Amherst Chamber Ensembles

Dan RiceMiller is the musician we are featuring this week. Dan is our current ACE board member and plays the trumpet with ACE.

1. Where did you grow up?
Plainfield Vermont, a small town outside of Montpelier

2. How did you choose your instrument? Who helped you?
I do not remember how I chose the trumpet initially, but I took a long hiatus (25+years) from it after my 1st year of music school. What drew me back was the feeling that I had more to say through the instrument. I am in the process of relearning, refining skills and exploring my voice through the trumpet.

3. Who is your favorite composer?
I always thought it was Dvorák because I loved playing his music in orchestra during my youth. Now, I have grown fond of Vaughan Williams after playing his Norfolk Rhapsody recently. There is something special in the way he captures the feel of the natural world and translates it musically.

4. What do you do (or did) for a living?
I work as a speech-language therapist in the Buffalo Public Schools.

5. What do you enjoy about playing in ACE?
-The unity I feel when creating with such an amazing group of musicians. It is like a flock of birds moving as one.
-The inspiration, as well as technical/experiential knowledge, that I gain from sitting next to our principal trumpeter Fred.
-Tom as our conductor. He always surprises me with his depth of musical awareness, background knowledge and ability to extract the best from the orchestra.

More on the members of the Genesee Valley Chamber Clarinet Quartet +

MEET Debbie Dawson: Debbie majored in Music Performance at Houghton College, with a minor in Business Administration. She currently works for Liberty Mutual, balancing her professional responsibilities with a continued commitment to the Arts. In addition to the ensembles mentioned, she specializes in numerous pit orchestras for productions in Warsaw, Perry, Geneseo and the Livonia Community Players. She has performed solos with the Wind Ensemble and recently performed a piece written specifically for her to play on the Eb Clarinet. Debbie resides in Warsaw, NY

MEET Kristina Gilbert: Kristina is from Oakfield, NY and is a graduate of Nyack College where she earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree. Kristina currently has a 19-year career working for the Department of Social Services. In addition to the ensembles
listed above Kristina also marches in competitions with the Mark Time Marchers, Churchville, NY. Kristina serves as Personnel Manager for the Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble and the Batavia Concert Band, she is an awesome section leader and serves
on the board for both organizations.

MEET Sara Thayer: Sara resides in Pembroke, NY. Sara went to school for Human Services, and works in the Elder Care field. Sara plays both Bass Clarinet and Bb Clarinet. In addition to the above mentioned groups, Sara has played with the Genesee Symphony
Orchestra, the German American Musicians Association and various Pit Orchestras. Sara has also traveled to Europe with the American Musicians Abroad. Sara is on the Board for the Genesee Valley Wind Ensemble and serves as the Facilities Manager. Sara loves
the Bass Clarinet because it is an “underappreciated instrument”.