Bella Musica could not function as a chorus and orchestra without the tireless and inspirational work of these professional musicians and many others.
Arlene Sagan | Nadia Blank | Ann Callaway
Arlene Sagan is the founder and artistic director of Bella Musica. She is an honors music graduate of UC Berkeley and a Master's candidate in education and musicology at Cal State Hayward. For over 30 years she has been conducting choral and instrumental groups throughout California, from the twelve-member Point Richmond Singers to the 180-plus member Berkeley Community Chorus. She has appeared on radio and TV both locally and in France and has conducted many major works ranging from Bach's Mass in B Minor to Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, and Arvo Part's Te Deum. Ms. Sagan has also been involved with numerous other community music activities: she served as a staff member of the UC Berkeley Young Musician's Program; Director of Children's Programs at KPFA-FM; conductor of the Revels Bell Choir; Music Director of the East Bay Chapter of the American Recorder Society; coordinator of the introductory program at Cazadero Music Camp; and conductor for the El Haefronaim Choral Group, the Jewish Women's Chorus, and the Sine Nomine Singers. This extensive community service was recognized this year by the City of Berkeley, which declared Ms Sagan a 'Local Legend'-a cultural icon defined as 'one of those wonderful people who embody the aspirations and ideals of Berkeley.'
Nadia Blank, Bella Musica's piano accompanist, received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from USC in 1997. She grew up in Russia, where she earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. She has won piano contest awards in Russia, Italy, and Carmel. She has been a pianist, organist, and choir accompanist at several universities and churches in Russia and California. Ms. Blank has been an inspiration for musical excellence and passion to chorus members. She serves as concert accompanist in addition to rehearsal accompanist for Bella Musica.
Ann Callaway, Bella Musica's Composer-in-Residence, was born in Washington DC and studied with Alvin Etler, George Crumb, and Jack Beeson, among others. Her music has been broadcast on both coasts of the US, and she is the subject of a documentary produced by Swedish Radio. Honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, an orchestral commission from the National Endowment for the Arts, and residencies at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and Banff. Her music for orchestra includes a Concerto for Bass Clarinet, and a tone poem, Amethyst, premiered in 1997 by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra; an excerpt from a new piece, The Work Of Sun, was read this season by the Berkeley Symphony on their Under Construction series. She began Songs From The Gardener, a projected cycle, at the MacDowell Colony in January of 2001.