Musical Biography of Donald L. Appert

 Donald Lawrence Appert has appeared as Guest Conductor with the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ente Autonomo Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana (Italy), the Warwick Community Youth Orchestra (Australia), the City of Athens Symphony Orchestra (Greece). Giornale di Sicilia praised his interpretation of Nielsen’s First Symphony as "lyrical with an airy freshness" and his conducting as "precise, painstakingly accurate, and diligent. In August of 2002 he was guest conductor of the Filharmonie Bohuslav Martinu  (Czech Republic) in a program that included the European premiere of his own Elegy for String Orchestra. In June of 2003 he will conduct the Bourgas Opera-Philharmonic Society in Bulgaria and in September of 2003 the Slovak State Orchestra in Kosice.  For 2003-2004 season he is scheduled to conduct the State Symphony Orchestra of St. Petersburg (Russia) and the Orchestra of the Conservatoire Frederic Chopin in Paris, France. In the United States he has appeared as guest conductor of the Vancouver (WA) Symphony, the University of Texas - Arlington Symphony Orchestra, the Eastern Washington University Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Central Arkansas Symphony.

Dr. Appert is a member of ASCAP with most of his works published. In October of 1998 the Ashiya Chamber Orchestra in Kobe, Japan gave the Japanese premiere of In the Similitude of a Dream. This piece for string orchestra was recorded by the Clark College Orchestra on its first compact disc and received its Australian premiere in August of 1999. The Salem (OR) Youth Orchestra has also performed it. In April of 2001 the Uppsala (Sweden) Youth Symphony performed this work while on tour in Paris, France receiving rave reviews. The Ashiya Chamber Orchestra also gave the Japanese premiere of Thru a Glass Darkly in October of 1999 and on their November 2001 concert they gave the world premiere of Elegy, a work they commissioned from the composer. His work Quid Enim? was premiered by the Clark College Women’s Choral Ensemble in March of 2002. The Audienda-Chor premiered Who Shall Know? for a capella choir in Krefeld, Germany in November of 2002.  His music has been performed throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe and may be heard via the Internet on his web site at http://jamessignorile.com/appert.html.

Donald Appert is in his fourteenth season as Music Director/Conductor of the Clark College Orchestra. Dr. Appert received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Trombone from the New England Conservatory. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Kansas. Dr. Appert has studied conducting with Riccardo Muti, Otto Werner Mueller, Maurice Abravanel, Daniel Lewis, Fredrik Fennel, George Lawner, and Richard Pittman. He was one of fourteen conductors chosen to participate in Helmuth Rilling’s Master class at the 1992 Oregon Bach Festival. Dr. Appert conducted Bach’s Cantatas No. 4, 18, and 150 with the Festival Chorus and Orchestra. His trombone teachers include Ronald Barron, John Coffey, and Tyrone Breuninger. Dr. Appert has performed as a trombonist with the Kansas City Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, the Virginia Opera Orchestra, and the Springfield (MA) Symphony. Currently he is a Professor of Music and Head of the Music Department at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. In addition he is the Music Director/Conductor of the Oregon Sinfonietta in Portland, Oregon.

He lives in Vancouver, Washington (USA) with his wife Linda, a coloratura soprano and active voice teacher, and his two daughters - Laura, a violist, and Rebecca, a violinist. Both daughters attend the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In his spare time Dr. Appert directs the Camas United Methodist Church Choir and plays soccer (indoor and outdoor).