A Season of Variety and Vitality
Symphosium
In this episode, we sit down with Music Director Christopher Wilkins to talk about our 2021-22 concert season, which continues our commitment to presenting a diverse musical experience to Northeast Ohio. With classics from Beethoven’s Fifth to Handel’s Water Music, jazz-influenced works by Duke Ellington and Aldemaro Romero, innovative works for Korean dancers and a collaboration with Akron-based EarthQuaker Devices, and a spotlight on composers who deserve greater recognition like Florence Price, Julia Perry and William Dawson, the upcoming season is filled variety and...
info_outline
An American Melting Pot
Symphosium
In this episode, we are joined by co-host Ken Heinlein, principal tuba of the ASO, for a talk with composer David Biedenbender about his career, his influences and his music. The Akron Symphony will perform David’s Kyrie (for Machaut and Pärt) as part of its in the summer of 2021. David Biedenbender, a composer, conductor, performer, educator, and interdisciplinary collaborator. He has written music for the concert stage as well as for dance and multimedia collaborations, and his work is often influenced by his diverse musical experiences in rock and jazz bands as an electric bassist, in...
info_outline
ASO Conversation: Matt Dudack
Symphosium
In this episode, we sit down with Matt Dudack, who has been a member of our percussion section since 2000, to talk about his career in music, the history (and his love) of the steel drum, the best drummers of all time, and more as part of our ASO Conversation series. Matt Dudack is a senior lecturer in music at and the Artistic Director of . He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the Hartt School and a master’s degree in percussion performance from The University of Akron. Under his direction The University of Akron Steel Drum Band has received many accolades,...
info_outline
The Music Returns
Symphosium
In this episode, we sit down with Music Director Christopher Wilkins to talk about the Akron Symphony Orchestra’s return to the concert stage after 16 months with the Outside Voices Concert Series.
info_outline
ASO Conversation: John Gruber
Symphosium
In this episode, we sit down with John Gruber, our principal trombone player who has been a member of the Orchestra since 2018, to talk about his career in music, Mozart’s use of the trombone in his compositions, the craft beer scene in Akron, the merits of Star Trek and more as part of our ASO Conversation series. In addition to the ASO, John also serves as principal trombonist with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, as well as second trombone in the Lansing Symphony Orchestra. John is an assistant professor of trombone at Oberlin College & Conservatory, and his teaching career...
info_outline
ASO Conversation: Heidi Aufdenkamp Peck
Symphosium
In this episode, we sit down with Heidi Aufdenkamp Peck, a clarinet player with the Akron Symphony Orchestra since 1994, to talk about her career in music, her tenure with the ASO, what she has been working on during the past year, and more as part of our ASO Conversation series. Heidi Aufdenkamp Peck is a professional clarinet player in the Akron Symphony Orchestra and private lesson teacher. Heidi earned her master’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Fred Ormand. Her bachelor’s degree is from The University of Akron, where she...
info_outline
ASO Goes Electric: Brian Del Bianco
Symphosium
In this episode, Akron Symphony bassist Brian Del Bianco talks about his experience recording with effects pedals from EarthQuaker Devices. Brian recorded Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s Sonata for Unaccompanied Bass (movement 3), Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (movement 1), Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (movement 4) and Giovanni Bottesini’s Variations on Nel Cor Piu Non Mi Sento (variation 2 excerpt) using the Night Wire, Spatial Delivery and Disaster Transport Senior pedals. You can see Brian’s full video on . The performance was recorded and mixed by Jeff France, and shot and edited by Chris...
info_outline
ASO Conversation: Pablo Sánchez-Pazos
Symphosium
In this episode, we sit down with Pablo Sánchez-Pazos, a violinist with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, to talk about his career in music, his first season with the ASO, what he has been working on during the past year, and more as part of our ASO Conversation series. The episode concludes with Pablo’s solo performance of Bach’s Chaconne from Partita No. 2. Pablo Sánchez-Pazos is a violinist based in Cleveland. Born and raised in Montemorelos, México, Pablo began his studies at a young age as a student at the Conservatory of Music in Montemorelos, during which time he was a prize...
info_outline
ASO Goes Electric: Kimia Ghaderi
Symphosium
In this episode, Akron Symphony violinist Kimia Ghaderi talks about her experience recording with effects pedals from EarthQuaker Devices. Kimia recorded the Allegro from Bach’s Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, Saman by , an excerpt of Blue Curve of the Earth by , and an excerpt of the Andante from Bach’s Sonata No. 2 in A Minor using using the Avalanche Run and Plumes pedals. You can see Kimia’s full video on . The performance was recorded and mixed by Jeff France, and shot and edited by Chris Tran at EarthQuaker Studios in Akron. . This is the second episode in our ASO Goes Electric...
info_outline
Sometimes the Opposite is Also True
Symphosium
In this episode, Tom is joined by special co-host Jerry Miskell for an interview with author Stephen Johnson about his latest work, The Eighth: Mahler and the World in 1910, which was named one of the best books about classical music in 2020 by the BBC. In the book, Stephen recounts the far-reaching effect of Mahler’s 8th Symphony on composers, conductors and writers of the time. Stephen re-assesses Mahler’s thoughts in the context of the prevailing thought of his age, not only in relation to the artistic and intellectual movements of the time, but through consideration of political...
info_outlineIn this episode, we sit down with Matt Dudack, who has been a member of our percussion section since 2000, to talk about his career in music, the history (and his love) of the steel drum, the best drummers of all time, and more as part of our ASO Conversation series.
Matt Dudack is a senior lecturer in music at The University of Akron School of Music Percussion Department and the Artistic Director of The University of Akron Steel Drum Band. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the Hartt School and a master’s degree in percussion performance from The University of Akron.
Under his direction The University of Akron Steel Drum Band has received many accolades, including Grammy and Emmy award nominations, and has performed for such dignitaries as President Bill Clinton and (then candidate) Barack Obama.
Matt is co-founder of the Akros Percussion Collective, a chamber group which performs contemporary music internationally. He also leads Found Sounds, a group which performs in-school educational concerts for the Children's Concert Society of Summit County and throughout Northeast Ohio. He is also on the faculties of the Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts in Akron and Canton Country Day School in Canton.
To learn more the Akron Symphony, including our Outdoor Voices Concert series, visit out website.