Southside Casual Classics will present a collaborative recital with Dr. Alan Nichols on Monday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Camp House in downtown Chattanooga.  Since Dr. Nichols frequently collaborates with singers and instrumentalists in southeast Tennessee, on March 11 he will be performing with Dr. Jennifer Arbogast, Gordon James, Nicholas Hartline and Cindy Solfest-Wallis.  

The program includes: Romance  Op. 35, No. 6; Intermezzo  Op. 35, No. 11; Valse Triste  Op. 35, No. 7; Nocturne  Op. 35, No. 10 by Russian composer, Reinhold Gliere (1875-1956) performed by Gordon James, horn. 

Jennifer Arbogast, mezzo-soprano, will sing Von ewiger Liebe by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret by John Kander (b. 1927).  

Nicholas Hartline, clarinet, will be playing  Tonada y Cueca by Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000), an Argentine composer. 

Flutist, Cindy Solfest-Wallis will be performing Czech composer Petr Eben’s (1929-2007) Sonatina Semplice.   

Summitt Pianos is providing the piano for this concert.  Summitt Pianos is the host for the Chattanooga Music Teachers Association recitals, annual auditions, and other musical events. Summitt Pianos provides a Steinway & Sons 9' Concert grand piano to area concerts and for the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera.  Summitt Pianos has helped Southern Adventist University reach their goal of becoming an All Steinway School, which gives SAU the distinction of being the only Steinway School in the local area. SAU became the nation's 100th Steinway School in 2009.

Summitt Pianos has been passed down the family tree to Ted Summitt Jr. who has worked closely with his dad over the many years. Summitt Pianos remains Chattanooga's oldest, largest, and only locally owned piano store. 

Alan Nichols has degrees from Tennessee Temple University, UTC, and the University of Kentucky, where he completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in 2000. While serving as a graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky, he was chosen to perform a Liszt concerto with the U. K. Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Nichols has appeared as a soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Tennessee performing works by Bach, Mozart, and Hindemith, and he frequently performs at Chattanooga State, where he is on the music faculty.

A sought after accompanist, Dr. Nichols frequently collaborates with singers and instrumentalists in southeast Tennessee. He has been the keyboard player for the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra since 2003.  Dr. Nichols has taught at the University of Kentucky, Campbellsville University, Transylvania University, and ETSU, and he has been a guest performer/teacher at the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, as well as other local competitions.

Gordon James is Principal Horn of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, and has been playing and teaching Horn for over 30 years.  Mr. James is also the Principal Horn of the Huntsville (AL) Symphony. He presently teaches at UTC, Lee University, and Southern Adventist University, and Covenant College. In his free time, Mr. Jams enjoys driving and maintaining antique cars, and playing DiscGolf.

Jennifer Arbogast  is a professor at Chattanooga State Community College, where she teaches musical theatre, voice, and music appreciation.  In July, 2012, Dr. Arbogast earned her doctorate in Vocal Performance from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where she studied with internationally acclaimed soprano, Dr. Mei Zhong.  She has been active as a recitalist, oratorio soloist, musical theatre performer, and music director.  Most recently, Dr. Arbogast musical directed You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at CSCC and musical directed and accompanied Avenue Q with Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga.    Some projects Dr. Abogast is looking forward to include a solo recital with Dr. Alan Nichols on March 25 at CSCC, playing the Sorceress in CSCC’s April production of Dido and Aeneas, and playing Lucy in Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga’s June production of the musical Jekyll and Hyde.

A native of Tennessee, Nicholas Hartline received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from UTC in Music Education and Clarinet Performance.  His teachers include Nikolasa Tejero, Emily Bowland, and Steve Tonkinson.  Mr. Hartline maintains an active career as teacher and performer, serving several high schools and colleges in Tennessee and Georgia.  He serves on the faculties of Southern Adventist University, Covenant College, and Chattanooga State Community College.  Mr. Hartline performs regularly with the Chattanooga Symphony and has also performed with the Huntsville Symphony and the Knoxville Opera.  He recently performed Gerald Finzi's Clarinet Concerto with the Chattanooga Symphony Strings.  As an active chamber musician, Mr. Hartline leads several small ensembles, and is also the coach for the Southern Adventist University Woodwind Quintet and the Chattanooga State Piano Trio.  He serves as concertmaster and artistic director for the Chattanooga Clarinet Choir and is one of the founding members of Triptych Winds.  

Cindy Solfest-Wallis is on the music faculty at Lee University, Chattanooga State Community College, and teaches applied flute at Covenant College and Cadek Conservatory of Music.  She has also taught at Southern Adventist University and Tennessee Temple.  As a performer, she has worked with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, the Bach Choir Orchestra, Knoxville Opera and as a chamber musician.  Ms. Solfest-Wallis also maintains a large private flute studio.  In July of 2011, she started a monthly, interactive chamber music series at the well-known Camp House in downtown Chattanooga, called Southside Casual Classics.