Artistic Staff
David Hattner, Conductor and Music Director
David Hattner is the fifth Conductor and Music Director of the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Mr. Hattner was selected from a pool of 112 candidates by a search committee comprised of board members, alumni, community representatives, musicians, and teachers. He received positive reviews from both audiences and critics alike after his debut with PYP in November 2008. "The Portland Youth Philharmonic roared like a Maserati on Saturday in its first concert under music director David Hattner. The route was challenging, the execution distinguished and the ride delightful," wrote David Stabler for The Oregonian.
"David is ideal for PYP. He creates the musical and social environment in which young musicians can and want to do their best," said Murry Sidlin, former Resident Conductor of the Oregon Symphony, who worked with Mr. Hattner at the Aspen Music Festival and the Cascade Festival of Music. "He is a brilliant clarinetist, has very high artistic vision, and invites young musicians to join him at that level. He worked ferociously to become the excellent conductor he is. Nobody handed him anything. He worked for it and succeeded. PYP is tremendously fortunate to have persuaded David to join them."
David Hattner's conducting credits include the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, Oklahoma Chamber Ensemble, the Garden State Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata Atlantica, and multi-media work with silent film in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. "David Hattner conducted a calmly authoritative performance . . . " wrote Anthony Tommasini in the New York Times, reviewing a performance of Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light. He has also guest conducted the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Sospeso, International Contemporary Ensemble, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, and the Massapequa Philharmonic Orchestra. Hattner received a Bachelor of Music degree with honors from Northwestern University, where he was a clarinet student of Robert Marcellus. He has participated in the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen three times, where he studied with David Zinman and Murry Sidlin. He has also held Principal Clarinet positions with Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Cascade Music Festival Orchestra, New Jersey Opera Theater, and Key West Symphony Orchestra.
E-mail: information@portlandyouthphil.org
Larry Johnson, Conservatory Orchestra & Wind Ensemble Conductor
Mr. Johnson received his bachelor of music from the University of Puget Sound and his masters in music from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He conducted and directed wind ensemble, band and orchestra at PSU and Mount Hood Community College. He has taught at Clackamas Community College and Lewis and Clark College. He is formerly principal horn of Germany’s Philharmonia Hungarica, was assistant principal horn with the Oregon Symphony (1996–2005), and has been a regular member of the Seattle Opera’s Wagner Ring Cycle Orchestra since 1976. He has performed with other orchestras throughout the Pacific Northwest, numerous chamber music groups and summer music festivals.
E-mail: information@portlandyouthphil.org
Carol Sindell, Young String Ensemble Conductor
Carol Sindell, born in Cleveland, Ohio, began studying the violin with Josef Gingold at the age of seven. A year later she gave her first solo performance with orchestra playing a Mozart Concerto. At the age of eleven she was the youngest soloist ever to perform with the Cleveland Orchestra, playing the Mendelssohn Concerto under the direction of Robert Shaw. Her debut with the Cleveland Orchestra was followed by successive orchestral and recital engagements. In 1962, Ms.Sindell had the honor of being accepted as a student of Jascha Heifetz, and the following year performed on an international broadcast as an outstanding representative of the Heifetz Master Class. While a student at the Juilliard School, she was influenced by mentors such as Ivan Galamian, and Erica Morini. Ms. Sindell was the winner of the Friday Morning Music Club Competition in Washington,D.C., and the International Advisory Council Competition in Chicago. In 1972 she was awarded the Martha Baird Rockefeller Grant for performance. After her Carnegie Recital Hall debut in 1974, she played throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe both as a soloist and ensemble player. She was a featured artist on a national tour with Music from Marlboro, playing at the Metropolitan Museum, Tully Hall, and the Smithsonian Institute.
Since 2006, Sindell has been a member of The American String Project, an elite group of musicians who perform and record at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. She has participated in numerous festivals, including Chamber Music Northwest, Park City International Music Festival, and Rencontres Musicales in Arc-et-Senans, France. Two years ago she was invited to teach and lecture at the Huang Shan International Young Musicians Festival sponsored by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. As a member of the Florestan Trio, she has toured internationally, and recorded a CD. Other CDs include Duos for Violin and Cello, as well as numerous collaborations with other esteemed colleagues.
In addition to a busy concert schedule, Sindell is a Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at PSU. She has made an outstanding career as a teacher and coach, and enjoys the accolades received by her many gifted students.
E-mail: information@portlandyouthphil.org
Ann Cockerham, Orchestra Manager & Music Librarian
Mrs. Cockerham was a music teacher for grades Kindergarten through 10 from 1995-2000. She has continued to stay involved with music for young people by starting a vocal choir and a handbell choir at her church. She joined the PYP team in 2001. Contact her about any orchestra related matters such as attendance, auditions and instrumental rental. She is also responsible for organizing and distributing the musical repertoire for all 3 orchestras, and maintaining the PYP's music library.
E-mail: ann@portlandyouthphil.org
Phone: Extension 102
Administrative staff
Ingrid Arnett, Community Relations Director
Ms. Arnett received her Bachelor's degree from the Journalism School at the University of Oregon. Previously she was in charge of marketing and communications at William Temple House, a non-profit Human Services organization.
Contact her for marketing and publicity, fundraising programs for local schools, group sales, partnerships, and program advertising.
E-mail: ingrid@portlandyouthphil.org
Phone: Extension 104
Arland Nicewander, Business Manager
Arland graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2001 with a Bachelors Degree in Music Business/Management and recently earned a post baccalaureate certificate in Accounting from Portland State University. After a short stint at music licensing giant, The Harry Fox Agency, Arland went to work as a booking agent for Colbert Artists Management. During his employment at Colbert, Arland booked concerts for such artists as Janos Starker, The Juilliard String Quartet, and Jennifer Koh. Arland’s current position at PYP is Business Manager.
As the Business Manager, he is responsible for all accounting functions related to PYP, oversight of PYP’s internal box office, and vendor relations.
E-mail: arland@portlandyouthphil.org
Phone: Extension 105
Melissa Shavlik, Graphic Designer
Melissa graduated from Creighton University in 2007 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism/Advertising. Previously, she was a graphic specialist at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. Melissa moved to Portland to pursue a graduate degree in Communication Studies at Portland State University and freelances in her spare time.
E-mail: melissa@portlandyouthphil.org
