Juan Villa / The Collegian

Fresno State’s music department added a new face during the summer—a master cellist, soloist, chamber musician and conductor who the department hopes will revive the long-defunct campus symphony orchestra.

Thomas Loewenheim, Ph.D., a native of both Germany and Israel who most recently taught at Indiana University in Bloomington, brings a wealth of experience as the newest instructor of string instruments.

Strings are perhaps the most crucial part of a symphony orchestra, and according to music professor Thomas Hiebert, the strings section at Fresno State has been deficient for some time.

Enter Loewenheim, who was hired, in part, to build up the orchestra.

Loewenheim came to Fresno State because he found it to have “fantastic facilities, fantastic faculty and a strong will to have an orchestra.â€Â

Loewenheim said he had high hopes for one day conducting a university orchestra that would rival any other in the state or even the nation, but for now, the orchestra is being built from scratch.

“Hopefully people will come here because it’s the best education they can get and it’s affordable,â€Â Loewenheim said.

Still in the process of moving in, Loewenheim̢۪s office walls are completely bare. But prominently displayed in the room is a grand piano, although Loewenheim admits he doesn̢۪t play it.

“The cello’s hard enough,â€Â Loewenheim said. “It’s better for me to focus on this one instrument.â€Â

When he conducts an orchestra, however, Loewenheim finds it necessary to focus on everything and everyone, including the audience. The aim, he said, is “to get a fantastic product of everyone doing what they’re supposed to do.â€Â
He imagines the orchestra as a model of society, with everyone responsible for their own actions—first for their own section, then to the larger group, then to everyone in the room. Loewenheim also sees it as an opportunity to build relationships, express goodwill and build a spiritual foundation for those involved.

“Instead of blowing up others, why can’t we just believe what we want and accept others?â€Â he said. “With the orchestra, we bring people together and learn how to work together.â€Â

Born in Hamburg, Germany, Loewenheim moved to Israel with his family when he was very young. His musical training started early, but the cello was particularly stressed.

“It was my mom’s idea,â€Â Loewenheim said. “She plays cello and decided I was going to play cello.â€Â

A fan of all string instruments, Loewenheim said he liked the cello because of its wide range in pitch and because “it’s the closest instrument to the human voice.â€Â

Lately, another of Loewenheim̢۪s interests has been research, particularly in rediscovering pieces of music repertoire from past eras, such as forgotten concerti, chamber music and unaccompanied cello work.

“I’m the Indiana Jones of music libraries,â€Â Loewenheim said.

Yet his heart still lies with the orchestra, in which he has starred as a cellist, soloist and conductor, among other roles over the years.

He said, “When you combine that many types of instruments harmoniously, you just don’t hear a sound like that anywhere else.â€Â

Orchestra Info:

Auditions for University Orchestra to be held next
week in the Old Music Building for all instrument sections.

Interested individuals
should contact Thomas Loewenheim
for more information.