c i t y w a t e r

Hailed by Edward Ortiz as “a top-flight interpreter of contemporary classical music,” Citywater is Sacramento’s own modern chamber ensemble. 

Comprising flutist Cathie Apple, clarinetist Milun Doskovic, violinist Charles Spruill, IV, cellist Timothy Stanley, pianist Jennifer Reason, and percussionist Ben Prima; Citywater strives to charm and to challenge its audiences with the newest music written.

Establishing itself as one of Sacramento’s premiere chamber ensembles, Citywater performs regularly on the Festival of New American Music, was invited to celebrate the grand re-opening of the Crocker Art Museum by performing a new work written for the occasion, and was recently appointed as the ensemble in residence at the Sacramento State music department.  

In keeping with its goals to get new music heard, Citywater established a bimonthly concert series, featuring newly composed works by composers such as Kenji Bunch, Alexandra Gardner and Nico Muhly, along with modern classics by composers such as George Crumb and John Cage.

Citywater has also collaborated with composers like Steven Mackey, who invited the ensemble to perform a concert of his works in Berkeley, which featured a performance of Heavy Light, with Mackey himself on electric guitar.

Of special interest to Citywater is supporting local composers like Sunny Knable, Bill Clark, Richard Cionco, and Stephen Blumberg, whose works have been premiered on many of Citywater’s concerts.  Works by these and other local composers will be featured on Citywater's first CD project, which is currently in the works!

Most recently, Citywater is one of the recipients of the 2012-2014 Cultural Arts Award grant from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission!  

Called by Edward Ortiz of the Sacramento Bee "a fresh presence and welcome addition" to the Sacramento music scene, Dr. Cathie Apple is one of the founders of Citywater new music ensemble.  She is a regular performer at the Music at Noon Concert Series in Sacramento, and plays with the Sacramento Baroque Soloists, Camerata Capistrano baroque ensemble, Celtic groups Cahersiveen and Lady of the Lake, and is the principal flutist with the Townsend Opera Players.

An avid supporter of new music, Cathie has commissioned and/or premiered many works for flute and various chamber ensembles, has collaborated with composers such as Steven Mackey and Sunny Knable, and regularly performs on the Festival of New American Music.  She also established a bi-monthly concert series featuring Citywater and guests preforming recently-composed chamber music.  Cathie can also be heard on the CD "From Sophia to Seoul," featuring the works of David Evan Jones.

She maintains a private teaching studio in Sacramento and is the flute instructor at the Pacific Institute of Music in Folsom.  Previous appointments include second flutist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and adjunct faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Southern Utah University.  While in Las Vegas, Cathie founded NEXTET new music ensemble and performed with them at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Cathie earned her Doctorate from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Amy Porter.  While in Michigan, Cathie also taught at Interlochen Arts Camp and was the yoga instructor for Amy Porter's Anatomy of Sound workshop.

In addition to maintaining a busy performing and teaching schedule, Cathie is a fitness instructor, and enjoys participating in triathlons and going on trail runs with her one-eyed wonder dog, Ichi.

Milun Doskovic received Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance degree from the Music Academy of the University of Belgrade (Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia). Milun also holds a Graduate Professional Diploma in Clarinet Performance from the Hartt School of Music (University of Hartford, Connecticut), and a Masters Degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Utah,Salt Lake City.

Milun performed a number of solo recitals throughout the U.S. and europe. He also performed with numerous chamber music groups, symphony orchestras and new music groups in the United Stated and Yugoslavia.

Milun is the winner of two national and federal competitions in solo clarinet and chamber music. In addition to Citywater, Milun is involved with the Sacramento Trio for clarinet.

Charles “Chase” Spruill, IV completed his Bachelors Degree (BM) in Violin Performance at Sacramento State University under the guidance of Anna Presler. He is the founding violinist of the new music group Citywater which has been hailed by the Sacramento Bee as “…a top-flight interpreter of contemporary classical music,” and the Sacramento News & Review for being “…Fresh and Brilliant.” Recently, the group has been named New Music Ensemble-In-Residence at Sacramento State University.  Chase has performed with such notable champions of new music as marimbist Nancy Zeltsman, formerly of Marimolin, and composer/electric guitarist Steven Mackey.

Straddling the lines of New Music and Baroque Music, Chase was a founding member of Camerata Capistrano where he was concertmaster for multiple seasons before departing the group. He went on to perform with the group’s musical director and harpsichordist Dr. Lorna Peters, performing chamber music regularly with her throughout the State.

He was also invited to perform with El Mundo under the direction of guitarist and early music specialist Richard Savino, where afterward he was awarded the use of an authentic German Baroque Violin from the early1700s, complete with its original set-up, to be used in his early music performances.

From coaching budding chamber musicians in high schools and youth symphonies, to performing with Jazz Ensembles, Chase enjoys music-making of all kinds. He is currently Concertmaster of the Townsend Opera Players in Modesto, CA under the direction of Maestro Ryan Murray.

In addition to his music career, Chase is winning acclaim as a budding screenwriter, taking 2nd place in the 2009 Slamdance Teleplay Competition for an original pilot script he wrote, and later went on to develop a feature-length script for the Executive VP of Production for The Ilya Salkind Company (Superman). He remains very close to his family and resides in Fairfield, CA.

Cellist Timothy Stanley is a performing artist and teacher living in the Sacramento area. He is a graduate of University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelors in music and received his Masters in Music from Sacramento State University. His primary teachers were Dr. Andrew Smith and Andy Luchansky.

Since his completion of University, Timothy has been teaching privately in Sacramento and Davis. He is a senior teacher with the Sacramento State String Project, a not-for-profit which provides low cost music instruction to Sacramento elementary school children.

As a performer, Timothy plays with numerous local symphonies and orchestras as well as area baroque ensembles. Timothy is a founding member of City Water, a contemporary music ensemble, and Ensemble Confluentes, a baroque quartet.

Jennifer is a vibrant young musician who is in constant and diverse demand throughout the country. In addition to over 15 years of professional experience, she completed her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance in 2007 under the tutelage of renowned concert pianist Richard Cionco. Other teachers with substantial influence on Jennifer's career include Natuski Fukasawa, Lorna Peters, and Kirsten Smith.

Jennifer gave her first solo recital at age 5 and by the tender age of 12 had already received her first Staff Pianist position. Hailed by German critics as a "rising star" who's playing is "lush, sensual and colorful--like a painting," she has appeared in solo and ensemble performances all over the world, with international appearances including Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and British Columbia, and state-side engagements including New York, Las Vegas, Colorado Springs, San Diego, San Francisco, Omaha and Seattle. In 2006, Jennifer was invited to participate in the prestigious Schlern International Music Festival in Italy, where she not only was given the opportunity to study with Yakov Gelfand--Head of Piano, Moscow Conservatory, but also gave 11 performances to critical acclaim in the castles and cathedrals of the Italian Alps. She has recieved an invitation to return to the festival in late 2011, and will be joining the InterHarmony International Music Festival in Germany in summer 2011 as well. Finally, Jennifer is looking forward to making her Carnegie Hall debut in May of 2012.

Jennifer also performs extensively in the Sacramento area and has recently shared the stage with such great musicians as Michael Carabello (founding member of Santana-Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), Jonathan Cain (Journey), Peppino D'Agostino (2007 Best Acoustic Guitarist, Reader's Choice Awards), Jerry Martini (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--Sly and the Family Stone), Steven Mackey (Princeton, composer-in-residence), and Hope Briggs (San Fransisco Opera). She is also a frequent collaborator with singer Holly Stell ("Little Pavarotti") and violin virtuoso Carlos Reyes.

Awards include 6 Command Performances, the Bank of America Achievement Award in Music, Stars of the New Millenium Award, induction into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, Saturday Club Music Appreciation Scholarship recipient, Sacramento Regional Community Foundation Scholarship recipient, First Place at the Festival of New American Music Competition, and a Special Citation from the International Association for Jazz Education for Outstanding Musicianship. Jennifer has also received two guest performer slots on the Sacramento cable TV show "Livewire."

Jennifer believes that music is one of the most powerful ways to reach and inspire people, and so makes a point of participating in benefit concerts as often as possible, including the following: In April 2007 she was selected to be one of 9 musicians from across the US to perform in an Omaha gala concert benefitting Project Harmony, an organization dedicated to protecting abused children. In 2009, Jennifer joined big names such as Holly Stell, Billy Bob Thornton, and Tony La Russa to perform for the benefit of ARF, an organization devoted to the rescue of abused animals. And, to kick off 2010, she and Holly Stell joined members of the Doobie Brothers, Santana, Taj Mahal, and Tower of Power for the 6th Annual Voices of Latin Rock to raise money for autism awareness in the United States. Finally, Jennifer is a recent addition to the Reconciliation Singers-Voices of Peace, who donate 100% of their concert proceeds to charities nationwide.

Jennifer has many musical interests extending beyond her classical roots and is proud to be a founding member of the four year old New American Music ensemble Citywater, a group "devoted to the creation and performance of exciting new works by contemporary composers." The group has just been appointed Ensemble-In-Residence at California State University, Sacramento. Jennifer was also a founding member of the group C-Sus, a Sacramento-based vocal jazz ensemble, who in 2006 was honored with the Downbeat Award "Best Collegiate Vocal Jazz Ensemble in the US and Canada." She is continuing her vocal endeavors as a back-up vocalist for Steelin' Dan, a Steely Dan tribute band, Best Of Sacramento 2008. Finally, Jennifer enjoys working behind the scenes as well, playing lead keyboards and working as rehearsal coach for staged works. She has over 12 major productions to her credit, most recently including Chorus Line, All Shook Up, Hello Dolly, Merry Wives of Windsor, Kismet, The Magic Flute, Wedding Singer and Les Miserables.

In addition to her other fields, Jennifer has a long-standing passion for collaborative piano and has worked as Staff Accompanist at Sacramento City College, Cosumnes River College, California State University, Sacramento, and the Sacramento Children' Chorus.  She continues to be called upon to accompany both vocalists and instrumentalists all over the state.

When not performing, Jennifer enjoys maintaining an extensive private piano studio, as well as working as a freelance studio musician.

Ben Prima is currently completing a Bachelor of Music degree in percussion performance at Sacramento State University, where he has studied under Daniel Kennedy, Chris Froh, and Leo Eylar. His extensive training has included contemporary percussion literature as well as traditional North Indian, Arab, and Balinese percussion.  Ben has shared the stage with such varied artistic figures as Nancy Zeltsman, Michael Lipsey, Pauline Oliveros, the Talujon Percussion Quartet, and Sacramento's own Dangerous Lorraines Dance Theater.  A trained woodworker, Ben designs and creates many of his own instruments.