Current Cycle

This week's schedule
Our first rehearsal is on Sunday, August 23 from 6:00-8:30 in Boomer Rehearsal Hall A of the CSU University Center for the Arts (1400 Remington Street).

Order:
  • 6:00 -- Tedrow
  • 6:45 -- Ravel
  • 7:15 -- break
  • 7:30 -- Tchaikovsky
Full rehearsal Information
  • Rehearsal 1 -- Sunday, August 23, 6:00-8:30 (Boomer A)
  • Rehearsal 2 -- Sunday, August 30, 6:00-8:30 (Boomer A)
  • No Rehearsal (Labor Day) -- Sunday, September 7
  • Rehearsal 3 -- Sunday September 13, 6:00-8:30 (Boomer A)
  • Rehearsal 4 -- Sunday, September 20, 6:00-8:30 (Boomer A)
  • Dress Rehearsal -- Sunday, September 27, 6:00-8:30 (Boomer A)
  • Rehearsal 5, with soloist -- Tuesday, September 29, 6:00-8:30 (Griffin Hall)
  • Soundcheck -- Sunday, October 4, 2:50-3:10 (Griffin Hall)
  • Concert -- Sunday, October 4, 4:00-5:30, (Griffin Hall)
Notes from cayla
This is going to be a wonderful season opener! I highly encourage you to listen to the pieces with your part (and maybe even the score) and practice them to the best of your abilities to the marked tempo indications before our first rehearsal.

Of the three works, the Tedrow is the most rhythmically and technically complex, though it is the shortest. The Ravel is extremely well-known and provides us with great challenges of intonation, delicacy, and expression. The Tchaikovsky concerto is truly a masterwork for the full orchestra, so don't let it fool you by being an "accompaniment" to the piano solo!

2026-2027 Season

"Young Talent" -- October 4, 2026
Alex Tedrow: Everything is Alive

Alex Tedrow is a 2025 winner of the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award. "Open to composers of original, concert music, the Awards encourage developing music creators during the earliest stages of their careers." (ASCAP Foundation). As part of this concert cycle, we will be welcoming Alex to a rehearsal via Zoom as we prepare this piece.

"... Being a long-time devoted listener of Everything is Alive, I often wonder what the world would look like if the inanimate objects we use every day had feelings. What would my umbrella say to me if it was alive? Would my computer keyboard judge me for the things I type on it? What if all the objects banded together, revolted, took over the world, and treated humans as tools for their own benefit?" (alextedrow.com)
​
"Winter Classics" -- December 13, 2026
This concert will present memorable pieces celebrating winter holidays and the new year, including (but not limited to!):
  • Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride
  • selections from The Nutcracker
  • film scores from Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Polar Express, and more
  • our first annual Hallelujah Chorus sing-a-long
"The Wild West" -- March 7, 2027
We're off to Mexico and the American frontier!
"In Color" -- May 9, 2027
This concert's music is all about color --
  • Gliere: Russian Sailor’s Dance from The Red Poppy
  • Prokofiev: March and Scherzo from Love for Three Oranges
  • Butterworth: Banks of Green Willow
  • Torke: Bright Blue Music
  • Galbraith: Celebration of Color and Light

New to the orchestra?

people to know
Welcome to HWCO! We pride ourselves on being a welcoming community, and we are all in this together.

​Here are some people to be sure to reach out to with any questions, concerns, or anything else!
Principal Players/Section Spokespeople:
  • Jennifer Matsuura and Phyllis Smith, violin I
  • Jenny Brinkman, violin II
  • Cheryl Hite, viola
  • Vicki Cotton, cello
  • Yvonne Myers, bass
  • Jana Webster-Wheeler, flute
  • Becky Hunget and Scott Johnson, oboe
  • Allison Hudak Pietras, clarinet
  • Ann Donaghue, bassoon
  • Megan Wilkes and Janice Schlieker, horn
  • Michael Hobaugh, trumpet
  • Ed Gudemann, trombone/tuba
  • Amy Jo Martinson, percussion

Orchestral principals are there to help you determine aspects of matching style and performance approach in your section, such as bowings, articulations, intonation, and dynamics. If you have questions about how your part works within your section, reach out to these folks first.
Cayla Bellamy-Lanz, Music Director (conductor)

Cayla is your primary point of contact for anything related to how your part fits into the orchestra as a whole as well as your creative ideas about the pieces, concerts, or direction of the orchestra. She leads the rehearsals, provides historical and cultural context for the pieces, and selects every piece HWCO encounters. Don't be shy to share your ideas!
Ann Yanagi, Founder and Librarian (violin)

Ann founded HWCO, and we quite literally would not be here without her. In addition to playing in the first violin section, she is your contact person for anything regarding your printed or digital music.
Vicki Cotton, Personnel Manager (cello)

The personnel manager of an orchestra communicates weekly notes from the conductor and the advisory board, records attendance, and answers any general questions. Vicki will often be your first stop if you have any questions.
Tyler Lester, Stage Manager

As stage manager, Tyler ensures that we have all the non-instrument equipment we need. If you need or make changes to your chair placement, stand usage, or sound shields, be sure to notify (and thank) Tyler!
Advisory Board:
  • Phyllis Smith (violin), co-chair
  • Steve Dilley (french horn), co-chair
  • Ed Gudemann (trombone), secretary
  • Jesse Pierson (piano), treasurer
  • Cheryl Hite (viola) , sustainability coordinator
  • Emily Spear (violin), at-large
  • Michael Hobaugh (trumpet), at-large
  • Quinn Williams (double bass), at-large

​The HWCO Advisory Board meets monthly to plan for the logistics and future of the orchestra. If you have ideas or feedback, they are a great resource!
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