Adam Torres

Conductor

Adam Torres, a Denver-based artist, is quickly emerging as a significant musical voice in the United States and beyond. 2022 marks the beginning of Torres’ tenure as Artistic Director of the Colorado Springs Chorale, and he is excited to bring his energy and passion to the Chorale’s 66th season through standalone concerts and collaborations with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and other organizations. Additionally, Maestro Torres holds appointments as Music Director for Stratus Chamber Orchestra and Senior Instructor for the Colorado State University School of Music Theatre and Dance, where he also serves as the Program Director for the Summer Residency Master of Music Program (Conducting Emphasis) for Music Educators.

Recent highlights of Torres’ work include his main stage conducting debut with the Cheyenne Symphony, alongside engagements with Colorado Symphony (Cover Conductor), St. Louis Symphony (Cover Conductor), and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music (Assistant Conductor) in Santa Cruz, CA. Through the years, Adam has been a significant contributor to the arts scene along the Front Range. In addition to his work with the Cheyenne Symphony, Torres served as Principal Conductor for Loveland Opera Theatre and held Assistant Conductor positions with Fort Collins Symphony and Denver Young Artists Orchestra. Guest conducting and cover conducting engagements include Opera Fort Collins, Opera Steamboat, Colorado Pops Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Springs Conservatory, and Hyperprism Music.

Beyond the US, Adam served as a rehearsal pianist and assistant conductor for Opera Orvieto (Italy) and traveled to Paris and Cologne in 2022 to apprentice with Cristian Măcelaru and the Orchestre National de France and WDR Sinfonieorchester of Cologne. Deeply committed to inspiring young minds through music, Adam has assisted with community programs such as El Sistema Colorado and has served as a clinician in public schools in Colorado and Texas. Recent guest conducting with Honor Orchestras include the Continental League (2022) and Cherry Creek Honor Orchestra (2023). Other community and student engagement projects include work with ensembles such as the Alpharetta Symphony, Fort Collins’ Health and Wellness Orchestra, Bas Bleu Theatre, San Angelo Symphony Chorus, Colorado State University Orchestra and CSU Opera, Angelo State University Wind Ensemble, and Angelo Civic Theater. For more information on Adam’s work and upcoming engagements, please visit adamtorresmusic.com.

Charles Ortega

Tuba

Charles has been the Principal Tuba with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic since 2007. He is the tubist and founding member of the Apollo Chamber Brass, a professional brass quintet in the Denver area and the tubist with the Best Brass ensemble in Durango, CO. He is the Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Colorado State University in Pueblo, Colorado and performs in Lycos, the faculty brass quintet. In addition to his performing and teaching career, Charles is President of the Pikes Peak Musicians Association, American Federation of Musicians, Local 154. Previously, he was Principal Tuba with the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra. Charles grew up in the Rio Grande Valley in McAllen, Texas.

He had an active high school career, where he was principal tubist with the 1990 Texas All-State Philharmonic Orchestra, and 1st chair in the Texas All-State Symphonic Band in 1991. He went to the UIL State Solo and Ensemble competitions, where was named Outstanding Soloist of the Day, the best out of 50 tuba players from across the state. In 1991, Charles was the principal tubist with the Young Artist’s Orchestra at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, MA. This Institute takes one tuba player in the nation. While at Tanglewood, Charles performed with Yo-Yo Ma, studied with John Manning of the Atlantic Brass Quintet, and spent as much time as he could with the Empire Brass Seminar musicians. He received his Bachelor of Music in Tuba Performance from the University of North Texas in 2000, studying with Don Little, principal tuba (retired) with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Charles was principal tuba with the Disney Grammy Collegiate Orchestra for the 1998 summer season at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. From 1998 to 2001, Charles free-lanced in the Orlando area, playing with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Walt Disney World Orchestra and the Candlelight Festival Orchestra at Epcot in the Walt Disney World Resort. He was also a regular substitute for the World Class Brass, the brass quintet, and Oktoberfest Musikanten, the polka band, both at Epcot. In 2002, Charles was named 1st associate tuba with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and was the tubist with the Chicago Civic Brass Quintet. In 2004, Charles received his Master of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, studying with Alan Baer, now principal tuba with the New York Philharmonic. In the area of instruction, Charles has been on the faculty of some of the top schools in Colorado, including Arapahoe High School, Loveland High School, Legend High School, Mountain Range High School, & Legacy High School.

He keeps an active teaching studio in the Colorado Springs area. Charles has also performed with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, Rio Grande Valley Symphony Orchestra, Longmont Symphony Orchestra, Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Charles can be heard on the commercially available recordings of the North Texas Wind Symphony, including: Luminaries, Wind Dances, Dream Catchers, Deja View and Dialogues & Entertainments, which was nominated for a Grammy. He can also be heard on the educational resource, Teaching Music through Performance in Band, Volume I. Charles lives in Pueblo, Colorado. He enjoys Mexican food, and spending time with his son, Aaron. He is now married to a beautiful pianist named Christine, and they have a new baby girl, named Charlotte Jean Ortega.

Founded in 1956, the Colorado Springs Chorale Society is the premier symphonic chorus of the Pikes Peak Region. Under the baton of new artistic director and conductor, Adam Torres, the Chorale contributes to the cultural richness of the Pikes Peak Region through its concerts of great choral music from around the world. Each season, in addition to collaborating with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, the Chorale performs with community partners like the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, the Air Force Band of the Rockies, Opera Theatre of the Rockies and others. This June, the Chorale traveled to Normandy, France to serve as the official choir of the ceremonies commemorating the anniversary of D-Day. Learn more about the Chorale and its programs and events at cschorale.org.