Past Concerts
Benjamin Gish Bio | James Breckenrigde Bio | Raffle Prizes
Benjamin Gish
Benjamin K. Gish has been the Walla Walla Valley Academy orchestra's music director since 1993. He also is a concert cellist with over thirty students (ages four to adult). His students consistently win top awards in regional adjudications and competitions. In 2000, one of his students won the junior division of the "Sphinx" National Competition held at the University of Michigan. For the last two years, in the Washington State's high school southeast region "Solo and Ensemble" adjudication and competition, his cello students have won 1st, 2nd, & 3rd. received the superior rating, and last year, one student advancing to state placed second. His students have gone on to study in some of the top summer performance programs (Meadowmount, & Encore).
As practice time permits now, Mr. Gish plays professionally in a cello/piano duo with Dr. James Breckenridge. They have played numerous recitals during the past fifteen years on University campuses, community artist series, and as guest artists for Music conventions. In 1998, he was guest artist with the Walla Walla Symphony playing the Schumann Cello Concerto. Mr. Gish has been co-principal cellist in the Walla Walla Symphony since 1993 and is a member of the Symphony String Quartet.
Before moving to Walla Walla in 1993 Mr. Gish taught eight years at Forest Lake Academy, in Florida, and four years at Cedar Lake Academy (now Great Lakes Adventist Academy) in Michigan. He holds both a Bachelor and Master of Music with emphasis in cello performance and conducting. He was accepted into the doctoral program at Michigan State University and studied cello performance with professor Owen Carman. His wife is Connie Camp Gish. She teaches Junior-high Math and Science at Rogers Elementary. They have been married 24 years. They have two children. Julia, 21 years old, is a violin performance major at University of Michigan. Their son Jamie is 10 years old and will be in fourth grade at Rogers Elementary School. He is also finishing Suzuki Cello "Book three" (thanks to incentive from Lego.com).
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James Breckenridge
Pianist James Breckenridge is recognized throughout the United States for his concerts, workshops, and master classes. He began his piano study at the age of thirteen as a student of Eunice Eubanks and in 1961 won the Allied Arts Competition in his native Alabama. In 1967, he received the Bachelor of Music degree from Maryville College (Tennessee) where he studied with Sallie W. Schoen, pianist-in-residence.
Breckenridge holds the Master of Music degree from Northwestern University (Illinois) where he studied with Gui Mombaerts. He completed the Doctor of Music degree at the American Conservatory of Music (Illinois)as a student of Alice Angermann. He has done extensive study and coaching with several major artists including Aldo Mancinelli, Bruno Glade, and Wanda Paul.
Dr. Breckenridge is Professor of Piano at Southwestern State University in Oklahoma where he has taught since 1968. He chairs the keyboard department and teaches advanced performance and pedagogy. In March of 2000, Dr. Breckenridge was the recipient of SWSU's Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award for superior achievements in teaching, scholarship and service. During his tenure in Oklahoma, he has been anactive member of several professional organizations having held severalstate offices in the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association and served as the Collegiate Audition Chairman for the South Central Division of the MusicTeachers National Association. From 1990 to 1994, he served as State President of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association.
As a performer, Breckenridge has concertized extensively both as asoloist and as a chamber pianist. He has appeared in recitals throughout the U.S. with international appearances in Central America, South America, Europe, Russia and the Ukraine. He has been soloist with several orchestras under such conductors as John Roberts, Milton Preves, and Edmund Williams. Teaming up with concert cellist Ben Gish in 1987, the Washington based duo has become widely acclaimed for their particular affinity for 19 century German chamber music. Breckenridge performs regularly as pianist for flautist Paula Price of Oklahoma and violinist Paul Urbanick of Illinois.
During the current 2003-2004 season, Breckenridge will perform and conduct master classes and workshops in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Vermont, Illinois, Michigan, Washington, Ohio, Indiana, and Minnesota. In addition, he will serve as a faculty member and performer at several national and international music festivals and workshops during the summer of 2004. Noted as an adjudicator, Breckenridge continues to serve in this capacity from coast to coast in numerous competitions and auditions.
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Raffle Prizes
The following prizes were raffled off after the concert:
1st Prize - $100 Gift Card from The Coach Store
2nd Prize - $55 Candle Set
3rd Prize - $25 Gift Card from Borders Books and Music
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