Symphony Orchestra Augusta Columbia County Music Series Concert, Mar. 6

On Saturday, March 6, Maestro Z Kuwahara and SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AUGUSTA PRESENT Columbia County Music Series (CCMS) concert featuring SOA Woodwind Quintet and String Trio. The evening’s program features Wind Quintets by Muczynski and Nielsen and Beethoven’s String Trio for violin, viola, and cello.  The 7:30 p.m. concert takes place at the Jabez S. Hardin Performing Arts Center in Evans, next to the library at the Evans Town Center.

Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased by calling 706.826.4705 or online at www.soaugusta.org – which also includes a description of each concert.  Full-time students and military personnel with valid I.D. may purchase $7 tickets (special price – concert night only) beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Jabez S. Hardin Performing Arts Center, subject to availability.

The SOA String Trio consists of Eliza Hesse, Violin; Carl Purdy, Viola; and David Gee, Cello.

The SOA Woodwind Quintet consists of Wendy Cohen, Flute; Taylor Massey, Clarinet; Kelly Odell, Oboe; Amy Marinello, Bassoon; and Robert Pruzin, Horn.

David Gee, cellist has performed as soloist, quartet member and orchestral cellist in America, Europe and Africa. He has given national radio broadcasts on National Public Radio and Spanish National Radio. While serving in the capacity of Assistant Principal Cello of the orchestra of Granada, Spain, Mr. Gee toured Andalucía and North Africa with the Boccherini Quartet. The quartet gave chamber music classes throughout Spain.

Mr. Gee received his instruction from Luis Garcia-Renart and from the renowned Brazilian cellist Aldo Parisot. He received chamber instruction from the Tokyo Quartet, Claude Frank, Yehudi Wyner and others. Mr. Gee graduated summa cum laude from Purchase College where he was awarded the President’s award for undergraduate achievement and from Yale University, where he was named an Ellen Battell Stoeckel scholar.  Mr. Gee has taught at such institutions as Yale University, The University of North Carolina, The University of Memphis, and at The University of Virginia’s Summer Chamber Workshop.

Wendy Cohen is in her eleventh season as principal flute with the Symphony.  She is also principal flute with the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, and plays flute and piccolo with the Greenville Symphony.  She is active as a free lance musician, playing also when needed with the orchestras in Altanta, Charleston, Charlotte, and Hilton Head.  She has played piccolo with the Aspen Festival Orchestra during the summer under such conductors as James Levine, David Zinman, Michael Tilson-Thomas.  She is a founding member, former president, and current treasurer of the South Carolina Flute Society, a non-profit organization formed to support the love of the flute and flute music and encourage music education at the highest level.

Ms. Cohen received her Master’s degree in flute performance from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music.  Her undergraduate education is from the University of South Carolina.  Her husband, Jeremy, is also a member of the South Carolina Philharmonic and plays clarinet in the Band of the United States Air Force Reserve.

Robert Pruzin is the Associate Dean/Director of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of Horn in the School of Music at the University of South Carolina. Mr. Pruzin is the Principal Horn Symphony Orchestra Augusta and the South Carolina Philharmonic, having served in both of these organizations since 1978. In addition to his playing duties, Mr. Pruzin has been recognized by the University of South Carolina Mortar Board Society with an “Excellence in Teaching” award and he is a past recipient of the Artist Fellowship from the South Carolina Arts Commission. Having earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from the State University of New York at Potsdam, Mr. Pruzin received his Master of Music in Performance from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, with continued work at the University of Maryland and Northwestern University.  He has worked with notable and diverse musicians such as Robert Shaw, Yoel Levi, Itzhak Perlman, Luciano Pavarotti, Bobby McFerrin, Ray Charles, Olivia Newton-John and Rod Stewart. In addition, Mr. Pruzin has appeared as guest soloist, clinician, and participant at the International Horn Society Symposiums in New York, Texas, Florida, and Colorado as well as performing as soloist at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.