Ester Park
On Sunday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m., the First Presbyterian Church of Bristol, Tennessee, presents a concert by clarinetist Eugene Jones, cellist Cherylonda Fitzgerald and pianist Esther Park. The performance is part of its 2016-17 Arts Series.
Jones earned the bachelor's and master's degrees in clarinet performance from the New England Conservatory of Music as a student of Gino Cioffi (Boston Symphony principal clarinetist). While a student at NEC, he was awarded a fellowship to the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood where he was principal clarinetist in orchestras conducted by Erich Leinsdorf, Gunther Schuller and Jorge Mester. He was also chosen to perform the Elliott Carter Wind Quintet in a concert dedicated to and attended by the composer. His subsequent teachers include Kalmen Opperman, Peter Hadcock, Keith Stein, Leon Russianoff and Roger Hiller.
He has been a member of the San Antonio Symphony, principal clarinet with the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra, Maine Opera Association and principal clarinet with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (touring). Jones has appeared in chamber music performances with the Boston Pro Arte Quartet, the Portland String Quartet, The New England Piano Quartette and as a soloist with the Portland Symphony, Portland Chamber Orchestra and the Haydn Festival Orchestra. Solo appearances include performances with the University of Southern Maine Wind Ensemble, The Tidewater Winds and the East Tennessee State University Wind Ensemble. Jones maintains an active recital, chamber music and private teaching schedule.
Fitzgerald, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, received her Bachelor of Music in performance and music education from the University of Louisville where she studied with Susannah Onwood, former principal of the Louisville Orchestra. She received her Master of Music Performance at S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook as a student of Timothy Eddy. As the winner of various young artist competitions, Fitzgerald has soloed with the Louisville Orchestra, the University of Louisville Symphony Orchestra and the Bay View Festival Orchestra.
In addition to teaching at East Tennessee State University, Fitzgerald teaches at Milligan College and at her private music studio. She is an active orchestral musician, serving as principal cellist of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra and performing in the Kingsport Symphony of the Mountains and the Asheville Symphony. As a founding member of The Paramount Chamber Players, she performs chamber music for audiences in Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol, Tennessee and Abingdon, Virginia.
Park has performed as a soloist with orchestras and in recitals across the United States as well as Asia and major European cities. Park has appeared as soloist with many orchestras such as Houston Symphony, Yale Philharmonia, Corpus Christi Symphony, Filharmonia Pomorska, Poland, Orchestra Filarmonica, Romania, Shanghai Philharmonic, China, Shreveport Symphony and the Juilliard Symphony.
Born in Pusan, Korea, Park began to play in public soon after her first piano lessons at the age of 4. She moved to the United States in 1995, after being accepted to the Juilliard School's Pre-College division. Park has completed the undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Juilliard School, studying with Yoheved Kaplinsky. She has also studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Hanover, under the tutelage of Bernd Goetzke. Park has since received the artist diploma and Master of Musical Arts degrees at the Yale School of Music under the guidance of Boris Berman. She recently played her doctoral recital at Yale. Since 2015, Park has been serving as the assistant professor of piano at East Tennessee State University.
The Arts Series of the First Presbyterian Church strives to share with the community events that enrich and inspire the life of the people of Bristol, share the church's facilities and encourage the artistically gifted of the region and beyond. Admission is a suggested donation of $10 for adults, $5 for students. For more information, contact the church at 423-764-7176.
