American
Chamber
Orchestra
About
The American Chamber Orchestra is a 65-member ensemble based in Fairfield County, Connecticut. We perform high baroque, classical, and early romantic repertory, and selected modern works, regularly including young professional musicians in our programs as featured soloists. Founded in 2003 by Music Director Christopher James Hisey and a group of dedicated amateur musicians, we have presented more than 30 very successful concerts in Fairfield, Norwalk, and Bridgeport along with performances on our tours.
Highlights

June 12, 2004, the orchestra performed the world premiere of ‘Symphony – Wind River’ by Rex Cadwallader, an Emmy award-winning American composer.
February 11, 2006, we premiered Ed Thompson's orchestral suite 'Five in Fairfield,' depicting five places in Fairfield County.
In February 2011, the premiere of Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra, a commissioned work by Dr. Rex Cadwallader, was presented and performed by Brett Altman.
ACO Tours


In July 2005, the orchestra traveled to Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague, presenting four concerts during the tour.
In July 2007, 83 members, family and friends traveled through Northern Italy, visiting Parma, Padua, Cremona, Lucca, Florence, Ravenna, Venice and Milan and giving four performances with well-attended audiences.
In July 2009, the American Chamber Orchestra traveled the Scottish Highlands giving three wonderful performances including one in a real castle!
The group's trip to Spain in July 2012 included sightseeing in Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Zaragossa and Barcelona and featured three performances - the last of which was in a 12th century convent!
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Members of the American Chamber Orchestra, family and friends traveled to Southern England and Ireland in July 2015, performing at the Frome Festival and at the chapel at Dublin Castle. Visited Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral and viewed one of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta which celebrated its 800th Anniversary during 2015; visited the Roman Baths and took a ferry ride to Dublin where we visited the Old Jameson Distillery and Temple Bar along with Trinity College where we say the Book of Kells. It was difficult to come back to the states!
In July of 2018, a group of two dozen flew to Iceland where we got to play at Harpa Hall along with getting a tour of that amazing performance venue! We visited the Blue Lagoon and enjoyed the hot springs and went on a whale search.
We have just returned from a trip to Vienna, Salzburg and Zurich with a short side-trip to Munich. Visited Mozart's and Beethoven's homes, did lots of sight-seeing, walking, stair-climbing and eating; got to see the Glockenspiel clock with life-size "dancers." Performed in Vienna and Zurich.
The American Chamber Orchestra chooses the finest in orchestral literature to share with our audience. Artists who have appeared with the orchestra include Jenny Lind Award-winning soprano Stephanie Gregory, trumpeter Zebediah Upton, violinists Edita Orlinyte and Jinyeong Jessica Lee, violists Fiona Winnig and Yaroslav Kargin, cellists Rebecca Patterson and Kangho Lee, pianist Assaff Weisman, pianist Will Duchon, violinist Shan Jiang, pianist Dr. Rex Cadwallader, violinist Deborah Wong, celllist Chris Finckel, organist Ed Thompson. Collaborations have also occurred with the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut and members of several Gilbert & Sullivan organizations.
Meet the Orchestra
STRINGS
1st Violin
Katherine Altman, Concertmaster
James DeBitetto
Ronald Moore
Judith Benjamin
Kathleen Callaghan
Katherine Plager
Deborah Beams
Julie Ringelheim
Allen Levy
2nd Violin
Linda Carpenter, Principal
Maggie Andrade
Susan Sherman
Christine Hall
Kirsten Karlan
Jenna Trunk
Thomas Longo
Anat Shiloach
Mary Smith
Sharon Weiss
Viola
Margaret Liddell, Principal
Sam Omalyev
James McNutt
Greg Ullman
Samuel Silverfarb
Felix Vajdos
Ann Marie Mott
Bass
Walter Sudik, Principal
Jennifer Winshell
Jennifer Bradbury
Daniel Schlorff
Cello
Rachel Stein, Principal
Madeleine Corliss
Beth Pearce
Kevin Root
Chirag Kumar
Genevieve Fabela
Karen Chalif
Pamela Pollak
Judy Wander
Larry Wissink
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WINDS & BRASS
Flute
Cora Megan, Principal
Paula Coutz
Peter Hadley
Oboe/English
Anthony Marra, Principal
Hilda Ramirez
Pedro Falcon
Cynthia Campbell
Clarinet
Amanda Hetric, Principal
Shire Feingold
Bassoon
Thomas Heilmann, Principal
Robert Buckner
Jonathan Stark
Horn
Thomas Jordan, Principal
Kathy Kuberka
Amanda Desperito
Wendy Dziurzinski
Trumpet
Patti DiMeglia, Principal
Daniel Jocis
Ricardo Marx
Trombone
Peter Holmes, Principal
David Rintoul
Gerard Tondi
Tuba
Marcia Chithelen, Principal
Cole Fayemi
PERCUSSION
Timpani/Percussion
Brett Altman
Steve Zagami
Martin Wirt
Our Board of Directors & Staff
Kathy Kuberka, President
Peter Hadley, Vice President
Daniel Schlorff, Treasurer
Linda Carpenter, Secretary
Judith Benjamin, Member at Large
Brett Alltman, Member At Large
Katie Callaghan, Member At Large
Amanda Desperito, Member At Large
Christopher James Hisey, Music Director & Conductor
Katherine Altman, Business Director
Webmaster, Douglas Wrotnowski
Tom Jordan, Past President
Contact us at: contact.aco@gmail.com
Write us at American Chamber Orchestra, 426 Westport Avenue, #1078
Norwalk, CT 06851