WHO WE ARE
Established in 2009, the Catalina Philharmonic Expedition is a tight-knit group of friends, made up of the most excellent folks, dedicated to the never-ending adventures of life. In the beginning, it was our love for music making that brought us together as students at UC Santa Barbara. What began as a summer trip to Catalina Island for the University Orchestra turned into a tradition that has continued to this day. We have taken on countless excursions to the most epic places imaginable, creating original music, sharing our philosophies, and rediscovering our love for the great outdoors time and again.
EXPEDITION CREW
William Trey Farrell
"Mr. Will Ferrell"
William Farrell, a.k.a. "Trey," was once a young boy who grew up fantasizing about leaving his Pennsylvanian roots, to become a badass Californian surfer and adventurer. Well, his wish totally came true, and today he is a widely respected oboist and music educator who resides in Santa Barbara. He is frequently in demand as an orchestral and chamber musician throughout North America, and one can find him shredding gnarly waves at his favorite spots between Rincon and Mondos. If it were up to Trey, he'd gladly lock himself up in a room with a bowl of Asian noodle dish and never come back out.
Hovik John Jihanyan
"St. John the Divine"
Hailing from Yerevan, Armenia, John is a gifted composer, pianist, and guitarist based in Los Angeles, with an enlightened obsession for J.S. Bach. He is a devoted chess master and a passionate hockey player. His nickname is "St. John" for a reason--he might just be the most caring and warmhearted human being one could ever come across. He is without a doubt our resident comedian and also a valued group therapist. When John is not around, everyone becomes sad and grumpy! Also, he has a weird obsession with certain numbers... yeah, he's one of THOSE.
Dillon Thomas Kearns
"The Master of the Universe"
This Norwegian-American sentient being is most likely from the planet Vulcan. Yes, it's true, Dillon is the "Spock" of our group. He is a brilliant and thoughtful software engineer residing in Santa Barbara. When Dillon speaks, we listen. He is our one-man brain trust of the group, and without him, we would most likely perish on our expeditions. Dillon is a poetic pianist and he is relentlessly searching for the truth beauty of life. When he is unable to seek wisdom, he reverts back to his alter ego, "Vincenzo," from a fictional place called "Delfino." No one outside of this group will ever realize how funny this guy is.
Anthony Do-Hoon Kim
"Our Dear Leader Kim Jong"
This former Eagle Scout was born in the Gangnam District of Seoul, South Korea, and since then, he has migrated over the beautiful beach towns of Southern California and the great snow-covered state of Michigan. As the expedition leader, Anthony is in charge of organizing all the adventures and also enjoys being the group's main photographer. He is active as a pianist and conductor in San Diego and hopes to one day build his own cabin in Montana. Anthony is profoundly in love with Mother Nature, surfs way too much for his own good, and often wonders, "What Would Carl Sagan Do?" As of this moment, he has spent over 600 nights sleeping outside under the stars.
Kurt Anthony Leingang
"Kurtlebear a.k.a. The Gift That Keeps On Giving"
Kurt is a talented trumpet player and the lead singer of our barbershop quartet. He currently resides in Santa Barbara, actively working in the tech industry. Kurt has many nicknames. Some of them are bestowed upon him by himself and some just come naturally to him. He is the group jester and also the expedition ambassador. When we are in a bind, he always knows how to get us out of it--strangers love Kurt! We also laugh like children on our trips because of him. Having Kurt in our presence is like hanging out at Neverland, 24/7. The group affectionately calls him, "Kurtle"... you don't wanna know. He is missing a drumstick, though!
Matthew Douglas Richards
"Broseph Ranger Rich"
The youngest member of the expedition crew is now the revered park ranger, who leads many of our toughest excursions. Matt spent his early years frolicking in the woods of Massachusetts, Texas, and Northern California. He is currently pursuing graduate studies in percussion, while also performing as a professional orchestral musician in the Greater Los Angeles Area and beyond. Matt's diverse expertise in percussion lies in music from all over the globe. His thirst for the unusual and the exotic is nearly unquenchable. His favorite dish in the whole wide world is home made rigatoni with spicy meatballs. He is totally a bro. Ranger "Rich" is currently on a sabbatical in Texas.
Yumemi Masui Turk
"Bumem-chan"
Yumemi initially appeared on this planet via Osaka, Japan, but now calls Torrance, California, her home. She recently completed her graduate work as a pianist in Houston, Texas, and currently continues her musical journey in Athens, Georgia. She hopes to one day perform ALL 555 of Scarlatti's keyboard sonatas in one sitting! Yumemi brings to the table a fiery and caring female presence the group desperately longs for. Without her superb organizational skills, our campsite and kitchen areas would become a complete war zone. On top of being the back-to-back reigning champion of the Master of the Universe Tournament, Yumemi is also the queen of our coveted "Kimochi" points.
Benaj Stephen Turk
"Benaj à Trois"
Ben is a man of few words. He is a passionate soul with a hunger for the ultimate pleasures of life. You take one look at him and it makes you wonder if he jumped out of a time machine from the 1960's. Ben often sacrifices for the group without ever mentioning his heroics to the others--like that one time when he paid for everyone's drinks and no one ever paid him back. Ben is our hero! He also performs the Russian piano repertoire like a god. This man really knows how to light Rachmaninoff and Scriabin on fire. Before becoming a force to be reckoned with on the concert stage, Ben considered becoming a professional golfer. In his secret life, he is a world renowned card player. He also apparently just married Yumemi a few months ago!
EXPEDITION PHOTOS
