Live by Hermes Orchestra

The musicians hail from institutions such as New England Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, Berklee, Shenandoah Conservatory, Boston University, and have played festivals and events at Tanglewood and Oberlin. International in scope, the musicians have toured Europe, South America, Taiwan, and Japan. These musicians have collectively played in over twenty jazz, rock, and funk bands. Experience at clubs and venues such as TT the Bear's, Club Passim, Natick Center for the Arts, and the Middle East have infused the Hermes Orchestra with the essential element of the groove.

Some believe that classical and contemporary styles will not remain separate for much longer. This Orchestra's musicians play tight grooves and phrase melodies expertly and with eloquence. Their compositions and arrangements value a carefully placed drum kick as highly as an unforgettable cello line.

Perhaps their listeners know that musicians and sounds such as these may lay the groundwork for a new genre of music. Or perhaps they simply appreciate the way the music makes them feel.

Dan Hermes, born 1970, is producer, composer, and president of the Hermes Orchestra.

Mr. Hermes studied classical composition and piano performance at the College of William and Mary. Jazz composition, improvisation, music production, recording, and engineering studies at Shenandoah Conservatory and the Berklee College of Music. Composition studies with William Defotis, Edgar Williams, Thomas Albert, Robert Larson and Robert Parris. Piano performance with Claudia Stevens, Anna Balakerskaija, Ron Elliston, and Bruce Katz. He has led and performed in the Blue Ridge Jazz Quartet. Performances with Common Thrill, the Thomcats, Natural Blend, Feerful Heet, and the "Easy" Smith Quartet. Performance study with Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, and Stephen Drury. On staff at as an instructor at Northeastern University. Recently he has completed the production and engineering of recordings of the Newton Symphony Orchestra, the Hermes Orchestra at Symphony Hall, and DJed a rap battle at T-Nice Records in Waltham.

David Patterson, guitar, has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in the U.S. and abroad. In 1988 he founded the critically acclaimed New World Guitar Trio, which has gained international recognition through arrangements, commissions, recordings, and innovation. David Patterson's performance credits also include the Auros Group, The Boston University Chamber Orchestra, The Boston Modern Orchestra Project and the Harvard Group for New Music as artist in residence. David Patterson has conducted master classes at music institutions in South America, Taiwan and the U.S. including Berklee College, University of Hawaii and The Saint Louis Guitar Society. He is currently on the faculty of Gordon College, Wenham, MA and the All Newton Music School, Boston MA.

Molly Eckman, flute, attended the Eastman School of Music as well as summer festivals at Tanglewood, the University of Maryland, and the Oberlin Conservatory. She performed as a soloist with the summer festival orchestra in Columbus, GA and appeared as a visiting solo artist at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. She has premiered and recorded contemporary works with the Eastman orchestra, and members of the Harrisburg Symphony. Also a dancer, Molly has taken flamenco workshops in Spain, New York, and Boston, and has performed with "La Timba Loca."

Joel Cohen, cello, had his early musical training in the Bay Area with Irene Sharp and Margaret Rowell. He was co-principal cellist with the Oakland Symphony from 1979 to 1985. Cohen lived in Vienna for the next twelve years, playing and touring Europe, Japan and the U.S. with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra under Philippe Entremont, the Wiener Kammeroper, the Wiener Akademie and Quartett Yggdrasil. Since returning to the U.S. in 1997 he has lived in the Boston area, performing with various orchestras and chamber music groups including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the National Lyric Opera, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Music at Eden's Edge and the Leonora Quartet. He is a founder of the Zephyr Chamber Orchestra, a conductorless ensemble playing unusual repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries. Cohen lives in the Boston area and is the brother of Jeremy and Joshua (violinist and conductor).

Ruth Mendelson, bassist, performs internationally in jazz, funk, and gospel groups and teaches bass performance at the Berklee College of Music. A film composer by trade, Ms. Mendelson writes and produces for television, cable, and film. Her current projects include the multimedia sound design for the Christian Science Center's Mapparium.

Rob Mitzner, drums, has led and performed in The Robert Mitzner Quartet, Licks & The Army of Funk, and The Buzz. Mr. Mitzner has performed with The Arthur Medeiros Big Band, The Meadowlarks, The Mike DiBari Trio, Little Man Stan, The Carl Frederiksen Quintet, Brown University Jazz Band(1st chair), The Scott Davidson Quartet, The Taylor Parsons Trio, The Andrew Bergmann Unit, The Gabe Kahane Trio, The Ralph Stuart Orchestra, The Dick Parent Big Band, Maryland All-State Jazz Ensemble, The Noah Meites Group, NJB Klezmer Orchestra, Quintessence, and The James Bazen Big Band, etc.

Christine Hatch, clarinetist, is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina. She has performed with ALEA III, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Greensboro Opera Company, Greensboro Ballet, and the National Touring Company in muscials such as Fiddler on the Roof and the Sound of Music. She holds a BM in Music Performance from the University of NC at Greensboro and is currently in the MM program at Boston University, studying with Ian Greitzer.

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