“It’s hard to imagine a more appealing trio of instruments. Definitely “star” quality.”
The Daily Review
I'm thrilled to announce the upcoming concert of the Pacific Arts Ensemble on Saturday, April 9, 3:00, at beautiful Grizzly Peak Winery!
After many years, I’ve reunited with my dear friends and esteemed colleagues, cellist Dan Reiter and his wife, harpist Natalie Cox, who will travel to Ashland for this special performance. Our program encompasses everything from Renaissance gems to Romantic favorites, with a little ethnic flair added for good measure, all thanks to Dan’s brilliant skill as an arranger and composer.
Our trio has a long history. We formed our original group, the Pacific Arts Trio, in 1982 when we were all principal players in the Oakland Symphony. Not only did we perform throughout the greater Bay Area, we also toured California and Alaska under the auspices of the Columbia Artists Management touring program.
It’s been a high point of these last few challenging years for us to resume playing together as the Pacific Arts Ensemble, and we hope you’ll join us to celebrate the joy of live performance presented in one of the loveliest settings in our valley. Please read below for more information about Dan and Natalie. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on the Tickets page of this website or at the door (cash only).
“…an extraordinarily suave cello solo from principal cellist"
Oakland Tribune
“Only master musicians like (Pat) Metheny and Reiter can evoke the full range of their instruments…”
Independent Coast Journal
Dan Reiter is principal cellist of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, the Fremont Symphony, and the Festival Opera Orchestra. In addition to his work as an orchestral and chamber musician, he has won numerous awards and accolades as a composer and arranger, most notably, an Irvine Grant which led to his symphonic work “Mysterium”, premiered by the symphony in 2013.
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Dan moved to California at a young age. After studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory, he moved back to California where he gained first-hand performing experience as a street musician in San Francisco. His exuberant arrangements of Beethoven Symphonies and Rossini Overtures for flute, oboe, and cello attracted large and enthusiastic crowds. In 1972, Dan moved to Mexico where he was appointed principal cellist of the symphony of the Universidad Autónoma de Guadelajara. In 1974, he returned to the Bay Area where he won the position of principal cellist of the Oakland Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to his career as a performer, Dan’s original compositions have garnered the attention of numerous performing arts groups and musicians throughout his career. Highlights include “Ricercar” (1980, three cellos, harp, percussion) which received critical acclaim in the Oakland Symphony’s Sound Spectrum series; “Kadish” (1993, solo cello); “Raga Bach D minor” (1998, cello, percussion, solo dancer) for which he won an “IZZY” award; “Reiter’s Raga” (2006, clarinet, viola, cello), featured as part of Earplay’s California tour; “Toccata and Fugue” (2006, chamber orchestra), premiered by the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra: “In Memorium” (2011, string Trio) and“Gayatri Transfigured” (2019, cello, harp, orchestra).
As a chamber musician, Dan is best known for his collaboration with his wife, harpist Natalie Cox, former principal harpist with the Oakland Symphony and for his role as co-founder of the Pacific Arts Ensemble, for which he composed two pieces,“Phantasie Trio” and “Sonata” (flute and harp). Both are featured on “Music for Flute and Harp”, Innova Records, Karen Gottlieb, harp. This unique trio has also inspired Dan’s extensive library of published arrangements, many of which are currently available at sheetmusicplus.com, harps.com, lyonhealy.com, and fluteworld.com.
“…lush harp playing from principal harpist Natalie Cox."
Oakland Tribune
“Excellent musicianship from Cox…”
Daily Review
Natalie Cox has had a remarkable forty year career as a harpist. Classical music was a passion
for her parents, and she and her siblings were exposed to huge amounts of the repertoire at a very early age. After only seven years studying the harp, Natalie won the position of principal chair with the San Jose Symphony. The following year she performed alongside her teacher , Linda Wood Rollo, as second harp and assistant principal in the Oakland Symphony, gaining invaluable orchestral and technical experience. Natalie later went on to fill the principal harp position with Oakland Symphony for thirty three years.
As a co-founding member of the Pacific Arts Ensemble, she has recently produced the re-release of the trio's concert CD of masterpieces by Claude Debussy entitled “Clair de Lune”. She also performs in a duo with her husband Dan, and together, they have recorded “Cello and Harp”, a collection of Dan’s transcriptions of works by several composers including Janacek, Mahler, Faure, and Bruch.
Natalie has numerous other recording credits to her name, including television, radio and film scores, most notably “The Black Stallion” and “Never Cry Wolf”. She can be seen in a number of videos featuring Pacific Arts Trio on YouTube.
Along with continuing her career in chamber music performance, Natalie teaches the pedal and Celtic lever harps both privately and at Dominican University in San Rafael. She also founded Harps of Orpheus, a performing student ensemble, to promote the joy of learning and making music with friends and colleagues.
In 2021 Natalie began performing twice weekly at a cancer center in the Bay Area where live music is valued as a supportive therapy.
