Temple Hill Symphony Orchestra Concert October 19 & 20 — 7PM

Always a winner, come enjoy this marvelous collection of Broadway favorites

directed by Jay Trottier.

Russell Hancock’s playing is top flight—impeccable technical execution,
musically immaculate. — Fanfare Magazine

Russell Hancock has delighted audiences across multiple continents as an educator, entertainer, and virtuoso pianist. A child prodigy, he studied under the tutelage of his mother (Kay Gardner Hancock), and by the age of eight he had a thriving performing career touring with USO troupes at army bases and hospitals. His debut as a concert artist came at the age of eleven, when he appeared with the Northwest Chamber Orchestra; subsequent concerto outings brought him to the attention of conductor Frances Walton who promoted the young Hancock in performances of concerto masterworks throughout his native Seattle.

There’s considerable buzz about Hancock because he leads a parallel life in the political world: he serves as president and CEO of Joint Silicon Valley, an influential group of government and business leaders tackling the region’s challenges. A graduate of Harvard, Hancock was awarded a Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University, where he currently teaches in the Public Policy Program. His concert career continues with recent performances in Taipei (Kuang-Jen Conservatory), Boston (Methuen Memorial Music Hall), Salt Lake City (the Tabernacle), San Luis Obispo (Cohan Center for the Performing Arts), Dixie College (Cox Auditorium), Bartlesville Oklahoma (Mozart Festival), Seattle (Town Hall) and Cambridge (Pforzheimer House). His most recent concerto appearances include the Bismarck Symphony, the Bemidji (Minnesota) Symphony, the Redwood Symphony, the Temple Hill Symphony in Oakland, the Peninsula Symphony, and the Ohlone Chamber Orchestra.

Vivian Pham Nguyen, a freshman at Monte Vista High School in Danville, started playing piano when she was four years old. Currently, she is studying piano at Pleasanton Academy of Music under the professional guidance of her teachers, Ms. Liya Ledyaeva, Ms.Tatiana Kubatina, and Dr. Alexander Lazarev. Vivian has achieved many notable accomplishments such as winning Grand Prizes, First Prizes, Outstanding Gold Medalist Awards, and scholarships at various competitions including the New York Concert Festival International Competition, US Open Music Competition, US International Music Competition, the Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, and Carmel Klavier International Music Competition. One of her most memorable achievements was performing at the prestigious Carnegie Hall when she was nine years old as a Grand Prix Prize winner from the New York Concert Festival International Competition. She also performed at other international concert halls including the Mozarteum in Austria and the Concertgebouw in the Netherlands. In 2021, she was invited to participate in the International Goldberg Variation Charity Project for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with other talented musicians around the world. She has performed with the Temple Hill Symphony Orchestra in the Salute to Youth Concert. Vivian appreciates a broad range of music styles and repertoires as each music period presents unique characteristics which she loves to explore and master. Besides piano, she is an active National Speech and Debate Association member in Varsity Division for various tournaments. Vivian enjoys participating in community service activities to make a difference in the community.

(excerpt from TempleHill.org)