MM Performance, Classical Guitar, Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore, MD. B.S.E.D. Music, West Chester University, West Chester, PA

Mr. Hitchcock's career accomplishments include: Music Instructor, Saint Francis of Assisi; Substitute Teacher, Moravian Academy and Bethlehem School District, and private instruction through Strings and Keys, Bethlehem Conservatory and West Chester University.

Ms. Kistler earned an MM in violin performance from Juilliard School of Music; B.M. in Violin Performance from Oberlin Conservatory. Ms. Kistler has studied under Ivan Galamian, James Buswell, Andor Toth, Harry Shub, Charles Castleman, Ann Rylands.

Honors and Awards: Fellow, Bach Aria Festival at Stony Brook, New York; First prize - Young Artists Competition, Pennsylvania State University; and the Young Artists Award, Bethlehem Friends of Music Competition.

Teaching assignments: Teacher at CMS; private studio work; Artist-lecturer at Moravian College; former violin instructor at Lehigh University and Cedar Crest College.
Students of Ms. Kistler have been accepted at Oberlin Conservatory, Temple School of Music, Hartt College of Music, and SUNY Purchase. Several of her students have been the winners of the Bethlehem Friends of Music Young Artists Competition, the Allentown Symphony Young Artists Competition, and Young Philharmonic of the Lehigh Valley Concerto Competition.

Performance engagements: Solo performances with the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, Schuykill Symphony Orchestra, Moravian College Orchestra, Lafayette College Chamber Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She has also done solo recitals at Cedar Crest College Artists Series, in Bethlehem, in State College and Oberlin. Chamber music performances have included Larchmont Chamber Music Circle with James Buswell, violin and Leslie Parnas, cello. Currently Ms. Kistler is performing with the Festival Orchestra of Bethlehem Bach Choir, Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, and the Allentown Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Metzger received his Ph.D. in Musicology from Rutgers, State University of New Jersey; M.A. in Musicology, from Marywood College; B.F.A. in String Performance, Pennsylvania State University. Private studies include work with William Matthews, Alice, Artzt, and Michael Newman.

Dr. Metzger’s professional activities include teaching positions with (current) Lehigh Carbon Community College; (current) New York University; (current) Rutgers University; (current)

Richard’s performance activity has included classical guitar, lute, and jazz guitar performances in venues throughout the northeastern United States including museums, libraries, art galleries, arts festivals, and university recital halls including Johns Hopkins University, Pennsylvania State University, Lehigh University, and Rutgers University as well as performances on concert programs produced by National Public Radio affiliate WVIA, ABC, and CBS television network affiliate stations.

Dr. Metzger has authored several books; recorded The Willoughby Lute Book; and composed, conducted, and performed the music for “The Once and Future City” a PBS documentary film aired throughout the eastern United States.

CMS warmly welcomes Dr. Richard Metzger to the faculty of Community Music School effective January 2006.

Her performance experience includes orchestral work under conductors Benjamin Zander, Zcadnek Macal, David Gilbert, and Kurt Mazur. Ms. Olsher will be performing with the newly founded Monocacy Chamber Orchestra and is a founding member of both the Loudermilk and Steel Strings String Quartets. She is the viola section coach for the Junior String Philharmonic and the Lehigh University Philharmonic. During the summer of 2007, Ms. Olsher appeared as the ‘Fiddler’ in Muhlenberg Summer Theatre’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”