There will be five orchestras at the 2008 edition of String Camp! We have some favorite conductors returning from previous years, and there will be some new faces on the podium. Please check back soon for a complete listing of 2008's conductors. Conductors from 2007 included:
Dianna Richardson directs the orchestra program at Cleveland School of the Arts. She studied music at Arizona State University, The Julliard School of Music and Cleveland Institute of Music, from which she holds a Bachelor of Music degree. In 1998, Ms. Richardson received the Heidi Castleman Award for excellence in teaching and performing chamber music. She is director of both the String Orchestra and String Ensemble in the Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music’s Youth Orchestra Program, All City Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra for the city of Cleveland, the Lakewood Project, Rock On String Camp and is principal bassist of Cleveland Chamber Symphony. Richardson founded the Strings Attached summer program that promotes literacy through music and serves on the faculty of Muskingum College.
Dr. Laura E. Schumann is the Music Director and Conductor of the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra. She is also Associate Professor of Music at Muskingum College. She is a 2001 recipient of an ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award, and a YMCA/YWCA Women of Achievement Award, a 2004 International Musician of the Year, and is listed in the 2002-03, 04-05, and 06-07 Who's Who of American Women, 2006 Who's Who in America, and the 2004, 2005 Who's Who in the World. She received the first 2004 Cambridge, (OH) Heritage Award for leadership in the community. Ms. Schumann received the William Rainey Harper Award for Outstanding Scholarship from Muskingum College in 2005. She was a competitor in the 2003 Third International Jordania conducting competition in Kharkov, Ukraine. She has collaborated with internationally acclaimed artists Angela Cheng, Benny Kim, Hakan Rosengren, Gilbert Mata, Sergiu Schwartz, and the Cavani Quartet among others. Ms. Schumann is also Music Director for the East Central Ohio Dance Theatre production of the Nutcracker Ballet, and has worked with Columbus, Spokane, and Bakersfield Symphonies. Ms. Schumann received her DMA in orchestral conducting from Texas Tech University, her Master's degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder . Previously, Ms. Schumann was director of orchestral activities at Western State College in Colorado, and Murray State University in Kentucky, Assistant Conductor at Texas Tech University, and she has held positions at Wake Forest, Salem College, and Winston Salem State University.
Harriett Ahmed Thomas has been teaching in the Oberlin School District since 1976. Ms. Thomas is a 1972 graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Girls and received both her Bachelor and Master degrees in Music Education from the Oberlin College-Conservatory of Music in 1976, where she studied violin with Dorothy Mauney and Andor Toth, Sr. She has done post graduate work at Vandercook College, University of Wisconsin - Madison, and Ashland University. Ms. Thomas served as Dean of Students, Schedule Coordinator, Ensemble Coach, and Assistant to the Director for the Summer Music Experience Program on the Western Reserve Academy Campus in Hudson, Ohio for many years. She was the director of the Northern Ohio Youth Symphonetta Orchestra for ten years. She is the advisor for the Tri-M Music Honor Society and works with individual students and small groups before and after school each day. In past years she has served as a Mentor Teacher and chairmen of the Foundation for Excellent Schools Committee. She is an active member of ASTA, MENC and OEA. Past awards include: Oberlin District Recognition Award, the NANBPWC Inc. Professional Award, Cleveland Plain Dealer Crystal Apple Award Nominee, the Oberlin Community Teacher of the Year, and the Oberlin College Award for Distinguished Service to the Community. Ms. Thomas is also a part-time Travel Agent. She plans and organizes cruises, tours, individual, and group vacation packages in her spare time.
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