Springfield Chamber Players Revive Their JOHNNY APPLESEED PLUS Family Concert For The Holiday Season

The Springfield Chamber Players will bring their family-friendly Johnny Appleseed Plus concert to Springfield's new event venue, 52 Sumner on Sunday afternoon, December 8, at 3PM. Kara Noble will narrate Clifton J. Noble's folk cantata Johnny Appleseed, inspired by Jane Yolen's book, which tells the story of John Chapman (also known as Johnny Appleseed), who spent his formative years in Longmeadow, MA. Johnny Appleseed was commissioned in 2008 by the Longmeadow Chamber Music Society, and revived for the first time last season in Longmeadow.  

This family-friendly program also includes Peter (PDQ Bach) Schickele's The Boston Wonder, narrated by Mark Auerbach; The Swan from Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals for cello and piano, and Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf with music by Alan Rideout, narrated by Marty Kluger. The ensemble includes composer Clifton J. Noble, Jr. as music director and pianist; Marsha Harbison, violinist; Boris Kogan, cellist; Ellen Redman, flutist; Michael Nix on banjo; and Justina Golden, mezzo-soprano.  

Clifton J. Noble, Jr., pianist, is a composer, arranger and pianist based in Western Massachusetts. From 1987 until his retirement in 2020, he has served as a collaborative pianist for Smith College choral ensembles, students, and faculty as the Staff Accompanist in the Smith Music Department. He has produced original works and arrangements for a broad range of vocal and instrumental ensembles and soloists, and his music has been performed by acclaimed artists throughout the United States and internationally. In January 2023, he became the Music Director at the Episcopal Church of the Atonement in Westfield, MA.

Michael Nix, banjoist, performs on Banjar, classical guitar, banjo, lute, and mandolin, throughout the United States and Asia; has recorded for the PBS series "American Experience", several independent documentaries, numerous CD projects; and his compositions are performed internationally. His music has been heard "Weekend Edition", and other NPR programs. His awards and commissions includes a 2002 assignment by The Ann Sorvino Dance Project, to compose and perform a dance work "Labyrinth" commemorating the 9-11 tragedy. His work combines traditional classical techniques, with influences from classical, folk, jazz and world music.

Marsha Harbison, violinist, is the assistant concertmaster of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, which she joined in 1977.  She is also a frequent performer of chamber music. Ms. Harbison  received a B.A. from Carleton College and a Masters from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Ivan Galamian. She has taught music courses at Westfield State University, Bay Path University, and private violin students. 

Ellen Redman, flutist, received her training with renowned teachers and performers such as John Krell, Carol Wincenc, Harvey Sollberger and Thomas Nyfenger.  She has been the piccoloist with the Springfield (MA) Symphony Orchestra since 1985 and has twice appeared as soloist with them.  Miss Redman has also concertized extensively in Italy, including appearances in Rome at the American and British Academies, the American Embassy, and the Vatican.  A resident of Westfield, MA, she has worked with various ensembles, including the Boston Symphony, Berkshire Bach, Boston Classical Orchestra, New Hampshire Symphony and the Nashua Symphony.  She teaches flute and Irish flute at Smith College, directed the Smith College Wind Ensemble from 2006-2019, and is the founder and director of  The Wailing Banshees at Smith College.

Boris Kogan, cellist, was born in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, Russia. He began studying the cello at age 5, attending the School for Musically Gifted Children. He then received his Bachelor's degree from the Leningrad College of Music and his Master's degree from the Leningrad Conservatory of Music. He served as Assistant Principal Cellist with the Leningrad Symphony, and with the television and radio symphony orchestras. Mr. Kogan moved to the United States in 1991, and was the principal cellist with the New England Symphony, the Thayer Symphony Orchestra, and the Central Massachusetts Symphony. He currently plays in the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, teaches at the Springfield Community Music School, and has a private cello studio.

Kara Noble is a professional writer, editor, and publications designer who spent 10 years on the editorial staff of Merriam-Webster. She was inspired to play bass by Carol Kaye—one of the first professionally successful female bass players—and got her first electric bass in 1972. She played and recorded with her husband Jerry Noble and clarinetist Bob Sparkman as part of the Bob Sparkman Trio from 2016 to 2023. Kara is the president of ArtistTec, Inc., a company she co-founded with Jerry to help musicians, theater professionals, writers, and visual artists use technology in creating their art. She is also the president of the Tuesday Morning Music Club, which presents 12 concerts of classical, jazz, musical theater, opera, folk, and popular music between October and May each year. Kara narrated the world premiere of Johnny Appleseed.

Marty Kluger is principal timpanist of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra where he has been featured as concert soloist. Concurrently, he researched molecular pathways of disease as a Yale School of Medicine scientist. After leaving Yale, he turned to singing Bel Canto and barbershop (with the Hartford Chorale and the Hartford Men in Harmony, respectively) and later, to singing-acting on stage. Musical theatre credits include Cabaret (Herr Schultz) and A Christmas Carol with CT Theatre Co.; and Beauty and the Beast (M. D'Arque) with the Little Theatre of Manchester. He's played percussion on Broadway (Dancin' and Pirates of Penzance) and will be smiling Lt. Ross in a production of A Few Good Men in February 2025 with The Suffield Players.

Mark Auerbach is host/anchor of ArtsBeat and On The Mark on Westfield Community Programming and 89.5fm/WSKB, and an ArtsBeat contributor to Westfield News and Pioneer Valley Radio. Before becoming a public relations consultant and reporter, he studied theater at Northfield Mount Hermon, American University and the Yale School of Drama. His performance credits include: Oliver, Little Mary Sunshine, The Pirates of Penzance, Fiddler on The Roof, La Perichole, Wonderful Town, and Goat Song…a long time ago.

Justina Golden, mezzo-soprano, has sung, taught, composed and conducted through her Profound Sound Voice Studio in Florence since 1986.  She has also been teaching voice at Smith College since 2014.  Her singing career spans contemporary folk music, early music, Celtic, jazz and classical music performances here and abroad. She is the Voice Faculty for Dar Williams' summer retreat series, “Writing a Song that Matters,” drawing beginning to professional songwriters for week-long intensives. She is a graduate of Amherst College, B.A. cum laude and received her Masters Degree in Voice and Opera from the Yale University School of Music.

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