ditsworth, Louie Strentzel Muir Trisha Hart Ditsworth is honored to be here singing this incredible music. Favorite credits: Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), The Sound of Music (Maria), The Spitfire Grill (Percy), Funny Girl (Fanny Brice), Sweeney Todd (Johanna), The Secret Garden (Martha), Hair (Crissy), Hairspray (Penny), Trailer Park (Pickles), Lucky Stiff (Annabel), The Toxic Avenger (Sarah), Pippin (Catherine), and Legally Blonde (Enid). She has a BFA in Musical Theater from the University of Arizona and has lived and worked out of both New York and Chicago. She now resides in Phoenix and feels incredibly lucky to be part of such a lovely community of artists. She also enjoys spending time teaching voice lessons. For more information, email her through her website. Thank you to Mom, Dad and Matravius for your endless love and support! www.trishaditsworth.com "Therefore we are all, in some sense, mountaineers, and going to the mountains is going home." Steep Trails, by John Muir Biographies Rusty Ferracane, John Muir As an entertainer whose professional career spans over four decades, Rusty has performed with theatre companies across the country, including the American premier of the musical Enter the Guardsman Off- Broadway. Some of his favorite roles include Don Quixote in Man of LaMancha, Georges in La Cage Aux Folles, Harold Hill in The Music Man and Emile De Becque in South Pacific with the Phoenix Symphony, Father Flynn in Doubt, Joe Pitt in Angels in America (Parts I & II) and Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol. Other theatre highlights include All the More to Love, No Way to Treat a Lady, Curtains, Spitfire Grill, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and Time Stands Still. He was the Producing Artistic Director for the Actors Group, producing Bent, The Grapes of Wrath, Love! Valour! Compassion! and David’s Mother. Rusty is also a theatre director and has directed at Theater Works, Fountain Hills Theatre, Mesa Encore Theatre, Arizona Opera, Chandler Center for the Arts and Phoenix Theatre. He has recorded two CDs and also sings in numerous churches, concerts, conventions, galas and private parties throughout the Valley. Patti Graetz, Artistic Director/Principal Conductor With a music career spanning more than 30 years, Patti Graetz has been with ProMusica Arizona since 2015, first as Assistant Conductor and Conductor of the Women in Song vocal ensemble, and now as the newly- appointed Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. Not only is she a skilled conductor, but she is an award- winning soprano, having sung leading roles with major opera companies, including Houston Grand Opera and Arizona Opera. A Valley resident since 1989, she was head of vocal departments at the Arizona Conservatory for Arts and Academics in 2003 and at the Arizona School for the Arts from 1998-2002. She was Director of Music at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Phoenix from 1995-2004. Before that, she was Director of Music at Scottsdale Presbyterian Church. Patti attended Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where she was a soloist in the world-renowned Concordia Choir under the direction of Paul J. Christiansen. Patti lived in Australia from 2004 to 2012 where she was a featured soloist with Australian Music Events, sang numerous recitals and concerts, was vocal teacher for the Opera Scholars Australia young-artist program, and was the Conductor of the Murray Conservatorium Choir and the Murray Conservatorium Youth Choir. She was principal soprano for professional ensembles “Opera-tunity” and the Royal Renaissance Singers starting in 1990 and sang in hundreds of performances during her 12-year tenure. Upon her return to the US, she began singing again with the Royal Renaissance Singers during the holiday season. She is married to Australian husband, Trevor, and has three children and three grandchildren. She teaches private voice and piano at home and recently sold her successful mobile teaching studio, The Music Bus. You might spot Patti getting some “wind-therapy” on her Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycle, riding to rehearsals and even cross- country. In the summer of 2018, she and her husband rode – on separate bikes - almost 5,000 miles to Colorado, the Black Hills, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons before returning home. Matt Newhard, Chilwell Matt is honored to once again sing with ProMusica Arizona after sharing the stage with some of its members at Carnegie Hall in the Spring of 2018. Since then, he has become a father, and is loving this new adventure with his wife of five years, Lindsay. Notable Credits: A Christmas Carol (Bob Cratchit), Beauty and the Beast (Beast), Decided (Dad - NYA Nom), The Secret Garden (Archibald Craven - NYA Nom), The Importance of Being Earnest (John/Jack/Earnest Worthing), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Valentin), To Kill a Mockingbird (Atticus Finch), Mary Poppins (Bert - NYA Nom), Hello Dolly! (Cornelius Hackl) Les Misérables (Valjean), Lend Me a Tenor (Max), Jesus Christ Superstar (Pilate), Cabaret (Emcee), Dial 'M' for Murder (Tony), The Music Man (Harold Hill), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), Man of La Mancha (Padre), Fiddler on the Roof (Motel), The Scarlet Pimpernel (Chauvelin - Zoni Nom), Annie (Rooster - Zoni, NYA Nom), Oliver! (Fagin), Carousel (Enoch Snow), Peter Pan (Mr.