Carolyn Black-Sotir - APSA Biographies

carolyn BLACK sotir

Arno Drucker, pianist, is a native of Philadelphia, and performed as solo pianist with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 13. He received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees and the Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. He was a Fulbright recipient in Austria and studied with Leon Fleisher for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Peabody Conservatory. As the pianist of the American Arts Trio in residence at West Virginia University he toured Germany, Mexico and the U.S. He has performed as soloist in Germany, Belgium and Holland and with the Baltimore, Washington National, Chautauqua, Augusta, and New Haven symphony orchestras.

He is a former member of the graduate faculty of the Peabody Conservatory, and served as Principal Pianist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for over twenty years. His book "American Piano Trios: A Resource Guide" was published by Scarecrow Press in 1999. With his wife, soprano Ruth, he has presented recitals and Master Classes in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Southeast Asia.

Picture of Timothy McReynolds R. Timothy McReynolds, pianist, is in great demand as accompanist and solo performer in both serious and popular music. In By George! By Ira! By Gershwin! Mr. McReynolds wowed audiences with his virtuosity and interpretation of Gershwin’s Piano Preludes and the classic Rhapsody in Blue. As a touring artist he has traveled throughout the Mid-West with musician Larry Logan, performed on the East Coast and in Europe with singer Carolyn Black-Sotir, and accompanied the great Metropolitan Opera bass and Broadway star, William Warfield.

Mr. McReynolds is a favorite among professional singers in the Baltimore/Washington DC area as accompanist and coach. In a master class setting, he has worked along side film and Broadway soprano, Marni Nixon, American composer Richard Hundley, and Metropolitan Opera tenor Anastasios Vrenios. He has performed as show pianist in Washington’s Equity theatres and has played for various regional opera companies. Last summer he worked as staff accompanist at the renowned Aspen Summer Music Festival. A protégé of world-renowned Martin Katz, Mr. McReynolds recently completed his DMA from University of Maryland, where is also teaches accompanying. At Towson University, he serves as Music Director of Music for the Stage.

apsa_williams.jpg (1591709 bytes) Thomas Williams, bassist and arranger, has traveled the globe performing with the legends of the Jazz world. As the bassist for the Airmen of Note, one of the country’s premier jazz ensembles, he has shared the stage with Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Bellson, and Slide Hampton. As a show musician, Mr. Williams has backed such top-name entertainers as Bob Hope, Steve Allen, and The Drifters.

Applauded for his superb jazz style, Mr. Williams has also been recognized as a gifted composer and arranger throughout the musical community. His playing, original compositions, and arrangements have been enthusiastically received at some of the most prestigious musical events, such as the Detroit Cool Jazz and The Toronto Jazz Festivals. His music can be heard in many different venues, from the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, to Walt Disney’s Epcot Center, to the nationally broadcast television program, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

Mr. Williams, a member of George Washington University’s and Shepherd College’s jazz faculty, conducts workshops on the jazz style, has authored various articles on the basics of jazz bass, and co-authored an instructional video on the function of the rhythm section in the big band.

Richard McCready, baritone and banjo, Irish-born singer and multi-instrumentalist, began singing at age 6 and made his operatic debut in Belfast 's Grand Opera House at age 11. While still in high school, Richard was a finalist in both the Irish and British "Young Musician of the Year" competitions. At the age of 18, he made his professional debut playing a Tuba Concerto with Ireland's National Symphony Orchestra in the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Richard is a music teacher, church organist, choral director, and plays tuba, piano, organ, harp, guitar, banjo, and a wide variety of medieval instruments.