Orchestra Open House Highlights Week Ahead

When it comes to music, there is almost nothing that Chester resident Richard Maximoff hasn't done. Over his five decades as a professional musician the viola player, Julliard graduate and founder of the Hampton String Quartet has worked with or trained under the biggest names in the music industry and now he is applying his knowledge and experience to build an orchestra at the Morris County Arts Workshop's Hive in Chester.

To start, there will be an open house for musicians on Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Hive in the Chester Springs Mall.

"I guess its sort of the right time chronologically for me in my life. I don’t have to worry about going out and busting my ass to make a living every second like I had in the past," Maximoff said.

Like almost all of the arts progression in Chester, Maximoff's involvement started with MCAWs Jane Shatz.

"I met his daughter Natasha a couple of years ago. We were talking and she is quite a personality. She is very much a supporter of the arts and we just got very involved in talking about the arts and the community," Shatz said. "Through her I met Richard. We came from the same school so we had a lot in common."

Shatz said that people have the need to hear music, good music, and they don't need to travel to New York when there are so many talented musicians in Chester.

"I said to Richard we have the chance to put together great orchestra out here and when we introduced it to him he was definitely excited to do it," Shatz said.

Maximoff said he was looking for a new challenge, and nothing more.

"There are a lot of musicians that would want to get involved in something like this as a stepping stone. That I will categorically tell you is not my intention," Maximoff said. "I talked to a couple conductor friends of mine they asked to if I needed help."

According to Maximoff, who has experience as a producer, orchestrator, teacher, conductor and player said his hope is to build an orchestra that can sustain itself.

"What we’re trying to do here we’re trying to establish an ongoing performance group that will ingratiate itself into the spirit of the community and get the community excited enough that when they book their concerts there will be a full house somewhere," Maximoff said. 

When it comes to recruiting musicians, Maximoff said he is going to channel Blanche DuBois. 

"I will be leaning on the kindness of strangers. The big unknown to me is normally not an unknown to me. The players themselves. What I have here is I have no idea who is going to show up to play and how are they are going to play," Maximoff said. "But since we stuck our head out with a concert date of Dec. 2."

Maximoff said he has been spending time at the Chester Library going through free music from a baroque period for the orchestra. 

"If we stick with baroque music. It happens to be simpler to put together and won't be intimidating to play," Maximoff said. "This music is very pure. In my opinion it is some of the purest ever written. The parts are written in such a way that they compliment each other. No one sticking out or showing off."

Those interested in the orchestra can contact Joan Kiades at joan@mcartsworkshop.com or call 908-887-2995.