Larry Shapiro, Concert Master
The Bear Valley Music Festival is proud to welcome the return of Larry Shapiro for his 18th year as concertmaster. He currently sits as the concertmaster of the Carmel Symphony. He is also Professor of Violin and Artist-in-Residence at Butler University’s Jordan College of Fine Arts. Mr. Shapiro has served as concertmaster for the El Paso Symphony, the Evansville Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonia, the Grand Teton Music Festival, the Akron Symphony, the Orchestra of Illinois, Orchestra Sinfonica de Mineria (Mexico City), and the Columbus (Ohio) Symphony. For several years Mr. Shapiro toured as first violinist with Mikhail Baryshnikov, and with the American Ballet Theatre.
Gary Sperl, Principal Clarinetist
Gary Sperl is the Principal Clarinetist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and also an Associate Professor of Clarinet at The University of Tennessee School of Music. Mr. Sperl received a Master of Music in Woodwinds Degree from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Music Education from The University of Wisconsin – River Falls. His primary teachers have been Robert Samarotto, Russel Dagon, and Bernard Portnoy.
Mr. Sperl has been active in summer music festivals for the past 30 years. He is currently the clarinetist in the Assisi (Italy) Performing Arts Festival and is also the Principal Clarinetist in the Bear Valley Music Festival, a position he has held since 1986. From 1980 to 1997 he was a clarinetist and bass clarinetist with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in both Charleston, South Carolina and Spoleto, Italy. From 1998 to 2002, he served as the Orchestra Manager for the Spoleto Festival and from 2002 until 2004 he was the Principal Clarinetist with the Missouri Chamber Orchestra. In addition to his summer activities, he has performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Columbus (Ohio) Symphony, the Savannah and Charleston Symphony Orchestras.
2011 Bear Valley Orchestra Musicians
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