BIOGRAPHIES

The Northwest Sinfonietta

The Northwest Sinfonietta was created in 1991 by Christophe Chagnard and Kathryn Habedank on the occasion of the Mozart Bicentennial. It features thirty six members from amongst the region's finest instrumentalists and performs a wide range of repertoire from Baroque to contemporary composers. The Northwest Sinfonietta has shared the stage with such distinguished soloists as Richard Stoltzman, Lynn Harrell, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Awadagin Pratt and Clayton Brainerd. In 1996, The World Harp Congress, Inc. contracted Maestro Christophe Chagnard and the Northwest Sinfonietta to perform 15 concertos with some of the world's finest harpists at its Sixth Congress.

Based in Tacoma, the Northwest Sinfonietta performs at the Rialto Theater, The Pantages Theater and Lagerquist Hall. It has also become Tacoma's only classical music export, with a subscription series in Seattle's Town Hall and performances at the Kirkland Performance Center, Nordstrom Hall in Seattle, the McCurdy Pavilion at Centrum, Port Townsend, and Olympia's Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Performances at Town Hall and Nordstrom Hall are also broadcast live on KING-FM 98.1.

The Northwest Sinfonietta has, in its eleven-year history, been a champion at collaborating with local arts organizations. They include: The Tacoma Opera, The Tacoma Philharmonic, the Tacoma Arts Museum, the Washington History Museum, the Tacoma Youth Chorus, the Tahoma Girls Choir and PLU's Choral Union.

In addition to a full season of concerts in Tacoma and Seattle, the NS produces a Youth Concerto Competition, an annual audition in which young musicians up to age 18 compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to play solo with the orchestra. In collaboration with the Tacoma Philharmonic, the Northwest Sinfonietta performs free children's concerts for third through sixth grade students in the Pantages Theater.

Accolades
- "Most Exciting News Arts Organization" The News Tribune, 1993
- Margaret K. Williams Award for Support of the Arts to Kathryn Habedank, Co-founder.
- One of "The Top 10 Best of The Year in Classical Music" Seattle Post Intelligencer, 1999
- Tacoma Public Schools Award for "Generous Support of Tacoma Public Schools' Students"
- City Club of Tacoma Award of Appreciation to Christophe Chagnard, in recognition of outstanding contribution toward increased knowledge and awareness of public issues
- Mr. Chagnard was selected by The News Tribune as "One of 20 People to Watch in the 21st Century"
- One of three regional grant recipients in 2001 for classical music by the National Endowment For the Arts (the others are Seattle Symphony and Oregon Symphony)

Christophe Chagnard

Music Director, Christophe Chagnard is a native of Paris, France and received his musical training from Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory where he graduated with Academic Honors. In 1989, he founded the Greensboro Festival Chamber Orchestra in Vermont, and three years later co-founded the Northwest Sinfonietta on the occasion of the Mozart Bicentenial. Between 1994 and 1998 Mr. Chagnard served as Music Director of the New England String Ensemble in Boston. Mr. Chagnard was appointed The Lake Union Civic Orchestra's new Music Director in August 2000, following a year as interim conductor during the 1999-2000 Season. In August 2001, he was also appointed Orchestra Director at the University of Puget Sound School of Music. His international guest appearances include performances in Russia and Japan. In the US, Mr. Chagnard led performances with the Bel Canto Festival in Oregon, the Sixth World Harp Congress , the Pacific Lutheran University Symphony and the Classic Cascade.

Mr. Chagnard has collaborated with such distinguished soloists as Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Lynn Harrell, Lara St. John, Richard Stoltzman, Awadagin Pratt, Creg Sheppard, Fenwick Smith and Clayton Brainerd. From 1992-1994, Mr. Chagnard served on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music. He has received numerous awards including the Richard Levy Award for outstanding musicianship for three consecutive years, the Russian Ministry of Culture Medal for his achievements in Music, the Tacoma City Club Award of Appreciation and most recently, Mr. Chagnard was elected a National Arts Associate for distinguished contributions to the arts by Sigma Alpha Iota.

Mr. Chagnard has been featured on NPR's "Performance Today" and broadcast live on KING FM in Seattle. His repertoire includes chamber, symphonic, and operatic works of all styles and periods, and he has gained a distinguished reputation as a coach, educator and lecturer. He is also an active composer whose works have been heard widely in the USA and Europe, and are published by BKJ Publications. His recording credits include four CDs with the Northwest Sinfonietta.