The Amherst
Chamber Ensembles, Inc., or "ACE," was an outgrowth
of the performances that Dorothy (Dolly) Gaus, violinist, and
Ernest
Rahklin, pianist
and composer, were giving at various venues such as the Jewish
Community Center, senior centers and nursing homes.
When Dolly went
to a concert of the UB Symphony Orchestra at the University at Buffalo,
she met Martha Welte, a violinist who was playing in this concert.
Martha soon joined Dolly and Ernest in their performances. They
all decided it would be fun to have a small orchestra, so they invited
some of their string-playing friends to play some simple music,
with Ernest as the conductor.
The group was
originally called The Rahklin Ensemble. Roberta Rogers then joined
the group, and rehearsals and performances were held at Calvary
Lutheran Church on Bailey Avenue, where Roberta was music director.
The first concert there was in April, 1993. Ernest moved away in
1994, and Jon Noworyta became the music director in August, 1994.
ACE was incorporated in 1995.
In March 1998,
ACE moved to Christ United Methodist Church, where they still hold
their concerts. Jon Noworyta moved to Illinois in the summer of
1999, and Dolly Gaus moved away in 2000. Starting in 1999, the group
began two years of guest conductors, ending in 2001 when Dennis
Lell became our current principal conductor.
ACE now has
a roster of several hundred musicians who have played with the group
on and off over the years. The group name includes the plural word
"Ensembles" because various configurations of musicians
are used, depending on the music being played. Concerts range from
solo performances up to a small orchestra of 40 or so players.
