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Eureka Chamber Music Series Board of Directors
The ECMS Board of Directors is a group of volunteers who are passionate both about chamber music and the importance of live music for our Humboldt County community.
Does this sound like you? Let's get in touch! admin@eurekachambermusic.org
Tom Stone | Artistic Director
Tom Stone was a founding member of the Cypress String Quartet and performed thousands of concerts throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Praised by Gramophone for “artistry of uncommon insight and cohesion,” and by the NY Times for “tender, deeply expressive” interpretations, they recorded over 15 albums and are heard regularly on hundreds of radio stations throughout the world. He has also served as artistic director of the Centrum Chamber Music Festival, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, treasurer of InterMusic SF, and board member of Chamber Music America. Dedicated to mentoring and training the next generation of exceptionally talented musicians, Tom has mentored the prize winners of the Banff international String Quartet Competition and was a visiting artist at Harvard, MIT, Stanford and other elite universities. Recently he formed Trio Duende with award winning musicians Awadagin Pratt and Sophie Shao.
Dr. Ed Olsgard | Board Chair
Shown here teaching his dog Charlie to read, Ed is a retired family doctor who served generations of Humboldters in his 43 years of practice. He is a lover of art music, some of whose earliest memories are of playing his father's '78's. Hearing Mahler's First Symphony on the radio was an "unbelievable transformation of what I believed music could be" he recalls. After trying the violin in grade school and the tuba in high school, his conscience got the better of his enthusiasm as a performer but he remains an active and engaged listener.
George Ponnay | Board Treasurer
I attended my first ECMS concert with my mother in 2009 and became an instant fan. The music was world class and just wonderful. Shortly thereafter, I offered to help founder Pearl Micheli photograph the concerts and there began a wonderful journey that now has resulted in my becoming the Board's Treasurer. Since my career is in banking, it was a logical progression and I look forward to and am excited to help the ECMS progress towards a brilliant future with my fellow Board Members.
Dr. Luther Cobb | Board Member
I first started playing piano around age five when my older brother Carl started lessons with the piano teacher next door, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I got a high school diploma in piano performance after 12 years of private study. When I went to college for Chemistry, I still chose to study as a private student with one of the faculty, and bought a piano to put in my dorm room at Michigan State. When I decided in 1997 to leave the Stanford faculty and move to Humboldt County, I brought the Bosendorfer Imperial concert grand piano formerly owned by Richard Britt, an attending surgeon at Stanford in Neurosurgery and dear friend. I think music, especially live performance, is one of the great joys, both intellectually and spiritually, of existence. I feel lucky to participate as an occasional performer and enthusiastic audience member, and am grateful for the opportunity to support this wonderful organization that brings this great quality of performance to our community.
Gail Narum | Board Member
Gail Narum began taking voice classes at Humboldt State University in order to stay sane during her Master’s Degree years in Psychology. Later she was half of a duo performing US/UK folk music and then was a member of the Humboldt Folklife Society’s “Club Band” performing Balkan and other international folk songs. She was fortunate to take voice lessons for over 10 years from the inimitable and endlessly patient ECMS co-founder Pearl Micheli, who shared Gail’s love of Neopolitan songs. It is amazing to Gail that she is not a better singer, but she sang for joy rather than for proficiency. Gail is indebted to Pearl for her excellent introduction to classical music and is continually astounded by the quality and passion of the artists in the ECMS concerts. She is now gratified to be able to contribute to the ongoing success of ECMS. Gail believes fine music connects us to our better selves.
Christian Sellier | Board Member
I started playing cello when I was eight years old. My plan was to be a professional cellist. Then in college I met people who went on to be professional cellists and decided finance was a more realistic choice for me. My early exposure to classical music has enhanced my life in so many positive ways. Watching talented professional musicians play beautiful, complicated, soaring compositions is joyful and awe inspiring. My wife and I discovered the treasure that is the Eureka Chamber Music Series when we moved to Eureka and decided to help in any way we could. World class musicians regularly sharing their talents in our little corner of the world is such a wonderful gift.
Dr. John VanSpeybroeck | Board Member
John VanSpeybroeck is a retired surgeon who practiced in Humboldt County for over 35 years, retiring in 2016. He and his wife, Nancy (also a retired physician), have been long-time supporters of the arts including theater and music, especially the Eureka Symphony Orchestra and ECMS. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of ECMS since its inception in 2019 and became president of the board in September, 2020. His relationship with Pearl and Robert Micheli, founders of CMS, goes back over thirty years when his two daughters, Katie and Maggee, were students of Pearl's in piano and voice. He looks forward to helping preserve and evolve ECMS which he considers a community treasure.
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