Accomplished violinist and CU music faculty member offers extensive orchestral experience
The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra has named College of Music Assistant Professor of Violin Charles Wetherbee concertmaster following an 18-month national search.听
鈥淎n orchestra's concertmaster has a profound influence on its sound,鈥� says Michael Butterman, music director of the philharmonic. 鈥淐has is not only a first-rate violinist, but also a tremendously experienced orchestral musician, and the combination of artistry and ensemble expertise that he brings will have an enormous and positive impact on the Boulder Phil's performance quality. We look forward to sharing a bright future together.鈥澨�
Wetherbee succeeds Gregory Walker who served in this position for the Boulder Phil for 25 years.听
Wetherbee鈥檚 appointment continues the philharmonic鈥檚 collaboration with the College of Music.听
鈥淣ot only do we share several faculty members and numerous alumni, but we have featured many faculty in solo roles, presented works by members of the composition faculty, collaborated to bring in guests, like composer Christopher Theofanidis, and offered our guests as presenters of master classes for CU students,鈥� Butterman says.听 鈥淲e also offer discounted tickets to CU students and welcome them to open rehearsals at the Dairy Center for the Arts.鈥澨�
Wetherbee served as guest concertmaster and performed as a soloist with the orchestra several times this season. His first official performance as concertmaster with the Boulder Phil will be on April 26, the orchestra鈥檚 season finale at Macky Auditorium, a program which features mandolinist Jeff Midkiff and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, (鈥淧astoral鈥�).
鈥淚 am delighted to have this opportunity to work with one of Boulder's leading arts organizations,鈥� said Wetherbee, 鈥渁nd I hope that my role as concertmaster allows for both stronger ties between the university and the orchestra, and another way for me to continue to get to know our Boulder musical community.鈥�
Wetherbee also is the first violinist of the Carpe Diem String Quartet, a founding member of Opus 3 piano trio and the artistic director of the Dercum Center for Arts and Humanities in Keystone, Colo. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Wetherbee graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Aaron Rosand, and has received numerous honors, including the Ashworth Artist and the George Hardesty awards. His first orchestral position was as principal second violin with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., a position he held for five years; he was concertmaster of the Columbus Symphony, in Ohio, for sixteen years. Wetherbee performs on one of the world鈥檚 rare and sought after violins, the Widenhouse 44, and uses bows by Charles Espy and Bennoit Rolland.
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