Conductor & Artistic Staff
Fritz
Gearhart, Interim Youth Symphony Co-conductor (Fall 2009)
The third generation of musicians in his family, Mr. Gearhart has been
actively involved in promoting excellence in music education throughout
his many years of college teaching. Gearhart is currently on the
faculty of University of Oregon where he teaches violin, coaches
chamber music and performs in the Oregon String Quartet. In addition to
his violin teaching, Mr. Gearhart has conducted several ensembles
including the East Carolina University String Orchestra, the Eastern
Youth Orchestra, the Northern Virginia Regional Honors Orchestra, the
Wyoming State String Orchestra, the South Carolina All-State String
Orchestra, the Salem All-City String Orchestra, the Bend Honors
Orchestra and the University of Oregon Symphony. An accomplished
violinist and recording artist, Fritz Gearhart has been heard in major
halls around the country, including Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Recital
Hall, the 92nd Street Y, as well as the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy
Center. Gearhart has recorded ten commercially released compact discs
including the most recent in 2007 The Oregon String Quartet and All
That Jazz. Mr. Gearhart is often heard on NPR, and has performed
several live broadcasts, including the nationally syndicated program
Performance Today.
Robert
Ponto, Interim Youth Symphony Co-conductor (Fall 2009)
Robert Ponto is associate professor of conducting and director of bands
at the University of Oregon. He conducts the Oregon Wind Ensemble,
supervises the graduate program in wind conducting, and serves as
coordinator of recruitment and outreach. Originally from Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, he received degrees from the University of Michigan and the
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Prior to his appointment at the
University of Oregon in 1992, Ponto held conducting/teaching posts at
the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, East Carolina University, Pacific
Lutheran University, and in the public schools of West St. Paul–Mendota
Heights, Minnesota. Ponto has also earned respect as a creative and
inspiring teacher of conducting, working with students throughout the
United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. His ensembles have
appeared at state, regional, and national MENC conferences, regional
CBDNA conferences, and at the Bang On A Can contemporary music festival
in New York City. Ponto is an active member of the Music Educators
National Conference and past president of the Northwest Division of
College Band Directors National Association.
Ron
Bertucci, Interim Youth Symphony Conductor (Spring 2010)
Ron is a full time instructor at Lane, teaching Chamber Orchestra, Jazz
Ensemble, Jazz Improvisation: Instrumental, Sight Reading & Ear
Training and Symphonic Band. He earned his M.M. in Music education from
the University of Oregon and was an instructor at North Eugene High
School for eleven years. Along with teaching, Ron also plays trombone
in the Eugene Symphony and the Eugene Brass Quintet. Ron is an active
band clinician in Oregon.
David Chinburg,
Junior Orchestra Conductor
David Chinburg holds
degrees in music education from the University of Oregon and cello
performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to
his conduction and teaching duties, David serves as principal cellist
in the Eugene Symphony and performs with the Oregon Bach Festival and
Oregon Festival of American Music. When David is not involved in music
activities, he shares the country life with his family on a twelve-acre
farm in southwest Eugene.
Forrest
Moyer, Little Symphony Conductor
Forrest Moyer has dedicated his
life to performing and teaching music. As a double bassist, he has been
a long
time member of the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival,
Oregon Festival
of American Music, Eugene Opera, and the Portland Opera. Forrest has
played
in many jazz concerts and groups and has also recorded and toured with
Mason
Williams since 1984, including performances with the Sacramento
Symphony, Oregon
Symphony abd United States Air Force Band in Washington D.C. Forrest is
the
orchestra teacher at Sheldon and Churchill High Schools and Spencer
Butte Middle
School in Eugene and has taught double bass at the University of
Oregon.
Peggy
Rubinstein, String Academy 1
Peggy Rubinstein earned her Bachelor of Music Education at the Indiana University and
her Masters of Music in Violin Performance at the University of Oregon,
and has taught string classes at McCornack Elementary School, Kennedy
Middle School and the Waldorf School for many years. She has a large
private studio of violin students.
Sarah Kreger,
String Academy 2 conductor/String Academy 1
Sarah Kreger graduated from the University of Oregon with her Master's degree in
viola performance and string pedagogy in 2002. She currently has a full
private studio of violin and viola students and performs with local
orchestras including the Oregon Mozart Players, the Eugene Symphony and
the Eugene Opera. Since 2005, Sarah has taught the Cesar Chavez String
Academy and this year, begins work as Arts Umbrella's String Academy
Coordinator, helping to start and maintain elementary strings programs
in Eugene.
Lauralie
Kallinen, String Academy 1
Lauralie Kallinen earned her Bachelor's of Music in cello performance at Lawrence
University and her Master’s of Music in cello performance and music
education at the University of Oregon. Lauralie has taught string
classes in the Eugene Public Schools and the Waldorf School for several
years and is a cello teacher for the Suzuki Strings Program. Lauralie
also has a large private studio of cello students.
Ira Hsu, String Academy 1
Ira Hsu is an alumnus of The Juilliard School and Columbia University, where he
studied viola performance under Toby Appel. He grew up in Portland,
Oregon, and held the title of principal violist with the Portland Youth
Philharmonic for three years. Ira was the Oregon state champion for
solo viola in 1994 and 1995 and has had multiple performances at the
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, both as a soloist and as a member of the
Hsu String Quartet. He attended Aspen Music Festival as a member of the
Aspen Festival Orchestra and was principal violist of the World Youth
Symphony Orchestra at Interlochen Arts Camp. Currently Ira enjoys
teaching music in Eugene and playing viola for his three young
children.
- Teri Page, Summer Musical Theater
- Joe Ingram, Summer Bands