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Birch Creek Music Center Highlights Robert Handford

Robert Hanford performed during the Opening Night performance of “Overture to Nabucco” by Giuseppi Verdi.

Since 1998, Robert Hanford has served as concertmaster and instructor at Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Egg Harbor. Currently, he also performs with the Richmond Chamber Players in Virginia and serves as the concertmaster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

A semi-finalist in the Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition, Hanford graduated with first prize from the Orpheus Conservatory in Athens, Greece.

Birch Creek students have the rare opportunity of having Hanford as an instructor, and audiences of hearing and seeing him perform on the Birch Creek stage. The Lyric Opera, with as many as 96 performances a season, consumes a good portion of his time, as does his position on the faculty of Northwestern University. These responsibilities no longer allow him to take private students. Birch Creek students, though, are not only taught by but play alongside Hanford in concert.

“As concertmaster, I interpret the conductor’s gestures and convey their meaning through the act of playing the violin,” said Hanford. “My aim is to do my job in such a way that other players can feel free to make great music.”

Birch Creek is located 3 miles east of Egg Harbor on County Highway E. Concerts begin at 8 pm (with the exception of an 6:30 pm concert on July 3) in the Dutton Concert Barn, with pre-concert performances in the campus gazebo at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are $29 for adults, $10 for students, and $6 for children. For more information or to reserve tickets call 920.868.3763 or visit http://www.birchcreek.org.