Sounds of the City

The versatile Ernest Richardson is in high demand as conductor, composer, arranger, organizational leader and inspirational speaker. His versatility finds him within one season conducting Stravinsky's Firebird Suite or Broadway artists in the works of Leonard Bernstein, a live-to-movie production of Harry Potter, facilitating strategic decision-making for leading arts organizations, or training young musicians for the passionate, persistent pursuit of perfection. He has been at the forefront of symphonic video/live music productions, conducting live-to-movie scores of the Harry Potter series with CineConcerts, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Pirates of the Caribbean, Singing in the Rain, Casablanca, Ratatouille, Star Trek (2009), the Charlie Chaplin silent film The Gold Rush and Star Wars.May 2020 marked his live-in-concert album debut with indie rock band Guster on OMAGAH! for their live performance with the Omaha Symphony in collaboration with the MAHA Music Festival in February 2019. The recording is available on guster.bandcamp.com or gustermerch.com. Richardson is presently the principal pops conductor and resident conductor of the Omaha Symphony at his appointment in 2015. Since 1993, he has laid the groundwork for and led in the development of the Omaha Symphony’s vaunted education and community engagement programs. In addition to his artistic…

Henry Jenkins, 2nd Associate Concertmaster of the Omaha Symphony, is known for his versatility across multiple instruments, including baroque violin, banjo, and guitar. With a foundation in classical music, Henry brings a unique blend of technical precision and artistic expression, bridging genres from the Baroque period to bluegrass and folk. His ability to interpret and connect diverse musical styles makes him a sought-after artist in both traditional and contemporary settings.In addition to playing full time in the Omaha Symphony, Henry enjoys playing in the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, and participating in the Omaha Chamber Music Society's year-round concert series. He is also an active participant in the Wyoming International Chamber Music Festival, and Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival.Henry began his career serving as Assistant Concertmaster of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra. He also performed with the Evansville Philharmonic, Owensboro Symphony, and Indianapolis Symphony. Past festivals include the Artosphere Festival Orchestra, International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico, National Repertory Orchestra, and the Iris Orchestra.Henry grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where he attended the Oberlin Conservatory under the tutelage of Milan Vitek. During his undergraduate studies, Henry maintained an enthusiastic focus on chamber music, and attended the Litomysl…

Golden Valley, Minnesota native, Patrick Pfister has been Principal Trombonist of the Omaha Symphony since 2010. Before coming to Omaha, Patrick held the same position with the Columbus (IN) Philharmonic while a student at Indiana University. Patrick has also performed with the Madison and held fellowships at Tanglewood, National Repertory Orchestra, and Bar Harbor Brass Week. As a soloist, Patrick was a winner at the 2007 Eastern Trombone Workshop, a finalist in the 2007 ITA Robert Marsteller and Frank Smith solo competitions, and won the Indiana University Brass Concerto Competition twice, on both tenor and alto trombone. The 2015-16 season marked Patrick’s solo debut with the Omaha Symphony performing Nino Rota’s Trombone Concerto. Patrick earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin as a student of Mark Hetzler and his master’s degree at Indiana University as a student of Carl Lenthe. Additionally, Patrick has studied with Douglas Wright, Peter Ellefson, Thomas Ashworth, Brian VanStavern, and Mike Whipkey. While at Indiana University, Patrick minored in conducting, studying with Thomas Baldner, Charles Latshaw, and Ben Bolter.