COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA
Rhode Island Philharmonic Community Orchestra
John Eells, Music Director
RIPCO is a full orchestra for adult musicians with extensive orchestral experience. Members range in age from college students to retirees. For the 2008-2009 Season, we anticipate openings for strings, percussion and some wind positions, as well as substitute players for all sections. For membership information, please contact Peter Bianca at mailto:pbianca@riphil.org (401) 248-7038.
Conductor: John Eells; Mondays 7 - 9:30pm,
Beginning September 8, 2008
Location: Carter Center for Music Education, 667 Waterman Ave. East Providence, RI 02914
Click here for 2008-2009 Concert Series Information
CONDUCTOR BIOGRAPHY
JOHN EELLS
John Eells received his undergraduate degree from York University in England and completed his graduate work in conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He has been a guest conductor with the Hartford, Manchester, Meriden and New Britain symphony orchestras, the Jacksonville and Spokane symphony orchestras, the Hermitage State Orchestra in St. Petersburg (Russia), the Leeds Symphony Orchestra (UK), Connecticut Concert Opera and the New England High School Festival Orchestra. He is a frequent festival conductor for the Connecticut Music Educator Association and a regular judge of high school and college concerto competitions, including the Hartford Symphony Orchestra's Young Artists Competition. He is the founder and director of the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra which this year celebrated its 25th anniversary with a performance at Carnegie Hall. He was the director of music at Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut from 1981 until 2005, was music director of the New Britain Opera Association from 1985 - 1998 and served as Music Director for the Simsbury Light Opera Company from 1999 - 2005. Last season he continued as Orchestra Director at Miss Porter's School and guest conducted concerts in Connecticut with the Hartford and New Britain Symphony Orchestras and in Rhode Island with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Repertory Youth Orchestra. In May 2002 he was awarded a Special Achievement Award from the Town of Farmington's Chamber of Commerce for his work with the Farmington Valley Symphony Orchestra.