THE ORCHESTRA
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The Anderson Symphony Orchestra was organized in 1967 by leaders at Anderson University, with its very first performance made up largely of volunteers from the local community. The organization was incorporated in 1978 and launched as an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3).
Today the Anderson Symphony Orchestra is a proud assemblage of professional musicians who, for the most part earn their livings in the music arts. Maestro Richard Sowers has conducted the Symphony since 1989.
OUR CONDUCTOR
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Richard Sowers is now in his 20th season as music director and conductor of the ASO. During his years of leadership, the Anderson Symphony has seen significant growth artistically, and continues to provide innovative programming to serve the diverse audience of Anderson and surrounding communities. His tenure has seen the first PBS televised broadcasts, many concert broadcasts by Indiana Public Radio, the creation of the annual Halloween Concerts and the Family concerts.
For three years now, the ASO under Sowers’ direction has provided concerts for the youth of the Wabash and Huntington Counties in concerts at the Honeywell Center in addition to the Symphony for Kids concerts for Madison County fifth-graders. He has been guest conductor with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and the New World Youth Orchestra of Indianapolis. Guest conducting engagements for this season will include the Richmond Symphony in March, 2007, and the Emo Ensemble in Helsinki, Finland during a two-month residency in early 2007.
Now in his 23rd year as a Professor of Music at the Anderson University School of Music, he is the Conductor of the Anderson University Chamber Orchestra, Anderson University Chorale, the Anderson Symphonic Choir, Men’s Choir, and teaches conducting. Sowers has achieved national and international recognition with performances and guest conducting throughout the United States and Europe. A frequent visitor to Scandinavia, Sowers has led several music tours to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Germany, Finland, and Russia, and will return with a chamber ensemble in May, 2007. He served for eight years on the staff of the Conductors Retreat at Medomak, a seventeen-day retreat for professional conductors from all around the globe held near Camden, Maine each summer.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and Richmond, Indiana, Richard Sowers received his undergraduate music degree from the Indiana University School of Music where he was a four-year scholarship recipient. He was granted his Master of Music in Conducting from Colorado State University where in 1993, was chosen as that school’s outstanding music alumnus. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting at Arizona State University. His conducting teachers include Jan Harrington, Wil Schwartz, Edward Anderson, Douglas McEwen, and Kenneth Kiesler. He has participated in courses led by Julius Herford, Robert Shaw, and Helmuth Rilling, and has participated in conducting workshops of the American Symphony Orchestra League.
Richard Sowers makes his home in Anderson with his wife, Nancy, a CPA, and their three children, one of whom still resides at home.
THE OFFICERS
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John Parshall, President Community Volunteer |
2008 | |||||||||
| Jessica Carson, Vice President | Old National Bank | 2005 | |||||||||
| Cathy Boerner, Secretary | First Merchants Bank of Central Indiana | 2001 | |||||||||
| David Porter, Treasurer | Redbud Estates | 2005 | |||||||||
BOARD of DIRECTORS |
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| Paula Bivens | The Herald Bulletin | 2005 | |||||||||
| Stephen Bourke | Syndicate Sales, Inc. | 2005 | |||||||||
| Charles Braddock | Attorney | 2004 | |||||||||
| Donald Cook | Donald Cook & Associates | 2000 | |||||||||
| Ryan Elliott | ABG, Inc. (an Adayana Company) | 2005 | |||||||||
| Philip Hilger | Saint John's Health System | 2008 | |||||||||
| Jack Hittle | Church, Church, Hittle & Antrim | 2008 | |||||||||
| Nancy Likens | Community Volunteer | 2000 | |||||||||
| Sam Pellegrino | Main Source Bank | 2004 | |||||||||
| Rudolf Pyle | Attorney | 2005 | |||||||||
| Aaron Reger | Madison Community Bank | 2005 | |||||||||
| Nancy Ricker | Ricker Oil | 2002 | |||||||||
| William Runkle | Ball Memorial Hospital | 2007 | |||||||||
| Sydney Schieve | Community Volunteer | 2007 | |||||||||
| Marly Hardy Snyder | Edward Jones | 2007 | |||||||||
| Kay Clark President, ASO Friends |
Community Volunteer | 2008 | |||||||||
