News
ENLARGE
I've just finished singing in three Music in the Mountains' holiday concerts, and I'm exhausted.
"Your life will be without purpose now," I say to Ken Hardin, our chorus director and conductor.
"Not quite," he replies, "I still have rehearsals for the Sierra College Choir concert on Friday."
Ken Hardin's life is more complicated than I thought. I knew his musical background: a degree in voice from CSU Northridge and experience coaching, directing, composing and playing before moving to Nevada County in 1984. But as I enquire into his many roles (at least six of them; see the box), I can see that he needs a conductor's touch to manage the fast tempo of his demanding, ongoing commitments.
Snooping around in his studio, I see evidence of his activities: a pile of choral music he's considering for the 2007 holiday concerts, the difficult piano part for a violin sonata he learned for a recital, orchestral scores, manuscripts by local composers, a well-used grand piano and a very daunting calendar.
I peek at his 2006 schedule: a year in the musical life of Ken Hardin. There's not a month without two, three, sometimes as many as five events at which he performed as conductor, pianist or accompanist. He performed in schools, colleges and private homes. He was heard at concerts, weddings and dinners. He could be found all over Nevada County but also further field, with the Reno Philharmonic, with the Auburn Symphony and at the Chico State New Music Symposium. Somewhere he fits in the time for practicing and for the planning of it all. Year 2007 does not promise a lighter load.
The calendar does not dwell on the demanding weekly rehearsals for his two choruses. They seem as close as Ken gets to a regular schedule.
"How can you always be so good humored with us?" I ask him.
"How can I not be?" he replies. "Singing has to be fun. And if I'm not having fun, how can the singers?"
What does he do in his spare time? "What spare time?" he jokes. But he makes time for a life outside music - hiking in the Sierra Nevada, building his own home (an everlasting project), attending the Burning Man Festival, a Caribbean jaunt with wife Julie.
"Your life will be without purpose now," I say to Ken Hardin, our chorus director and conductor.
"Not quite," he replies, "I still have rehearsals for the Sierra College Choir concert on Friday."
Ken Hardin's life is more complicated than I thought. I knew his musical background: a degree in voice from CSU Northridge and experience coaching, directing, composing and playing before moving to Nevada County in 1984. But as I enquire into his many roles (at least six of them; see the box), I can see that he needs a conductor's touch to manage the fast tempo of his demanding, ongoing commitments.
Snooping around in his studio, I see evidence of his activities: a pile of choral music he's considering for the 2007 holiday concerts, the difficult piano part for a violin sonata he learned for a recital, orchestral scores, manuscripts by local composers, a well-used grand piano and a very daunting calendar.
I peek at his 2006 schedule: a year in the musical life of Ken Hardin. There's not a month without two, three, sometimes as many as five events at which he performed as conductor, pianist or accompanist. He performed in schools, colleges and private homes. He was heard at concerts, weddings and dinners. He could be found all over Nevada County but also further field, with the Reno Philharmonic, with the Auburn Symphony and at the Chico State New Music Symposium. Somewhere he fits in the time for practicing and for the planning of it all. Year 2007 does not promise a lighter load.
The calendar does not dwell on the demanding weekly rehearsals for his two choruses. They seem as close as Ken gets to a regular schedule.
"How can you always be so good humored with us?" I ask him.
"How can I not be?" he replies. "Singing has to be fun. And if I'm not having fun, how can the singers?"
What does he do in his spare time? "What spare time?" he jokes. But he makes time for a life outside music - hiking in the Sierra Nevada, building his own home (an everlasting project), attending the Burning Man Festival, a Caribbean jaunt with wife Julie.
After four years of singing with Ken, I have come to appreciate how lucky we are to have him. I appreciate him all the more because he auditioned me even though I am not that scarce resource - a tenor.
Thanks, Ken! Despite what I said after the holiday concerts about needing a very long rest, I am really looking forward to the downbeat at the start of the 2007 season.
ooo
Charles Atthill lives in Alta Sierra and sings baritone in the Music in the Mountains Chorus.
Ken Hardin's musical world and calendar
All phone numbers have 530 as area code.
- Twin Cities Concert Association, for which Hardin is artistic director and conductor (470-9454; www.tcca.net)
- Music in the Mountains (265-6124; www.musicinthemountains.org); Hardin is choral conductor and pianist.
- Sierra College Nevada County Campus - Hardin is part-time faculty member and choral conductor (274-5300 or www.sierracollege.edu).
Thanks, Ken! Despite what I said after the holiday concerts about needing a very long rest, I am really looking forward to the downbeat at the start of the 2007 season.
ooo
Charles Atthill lives in Alta Sierra and sings baritone in the Music in the Mountains Chorus.
Ken Hardin's musical world and calendar
All phone numbers have 530 as area code.
- Twin Cities Concert Association, for which Hardin is artistic director and conductor (470-9454; www.tcca.net)
- Music in the Mountains (265-6124; www.musicinthemountains.org); Hardin is choral conductor and pianist.
- Sierra College Nevada County Campus - Hardin is part-time faculty member and choral conductor (274-5300 or www.sierracollege.edu).
- Foothill Theatre Company, where Hardin is musical director (265-8587; www.foothilltheatre.org).
Hardin is also a freelance pianist, as well as a piano and voice teacher
- Reno Philharmonic (775-323-6393, www.renophilharmonic.com)
- Auburn Symphony (823-6683, www.auburnsymphony.com)
- Chico State New Music Symposium, Department of Music, CSU, Chico (898-5152, www.csuchico.edu/mus)
ooo
Catch Ken Hardin at the following venues through midyear
Feb. 16-17 Bear River High School choral concerts, accompanist.
Feb. 18 Twin Cities Concert Association Petite Panache concert, performing.
March 3 Bear River High School choral concerts in Redding, accompanist.
Hardin is also a freelance pianist, as well as a piano and voice teacher
- Reno Philharmonic (775-323-6393, www.renophilharmonic.com)
- Auburn Symphony (823-6683, www.auburnsymphony.com)
- Chico State New Music Symposium, Department of Music, CSU, Chico (898-5152, www.csuchico.edu/mus)
ooo
Catch Ken Hardin at the following venues through midyear
Feb. 16-17 Bear River High School choral concerts, accompanist.
Feb. 18 Twin Cities Concert Association Petite Panache concert, performing.
March 3 Bear River High School choral concerts in Redding, accompanist.
March 24 Music in the Mountains SpringFest piano hour-hands recital with Paul Perry.
March 28 Bear River High School choral concerts accompanist.
March 16 Sierra College Choir concert, conducting.
April 22 Music in the Mountains Choral concert in Georgetown, conducting.
April 28 Bear River High School choral concerts in Reno, NV, accompanist.
April 29 Bear River High School choral concerts, accompanist.
May 8 Sierra College choir concert, conducting.
May 20 Twin Cities Concert Association Orchestre Panache concert, conducting.
June 7-July 3 Music in the Mountains SummerFest
March 28 Bear River High School choral concerts accompanist.
March 16 Sierra College Choir concert, conducting.
April 22 Music in the Mountains Choral concert in Georgetown, conducting.
April 28 Bear River High School choral concerts in Reno, NV, accompanist.
April 29 Bear River High School choral concerts, accompanist.
May 8 Sierra College choir concert, conducting.
May 20 Twin Cities Concert Association Orchestre Panache concert, conducting.
June 7-July 3 Music in the Mountains SummerFest
