Organizers
Music Director
CLAYTON VAUGHN, DMA - Boulder Cello Project's wonderful Music Director will be leading our rehearsals. Dr. Vaughn is an enthusiastic caring cello teacher who is passionate about sharing his love of cello and music with others. As a cello teacher he is a sectionals coach for a local middle school and high school in Boulder, has an active cello studio, and is a moderator for the Boulder Cello Project's monthly play-ins. As an avid orchestral musician, he is the principal cellist for the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and a member of the Colorado Ballet Orchestra, Greeley Philharmonic and the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Vaughn completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) in cello performance at the University of Colorado Boulder, and studied with both Judith Glyde and András Fejér of the award winning Takács Quartet.
Website: www.ClaytonVaughn.com |
Composer
NICK HALSEY - Boulder Cello Project's resident composer has played both the cello and the trumpet for eight years and is an avid composer and arranger. His cello ensemble, Cello Expressions, has allowed him to develop and refine many works written and arranged for cellos and he has compiled a large library of free cello ensemble sheet music on his website. Nick is studying Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Music Composition at the University of Southern California, and also works as Web Developer, having authored several Wordpress Plugins and websites.
Website: www.CelloExpressions.com |
Executive Directors
CLARK HODGE - Founder and Executive Director of Chase the Music. Clark found his passion several years ago, when circumstances introduced him to a little girl with leukemia. He wanted to do something special for her, but knew a teddy bear, no matter how cool, wasn't going to have the meaning needed. He conceived of the concept of having a piece of original music composed and performed for this special little girl. A few years after the piece was performed, the concept was expanded to do this for more children battling critical illnesses. And as such, Chase the Music was born. He lives in the mountains above Lyons, Colorado where he is host to Little Red Rocks - a private music festival promoting the beauty of the mountains, music and friends. He is proud holder of a Guinness World Record, as organizer of Sketch-a-Palooza, an event with the most people ever etch-a-sketching the same subject.
Website: www.ChaseTheMusic.org |
GEMMA MAY VARNEY - Founder and Executive Director for the Boulder Cello Project.
By day, she is a full time administrative assistant for an investment firm located in Louisville, Colorado, and part-time student pursing her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. But by night, she is a beginner adult cello-ninja (enthusiast) who organizes events for the "project"! Gemma May started playing cello more than a year ago (with no musical background) and discovered that it was difficult to find places for adult beginners to play with others, and only a handful of cello ensembles with mixed levels and abilities in the U.S. existed. Therefore, with the support of her co-worker Mike, and one of her cello teachers Clayton, the Boulder Cello Project was born. She hopes to bring the love and joy of cello and music to more people (lots of social, mental and health benefits!) and make it an instrument as well-known as the guitar or violin. During her free time she dabbles in web "stuff" and loves dancing, especially Lindy Hop (Swing) and Blues, but most of all, she enjoys being a cello-ninja! Website: www.BoulderCelloProject.com |