Crispian Fordham, flute

originally from London, is the flutist for City Winds Trio which has been performing in concert series throughout the East Coast since 2001. In May 2016, Fordham performed Mozart’s Flute Concerto in D Major with the St. Mary’s Chamber Orchestra and in 2015 Crispian performed a solo recital with pianist Jack Bender on the St. Mary’s Church concert series in South Amboy. The duo also performed in June 2014 in the Mahwah Library Sunday Concert Series. Fordham has performed both flute and piccolo with the Park Avenue Chamber Players and London Festival Players, among others. Fordham has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall, and the United Nations. In August of 2015, Fordham was the flutist for the premiere of the musical Damascus Square starring Richard Blake of Jersey Boys fame. Fordham was the flutist for the musical Midnight Madness, with the part specifically written for him by composer Jack Bender. Midnight Madness premiered in New York as part of the New York Musical Theater Festival at the Alvin Ailey Theater in September of 2008. Fordham toured Florida with the Gold Coast Opera Company for their productions of Tosca and Madame Butterfly and attended the Aspen Music Festival as a full Scholarship Fellow in both 1998 and 1999. Fordham won the Award of Excellence in Performance from the Mannes College of Music. In addition to performing, Fordham is a wind coach for NJYS and a chamber music coach for NJIO and NJYS. Fordham received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters of Music degree in Flute Performance from the Mannes College of Music.

Meredyth Coleman, oboe

originally from Kansas City has been the oboist for City Winds Trio since 2001. Mrs. Coleman started her music career first on the violin starting Suzuki violin at 22 months old. While ages four and five Coleman performed violin on Kansas City Local Television and a concert with Dr. Suzuki. Meredyth continued violin until the age of 11 and started oboe at age 10. At the age of 15 Meredyth was appointed Associate Principle Oboe of the Northland Symphony, her first professional orchestral position. Mrs. Coleman has performed with ensembles such as: the Emerson String Quartet, Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Illini Symphony Orchestra, Arcady Music Festival Orchestra, Gold Coast Opera Company, and many more Symphonies throughout the East Coast. Mrs. Coleman can also be heard as the oboist for Lidia’s Italy Television show which aired on PBS for 6 seasons.  2000 Ms. Coleman fell in love with chamber music while performing the Mozart Oboe Quartet with the Emerson String Quartet.  From this love of chamber music, City Winds Trio was formed.  Ms. Coleman is the oboist for City Winds Trio which performed its first concert in December 2000. Each year City Winds Trio performs 250-300 performances on major chamber series each year. Some notable series the trio has played: Cathedral St John the Devine, St. Pails Chapel and Trinity Church, The Interchurch Center, Riverside Church, Ramapo College, St. Mary’s of South Amboy and Musikfest in PA just to name a few.  In the fall of 2008 Meredyth performed the Marcello Oboe Concert with the Chamber Orchestra of Christ Church of Pelham. In 2008 Mrs. Coleman toured Florida to perform Principle Oboe with the Gold Coast Operas’ production of Madame Butterfly. Also in 2008, Mrs. Coleman was the Oboist for the new musical Midnight Madness, with the part specifically written for her by composer Jack Bender. Midnight Madness premiered in NYC as part of the New York Musical Theater Festival in September of 2008 at the Alvin Ailey Theater. Ms. Coleman also performs with the Riverside Symphonia,  St Mary’s Chamber Orchestra, Christ Church Symphonia, Teatro Lirico D’Europa, Mid Atlantic Productions on a regular basis.  In addition to her symphonic and solo work she is also the oboist for many choirs including: Riverside Church, NJYC, Morris Choral Society to name a few.  Ms. Coleman has also won numerous awards including: Emerson String Quartet Top Prize and Best of Chamber Music Award from the Hartt School of Music. In her Symphonic Performances Meredyth has worked under such conductors as: Kurt Masur, Maxim Shostakovich, Jo Ann Falletta. Mrs. Coleman has a BA (Univ. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Masters Degree (Hartt School of Music) in Music Performance on Oboe. She also has a Professional Studies Performance Diploma (Mannes College of Music) on English horn. Ms. Coleman’s teachers include Marion Arthur Kuszyk, Humbert Lucarelli, Nancy King, Ronald Roseman on oboe, and Thomas Stacy on English horn.

The Old Guitarist

The Old Guitarist was born in County Cavan Ireland. At the age of three, his family emigrated to the United States, where his father founded the Irish Studies Department, at the University of Montana.

He played baseball and fished as if they were full-time jobs. He also sang in the church choir with his mother. At the age of 11, inspired by the Beatles, he purchased his first guitar. He wrote songs and played in rock bands. At the age of 20, he came to his father and told him he wanted to change his major from philosophy to music. “What does it matter”, his father said, “either way you’ll be broke.”

The Old Guitarist attended SUNY Purchase where he studied with Phillip Defremery, teaching assistant to Oscar Ghiglia, as well as Frederick Hand, a student of the legendary British guitarist Julian Bream.

The Old Guitarist received his Master of Music degree from Yale University, where he studied with Eliot Fisk, Andres Segovia’s last student, as well as Peter Oiujian, first violinist with the Tokyo String Quartet, and Phyliss Curtain, head of the Tanglewood vocal department. He was awarded the Lucy G. Moses Fellowship while at Yale, “… awarded to students of exceptional promise.”

The Old Guitarist has been awarded grants from the Yamha Foundation as well as Meet the Composer. He has performed as a chamber musician and soloist throughout the United States and Europe.

While the Old Guitarist remains an avid fisherman, for decades he has given up the rod and reel for a new technique. He wades out into a river or stream and plays his guitar hoping a fish will jump into the soundhole. While he has yet to catch a fish, he maintains a number of the fish have learned how to sing. Mostly simple folk songs, but there is a trout who is just mad about show tunes and a catfish who has mastered the fiendishly difficult Queen of the Night aria from Mozart’s delightful Magic Flute.