Shiffler studies, collects, plays and demonstrates baroque and renaissance musical instruments.
A native of central Pennsylvania, Shiffler studied clarinet at an early age, becoming a clarinetist and later principal with the Williamsport Symphony. He studied under a symphony scholarship with Elmer Wycal of Eastman School of Music before putting music on the back burner to pursue a technical career. He is currently adjunct associate professor and associate director of Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center at North Carolina State University College of Textiles.
He was coaxed back into music in the early 1970s by Buford Goodman, organist at First Presbyterian Church in Kinston, N.C., first on the clarinet and later with a variety of baroque and renaissance instruments including recorder, gemshorn, krummhorn, chalumeaux, and hurty gurty. Goodman wanted to have someone to play with him and convinced Shiffler to buy a cheap alto recorder. The alto recorder led to purchasing a complete family of recorders and learning how to play them.
Then his wife, Jo, got him a soprano crumhorn for Christmas. This led to the entire family of krumhorns and learning to play them too. Through the years, Jo has also given him other instruments.
Shiffler has performed on the clarinet in numerous state shows and in the Greenville, N.C., "Music in the Park" program, but prefers the baroque instruments which he has used in numerous churches, historical sites, schools, and with the East Carolina University Opera Orchestra. He is a founding member of the Ad Hoc Players, a group specializing in baroque music.
The March 31 event may also feature flautist Steven F. Havill, an author who lives in Raton, and Joan Beaumont, piano accompanist. Proceeds will go to Kiwanis Youth Arts Academy.
Baroque and renaissance musical instruments will be featured in Don Shiffler's Show & Tell & Demo at the Black Box Theater Tuesday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in the First Street Gallery at 150 E. First St.
没有评论:
发表评论