2010 Concert Information

Amir Kats
Now in his fourth year with Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies GTCYS, Amir Kats (Artistic Director & Symphony Conductor) recently created a music blog (www.mrkatsopus.blogspot.com) to make orchestral music more accessible. A familiar figure in the youth orchestra world, he previously conducted the Albuquerque Youth Symphony and Santa Fe Youth Symphony in New Mexico, where he was active as a conductor, educator and clarinetist throughout the state. Prior to New Mexico he lived in New York, serving as music director of the Gemini Youth Orchestras (Long Island), assistant conductor of the New York Youth Symphony, and faculty member of The Juilliard School's Music Advancement Program, teaching inner-city public school students. He has also been associated with the Philadelphia Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra and the orchestra of the Rockland Summer Institute. Mr. Kats spent the summer of 2005 on the conducting faculty of the internationally-renowned Interlochen Arts Camp, and joined the faculty of the Allegro Orchestra Camp in 2008. Mr. Kats holds Bachelor of Music degrees in clarinet and music theory from the University of Michigan, Master of Music degrees in conducting and clarinet from Florida State University, and an Artist Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he held a Leopold Stokowski Fellowship and studied conducting with Otto-Werner Mueller. A native of Haifa, Israel, he was raised in the United States in a musical family, the son and grandson of pianists.
 

John Hoffacker
Internationally renowned as a conductor of intelligent and passionate performances, John Hoffacker received a doctorate degree in conducting at the Eastman School in Rochester, New York. For eleven years he led one of New England's pre-eminent chamber choruses, Cantemus, and was associate conductor of the Nashua (NH) Symphony Orchestra. Since moving to Minnesota in 2004 he has founded and conducts the Mississippi Valley Chorale and Chorus Polaris, serves as Director of Music at the Church of the Epiphany in Plymouth, and sings professionally as tenor soloist with orchestras and in the Minnesota Chorale. At the University of Minnesota he teaches Score Study and Choral Literature.
 

The Zuhrah Pipes & Drums
The Zuhrah Pipes & Drums began its rich history in 1959, when it was chartered as an active unit of the Zuhrah Shrine. The Pipes & Drums have had the pride and honor to represent both the Zuhrah Shrine of Minneapolis, as well as our grand philanthropy, the Shriners Hospitals for Children, throughout North America.

The Zuhrah Pipes & Drums perform regularly throughout the Midwest at parades and other civic functions, as well as at weddings and other social engagements. In addition, our competition band routinely competes in the Midwest Shrine Pipe Band Association competition, where we were crowned champions in 1997, as well as Imperial Shrine competitions all over North America.
 

Heroes of '76
Heroes of '76 unit of Minnesota Chapter #25, National Sojourners is an organization of Freemasons who have served or are serving in the Military of the US or its allies.
 

Bob Bayers
Bob, the producer of the 9-11 Tribute Concert, owns the family business Bayers Do it Best Hardware located in Linden Hills just a few blocks from the Lake Harriet Band Shell. If he didn't end up in the hardware business he would have probably been in some area of theater – his second love. Producing the 9-11 Tribute each year is a passion for him. He thanks his understanding family and store employees for their help each summer as the concert is planned. Please plan on attending the 9-11 Tribute each year on September 11th at the Band Shell. —God Bless America

(program pending)

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