Clark College Orchestra presents France

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Clark College Orchestra, Dr. Donald Appert, Music Director/Conductor, will present its winter concert entitled France as part of its 2008-9 Season “A European Tour” on Wednesday, March 11, in the Royal Durst Theatre of the Vancouver School of Arts & Academics, 3101 Main St. Featured on the program will be the world premiere of Vancouver composer Matt Doran’s Symphony No. 5 for Orchestra. Masterpieces from the French repertoire to be performed will be Berlioz – Overture to Les Franc Juges, Ravel – Mother Goose Suite, and Dukas – The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. The performance is at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free and open to the public. Donations to the Orchestra General Fund will be accepted at the door.

Matt H. Doran began his musical education at the age of five with piano lessons from his mother, a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory. He entered USC in 1943 as a flute major, but switched to composition, encouraged by Dr. Ernst Toch and Hanns Eisler. After receiving a bachelor’s and master’s degree from USC, he earned his doctorate in 1953.

He has taught at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, and at Ball State College in Muncie, Indiana. For 29 years he taught at Mount St. Mary’s College, Los Angeles, California. After retiring in 1986, he and his wife, Therese, moved to Vancouver, Washington.

His main works include the opera “The Committee,” performed at Columbia University, chamber music performed at Carnegie Recital Hall, many pieces for flute ensembles, five symphonies, and a piece for the memory of his daughter, Marianne, who died in 2006. The Clark College Orchestra commissioned “Variations for Orchestra” which it premiered in June of 2006. “Memory of Marianne” was premiered in Portland in 2007 by the Oregon Sinfonietta and has been performed at Santa Clara University, by the Beach Cities Symphony in Los Angeles. It is scheduled for performance next April in Corpus Christi, Texas. His first two symphonies were performed in Los Angeles. The third, written 30 years ago, was performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The Oregon Chamber Players have played several of his works for chamber orchestra.

Symphony No. 5 is dedicated to his “wonderful wife,” Therese. It is in the usual 3 movements, with a slow, expressive “introduction” to the 1st movement. Otherwise, it is in the usual fast, slow, fast format. At the end of the third movement, however, the introductory material returns. Currently he is at work on a symphony of four movements for his sons, Edmund, Matt, Charles and Tim.

Dr. Doran performs in a flute club that he organized, as well as giving flute and piano lessons. He is also active in a Let’s Talk Music Club, which meets once a month.

Donald Appert has appeared as Guest Conductor with professional orchestras throughout Europe, in Japan, and in Australia. In 2008 he conducted the Slovak State Orchestra in Kosice, the “Jora” Philharmonic of Romania as part of their tour of Italy, and the Orquestra Simfonica de Sant Cugat (Spain). In Italy L’ovadese wrote “the performance of the Serenade in C major of Tchaikovsky, under the exceptional direction of Appert, was in such a style that it brought out the elegance and grace of the melodic lines with Mozartian inspiration. …The L’Orchestra Sinfonica Citta di Grosseto…performed the Barber Adagio with rare effectiveness, emphasizing its intrinsically rich melody.” Giornale di Sicilia praised his interpretation of Nielsen’s First Symphony as "lyrical with an airy freshness" and his conducting as "precise, painstakingly accurate, and diligent”. In the United States he has appeared as guest conductor of the Vancouver (WA) Symphony, the University of Texas - Arlington Symphony Orchestra, the Eastern Washington University Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Central Arkansas Symphony. In 2009 he is scheduled to conduct “Jora” Philharmonic in Romania, the Orchestra Sinfonica Citta di Grosseto in Italy, and the El Salvador State Symphony.

Donald Appert has been Music Director/Conductor of the Clark College Orchestra since 1990. Dr. Appert received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Trombone from the New England Conservatory. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Kansas. Dr. Appert has studied conducting with Riccardo Muti, Otto Werner Mueller, Maurice Abravanel, Daniel Lewis, Fredrik Fennel, George Lawner, and Richard Pittman. He was one of fourteen conductors chosen to participate in Helmuth Rilling’s Master class at the 1992 Oregon Bach Festival. Dr. Appert has performed as a trombonist with the Kansas City Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, the Virginia Opera Orchestra, and the Springfield (MA) Symphony. Currently he is a Professor of Music and Head of the Music Department at Clark College in Vancouver. In addition he is the Music Director/Conductor of the Oregon Sinfonietta in Portland, Oregon, and the Sanctuary Choir Director for the First United Methodist Church of Vancouver.