Joyful Noise! at First Congregational Church, Guilford, Connecticut

DAVID DARLING

"Maverick cellist" is the phrase most often assigned to Grammy Nominated Artist David Darling, but it hardly captures the richness, diversity, breadth and sense of humor of a man who literally redefines the way the cello is played and the way music is taught. His prolific collection of recordings and innovative performance style represent an eclectic variety of musical genres. His playful and unconventional teaching methods have helped open the world of music and improvisation to thousands of individuals.

Darling is a classically trained cellist who began his career as an elementary and secondary school teacher and conductor of band and orchestra, specializing in cello and bass. He later taught music and served as orchestra conductor and faculty cellist at Western Kentucky University.

In 1969 he joined the Grammy Award Winning PAUL WINTER CONSORT, an extraordinary progressive band for its time whose sound blended jazz , classical, world music and, at times, the voices and sounds of nature. During his eight year stint as soloist, composer and vocalist with the Consort, Darling was exposed at length to ensemble and solo improvisation.

Since leaving the Consort in 1978, David has dedicated himself to teaching music and improvisation and to his solo performance and recording career. In 1986 he co-founded MUSIC FOR PEOPLE, a non-profit educational network teach to and foster improvisation as a means of creative self-expression. Through MUSIC FOR PEOPLE workshops, trainings and special events Darling and the MfP Staff continue to encourage and inspire musicians both here in the US and internationally as their programs are now offered in Kiental, Switzerland.

For the past fifteen years, Darling has worked for Young Audiences, Inc. a National Medal of The Arts award-winning organization dedicated to enriching children's lives by providing in-school programs in the form of workshops, artists' residencies and performances. David Darling received the 1995 ARTIST OF THE YEAR AWARD by the Board of Directors of Young Audiences Inc. given in recognition of "his hard work, innovation and creativity in the service of arts-in-education". In 2001 David received the ARTS ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR AWARD presented by the Connecticut Music Educators Association for "His excellent work in music education and improvisation." Also for children, Darling is a contributor to the book "OPEN EARS; Musical Adventures for a New Generation," a compilation of writings for children by diverse musicians including Paul McCartney, Peter Seeger and Mickey Hart.

Darling has collaborated with musicians, artists, writers, performers, educators and film makers around the world, among them: The Consort, Spyro Gyra, Arlo Guthrie, Peter Kater, and R. Carlos Nakai, Oregon; Bobby McFerrin, Jan Garbarek; Dino Saluzzi, Terje Rypdal, Steve Kuhn, Ketil Bjornstad, Tai Ji Master Chungliang Al Huang, the Nickolais-Louis Dance Theatre, Pilobolus. Hong Kong Ballet, Les Grand Ballet Canadiens, Joseph Campbell, Don Campbell, and numerous other talented and innovative individuals. For over 30 years Darling has performed at major festivals and in concert venues such as: Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Grace Cathedral, Queen Victoria Hall, The Kennedy Center, Festival de Musica Visual de Lanzarote and Jazz Festivals in: Montreal, Berlin, Frankfort, and international New Music Festivals.

His collaboration with R. Carlos Nakai and Peter Kater, an the album MIGRATION, was named 1992 New Age Album of the Year by the National Association of Independent Record Distributors (NAIRD). In September 1992, Darling's solo album, CELLO, was released on the ECM label. Pulse Magazine named CELLO on the 10 Best Contemporary Instrumental Albums of 1992. In 2001, David Darling released CELLO BLUE a CD which earned him a 2002 GRAMMY NOMINATION and also the AFIM INDIE AWARD (Association for Independent Music). Recordings for ECM records include his first solo recording DARKWOOD; a duo album THE RIVER with Ketil Bjornstad; The Sea Group's THE SEA and THE SEA II with Ketil Bjornstad, Terje Rypdal and Jon Christensen, and also WINDOW STEPS with Pierre Favre.

Darling's music has long been recognized and sought after by producers and directors in the film industry which includes ongoing collaboration with European filmakers Jean-Luc Godard and Wim Wenders. Films with Godard include: NOVELLE VAGUE (1996), FOREVER MOZART (2000), MOSTLY MARTHA (2003) and E'LOGUE DE L'AMOUR (2003) presented at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. His films with Wenders include: UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD (1991) featuring Darling as solo improvisor and FAR AWAY, SO CLOSE! (1993). US major motion picture credits include: HEAT directed by Michael Mann, starring Al Pacino and Robert deNiro

One of Darling's most popular recordings EIGHT STRING RELIGION, was recently re-released in 2003 by Wind Over The Earth Records and another popular title THE TAO OF CELLO was also re-released in 2003 by Valley Entertainment. In the past two years Darling has been arranging and composing material for the soon to be released CD , MUNDANIN KATA (The Way Home), recorded in the mountains of Taiwan with members of the Wulu Bunun Tribe. David Darling and members of the tribe will be touring Great Britian in May. Also in 2004: Darling will release a companion CD in the likeness of EIGHT STRING RELIGION; he will be consultant/composer on noted photographer Gregory Colbert's project "Ashes and Snow" which includes installations in Venice, Paris and New York; he will be touring China with ECM's The Sea Group in the fall; and he is currently working on his latest solo release for ECM Records

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Brian Gillie

Biography and program for the May 10, 2008 performance at First Church, Guilford

Who would think that a long-haired, psychedelic rock drummer of the '60s would eventually turn his back on Hendrix and The Doors and embrace the piano and vocal repertoires of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and the master composers of Tin Pan Alley? One would think that such a musician would add a little mischief to the old standards, and guess what, you'd be correct.

Brian Gillie, former Nehru-shirted, black-booted rocker, is finally on a "respectable" music track, despite an inner child that still demands attention. Gillie, a Guilford resident, regularly performs piano and vocals at senior facilities throughout the state. After fifteen years on the seniors' circuit, Brian has compiled a dynamic song repertoire of the top seventy-five "best" songs from the first half of the 20th Century. The list draws from Hollywood, Broadway, swing era, ragtime and more.

"The songs that end up being part of my program are not necessarily the ones I would have chosen for myself" says Brian, "rather they are the tunes that audiences repeatedly have the most fun singing and those that illicit a powerful emotion. Audiences often exclaim the lovely surprise of singing a forgotten song and of revisiting a treasured memory. Those old lyrics stored away in memory vaults somehow manage to find their way to the surface as the familiar melodies trigger youthful responses from the golden era of popular song."

Brian is a music historian and full-time performance/educator with Young Audiences of Connecticut and a Master Teaching Artist with the CT Commission on Arts and Tourism. During his twenty-five year association with Young Audiences, Brian has presented numerous performances and workshops on the history of American song and dance in schools, libraries and museums throughout New England.

Join the sing-along fever at (time and place) as Brian delivers a lively and passionate spin on some classic favorites. Come add your voice, on pitch or otherwise, to the rhythms of All of Me, Our Love is Here To Stay, Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, Darktown Strutters' Ball, Lazy River, Hello Dolly, As Time Goes By, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Sweet Georgia Brown, Cheek to Cheek, White Cliffs of Dover, You're a Grand Old Flag and many more. True to his rock roots, Brian may even do a few song parodies and perhaps an impersonation or two.

All Proceeds from Brian's performance will go to the First Church's Myrtha Licht Fund and to the Guilford Food Bank.

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Will Duchon

After having been twice declared a semifinalist in the prestigious Concert Artists Guild competitions in New York, Will has performed extensively in the NY Metropolitan area. He was the winner of the 1990 Artists International Young Musicians Auditions, and made his professional debut at Carnegie Recital Hall that year. Will appeared as soloist and in ensemble recitals at Carnegie Recital Hall several times since and also appeared as soloist with several orchestras in Florida and Merida, Mexico. In 1998, Will recorded a CD, “Tableaux”, which features music by Rachmaninov and Scriabin. Since 2004, Will has been a broadcaster for WMNR Fine Arts Radio (www.wmnr.org). He has served as a music director for various churches since 1981, and is currently the Music Director for Monroe Congregational Church. Will graduated from The New Seminary in 2003.He is the founder of The Opus 30 Mission (www.opus30.net) which seeks to exonerate persons wrongfully convicted.

“Will Duchon’s performance of Rachmaninov is infused with passion, sensitivity, and an excellent sense of the long romantic line. He also has the technical equipment to make it all come together.”
Joel Rosen, PERFORMERS OF WESTCHESTER

“Mr. Duchon enchanted the audience, demonstrating a great sensitivity which he had the ability of transmitting. He performed magnificently and came through brilliantly”.
NOVEDADES DE YUCATAN (Mexico)

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Thomas Pandolfi

American pianist Thomas Pandolfi is emerging as a prodigious virtuoso who excels in reviving the core repertoire from the golden age of pianism. Praised for his interesting and innovative programming, his recitals regularly include works by Busoni, Godowsky, Dohnanyi and Chasins, and his orchestral appearances often feature concerti by Paderewski, MacDowell, Moszkowski and Anton Rubinstein.

The young pianist's career has already included performances with such European orchestras as The George Enescu Philharmonic, The Moravian Philharmonic, and The National Philharmonic of the Republic of Moldova, as well as the American symphony orchestras of Mississippi, Cedar Rapids, Asheville, Princeton, and San Angelo, to name but a few. He has collaborated with such conductors as Dimitru Goia, Peter Schmelzer, Mihail Agafita, Andreas Delfs, Christian Tiemeyer, Ron Spigelman, William Kushner, Nicholas Palmer and Robert Hart Baker. Following a performance of Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Asheville Symphony, The Asheville Citizen-Times remarked, "Pandolfi is a standout among today's young pianists, demonstrating a great technician's grace, finesse and polish...his virtuosity and strength might have had some believing that Liszt himself had taken over the keyboard." After a recent recital, The Washington Post described him as "an artist who is master of both the grand gesture and the sensual line. Pandolfi possesses first-rate technical skills, an unerring command of phrasing, a quicksilver touch and cunning legerdemain when it comes to pedaling...etched with calm and crystal clartiy...outstanding."

In the "Pops" genre, Thomas is also considered a leading interpreter of the works of George Gershwin. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Pandolfi earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees as a scholarship student.

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