The Phillip England Center for the Performing Arts Foundation will host a matinee concert Sunday, Sept. 22, at 3 p.m. in the Phillip England Center for the Performing Arts, 210 Camp Lincoln Road in Camp Verde. This is a benefit concert to raise funds for upgrades to this school facility in audio, video and lighting.
This matinee concert features the Sweetwater Strings, a group of professional Arizona musicians that was founded in 2007 as a string quartet featuring violinists Eily Hallagan and Myra Lin. What started as a casual chamber group playing original compositions and classical quartet pieces soon developed into a performance group for private events. Other talented musicians were added to the group. Today Sweetwater Strings has grown to represent over 20 professional string musicians from all around Arizona, expanding their library and expertise in all styles from cultural music to modern pop.
The Camp Verde performance will include an ensemble of 14 musicians composed of six violins, two cellos, two violas, bass, percussion, piano and guitar. Some of the musicians performing include the following:
- Hallagan, the owner of Sweetwater Strings has been playing the violin since the age of 9 and has received degrees in both Music Performance and Theater Arts. She was chosen as one of the top violinists to play for Isaac Stern in celebration of his 80th birthday. She has performed for several years in orchestra and chamber ensembles.
- Myra Lin is the first violin for Sweetwater Strings and is the concertmaster for the Four Seasons Orchestra. She holds bachelor and master’s degrees in violin performance from University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Lin did her doctoral work at SUNY at Stony Brook and has been performing as recitalist and chamber musician to audiences throughout the United States, Canada and Europe for over 30 years. She performed as soloist, conductor and actor in the Vivaldi Festival and also performed several concerts with soprano Helene Pouillon in Paris, Versailles and Vertouil, France.
- The Concertmaster for the performance will be Stacey Huber, a violin and viola string teacher in Mesa. Huber earned a bachelor’s degree of music in instrumental performance from Northern Arizona University. She was principal violist of the NAU Symphony and Chamber orchestras, a member of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, and the Verde Valley Sinfonietta.
- Kevin Huang is a violinist with more than 35 years of performing experience. He was trained at the famed Juilliard School in New York City. His credits include Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Opry, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and innumerable high level events in and out of Arizona.
- Cellist Jennifer Randle received a bachelor’s degree with honors in instrumental music education from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree with distinction in educational technology from Northern Arizona University. In addition to being a member of the Sweetwater Strings, she is the orchestra director for Mesa Public Schools and the associate principal cellist for the Chandler Symphony Orchestra.
- Originally from Hawaii, pianist Richard Palalay graduated from the University of California with a B.A. in music. A professional musician since the age of 18, he is also a composer and arranger for national TV, radio, HBO and PBS. Since moving to the Phoenix area in 1998, Palalay has become one of the most sought-after pianists.
- Guitarist Alexander Zawilak received his doctorate in guitar performance from Arizona State University and his bachelor’s and master of arts degrees from Manness College of Music. He is currently on the staff of Scottsdale Community College as an adjunct guitar professor. Zawilak comes from an eclectic musical background. His first loves were jazz, fusion and blues. While in high school, Zawilak also began to explore classical music where he discovered classical guitar as a way to intimately study the music of the great composers.
Sweetwater Strings’ musicians will offer this rare public performance for the Phillip England Center for the Performing Arts Foundation. This program will feature some of the most loved and unique themes from the silver screen including favorites from “Star Wars,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Willy Wonka,” Disney classics and more.
The Phillip England Center for the Performing Arts Foundation is a nonprofit performing arts organization.
Its mission is to support the Phillip England Center for the Performing Arts in presenting a rich array of culturally diverse arts programming for Sedona, Camp Verde and the Verde Valley in order to educate, enlighten, enrich and entertain students, residents and patrons of all ages, while providing leadership and support to advance cultural/performing arts and nourish appreciation for various art forms in the community.
Visit pecpaf.com or email pecpaf@pecpaf.com for additional information on the Foundation and to purchase tickets.
