Our Mission
The mission of The Loveland Orchestra is to:
- Promote the education and appreciation of high-quality orchestral music in the Loveland community
- Provide an opportunity for area musicians to share in performing and recreating some of the finest musical works ever written
- Provide musical experiences and opportunities for educating young people in and around the city of Loveland
- Foster the development of music in this area by assisting and cooperating with other artistic organizations within the community
History
We first began as the Loveland Civic Chamber Orchestra in 1981. An ad in the newspaper read, “Anyone interested in helping form a chamber orchestra in Loveland, come to meeting at LHS.” Four members showed up- a violin, flute, and two violas! They gave their first concert in May of 1982. Our first conductor was William Gleichmann, who placed the initial ad to start the orchestra; he served from 1981-1983. The orchestra became the Loveland Chamber Orchestra in 1984, and it continued to be run through the Loveland Parks and Recreation Department.
The Loveland Orchestra consists of over 60 musicians, amateur and professional, from Loveland and the surrounding area.
Personnel
Conductor: Dr. Luciano R. Silvestri, Jr.
Luciano R. Silvestri, Jr. is the Loveland Orchestra Music Director and Conductor. During his tenure, the orchestra has experienced unprecedented growth in all aspects of its music-making from the addition of many outstanding musicians to new heights of orchestral performance.
With the 2012-2013 season, Luciano also began his tenure as Music Director and Conductor of the Pikes Peak Philharmonic in Colorado Springs, CO. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Mr. Silvestri has received degrees in Music Education and Conducting from Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio and Colorado State University. He has guest conducted on Broadway as well as in South Carolina and Maine. He is at home in all areas of conducting from symphony to musicals to opera. His conducting teachers include Paul Vermel, Will Schwartz, and Lawrence Leighton Smith, with additional studies under Kenneth Kiesler and Donald Portnoy.
A strong believer in working with and promoting highly talented young musicians, Luciano has dedicated much time to student orchestras, musicians at the middle school, high schools, and college levels. He is passionate about AP Music Theory, attending the AP National Conference in July 2008 and July 2009, where he was a national presenter, and participating in the AP Music Theory Reading in Cincinnati in the summers of 2010-2015.
Recent Music Theory presentations include the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference in Colorado Springs in January 2015, the AP Annual Conference in Austin, TX in July 2015, and CMEA in January 2016. In addition, he serves on the AP Music Theory Development Committee, a national 8 member team responsible for setting the AP Music Theory course curriculum and writing the annual AP Music Theory Exam, and as of July 1, 2015 has assumed the role of Co-Chair of the Committee.
Concertmaster: Michael Mawle
Michael Mawle is a Colorado native who has been playing the violin for most of his life. He completed his Bachelors in Violin Performance at the University of Northern Colorado, studying with Jubal Fulks. Following his passion for contemporary music, he went to Bowling Green State University to get his Masters Degree under the tutelage of Caroline Chin. He began serving as our concertmaster in 2023.
Board of Directors
Music Director and Conductor – Dr. Luciano R. Silvestri, Jr.
President – David Burlingame
Vice-President – Gigi Jones
Secretary – Brian Bernethy
Treasurer – Jeff Grundvig
Orchestra Manager – Ivy Dixon
Librarian – Drew Holmes
Members-at-large – Lexie Cordle, Justin Frank, Vanessa Rotchadl
Additional Support
Marketing and Events Director – Andrea Pinedo
Community Liaison – John Melton
Docents and Support – Friends of The Loveland Orchestra