Retirees Michael Shahan, bass, and Jeffry Kirschen, horn, honored after nearly 90 years of combined tenure
Cellist Alex Veltman and Managing Director of IT Arthur Curtis recognized for 25 years of service
(Philadelphia, August 16, 2021)––The Philadelphia Orchestra Association recognized four musicians and one staff member for their exemplary contributions during a celebratory online event on August 14, 2021. Principal Bassoon Daniel Matsukawa was presented with the 2021 C. Hartman Kuhn Award and retirees Michael Shahan(bass) and Jeffry Kirschen (horn) were honored for 57 and 32 years of dedicated service, respectively. Alex Veltman (cello) and Arthur Curtis (managing director, information technology) were each recognized for their 25 years of service.
Established in 1941 and named for a charter member of the Board of Directors who served from 1901 to 1933, the C. Hartman Kuhn Award is given annually to “the member of The Philadelphia Orchestra who has shown ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the standards and the reputation of the ensemble.” Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin selected Principal Bassoon Daniel Matsukawa, commending his empathy, creativity, artistry, generosity, and exemplary leadership, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he demonstrated a commitment and passion for maintaining connection with audience members. His numerous contributions to digital content and engagement as well as his enthusiasm for, and participation in, the community-based series Our City, Your Orchestra made him a familiar face to audiences in Philadelphia and around the world. A member of the Orchestra for 21 years, Matsukawa maintains a busy schedule of performing, teaching, and serving the community.
Colleagues also shared memories and videos honoring bass player Michael Shahan, who retired in December 2020, and horn player Jeffry Kirschen, whose final concert took place during the Orchestra’s residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center last week.
In addition, Dianne Rotwitt, president of the Volunteer Committees, recognized Alex Veltman and Arthur Curtis for 25 years of service with the Orchestra. Funded by the Volunteer Committees, these awards have been given annually since 1928.
About the Kuhn Award recipient:
Daniel Matsukawa (Richard M. Klein Chair) has been principal bassoon of The Philadelphia Orchestra since 2000. Born in Argentina to Japanese parents, he moved with his family to New York City at age three and began studying the bassoon at age 13. He was a scholarship student of the pre-college division of both the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Harold Goltzer and Alan Futterman. Matsukawa went on to study at Juilliard for two years before attending the Curtis Institute of Music, where he was a pupil of then-Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Bassoon Bernard Garfield. He has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, the National Symphony, the New York String Orchestra under Alexander Schneider, the Curtis Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, the Aucklnd (New Zealand) Philharmonic, and the Sapporo Symphony in Japan. Prior to his post with The Philadelphia Orchestra, Matsukawa served as principal bassoon with the National Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, and the Memphis Symphony. He is a regular member of the faculties at both the Curtis Institute of Music and the Boyer College of Music at Temple University. Matsukawa also conducts regularly and is currently music director of the Independence Sinfonia. He made his United States conducting debut with the Virginia Symphony in 2016 and returned to that ensemble in June 2021 during its centennial season.
About the retirees:
Michael Shahan was born in Washington, D.C, and came to Philadelphia to study at the Curtis Institute of Music with Roger Scott, then principal bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Shahan also studied under Joseph Willens in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from Curtis, Shahan joined the National Symphony, where he remained for two seasons before joining The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1964. He was named assistant principal bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1970 and was associate principal bass from 1987 to 2017. He took part in the Orchestra’s historic 1973 tour to China. Shahan serves as co-music director of the Amerita Chamber Players and plays bass in the Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble. He also plays viola da gamba with the American Society of Ancient Instruments and bass in the Philadelphia Jazz Quintet. He received the C. Hartman Kuhn Award in 1987 for distinguished service to the Orchestra. Shahan previously taught at the New School of Music (now Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University) for 35 years. He enjoys collecting recordings of all kinds of music in LP, CD, and DVD formats. His collection includes about 9,000 items.
Jeffry Kirschen has been a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra since 1989. Prior to joining the Orchestra, he was acting principal horn of the Seattle Symphony and co-principal horn of the Utah Symphony. He was an active recitalist and has performed with the Lenape Chamber Players, 1807 & Friends, and on The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Chamber Music Series. Kirschen has taught at the university and high-school level for many years and is on the faculty of Temple University and the New York State Summer School for the Arts. He has also been a teacher and performer at the Luzerne Music Center at Lake Luzerne, New York. A native of Philadelphia, Kirschen is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and Temple University. He studied horn under former Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Horns Nolan Miller and Mason Jones, as well as under former member Kendall Betts. He enjoys studying contemporary realistic painting.
About the 25th anniversary celebrants:
Prior to joining The Philadelphia Orchestra in June 1996, cellist Alex Veltman worked with several orchestras in the northeastern United States. He was a regular substitute cellist for the New York Philharmonic; assistant principal cello of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic in Poughkeepsie; and a member of the New York Symphonic Ensemble and the New Jersey and New Haven symphonies. Born in Moscow, he studied at the Central Music School (an affiliate of the Moscow Conservatory of Music) with his mother, a professional cellist. When he was 13, his family immigrated to New York, where he continued his studies with Harvey Shapiro at the Juilliard School, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1988. He also received a master’s degree from the Yale University School of Music, where he studied with Aldo Parisot. Veltman participates in orchestral coaching and rehearsals in the Orchestra’s joint project with Project 440 and the All City Orchestra of Philadelphia. He has participated in several recording projects with the All-Star Orchestra, comprised of musicians from major orchestras in the country and led by conductor Gerard Schwarz, as part of a PBS series of educational videos of classical orchestral repertoire.
Arthur Curtis is a Philadelphia native who grew up in South Philadelphia. His grandparents were avid fans of classical music and opera. After graduating from Rutgers University, and prior to working for The Philadelphia Orchestra, Curtis held positions at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino/Resort and Bally’s Park Place in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He joined the Orchestra in 1996, running the development services data entry team and supporting the patron services team that was responsible for subscription and single ticket sales. He was later promoted to database manager, responsible for managing a business intelligence team and a web development team. In 2018 Curtis was named managing director of IT. He resides in Philadelphia with his wife, Janine, and daughter, Isabella.
About The Philadelphia Orchestra
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