Christmas in Golden Valley

Born in Minnesota and raised in Duluth, Jon Poupore started on the viola at age 17. Jon found a good environment to pursue his love of the instrument at St. John’s University, Minnesota. While continuing his studies on the east coast, Jon also started a lifelong free-lance career in Baltimore, Maryland. This career led him to Maine, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and then back home to Duluth in 2018. Jon makes his first debut with the Golden Valley Orchestra and has been the orchestra’s principal violist over 3 years. He last performed the Bruch Romance with an orchestra 30 years ago. Always an active recitalist, Jon recently began a weekly recital series at the Jones-Harrison Senior Center last November – held every Tuesday at 2 PM. When Jon is not playing the viola, he is spending time with his loving and supportive husband of 23 year or pursuing his other passions; running, reading, movies/tv, chamber music and mechanical pianos.

Costa Rican born conductor David Carrillo comes from a long lineage of musicians: he learned the violin from his mother, she learned it from her dad, and he learned from his uncle. David's father is a choral conductor who inspired him to eventually become a conductor. David is the music director of the Golden Valley Orchestra and the Buffalo Community Orchestra. David also conducts various ensembles at the University of Minnesota as the instructor of record: the University Philharmonic, Campus Orchestras, and the UMN Opera Theatre. An active violinist as well, David is entering his third season as a member of the first violin section of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. David holds an undergraduate degree in violin performance from the University of Minnesota and is currently a Sample Fellow finishing his doctoral degree in orchestral conducting. David is currently a pupil of Mark Russell Smith in conducting and of Sally O’Reilly in violin. When David is not busy conducting or playing his violin he enjoys cooking, playing chess, salsa dancing, and hiking around the many lakes in the Twin Cities area.