Hymns of Thanksgiving 2012
Soloists
Del Parkinson, piano, began studying piano at age five in his hometown of Blackfoot, Idaho. He now holds a doctor of music degree from Indiana University and a postgraduate diploma from The Juilliard School. He was the recipient of a Fulbright-Hays grant for graduate study in London.
He was coordinator of piano instruction at Brigham Young University-Idaho, where he taught for eight years, and is now professor of piano at Boise State University, where he joined the faculty in 1985.
His London debut recital was on the American Bicentennial Series, and his New York debut recital in Carnegie Recital Hall was sponsored by the Idaho Commission on the Arts. He has performed with the Guadalajara Symphony, the Orquestra Sinfônica de Sorocaba, Brazil, the Indiana University Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Utah Symphony, and the Boise Philharmonic.
He is featured on seven compact disc recordings: The American Piano Quartet, Celebrating Gershwin, Mendelssohn Two-Piano Concerto, Rachmaninoff Duo Piano, A Celebration of French Piano Music, A Celebration of Spanish Piano Music, and A Celebration of Russian Piano Music.
He is the recipient of the Boise State University Foundation Scholar Award for Research and Creative Activity, the Boise Mayor’s Award for Artistic Excellence, the Morrison Center Honor Medallion, the Idaho Commission of the Arts Career Fellowship Award, and Idaho Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.
Probably one of the most honored and beloved musicians in all Idaho, this will be the tenth appearance of Dr. Parkinson as a guest soloist for Hymns of Thanksgiving.
Anna-Marie Vargas, violin, was born and raised in Boise, Idaho, graduating from Boise High School where she had the privilege of working under the direction of Wendy Hartman in the Chamber Orchestra. Anna-Marie graduated from Boise State University with degrees in both Music Performance and Music Education, while studying under the direction of Professor Craig Purdy. She was the 2007 winner of the BSU Symphony Orchestra Concerto-Aria Competition, performing Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy.
Anna-Marie attended the “Classical Music Festival” in Eisenstadt, Austria, and is currently a member of both the Boise Baroque Orchestra and the Boise Philharmonic. She appreciates any opportunity to perform. She teaches orchestra in the public schools, as well as teaching violin privately. She enjoys a simple and wonderful life together in Boise with her amazing husband, Josh.
Hymns of Thanksgiving Wind Quintet
Carola Winkle, clarinet, earned her Master’s Degree from Chadron State College in Nebraska, where she retired in 2007 after twenty years teaching Music Education and Woodwinds. She has performed with symphony orchestras in Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Idaho, and Oregon.
As a Yamaha Performing Artist since 1984, she has often served as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the Midwest. She has been published frequently in The Instrumentalist on clarinet pedagogy, and is currently president of the U.S. Corporation for the International Music Camp, where she has taught for 33 years.
Carola is presently an adjunct professor of music education and applied clarinet at Boise State University.
Cassandra McManamon, oboe, received her Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from Boise State University. She was raised in Boise and is a member of the Suquamish Tribe in Washington State. She is principal oboe in the Meridian Symphony and Treasure Valley Concert Band, and has played with the Hymns of Thanksgiving Orchestra for many years.
Jennie Ficks, horn, fell in love with the horn after discovering it literally by accident in high school. She has studied with Jim Henry, Gary Green, Jim Perkins and Pamela Howard and played under Frederick Fennell, Melvin Shelton, Marcellus Brown, Daniel Stern and many other distinguished conductors. Jennie is currently principal horn for the Treasure Valley Concert Band, and has been involved with numerous musical theater productions, rock and traditional operas, pick-up and symphony orchestras and countless chamber ensembles.
Jennie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music/Business from Boise State University, where she is currently employed in the Department of Music. Miss Ficks enjoys teaching private horn students during the school year, discovering new repertoire at the Humboldt State University Chamber Music Workshop each July, and playing horn with and for other music lovers in her free time.
Jessica Bohacek, flute, grew up in Sandpoint, and following high school, moved to Moscow where she majored in Music Education and Flute Performance at the University of Idaho. After graduating, she taught K-12 music in Glenns Ferry, and then moved to Boise to further her music education. She graduated from Boise State University with a Masters in Music Education.
Jessica has played in the Hymns of Thanksgiving Orchestra for many years, and is currently employed in the Homedale School District, where she teaches band and choir.
Kevin Hall, bassoon, grew up playing violin and bassoon in the Baltimore school system where he attended the Baltimore School for the Performing Arts. He studied both violin and bassoon at Towson State University and the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. Kevin played in the violin section with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Seiji Ozawa from 1990-1993.
Kevin currently performs with numerous music groups in the valley, including the Meridian Symphony, Treasure Valley Concert Band, Opera Idaho, and the Riverwinds Quintet. He has been with Hymns of Thanksgiving from its commencement.