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The Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra was established in 1980 by Julia Kurtyka, a professional violinist and string teacher in the Frankfort Public Schools. BASO offers local community musicians a chance to rehearse, learn and perform and foster a love of music in Northwest Michigan. The orchestra is most active in the summer and early fall.
Since its founding, the orchestra has been graced by the batons of four prominent musicians and educators: Don Smith (1985-1999), Dorothy Kunkel (1999-2007), John Beery (2008-2014), and Tom Riccobono (2015-present)
The Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donations and grants to serve the community. For more information about supporting our musical mission, please contact us.
The mission of the Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra is to prepare, promote, and perform orchestral music for audiences in the Benzie County area. Our mission is supported by three mutually reinforcing elements:
Artistic Excellence: pursue a standard of excellence in the performance of orchestral music
Musical Development: provide a musical environment which encourages lifelong musical participation and enjoyment
Education: ensure growth in musical skills and knowledge of orchestral music
The mission of the Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra is to prepare, promote, and perform orchestral music for audiences in the Benzie County area. The mission is supported by three mutually reinforcing elements:
Artistic Excellence: pursue a standard of excellence in the performance of orchestral music
Musical Development: provide a musical environment that encourages lifelong musical participation and enjoyment
Education: ensure growth in musical skills and knowledge of orchestral music
Tom Riccobono is instructor of low brass at the Interlochen Arts Academy and principal trombone with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. He holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Penn State University, and a Performer's Certificate from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has performed concertos with the Penn State and Florida State University orchestras, Interlochen Arts Academy Band, Encore Society of Winds and the Traverse Symphony Orchestra. He was a concerto winner and soloist at Pennsylvania State University and Florida State University, and a solo competition winner at the Eastern Trombone Workshop.
Mr. Riccobono has performed with the Savannah Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra in Salzau, Germany, and Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Italy. He also performed with such commercial acts as the Temptations, Four Tops, Moody Blues, Four Irish Tenors, Abe Laboriel, John Fedchock, Harry Connick Sr., Luciano Pavarotti, Doc Severinsen, Don Rickles, Yes, Ian Anderson, Bernadette Peters, and conductors Christoph Eschenbach, Mstislav Rostropovich, Lorin Maazel, Kevin Rhodes, Robert Shaw, Louis Lane, Michael Stern, and Leon Fleisher.
He has performed recitals and master classes at universities, colleges and summer festivals throughout the nation and at the Filarmónica Joven de Colombia and in Beijing and Shanghai, China. He has held conducting positions with the Gaylord Chamber Orchestra, Encore Winds, NMC Band and conducts the Traverse Symphony Orchestra Family Series Concerts and the Benzie Symphony Orchestra. He lives in Traverse City with his wife Jeanmarie and children Noelle, Michael and Gabrielle.
Tom Riccobono - Conductor and Musical Advisor
Autumn Kirby - Music Librarian
Susan Hoekstra - Manager
Heather Deegan - Historian
Jim Bekkering - President and Chair
Elizabeth Blondia
Malcolm Brannen
Chris Hintz - Website Coordinator and Writer
Laura Hood - Vice President
Marcia Korwin - Secretary
Ann Kullenberg - Treasurer
Candace Wiebener - Concertmaster, Adjunct Member
Nancy Williamson - Adjunct Member
Copyright © 2018 Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra - All Rights Reserved.