Category Archives: Music

Creative Class 2016: David Renfro

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cc16-renfroWhile David Renfro may be known for his soaring horn playing with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, he also serves the ASO as a staff member.  In recognition of these dual talents, earlier this year David was selected to be one of only nine participants in the League of American Orchestras’ Emerging Leaders Program. 

A native of Kingsport, Tennessee, David is the Director of Operations for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.  He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Horn Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.  In 2005, he moved to Little Rock when he became the Principal Horn of the ASO, a position he continues to hold. 

In addition to performing, David taught horn and chamber music at Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University through 2009, when he was hired to be the ASO’s Orchestra Personnel Manager.  In 2010, he became the Orchestra Personnel and Operations Manager and in 2016, the Director of Operations for the ASO.  

As a musician, David has also performed with the Memphis, Illinois, Missouri, Owensboro, Greenville, and Texarkana Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic.  In addition to his work as an orchestra musician, David maintains an active teaching studio and performs regularly as a chamber musician and soloist.  

David is a member of the woodwind quintet, Etesian Winds, as well as the ASO brass quintet.  David also gave the Arkansas premiere of American composer James Beckel’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated concerto for horn, “The Glass Bead Game,” with the Henderson State University Wind Ensemble.  Other recent solo engagements have included Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, K. 297b with the Missouri Symphony Orchestra and Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4, K. 495 with both the Arkansas and Missouri Symphony Orchestras. 

Creative Class 2016: Bonnie Montgomery

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cc16-montgomeryA true and multi-faceted artist,  Bonnie Montgomery has an artistic vision that transcends classification and genre.

Following the release of EPs “Cruel” (2012) and “Joy” (2013), Bonnie released her self-titled LP in December 2014 on Nathan Howdeshell’s (of Gossip) Portland/Arkansas label Fast Weapons.

Bonnie’s southern debut album showcases her powerful operatic voice while her music blends elements of classic country with spaghetti western and traditional Ozark folk song.  Backed by a rowdy, virtuosic hillbilly band, Bonnie has toured on her recent album extensively throughout the U.S.  The album’s critical acclaim alongside her wild and law-less live performances have earned Montgomery the title of the Ameripolitan Outlaw Female 2016.

A classically trained singer whose southern roots run deep, Bonnie has taken her raucous, high-art spin on golden-era country/western music through the U.S. and Europe.

Bonnie’s composition of the modern folk opera “Billy Blythe”, about the childhood of Bill Clinton, previewed in New York, and has earned her the attention of publications such as The New Yorker, The Economist, The Huffington Post and the London Daily Telegraph.  The opera had its official world premiere by Opera Ithaca in April 2016 in Ithaca, NY.  In September it was staged by Opera in the Rock, and an upcoming production is to be staged at Ouachita Baptist University.

Creative Class 2016: Kiril Laskarov

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cc-laskarovKiril Laskarov is currently in his 17th season as Concertmaster of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.  Earlier this year, he was also the featured soloist for the ASO playing  a 300-year-old priceless Stradivarius violin .

A native of Bulgaria, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State Academy of Music in Sofia and Master’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Kiril was the winner of the 1995 Bulgarian National Competition.  He  has appeared as a soloist with the Arkansas Symphony, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Southern Illinois Symphony, Abilene (TX) Philharmonic, and Texarkana (TX) Symphony, and also presented recitals in Little Rock, Memphis, Kansas City, and Dallas.

For over a decade, he has taught orchestral music at Episcopal  Collegiate School, in addition to his busy symphonic and chamber music schedule.

Creative Class 2016: Joe Joyner

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cc16-joynerJoe Joyner began playing viola professionally with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in 1998 while he was still in high school. After two seasons, he left the orchestra to attend the University of Houston. After graduating summa cum laude in 2004, Joe performed in the Houston area as a member of Orchestra X, the Texas Music Festival Orchestra, and the Victoria Symphony.

After returning to Little Rock in 2007, Joe rejoined the Arkansas Symphony and has been an active member of the local chamber music community, serving as President of the Chamber Music Society of Little Rock and performing regularly with the Soma Quartet and Little Rock String Quartet.

Joe is also the owner of the Little Rock Violin Shop, central Arkansas’s bowed string instrument specialists. Trained at the Violin Making School of America and the Lisle Violin Shop, Joe performs bow repairs and restorations for string players throughout the state. In addition to bow repairs, the shop offers instrument repairs and sells instruments, bows, cases, and accessories for students and professional musicians.

In addition to classical music, Joe has a keen interest in playing rock viola. While in Houston, he performed regularly with the experimental folk rock band ListenListen, with which he recorded a self titled EP and a full length album, Hymns for Rhodesia. Wanting to share his passion for playing rock music with younger string players, Joe served as assistant director of the Youth Rock Orchestra.

Creative Class 2016: Ryan Harris

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cc16-harrisRyan Harris serves as the Executive Director for the Oxford American Literary Project, having been named to that new position in January of 2016.

He joined the Oxford American Literary Project in February 2013 as Program Director, and has helped establish regular programs at South on Main (the restaurant and cultural venue owned and operated by Matthew and Amy Bell ) and in the Oxford American’s annex space. Along with free outreach programming to support local and regional musicians, writers, and visual artists, Harris has brought both renowned and emerging artists to Little Rock through the ticketed Oxford American Concert Series. The experiences created through this series have helped enhance the cultural offerings in the region and established South on Main as a desirable stop for touring artists.

In addition to continuing to bring outstanding programming to Little Rock, Ryan is currently focusing on plans for the 25th anniversary of the OA in 2017.  He is also leading efforts for the OA to partner with additional cultural and educational institutions in Central Arkansas.

Prior to joining the Oxford American Literary Project, Ryan served as Director of Facilities and Event Operations at The Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries, a nonprofit arts presenter in St. Louis, Missouri. He holds a BSBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.

Creative Class 2016: Gretchen Hall

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cc16-hallA hardhat and reflective vest have been part of Gretchen Hall‘s work wardrobe almost every day for the past 30 months.  As the President and CEO of the Little Rock Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, she has been actively overseeing the deconstruction and reconstruction of Robinson Center Music Hall. Taking a New Deal era assembly hall and making it into a state-of-the-art performance facility is not an easy task. Gretchen and her team have worked with the architects, engineers, designers and consultants to make it happen.

Gretchen joined LRCVB in 2001 and has worked her way up through the organization.  In May 2011, she was named to her current position.  Since that time, the LRCVB has undertaken numerous efforts to enhance Little Rock’s cultural life including a new amphitheatre in Riverfront Park, enhanced programming at the River Market, and increased financial support of cultural organizations.  In addition, she helped lead the effort to see the additional penny of the hotel tax be dedicated to support the Arkansas Arts Center and MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. That tax was approved by voters earlier in 2016.

The new Robinson Center will feature seats that are closer to the stage and acoustics that can be adjusted to maximize the different needs of a symphony performance and a Broadway musical.  The changes in the facility have already attracted bookings by the national tours of The Phantom of the Opera (in 2017) and The Lion King (in 2018).  In addition, there will be new special event space including a ballroom and meeting rooms.  The historic lobby at the top of the iconic front steps is being restored to its original appearance — much of which was stripped away or covered up in the early 1970s.

After the November 10 ribbon cutting, Robinson Center will be re-opened.  As Hall points out, almost all residents of Central Arkansas have a connection to Robinson Center. She notes in her family alone, her mother played basketball there, her own high school graduation was there, and her niece has appeared in Ballet Arkansas’ The Nutcracker there.

Creative Class 2016: Danny Fletcher

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cc16-fletcherBy day, Dr. Danny Fletcher is the Director of Fine Arts for the Little Rock School District.  By night, he is an in-demand musician.  In his surprisingly existent spare time, he mentors youth as the director of the Art Porter Music Education’s Minors in Music Program.

A student of Art Porter, Fletcher has made his career as an arts educator and musician.  After years of being a band director, he made the transition to being an administrator about a decade ago when the district restored the Director of Fine Arts position.  In this capacity, he works with students at every school, instead of just one.  Through his leadership, the Little Rock School District sponsors a multi-day Artistry in the Rock arts festival each spring.

Danny is also involved in the THEA Foundation (where he serves as President of the Board).  Last year, he retired after 42 years with the Army National Guard.  In 2015, in conjunction with his retirement from the Guard, Brian Rhodes composed a new jazz composition in honor of Danny which is called “Back This Thang Up.”