Monday, Oct 12, 2015
Westminster Community Orchestra, conducted by Ruth Ochs and featuring cellist Tomasz Rzeczycki, will present a concert titled “Celestial Music” on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at 3 p.m. in the Princeton Regional Schools Performing Arts Center in Princeton, NJ. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors. Tickets are available at the door or by calling the Box Office at 609-921-2663.
The program will feature the Introduction to R. Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30; William Grant Still's Wood Notes; Paul Bazelaire's arrangement of F. Couperin's Pièces en Concert; Nielsen's Helios Overture, Op. 17; Haydn's Symphony No. 43 in E-flat Major, “Mercury"; and “Jupiter” from Holsts' The Planets, Op. 32.
Now in her 11th season as conductor and music director of the Westminster Community Orchestra, Ruth Ochs has led the orchestra in performances of major orchestral and choral-orchestral works, including symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. Under her leadership, the orchestra continues to feature choral ensembles and soloists from the Westminster Conservatory and to collaborate with Westminster Choir College students. She is also the founding conductor of the Princeton Charter School/Westminster Conservatory Youth Orchestra, and she is in her 13th season as the conductor of the Princeton University Sinfonia.
Ms. Ochs holds degrees in Music and Orchestral Conducting from Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin, and she is completing her Ph.D. in Musicology at Princeton University. She is currently a lecturer in the Princeton University Department of Music.
Born in Krakow, Poland, Tomasz Rzeczycki began his music studies at the age of six. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in cello performance at the Music Academy in Kraków, he entered Shenandoah Conservatory, from which he received a Master of Music in cello in 1998. As an undergraduate he was recognized as an outstanding chamber musician, orchestra musician and teacher, and he was chosen to be a member of the Bach Academy in Krakow under Helmuth Rilling and the Pavarotti Orchestra’s South America Tour in 1995.
Dr. Rzeczycki completed his D.M.A. in cello performance from The University of Texas at Austin. While in Austin, he was a faculty member of the Austin Chamber Music Academy, a member of the Austin Symphony, and assistant principal cellist of the Abilene Philharmonic. Dr. Rzeczycki now teaches cello at the Westminster Conservatory and Princeton Day School, as well as performing in the tri-state area. He performs on a modern cello made by Jan Pawlikowski.
Now in its 28th season, the Westminster Community Orchestra is known for performances that showcase the artistry, commitment and passion of a true community ensemble. The group presents popular programs noted for their diverse repertoire and widespread appeal. Members are professional and gifted amateur musicians from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They come from all walks of life but share a common goal: the desire to make wonderful music for themselves and their community.
The Princeton Regional Performing Arts Center is located in Princeton High School at the corner of Walnut Lane and Franklin Avenue in Princeton, N.J.