Meet the Festival Orchestra Musicians

Justin Bruns, Concertmaster (March), made his solo orchestral debut at nine and has appeared internationally as soloist and recitalist. Currently Associate Concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony, he is also Concertmaster of the Cabrillo Festival. Previously, he was Assistant Concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony and Concertmaster of the Boulder Bach Festival. Bruns has been Guest Concertmaster with the Memphis Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Iris Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and São Paulo Symphony. Festival appearances include Lake Tahoe and Savannah, and the San Miguel Chamber Music Festival. While holding a special affinity for the Brahms, Beethoven, and Mozart sonata cycles, he has premiered works by Michael Gandolfi, Jennifer Higdon, Michael Kurth, Seyed Safavynia, and DJ Sparr. He earned his master’s at Rice University. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Bruns is generously sponsored by Robert and Vicki Smith.

Jun Iwasaki, Concertmaster (February), serves as Concertmaster for the Kansas City Symphony. A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music’s prestigious Concertmaster Academy, he has been hailed for his combination of dazzling technique and lyrical musicianship. Previously, Iwasaki served as Concertmaster of the Nashville Symphony and Oregon Symphony. He has appeared as Guest Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Gulbenkian Orchestra (Portugal), São Paulo Symphony (Brazil), Santa Barbara Symphony, and National Arts Center Orchestra (Ottawa). In addition, he has appeared with the Tokyo Symphony, Columbia Symphony, Blossom Festival Orchestra, Rome (Georgia) Philharmonic, New Bedford Symphony, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Plano Symphony, and the Huntsville Symphony. He has performed at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Summerfest, Chamber Music Northwest, Mainly Mozart, Chamber Music International, and Mimir Chamber Music Festival, among others. In addition to teaching at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, Iwasaki also served as the Artistic Director of Portland (Ore.) Summer Ensembles, a workshop for young musicians focusing on chamber music. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Iwasaki is generously sponsored by Barry and Jean Bingham.

Robert Uchida, Associate Concertmaster (March), is Concertmaster of the Edmonton Symphony. Previously, he held the same position with Symphony Nova Scotia and also served as Associate Concertmaster of the Rotterdam Philharmonic. Robert has served as Concertmaster under the batons of Valery Gergiev and Kurt Masur. He has performed with Edgar Meyer, Ksenija Sidorova, Sarah Slean, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Tianwa Yang, and Pinchas Zukerman. Other engagements as Guest Leader include the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic and the Vancouver Symphony. A faculty member at the University of Alberta, he has also taught at Acadia University, Manhattan School of Music, and at the Young Artists Program of the National Arts Centre (Canada). Robert has given master classes across Canada and works with the students of the ESO’s YONA-Sistema program. His teachers include Patinka Kopec, Heratch Manoukian, David Stewart, and Pinchas Zukerman. Robert performs on an 1820 Lorenzo Ventapane violin made in Naples. This is his fourth year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Uchida is generously sponsored by Joe and Nancy Geenen.

Anna Reider, violin (March), is a member of the Cincinnati Symphony. Previously, she served as Concertmaster of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. Born in Russia, Anna began violin studies at an early age, following in the footsteps of her father (Vladimir) and grandfather (Itzhak). Her orchestral debut came at seven. Since then, she won the Grand Prize at the Russian National Competition for Young Violinists, the Clermont Violin Competition in Israel, and the top award of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. Her chamber music engagements have included frequent performances with concert:nova, Chamber Music Raleigh, the Constella Festival, and the LaSalle Chamber Music Series, to name a few. Festival appearances include Aspen, Caramoor, Keshet Alon, Sewanee, and the Zenith Chamber Music Festival. In 2019, Anna joined the Israel Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta for their tour of Peru, Columbia, Panamá, and Argentina. Anna studied in Novosibirsk with Zakhar Bron and at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, as a student of Dorothy Delay, Kurt Sassmannshaus, and Piotr Milewski. Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor at CCM. This is Anna’s second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Zeyu Victor Li, violin (March), joined the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in September 2019. Mr. Li was previously a member of the New York Philharmonic, which he joined at the age of 21, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. His teachers have included Ida Kavafian, Aaron Rosand, and Pamela Frank. Mr. Li served as Associate Concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, and performed at Carnegie Hall as an Assistant Concertmaster with the New York String Seminar Orchestra under Jamie Laredo. He also performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto as a soloist in Kimmel Center Verizon Hall with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. Li was born in China in 1996 and began to play the violin at the age of four. At nine years old, he was accepted into the Shanghai Conservatory of Music middle school, and, at the age of 13, won First Prize at the China National Violin Competition. At the age of 14, Mr. Li was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music, one of the world’s top-ranked conservatories. Mr. Li’s prizes and accolades include First Prize at the 19^th Schadt International Violin Competition, as well as the Contemporary Pieces Prize and Audience Prize; Third Prize at the 2013 Montreal International Violin Competition; Special Jury Prize of Japan Sendai International Violin Competition; and First Prize in the junior division of the Greenfield Concerto Competition. Zeyu Victor Li has performed as a soloist with renowned orchestras including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony, Shanghai Philharmonic, Sendai Philharmonic, Brevard Symphony, and Calgary Philharmonic, and has performed with many distinguished conductors including Maxim Vengerov, Tan Dun, Cristian Măcelaru, and Jamie Laredo. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Benjamin Hart, Associate Concertmaster (February), joined the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra as Associate Concertmaster in January 2013. An active performer, teacher, and freelancer in New Orleans and abroad, he has spent summers with the Britt Festival and Colorado Music Festival. Benjamin has appeared with the Iris Orchestra since 2012; in 2022, he became a regular member of the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra.. He began playing violin at age five in his hometown of St. Louis (Mo.). He earned his bachelor’s at Vanderbilt University and master’s at Indiana University. He owes a debt of gratitude to his teachers and mentors, including Alexander Kerr, Christian Teal, John McGrosso, and Richard Kent Perry. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Hart is generously sponsored by Tom and Laura Ensign.

Corinne Stillwell, violin (February & March), is Concertmaster of the Tallahassee Symphony and has served in that role for Amarillo Symphony, Randall Chamber Orchestra, Janiec Opera Company, and the School of American Ballet Orchestra. She has also been Guest Concertmaster of the Nanjing Philharmonic (China) and Associate Concertmaster of the Rochester Philharmonic and Victoria Bach Festival. Ms. Stillwell has been featured soloist with New Jersey Symphony, Nanjing Philharmonic, Amarillo Symphony, and Greater Rochester Women’s Philharmonic. A founding member of Trio Solis, she has collaborated with Richard Stoltzman, Mikhail Kopelman, and members of the Ying, Cavani, Pro Arte, and Carpe Diem Quartets. Her festival appearances include Saarburg (Germany), Aspen, Norfolk, and Skaneateles. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School, entering at ten and spending fifteen years working with Dorothy DeLay. Her mentors have included members of the Juilliard, Cleveland, Amadeus, and Vermeer Quartets. Currently Associate Professor at Florida State University, she maintains a robust studio and is known for her community engagement activities. She also serves as Artist Faculty at the Brevard Music Center. This is her third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Johnny Weizenecker , violin (March), is an active musician in the Berkshire Opera Festival Orchestra, Symphony in C, and the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra. Other appearances include the Albany Symphony, Kollective366, Long Island Symphonic Choral Association, York Symphony Orchestra, Baroquelyn, and the College Light Opera Company. A fellow at the National Orchestral Institute + Festival for the last three summers, he has also participated in chamber and orchestral festivals in Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland. Johnny earned his bachelor’s at Gettysburg College, a student of Rebecca Henry and Yeon-Su Kim, and his master’s from Rutgers University under Carmit Zori. In the interval between diplomas, Johnny also studied privately with Linda Sinanian. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Dagmara Suchoń, violin (February & March), is a member of Duo Polonaise. The Polish-born musician began violin studies with her father, Stanislaw Suchoń, the Concertmaster of Poznań Philharmonic. From an early age, she performed in settings ranging from Early Music ensembles, symphony orchestras, and jazz groups to film music recordings, flamenco guitar troupes, and live circus shows in many European countries and the United States. After graduating from Music Conservatory in Poznań, Ms. Suchoń lived in Germany, where she joined her sister Joanna as a pop musician in the electric violin duo Space Violins. After moving to the U.S., she continued her musical career in Los Angeles and then settled with her family in Phoenix, where she founded Lady Daga’s Violin Studio. She is currently Violin Technique Instructor at the Arizona School for the Arts. Ms. Suchoń performs regularly with The Phoenix Symphony and, as a chamber musician, with Celebration Strings. This is her sixth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Danica Terzic, violin, is a member of the West Valley Symphony and an extra player with The Phoenix Symphony. Previously, she held positions with the Scottsdale Arts and MusicaNova Orchestras, Symphony of the Southwest, San Francisco’s Peninsula Symphony, Vancouver Chamber Players, and the Dubrovnik Symphony (Croatia). Danica is a frequent participant with the Music & More SummerFest in Trebinje (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. Deeply committed to teaching, she is an adjunct faculty member at South Mountain Community College and also maintains a private studio. Danica has taught at the Crestmont Conservatory of Music (San Mateo, Calif.), the North Shore Music Academy (Vancouver), and the School of Music in Dubrovnik. She received her bachelor’s from Zagreb University and her master’s from Arizona State University. This is Danica’s second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Sarah Schreffler (February) performs with the Burn City String Quartet and as a collaborative artist and soloist with Cactus Chamber Musicians. Previously, she served as concertmaster of MusicaNova Orchestra, and as a member of the South Beach Chamber Ensemble. Other orchestral performances have been with the Arizona Bach Festival, Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Arizona Opera, Phoenix Opera, the Arizona Chamber Orchestra, and the Seattle Symphony. In addition to her chamber music and orchestral activities, she is a frequent collaborator in sessions with a variety of recording artists. As a teacher, Dr. Schreffler serves on the faculty of Phoenix College. She is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music and Arizona State University. This is her first year with Arizona Musicfest.

Jennifer Farquhar, violin (February & March), is currently Acting Associate Principal Second Violin of the Indianapolis Symphony. Previously, she played in the North Carolina Symphony, Delaware Symphony, and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Ms. Farquhar performed and taught at Eastern Music Festival for two summers, having attended as a high school student. As a chamber musician, she has performed with Suzuki and Friends, Ronen Ensemble, Quattra, and more recently, as a member of the Castleton Quartet. She teaches from her home studio and for Quattro Music Academy. As a member of the ISO, she has coached violinists in the Side-by-Side program and the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. A graduate of the Eastman School, she studied with Charles Castleman. Other teachers include Yumi Ninomiya Scott, Helen Kwalwasser, and Helen Spencer. During the pandemic, Ms. Farquhar explored her creativity through video editing; her work in the Teddy Bear Series is available through the Indianapolis Public Library and on YouTube. This is her second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Shannon Nance, violin (February), is Assistant Concertmaster of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, having joined the orchestra in 1993. She holds two degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Catherine Tait and Zvi Zeitlin. Shannon has appeared as soloist with the RPO, the SUNY Geneseo Orchestra, the Masterworks Festival Orchestra, the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra (Neb.), the Greece Symphony (N.Y.), and the Greater Rochester Women’s Philharmonic. An active chamber musician in the Greater Rochester area, she is also a dedicated violin teacher with students of varying ages in her studio. Shannon directed the String Intensive Study Program at the Masterworks Festival for several years, and coaches advanced chamber groups for the Hochstein School of Music and Dance. She is married to trumpeter Wesley Nance. After raising four children, they are relishing the joys of grandparenthood. This is her seventh year at Arizona Musicfest.

Marcin Arendt, violin (February), is Concertmaster of the Iris Orchestra, a member of the Ceruti String Quartet, Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis, and on the faculty at Interlochen Arts Camp. He is co-founder and Artistic Director of the Memphis in Poland summer festival, which features music in a wide mix of styles, including blues and jazz. Marcin has performed alongside renowned artists, among them Itzhak Perlman, Gil Shaham, Jaime Laredo, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Clay Aiken, Dawn Upshaw, Corky Siegel, and Joshua Bell. His playing can be heard on many recordings, including chamber works by Jacques Castérède on Naxos Records. Marcin earned a master’s and doctorate from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Performer’s Certificate from the Stanislaw Moniuszko Academy of Music in his native Poland. He plays a Jan van Rooyen violin, modeled after the Guarneri “Carrodus”; his bow was made by David Forbes. This is his fourth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Ross Monroe Winter, violin (February), is Principal Second Violin of the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra and a member of the Richmond and Virginia Symphonies. He appears regularly with the National, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Naples, New Jersey, Florida, Sarasota, Alabama, and Jacksonville Symphonies. As a soloist, he has performed with orchestras in the United States, Brazil, and China. Immersed in chamber music, he is the violinist of the Orlando Piano Trio and is frequently heard in recital as a guest with numerous ensembles, among them the Wintergreen Chamber Players. Additional festival appearances include Santo Domingo, Todi, Maastricht, Aspen, Sichuan, Cedar Valley Chamber Music, Virginia Arts, and Music at Penn’s Woods. A devoted teacher for two decades, Dr. Winter is a professor at the University of Central Florida. During the summers, he teaches violin and chamber music at the Wintergreen Music Festival and Academy, where he has also served as Academy Director. He is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and SUNY Purchase College-Conservatory. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Amy Oshiro-Morales, Principal Second Violin (March), joined the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2008. Previously, she was Assistant Concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony and Grant Park Orchestra, as well as Associate Concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony. Ms. Oshiro-Morales began violin studies at age three, making her orchestral debut with the Chicago Symphony at twelve. She has appeared as soloist numerous times with the St. Louis Symphony, the Napa Valley Symphony, the Minnesota Sinfonia, and others. She has also been a guest musician with the New York Philharmonic. Ms. Oshiro-Morales studied with Almita and Roland Vamos at Oberlin Conservatory, then with Robert Mann at The Juilliard School. Her festival experience includes Sun Valley Summer Symphony, Grand Teton Music Festival, Cactus Pear Music Festival, and the National Orchestral Institute (Mo.). Ms. Oshiro-Morales also enjoys hiking and running: she has completed marathons in Chicago and New York City. This is her sixth year at Arizona Musicfest. Ms. Oshiro-Morales is generously sponsored by John and Kay Abram.

Angie Smart, Associate Principal Second Violin (March), is a member of the St. Louis Symphony, where she has appeared several times as soloist. An active chamber musician, she has performed as part of the SLSO: Live at the Pulitzer series, with the Missouri Chamber Music Festival and with the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis. After studies at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester (England), she earned her master’s at Rice University. Ms. Smart competed in the 10th International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Yehudi Menuhin Competition, and has been a prizewinner in many other competitions. She is an active teacher and maintains a large private studio with students ranging from ten to eighteen years old, many of whom play in the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. Her son, Theo Bockhorst, was the Co-Concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra and is studying violin at conservatory. This is her first year at Arizona Musicfest. Ms. Smart is generously sponsored by Stan and Arlene Spiegel.

Johnny Lee, Principal Second Violin (February), joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2005, after serving as Assistant Concertmaster of the Charlotte Symphony and Concertmaster of the Canton Symphony. Previously, he was a member of the Grant Park Orchestra. Johnny has been a featured soloist with the LA Philharmonic twice, performing Vivaldi concertos at Walt Disney Concert Hall and at the Hollywood Bowl. He has also appeared as a soloist with the Charlotte Symphony, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, and Spoleto Festival Orchestra. An avid chamber musician, Johnny appears frequently on the LA Philharmonic’s Chamber Music series. He is a founding member of Ensemble Ditto, with whom he has recorded three albums. Johnny began playing the violin at age five, spending his weekends taking lessons at the Cleveland Institute of Music. After graduating from Harvard with a cum laude degree in economics, Johnny realized music was his true passion and returned to CIM for his master’s. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Lee is generously sponsored by Paul and Jan Schrage.

Jessie Fellows, Associate Principal Second Violin (February), serves as Assistant Principal Second Violin of the San Francisco Symphony. Previously, she performed frequently with the St. Louis Symphony and the New York Philharmonic. She has enjoyed touring and performing both chamber and orchestral music throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Ms. Fellows has appeared at numerous festivals, including the Lakes Area Music Festival, BRAVO Vail, Aspen Music Festival, Rome Chamber Music Festival, Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, and Spoleto USA. Born into a musical family, she began her studies at the age of three under the direction of her mother in Tulsa (Ok.). Ms. Fellows received her bachelor’s from the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University and her master’s as a Jerome Greene Fellow at The Juilliard School. This is her first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jennifer Ross, violin (February & March), is Principal Second Violin for the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. Previously, she was Associate Concertmaster of the Honolulu Symphony, then graduated from the Curtis Institute and became a member of the Cincinnati Symphony. Ms. Ross spent nearly twenty years as Principal Second Violin of the Pittsburgh Symphony with which she toured, recorded (including two Grammy Awards), and performed as soloist. She has been a guest artist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. Ms. Ross has collaborated with Pinchas Zukerman, Johannes Moser, Denis Kozhukhin, Lynn Harrell, Jaime Laredo, and Orli Shaham. Her festival experience includes more than thirty-five summers at Grand Teton Music Festival; she is also a founding member of Jackson Hole Chamber Music. In addition to serving as a coach at the New World Symphony and the National Youth Orchestra, she offers master classes, audition clinics, and lectures nationwide. This is her fifth year at Arizona Musicfest. Ms. Ross is generously sponsored by Richard and Deborah Felder.

Byron Tauchi, violin (March), is currently Principal Second Violin of the Louisiana Philharmonic. He has served as Concertmaster of the National Orchestral Association, the New Philharmonic of New Jersey, the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, and as Associate Concertmaster of the San Jose Symphony. He has been a faculty member at the Brevard Music Festival since 1992 and has served as the chair of the string area. Byron has also been a faculty member at the University of Santa Clara and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. As a recitalist, soloist, and chamber musician, he has performed throughout the United States, Spain, Denmark, Italy, and Ukraine. Byron attended the Manhattan School of Music studying with Raphael Bronstein and Ariana Bronne. He also holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Steven Lubiarz, violin (February & March), joined the Second Violin section of the Calgary Philharmonic in 2003. Previously, he was a member of the New World Symphony. He received his bachelor’s from DePauw University, studying with Dan Rizner, Stephen Boe, and Sebastian Gürtler.  Steven earned his master’s at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts as a student of Cyrus Forough and Joseph Golan. As chamber musician and soloist, he has performed in the Czech Republic, Austria, and throughout Japan. He is a member of the contemporary chamber group Ensemble Resonance and managing member of Bell’arte Strings. Mr. Lubiarz founded the Port Elizabeth Chamber Music Festival in Caseville (Mich.). He has taught in New York, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Arizona, and continues on the faculty at the Mount Royal University Conservatory in Calgary. He also volunteers as a mentor with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Calgary. Lubiarz performs on an 1897 Leandro Bisiach, a gift from his first teacher, the late Anne Dodge. This is his thirteenth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Allison Lovera, violin (March), is a member of the Milwaukee Symphony, following a year’s engagement with the Minnesota Orchestra. As part of Venezuela’s celebrated “El Sistema,” she played first violin and soloed with the Simon Bolivar Symphony and served as Concertmaster of several others. Ms. Lovera has performed as soloist with the Teresa Carreño Symphony, Chicago College of Performing Arts Symphony, and the CMI Chamber Orchestra in San Antonio. Additionally, she has appeared in recital in Venezuela, Costa Rica, and the Chicago area, including the Steinway Piano Gallery of Hinsdale and Ganz Hall at Roosevelt University. Ms. Lovera has competed successfully in Venezuela and the U.S.; most recently, she won the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music Concerto Competition in 2020 and received the Chicago International Music Competition Rising Star Award in 2021. She received her undergraduate degree from the CCPA under the guidance of Almita Vamos, and earned her Artist Diploma as a student of Dr. Marcin Arendt. This is her first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Caroline Slack, violin (March), appears frequently with the Britt Festival Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Philharmonic, Des Moines Metro Opera, Elgin Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, and the Milwaukee Symphony. Originally from Vashon Island (Wash.) and an avid chamber musician, she performs with the Grant Street String Quartet and has collaborated with the International Chamber Artists, Fifth House Ensemble, and the Q Ensemble. Previously, Caroline also performed regularly with the Kansas City Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Austin Symphony, Austin Lyric Opera Orchestra, and Victoria Bach Festival. She was a founding member of the Quartus Chamber Players in Houston. Caroline received degrees from Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas in Austin. This is her fifth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Joseam Cuadrado, violin (February & March), is a member of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico.  He has performed as a soloist in Puerto Rico, and as chamber music and orchestra player, in Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. Joseam received his bachelor’s from Puerto Rico’s Conservatory of Music, a student of Francisco Cabán. He has participated in music festivals in Europe and U.S., studying with well-known teachers such as Guillaume Sutre, Ulf Wallin, Sergiu Schwartz, and Nancy Zhou. Joseam has a special interest in outreach and has worked with the International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico, which connects children and communities in underserved areas of Puerto Rico with music and renowned artists from diverse nationalities, and Programa de Música 100×35, which offers music education and orchestra experience to children and teenagers coming from low income households. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Leah Latorraca, violin (February & March), performs frequently with the North Carolina Symphony. She has held acting positions in both the North Carolina and Charlotte Symphonies. Previously, she was a member of The Phoenix Symphony. She has performed as a soloist with the Madison Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Music Institute of Chicago Academy Chamber Orchestra, and the McDuffie Center for Strings Orchestra. Chamber music performances have included collaborations with Lawrence Dutton, Hsin-Yun Huang, Gary Hoffman, Ani and Ida Kavafian, and Robert McDuffie, among others. Recent summers have been spent performing at the Santa Fe Opera, Colorado Music Festival, and as Assistant Concertmaster of the Sunriver Music Festival in Oregon. She toured Central and South America as a member of the Orchestra of the Americas (YOA). Leah received her bachelor’s from The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings and her master’s from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Stephen Rose. This is her first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Adelaide Federici, violin (February), is Concertmaster of the Johns Creek Symphony, Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, and a member of the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra and Cabrillo Festival. She also regularly performs with the Atlanta Symphony. Adelaide is violinist with the Edgewood String Quartet and also plays with the contemporary music ensemble Bent Frequency. She has appeared in outreach concerts with the Atlanta Chamber Players under the auspices of Young Audiences of Atlanta, and offered dozens of performances of Ferdinand the Bull in elementary schools across the country. In the non-classical world, Adelaide has recorded with performers such as Bruce Springsteen, Train, Joe Gransden, and Monica. She earned a bachelor’s at the Eastman School, studying with William Preucil, and a master’s at the University of Southern California under Robert Lipsett. Other teachers of significant influence were Richard Simon and her mother, Lynn Baughman. Adelaide  is on faculty at the Bailey School of Music at Kennesaw State University. This is her fourteenth year at Arizona Musicfest. 

Zubaida Azezi, violin (February), is a member of The Florida Orchestra. Previously, she was a member of the New World Symphony. She has also performed with the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Classical Tahoe Festival, and the Baltimore Symphony. After making her solo debut at fifteen with the Toronto Symphony, Ms. Azezi performed internationally including at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Toronto’s Roy Thompson Hall, Usher Hall (Edinburgh), and at the Royal Albert Hall for a BBC Proms concert. Devoted to promoting music education, she traveled to Urumqi (China) in 2014, where she partnered with YOA Orchestra of the Americas and founded the region’s  first youth orchestra. She has served as guest instructor for young musicians from Academia Filharmonica de Medellín (Columbia), and has coached students in Jamaica, Canada, China, and the Dominican Republic. This is her second  year at Arizona Musicfest.

Spencer Ekenes, violin (February), enjoys an active performance career as a recitalist, chamber, and orchestral musician. Spencer performs frequently with The Phoenix Symphony, West Valley Symphony, Cactus Chamber Musicians, and previously with Wichita Grand Opera (KS), Arizona Pro Arte Ensemble, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra (MO), Idaho Falls Symphony (ID), and Mill Ave Chamber Players (AZ). Spencer is actively performing as second violinist in the Burn City String Quartet, based in Phoenix, AZ. Passionate about the violin/piano duo repertoire, Spencer has performed solo and duo recitals in the United States, Mexico, and Norway. Additionally, Spencer has engaged as a concerto soloist with the BYU-Idaho Symphony Orchestra, Eastern Arizona College Symphony Orchestra, ASU Baroque Ensemble, BYU-Idaho Baroque Ensemble, University of Idaho Festival Orchestra, and the University of Montana Fall Festival Orchestra. Spencer completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance from Arizona State University. Under the mentorship of Dr. Katherine McLin (ASU) and Dr. Samuel Máynez Champion (Conservatorio Nacional de México), he completed the first publication of the complete works for violin and piano by the late Mexican violinist/composer Samuel Máynez Prince as his culminating project for his doctoral degree. Dr. Ekenes has taught high school orchestra in the Gilbert Public Schools and is active as a guest adjudicator and clinician throughout the greater Phoenix area. Dr. Ekenes has presented and taught masterclasses at high schools, colleges, and universities in Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Kansas, and Washington state. Dr. Ekenes currently teaches an active studio of violin students in Mesa, Arizona. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Chiara Dieguez, Principal Viola (February & March), serves as Principal for the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. She performs regularly with the National and Baltimore Symphonies, Washington National Opera, the Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, and spends her summers at the Grand Teton Music Festival. As a chamber musician, Ms. Dieguez has collaborated with the Smithsonian Chamber Players, the Fessenden Ensemble of Washington, D.C., the Ibis Chamber Music Society of Arlington (Va.), Festival Baltimore, the Baltimore-based Sundays at Three and Chamber Music by Candlelight Series, the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble of Richmond (Va.), and the Mainly Mozart Festival of Miami. She served as Associate Principal Viola of The Phoenix Symphony for seven years and was a member of the prize-winning Sonore String Quartet. Ms. Dieguez holds a bachelor’s from Arizona State University, studying with William Magers, and a master’s from the University of Maryland, a student of Daniel Foster and Michael Tree. This is her tenth year at Arizona Musicfest.  Ms. Dieguez is generously sponsored by Nick and Anne Hackstock.       

Meredith Kufchak, Associate Principal Viola (March), joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as Principal Viola at the start of the 2019-2020 season. Previously, she had spent one season as a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Ms. Kufchak grew up in Columbus (Ohio), the youngest of six talented musicians. After graduating from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, a student of Ivo-Jan van der Werff, she earned her master’s at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Jodi Levitz. Kufchak also holds an Artist Diploma from the San Francisco Academy Orchestra, where she studied with San Francisco Symphony violist Matthew Young. She has served as Principal Viola with the Fresno Philharmonic and Santa Rosa Symphony, and also performed frequently with the San Francisco Symphony. Her festival appearances include Yellow Barn, Olympic Music Festival, and Tanglewood Music Center. This is her second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Katie Kadarauch, Associate Principal Viola (February), is Assistant Principal Viola of the San Francisco Symphony. Her festival appearances include the Taos, Yellow Barn, Soundfest, Banff, Great Lakes, and Marlboro Music Festivals. She has performed with the Alexander String Quartet, the Israeli Chamber Players, International Sejong Soloists, Colburn Chamber Orchestra, and Musicians From Marlboro. In 2006, she was also a featured performer at the International Viola Congress alongside Kim Kashkashian. She has a special passion for teaching that includes working with local groups, including adult amateur chamber ensembles, private instruction, and her online studio. She taught for many years at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and  recently was guest artist-in-residence at the University of Nevada-Reno. She holds bachelor’s and graduate degrees from the New England Conservatory and a Professional Studies Certificate from the Colburn School. Her primary teachers include Kim Kashkashian, Paul Coletti, and the Cavani and Tackas String Quartets. This is her first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Caroline Gilbert, viola (February & March), serves as Principal for the Buffalo Philharmonic. Previously, she was a member of the New World Symphony. Born in Bloomington (Ind.), she grew up playing the violin in the pre-college program at Indiana University. Ms. Gilbert switched to viola at Indiana University, studying with Atar Arad. While at the Indiana, she won the Concerto Competition and performed as soloist with the IU Chamber Orchestra in Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher. For her master’s, she attended The Juilliard School where she studied with Samuel Rhodes and Rodger Tapping. Ms. Gilbert has appeared at Carnegie Hall with the New York String Orchestra, with Michael Tilson Thomas as a member of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra in Sydney (Australia), and at Tanglewood. The last three summers were spent in Switzerland playing with the Verbier Festival Orchestra. This is her second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jennifer Puckett, viola (March), has served as Principal Viola of the Memphis Symphony for fifteen years, having joined the orchestra in 2005. Previously, she spent three years with the New World Symphony and also played with the Colorado Symphony and the Alabama Symphony. Mrs. Puckett received her bachelor’s as a violinist from the University of Alabama and, after switching to viola, her master’s from the University of Colorado. A dedicated teacher, she founded the East Memphis Music Academy in 2008. Currently, her private studio includes violin and viola students of all ages. Summer festivals include Aspen Music Festival, Meadowmount School of Music, National Repertory Orchestra, Spoleto USA, and the Brevard Music Center. She has been on the faculty at the Eastern Music Festival since 2005. Her most influential musical teachers include Connie Heard, Erika Eckert, Patrick Rafferty, Judith Glyde, Jennifer John and Carlton McCreer. This is Mrs. Puckett’s tenth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Ames Asbell, viola (March), is Principal Violist of the Austin Lyric Opera Orchestra, a member of the Austin Symphony, and a member of the classical crossover Tosca String Quartet. She has performed classical, tango, and popular music in international venues ranging from concert halls to clubs. Ames appears on CDs, film scores, and broadcasts, including the Dixie Chicks’ Grammy-winning Home, Richard Linklater’s Waking Life, plus five appearances on Austin City Limits. From 2001 to 2005, she toured globally with David Byrne. She holds a doctorate from The University of Texas and is on the faculty at Texas State University, San Marcos. A passionate teacher, Ames has twice taught the top high school violist in All-State Competition; former students have gone on to Eastman, Rice, Oberlin, Peabody, Interlochen, and Idyllwild. In 2010, she launched the Texas State String Project, which offers string instruction to local elementary students. This is her tenth year at Arizona Musicfest. Ms. Asbell is generously sponsored by Bob and Jackie Niedermeier.

Matthew Dane, viola (March), serves as Principal of Houston’s River Oaks Chamber Orchestra and Opera Colorado. He is also a member of the Boulder Piano Quartet and the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado. His chamber music festival appearances include OK Mozart, Portland (Maine), Chamber Music Quad Cities, Ruby Mountains, Calgary’s Land’s End, Snake River, and Tanglewood. Matt recorded quintets of Lowell Liebermann with the Boulder Piano Quartet and Jon Manasse for Koch Records. He has appeared as soloist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, ROCO, BCOC, and St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, among others. He spends summers teaching at Greenwood Music Camp in Massachusetts and his own Boulder Violist Sessions. Dane co-founded the Brightmusic Ensemble in Oklahoma City and maintains a private teaching studio in Boulder. He is also an avid violist d’amore and has worked with composers to create several new works for the unusual instrument. This is his tenth season at Arizona Musicfest.

Matthew Young, Viola (February), joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2012. He has performed with the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Vancouver Symphony. A founding member of the Verklärte Quartet, he was Grand Prize winner in the 2003 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Mr. Young serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory, the National Orchestral Institute, and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra. He attended the University of Kentucky, Yale School of Music, and Cleveland Institute, where he was grateful to learn from the legendary viola mentor Robert Vernon. Active in the community, Young enjoys collaborative performances at the Institute on Aging, Juvenile Hall, San Francisco’s LGBT Center, Raphael House, the San Francisco Unified School District, Threshold Hospice, and USCF and VA Hospitals. This is his sixth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Christian Colberg, viola (March), is Principal Viola of the Cincinnati Symphony. Previously, he was Assistant Principal of the Baltimore Symphony. He is also an Artist-Faculty member at Aspen Music Festival and Principal Viola at the Bellingham Festival. He began his musical studies at the age four in his native Puerto Rico. A graduate of the Peabody Institute of Music, his main teachers include Alexander Schneider, Saul Ovcharov, Charles Libov and Shirley Givens. Mr. Colberg has served on the faculties at Peabody (violin) and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory (viola).  As a chamber musician, Mr. Colberg has collaborated with artists such as Augustin Hadelich, Samuel Sanders, Jaime Laredo, and the Muir and Cypress String Quartets. In 2018, Mr. Colberg performed his Viola Concerto with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and has subsequently played the work with numerous orchestras. His newest compositions—for string quartet and drums—was released in 2022: on the album, Talking to Myself, he plays all the parts. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Melissa Matson, viola (February), is a member of the Rochester Philharmonic. As Principal Violist from 1998-2019, she performed often as featured soloist. A native of Chico (Ca.), she received her bachelor’s, master’s, and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School, studying with Martha Katz. Further studies were with Heidi Castleman and Karen Tuttle. An avid chamber musician, Melissa was a founding member of both the prize-winning Chester String Quartet and the Rochester-based Amenda Quartet, with whom she recently performed the Beethoven Quartet Cycle. She appears regularly at the Skaneateles (N.Y.) Festival and was the founding Artistic Director of Rochester’s First Muse Chamber Music. Melissa’s upcoming book Exploring Excerpts: A Violist’s Guide to Developing Skills for Orchestral Playing joins her popular One-Position Finger-Pattern Scales, an infinitely-variable approach to left-hand versatility. She also finds time to pursue the visual arts, and in the past five years has built homes with Habitat for Humanity’s “Women Build” program in Rochester. This is her fifth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jacob Shack, viola (February), was appointed Fourth Chair Viola of the Baltimore Symphony in 2016. He earned his master’s at The Juilliard School as a student of Misha Amory and Heidi Castleman, and frequently performed as Co-Principal of the Juilliard Orchestra. He has toured the world as a chamber and orchestral musician, most recently in Hong Kong at Bright Sheng’s Intimacy of Creativity Festival, and in Colombia at the Medellín International Music Festival. His festival experience includes Aspen, Sarasota, Spoleto USA, and Tanglewood Music Center. Jacob has also been recognized in competitions, among them the Washington International Competition for Strings and the Stulberg International String Competition. He has collaborated in performance with James Buswell, Steven Doane, James Dunham, Joseph Kalichstein, Robert Levin, and Joseph Silverstein. In 2015, Jacob was violist of the New Fromm Players, an ensemble-in-residence at the Tanglewood Music Center devoted to contemporary music performance. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Lenny Schranze, viola (February), is violist of the Ceruti String Quartet and Professor at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music of the University of Memphis. He is a Valade Fellow and coordinator of strings and the advanced quartet program at The Interlochen Center for the Arts. As a chamber musician, Lenny has performed nationally, including at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and internationally in Switzerland, South Korea, and Brazil. His solo recordings include the works for viola and piano by Robert Schumann and the sonatas of Johannes Brahms. Mr. Schranze has been honored by Chamber Music America for “excellence in chamber music instruction” and received the Dean’s Creative Achievement Award from the University of Memphis. He earned degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the New England Conservatory, studying with Heidi Castleman, Heiichiro Ohyama, Dorothy Delay, Max Aronoff, and Evelyn Jacobs. Recent projects include the MSR Classics release of Quartets by Brahms and Debussy. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Brant Taylor, Principal Cello (March), was appointed by Daniel Barenboim to the Chicago Symphony in 1998, after one year with the St. Louis Symphony. His extensive career includes solo appearances and collaborations with leading chamber musicians throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, in addition to orchestral, pedagogical and popular music activities. For five years, he was cellist of the award-winning Everest String Quartet. A faculty member at DePaul University, Mr. Taylor is also a frequent guest artist and lecturer at music institutions and summer festivals around the United States. In 2002, he began an association with Pink Martini, appearing with them on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Late Show with David Letterman, and on tours across North America. He can be heard on the album Hey Eugene. Mr. Taylor holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Indiana University, where his primary teachers were Janos Starker and Paul Katz. This is his fourteenth year at Arizona Musicfest.  Mr. Taylor is generously sponsored by Larry and Joan Arnold.

Joseph Johnson, Principal Cello (February), Associate Principal  (March) , serves as Principal of the Toronto Symphony and Santa Fe Opera. He has performed as Guest Principal Cellist with the Detroit Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Trondheim Symphony. Last spring, he was Guest Principal Cellist with the San Francisco Symphony for their Carnegie Hall/Europe Tour. His 2020-2021 season included concerto appearances with the Toronto Symphony (Dvořák), Etobicoke Symphony (Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations), and the Niagara Symphony (Shostakovich #1). A champion of new music, Joseph has premiered concertos by Unsuk Chin, Miguel del Aguila Cello, Peter Oetvos, and Marc-André Dalbavie. An Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, he is the cello coach for Toronto Youth Symphony, and regular coach and teacher at the New World Symphony. He has conducted numerous master classes for a wide range of institutions and ensembles. Mr. Johnson holds bachelor’s and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School and a master’s from Northwestern University. Mr. Johnson performs on a magnificent Paolo Castello cello crafted in Genoa in 1780. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Johnson is generously sponsored by Marlene Benson.

Joel Noyes, Associate Principal Cello (February), is Assistant Principal Cello of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He has appeared as chamber musician and recitalist at Alice Tully Hall, Weill Recital Hall, and Bargemusic. Joel performed with Renée Fleming at Carnegie Hall and has appeared several times under James Levine in the Musicians from the Met series. His festival experience includes Marlboro Music, La Jolla Summerfest, and Music from Angel Fire. He has collaborated with members of the Guarneri, Juilliard, and Vermeer Quartets. He began playing cello at age three, taught by his father, and graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music, a student of David Soyer. Other teachers have included Richard Aaron at the Cleveland Institute and Marc Johnson of the Vermeer Quartet. Joel also composes, plays Egyptian music in a NYC band, and has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, and numerous movie soundtracks. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Noyes is generously sponsored by Robert and Annette Sandler.

David Heiss, cello (February & March), is a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and performs as continuo soloist in operas of Mozart and Handel. In past seasons, he joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel in that dual capacity for performances of Le nozze di Figaro and Così fan tutte. Mr. Heiss is Principal Cellist of the New York Pops and a founding member of the OMNI Piano Quartet. He has premiered numerous works, including concertos by Theodore Antoniou and Irving Robbin, as well as a cello sonata dedicated to him by Robert Manno. On Broadway, he was featured in the Tony Award-winning production of The Elephant Man as on-stage solo cellist, performing his own arrangements of incidental music. His television credits include The Today Show and Late Night with David Letterman. His career was profiled in 2010 and 2013 on Expressions, a series produced by the PBS station in his hometown of Binghamton (N.Y.). He studied with famed cellist Leonard Rose at The Juilliard School and plays a 1789 John Betts cello. This is his eleventh year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Heiss is generously sponsored by Pat and Gary Cohen.       

Brad Ritchie, cello (March), joined the Atlanta Symphony in 1997. The same year, he also joined the Atlanta Chamber Players, with whom he has extensively performed, toured, and recorded. Previously, Brad played for two years in the New World Symphony. A founding member of the contemporary music ensemble Sonic Generator, he has played with many other chamber music and new music ensembles in and around Atlanta, including Riverside Chamber Players, Thamyris Ensemble, Emory Chamber Players, Franklin Pond Quartet, GLO-ATL, and Bent Frequency. Brad earned his bachelor’s at Indiana University, where he studied with Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Janos Starker. In his senior year, his string quartet won the Kuttner Quartet Competition, which provided a year of recitals and entry to chamber music competitions from Osaka (Japan) to Evian (France). He then earned his graduate degree studying with Adriana Contino at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg, Germany. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Brooks Whitehouse, cello (February & March), serves as Principal Cello for the Winston- Salem Symphony. He has appeared as guest artist with the American Chamber Players, Villa Musica (Germany), the Ciompi Quartet, The Apple Hill Chamber Players, and the New Zealand String Quartet. Whitehouse performed in Carnegie Hall with the Garth Newell Piano Quartet as part of their Fortieth Anniversary Celebration. As founding members of The Guild Trio, he and his wife, violinist Janet Orenstein, won both the USIA Artistic Ambassador and Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competitions, and toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia. He is the co-creator with Paul Sharpe of the popular Low & Lower, a cello/bass duo created to answer the question, “Cello and bass… seriously?” Whitehouse is on the faculty at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Previously, he held professorships at the University of Florida and the University of North Carolina Greensboro. This is his fifth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Noriko Kishi, cello (February & March), has appeared regularly with the Utah Symphony and the Canyonlands New Music Ensemble. Formerly, she was Principal Cellist and featured soloist with the New World Symphony, and a member of the Sacramento Symphony. Ms. Kishi has performed with notable conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, Georg Solti, and Seiji Ozawa. She has also participated in master classes with Yo-Yo Ma, and members of the Quarneri and Cleveland Quartets. An advocate of contemporary music, Ms. Kishi was artist-in-residence for the Salty Cricket Composers Collective and premiered solo and chamber works by Utah composers. She earned her bachelor’s at the Eastman School and her master’s at the New England Conservatory. Her principal teachers were Irene Sharp, Robert Sylvester, and Bernard Greenhouse. Noriko has taught at the San Francisco School of the Arts, San Francisco Community Music Center, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Preparatory Department. A member of the Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra (Calif.) for twenty-six years, this is her twenty-fifth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jeremy Kreutz, cello (March), is a member of the Houston Symphony. Previously, he worked under conductors such as Marin Alsop, Christoph Eschenbach, David Robertson, Robert Spano, Larry Rachleff, and Valery Gergiev. He has performed domestically and abroad as an orchestral and chamber musician, including with the Aspen Music Festival, Kneisel Hall, and the Pacific Music Festival in Japan. He has also studied with members of the Juilliard, Borromeo, Miró, Verona, and Cleveland Quartets. Originally from Loveland (Co.), Kreutz began learning the cello at eleven in his local public school, where his father taught the orchestral program for thirty years. He continued in high school with cellist Katherine Azari, and completed his primary studies with Darrett Adkins at the Oberlin Conservatory, and Desmond Hoebig at Rice University’s Shepherd School. Considering community engagement an incredibly important aspect of life, he has worked with public schools in Colorado, Ohio, Texas, and Illinois, as well as Colorado’s “El Sistema” program. Kreutz enjoys exploring Houston’s vibrant food culture and marathons of competition reality shows. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Bjorn Ranheim, cello (February), joined the St. Louis Symphony in 2005.  He is also a member of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony. He has held Principal and Assistant Principal Cello positions with the New World Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, and Aspen Festival Orchestra. He has appeared as soloist with the St. Louis Symphony, Colorado Music Festival, New World Symphony, and Columbia Civic Orchestra, among others. Ranheim is an active chamber musician who has performed throughout the US, Europe, and Central America. An advocate of contemporary solo and chamber music, he has given world-premiere performances of works by the late Stephen Paulus, Paul Schoenfield, Steven Heitzig, Peter Martin, Stefan Freund, and William Beckstrand. He is a founding member of the 442s, an acoustic string ensemble that pursues innovative, genre-defying music-making. Ranheim studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music under Stephen Geber, retired Principal Cello of the Cleveland Orchestra. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Charles Tyler, cello (February), frequently performs with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, and the LA Opera Orchestra. He served as Co-Principal Cello of Japan’s Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra for three seasons. His festival experience includes Tanglewood, the Castleton Festival, the Hear Now Music Festival, and the National Repertory Orchestra (the last as Principal Cello). He has appeared on the Jacaranda and Dilijan Chamber music series. Principal teachers and mentors include Richard Aaron, Tanya Carey, Joel Krosnick, Antonio Lysy, and Michel Strauss. Mr. Tyler earned degrees from the Cleveland Institute, where he won the Concerto Competition, and The Juilliard School. He received his doctorate from UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music. In 2012, he was top prizewinner of the Osaka International Music Competition; in 2014, he won the Atwater Kent Strings Competition. Mr. Tyler has served as teaching assistant in chamber music and cello at UCLA, and currently maintains a private studio in Los Angeles. This is his ninth year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Tyler is generously sponsored by Fran Rosenthal.

Dr. Yeil Park (pronounced ‘Yale’) is a dynamic cellist who enjoys his career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, and educator. He is a tenured member of Arizona Opera since 2014. Other orchestral engagements include Arizona Musicfest, Castleton Festival Orchestra where he sat assistant principal under maestro Fabio Luisi, and as a regular substitute with The Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with members of The Cleveland Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the Shanghai Quartet, the Brentano String Quartet, and The Ying Quartet. Other highlights include performing the Elgar Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations as the winner of ISU’s Concert of Soloist competition. Dr. Park was recently appointed as the cello faculty at Glendale Community College. He received his Doctorate in Cello Performance at Arizona State University, where he served as teaching assistant to Tom Landschoot and wrote his dissertation on the efficacy of Skype lessons through quantitative analysis. He received his MM in Cello Performance at Arizona State University and was the recipient of the Atsumi Cello Scholarship. He received his BM magna cum laude at Iowa State University, where he studied with George Work of the Ames Piano Quartet. Previous teachers include Dr. Julie McGinnis Sturm, Hans Jørgen Jensen, Stephen Geber, and Yehuda Hanani. This is his first year with Arizona Musicfest.

Carl Anderson, Principal Bass (March), is a member of the Boston Symphony. He has also appeared  with the Chicago Symphony and Cincinnati Symphony. As a Zarin Mehta Global Academy Fellow, Anderson played with the New York Philharmonic. His festival experience includes the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, and the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. After winning the Cincinnati Youth Symphony Concerto Competition, he performed with the orchestra; the following year, he won the event at DePaul University and soloed with the DePaul Symphony. As a chamber musician, Anderson participated in the Perlman Music Program and, in 2018, collaborated with Leon Fleischer and the New Fromm Players Quartet at Tanglewood. He first studied bass with his father, Wayne Anderson. After receiving his undergraduate degree at DePaul, studying with Alexander Hanna, Principal Bassist of the Chicago Symphony, he earned his master’s at Rice University’s Shepherd School, studying with Paul Ellison, renowned pedagogue and former Principal Bassist of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Anderson is generously sponsored by Michael and Stephanie Brown.

Timothy Dilenschneider, Principal Double Bass (February), serves as Associate Principal of the Houston Symphony. Previously, he was a member of the Baltimore Symphony and an alumnus of the New World Symphony. During the summer, he is an active performer at festivals including Festival Napa Valley and Classical Tahoe, where he has an endowed chair. He has participated in international tours across Europe, Asia, and Africa with orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and the Florida Orchestra. Dilenschneider has appeared in recitals and chamber music at the Candlelight Chamber Series, Napa Valley Chamber Festival, and Marin Alsop’s New Music Festival. He is double bass faculty for the Blackburn Music Academy (Ca.). Passionate about music education, he has worked with students at the Peabody Institute of Music, Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, and Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. Dilenschneider began playing double bass at eight and studied with Time  for Three bassist Ranaan Meyer prior to his studies with Harold Robinson and Edgar Meyer at the Curtis Institute of Music. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.    

Joseph McFadden, Associate Principal Double Bass (March), serves as Principal of the Atlanta Symphony. During the 2021/2022 season, he was featured performing the Vanhal Double Bass Concerto in D Major. Previously, he was Principal Bass of the Alabama Symphony, and also performed with Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony and Nashville Symphony. He serves as Principal Bass of the Grand Teton Music Festival. His festival experience also includes the Cabrillo Festival, Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas, Aspen Music Festival, and Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival. McFadden received his bachelor’s from California State University, Northridge, where he studied with Oscar Meza, and his master’s from Indiana University under the instruction of Bruce Bransby. He also studied with Chris Hanulik and Bruce Bransby as a two-time fellowship recipient at Aspen, where he also performed throughout the summer with the Aspen Chamber Symphony. McFadden plays on a bass he commissioned from Chris Threlkeld, which was finished for him in 2009. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. McFadden is generously sponsored by Mike and Gloria Komppa.

Andrew Pedersen, Associate Principal Double Bass (February), joined the Houston Symphony in August 2017. A native of Batavia ( Ill.), he received his bachelor’s from DePaul University, where he studied with Robert Kassinger. Andrew earned his master’s from Rice University, studying with Timothy Pitts. Other mentors include Paul Ellison, Alexander Hanna, and Gregory Sarchet. While in Chicago, Andrew was a member of the Civic Orchestra and a regular substitute with the New World Symphony, including a tour in which the orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center. He has also attended the Aspen, Music Academy of the West, and Verbier Festivals. Outside the orchestra, Andrew enjoys teaching, arranging music for bass ensembles, and exploring the unique cuisine of Houston. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Timothy Spears, double bass (February & March), is a member of Symphony Silicon Valley and California Symphony. He also appears frequently with the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Ballet Orchestras, as well as other Bay Area ensembles. He performed with Philharmonia Baroque in the East Coast debuts of Acis and Galatea and Teseo at Lincoln Center and Tanglewood. His interests range from early to contemporary music, and include premieres of works by composers such as John Adams, Olivier Messiaen, Mason Bates, and Chris Thile. Mr. Spears enjoys a longtime association as Principal Bass with the Midsummer Mozart Festival Orchestra. For twenty-five years, he was Principal Bass with Music in the Mountains (Calif.), resigning to serve as Assistant Librarian/Orchestra Manager of San Francisco Opera. He has been a member of the Filarmónica de Caracas and the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony, following studies with Diana Gannett Mizelle and C. Dee Moses. This is his twenty-ninth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Paul Sharpe, double bass (February & March), is Principal Double Bass of the Winston-Salem Symphony and a frequent Guest Principal and Assistant Principal of the Charleston (S.C.) Symphony. He has performed in recital at prestigious music festivals and venues internationally, including Villa Musica (Germany), Orfeo (Italy), Bass2008 (France), World Bass Festival (Poland), Bass Encounter (Brazil), Garth Newel Chamber Institute (Va.), the Anchorage Chamber Music Festival, and Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival (Alaska). As soloist, he has appeared with the orchestras of Winston-Salem, Boise, Theatro Sao Pedro (Porto Allegre, Brazil), Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, Lubbock, Dallas Chamber, and Aspen Young Artists. His work as a member of the unique cello-bass duo, Low and Lower, keeps him busy and often pushes him far beyond the typical classical musician’s comfort zone on stage—singing, acting, composing, arranging, and more. He is Professor of Double Bass and an Assistant Dean at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. This is his thirteenth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Rudy Albach, double bass (March), is Principal Double Bass of the Columbus Symphony. Prior to joining the CSO, Rudy spent two seasons with the Houston Ballet Orchestra as a Co-Principal. As a substitute musician, he has also performed with the National, Houston, Cincinnati, Atlanta, St Louis, and Baltimore Symphonies. Rudy earned his master’s from Rice University and his bachelor’s from the Peabody Institute. His primary teachers include Paul Ellison, Paul Johnson, and Linda McKnight. A two-time member of the Schleswig-Holsten Musik Festival, Rudy has performed internationally in Germany, Denmark, and China. Raised in northern New Jersey, Rudy was born into a very musical family with many current and former professional musicians, including two bassists! In his free time, Rudy enjoys watching motorsports, kayaking, playing video games, and finding new vegan restaurants. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Eric Shetzen, double bass (February), is currently Acting Principal Bass of the San Bernardino Symphony. He has served as Principal of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra (Osaka, Japan), the Castleton Festival, and the Juilliard Orchestra. Previously, Eric was a Fellow at the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas. An avid chamber musician, he has collaborated with members of the Juilliard and Lyris String Quartets, violinist Jennifer Koh, and conductors Lorin Maazel and James Conlon. His festival appearances include the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival and Incontri in Terra di Siena Festival. He performs as a freelance bassist in Los Angeles in ensembles such as Jacaranda: Music at the Edge, Contemporary Performance Collective, and Hear Now Music Festival; and in studios, recording soundtracks for film and television. Eric earned his bachelor’s and master’s at The Juilliard School as a student of New York Philharmonic bassists Orin O’Brien and David Grossman. This is his ninth year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Shetzen is generously sponsored by Fran Rosenthal.      

Henrik Heide, Co-Principal Flute (March), served as Associate Principal Flute of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra from 2014 to 2019. After a two-year absence, he is now serving as Acting Associate Principal Flute. Previously, he was a member of the New World Symphony. Henrik has appeared as concerto soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Detroit Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and New World Symphony. His festival appearances include La Jolla Music Society’s Summerfest, Tanglewood, Spoleto Festival USA, Pacific Music Festival (Sapporo, Japan). Henrik received his bachelor’s from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, studying with Leone Buyse, and his master’s from The Juilliard School as a student of Jeffrey Khaner. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Christina Jennings, Co-Principal Flute (March), is Associate Professor of Flute at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has appeared as soloist with over fifty orchestras, including the Utah and Houston Symphonies, Mexico’s Orchestra de Camera, Orchestra 2001, the Spokane Symphony, and the UK’s Pro Musica. In 2009, she premiered concertos written for her by Carter Pann and Laura Elise Schwendinger. Recent chamber music festival appearances include Strings in the Mountains, Cascade Head, OK Mozart, and the Bowdoin International Festival. Ms. Jennings earned her bachelor’s and master’s at The Juilliard School. Her principal teachers include Carol Wincenc, Leone Buyse, George Pope, and Jeanne Baxtresser. She is a summer faculty member of the Panoramic Flutist Seminar, Greenwood Music Camp, and Sarasota Music Festival. This is her tenth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Matthew Roitstein, Principal Flute (February), serves as Principal Flute of the St. Louis Symphony. Previously, he was Assistant Principal Flute of the Houston Symphony, and a member of the Honolulu Symphony, Sarasota Opera Orchestra, and the New World Symphony. Roitstein has served as Guest Principal Flute with the Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra. He has also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, and Louisiana Philharmonic. Festival experience includes Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West, Aspen, and Sarasota. He can be heard on recordings by the Houston Symphony, New World Symphony, and Gloria Estefan (The Standards). Roitstein has taught throughout the U.S., and South and Central America. He earned a bachelor’s in architecture and music at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studying flute with Seta Der Hohannesian and winning the Concerto Competition. Roitstein earned his master’s at Rice University’s Shepherd School, a student of Leone Buyse. Other teachers include Mark Sparks, Stephen Kujala, Gary Woodward, Pedro Eustache, and his mother, Rosy Sackstein. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Amy Taylor, flute/piccolo (March), is the newly appointed Second Flute of the Chautauqua Symphony. A piccolo specialist, she has held positions with several major U.S. orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony and the Honolulu Symphony. This season she will perform with the Cincinnati and Detroit Symphony Orchestras. Ms. Taylor has also played frequently with the Chicago Symphony, Minnesota, Atlanta, and St. Louis Orchestras. Her summer festival experience includes  Bellingham, Sun Valley, NYC’s Mainly Mozart, and Sitka. Ms. Taylor is also a devoted teacher, currently the Adjunct Instructor     at the University of North Texas (piccolo) and at Xavier University (flute). She also teaches at the Interlochen Summer Arts Academy and has held teaching positions at Cincinnati College-Conservatory. She earned her bachelor’s from the University of North Texas and her master’s from Northwestern University. Her primary teachers include Walfrid Kujala and Terri Sundberg. This is her second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Rachel Braude, flute/piccolo (February), is a member of the Portland  Symphony (Maine). In addition, she holds positions in the Boston Ballet Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and Opera Boston. She also performs as a guest with the Boston Pops, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony. Previously Principal Piccolo of the St. Louis Symphony, Rachel teaches at the New England Conservatory (Prep Division) and is Lecturer at Dartmouth College. A graduate of New England Conservatory and The Juilliard School, her teachers include Trevor Wye, Geralyn Coticone, and Lois Schaefer. Rachel can be heard on the album In Media Res in a piece written for her by Lisa Bielawa, long time BMOP collaborator and a Prix de Rome winner. This is her eleventh year at Arizona Musicfest.

Erin Hannigan, Principal Oboe (March), serves as Principal for the Dallas Symphony. She has been Guest Principal Oboist with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, and the St. Louis Symphony. She spends summers performing and teaching at festivals, including The Strings Festival, Mainly Mozart, National Youth Orchestra, Grand Teton Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, National Orchestral Institute, the Festival-Institute at Round Top, and the Gstaad Menuhin Festival. Hannigan has recorded three CDs on Crystal Records. She is Adjunct Associate Professor at Southern Methodist University and a co-founder of Artists for Animals, for which she was honored with the Ford Award for Excellence in Community Service. Hannigan is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory, where she studied with James Caldwell; she received her master’s and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music as a student of Richard Killmer. This is her third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Alecia Lawyer, Principal Oboe (February), is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Oboist of River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO), an ensemble that flexes from one to forty musicians from around the U.S. and Canada, performing with guest conductors from throughout the world. ROCO has been called a trailblazer and arts disrupter: over seventeen seasons, it has presented 127 world premiere commissions. Since 2013, concerts have been livestreamed free of charge, garnering 250,000 views during COVID. The ensemble’s debut album won a Grammy for Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh. A unique initiative, ROCO on the Go, places QR codes throughout Houston’s parks, hospitals, and schools that link to ROCO’s free music streaming. Among current locations are Buffalo Bayou Park, Texas Southern University, Menninger Clinic, and Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center. Alecia is a proud senior fellow of American Leadership Forum, serves on the board of Houston Youth Symphony, and is a member of the Institute for Composer Diversity Project. A Juilliard graduate and Lorée oboe artist, this is her first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Kevin Pearl, oboe (March), is Assistant Principal Oboe of the Milwaukee Symphony. Previously, he was a member of the New World Symphony and toured with the orchestra to the Harris Theater, Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall. His festival experience includes the Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra, Lakes Area Music Festival, and the Grant Park Orchestra. Originally from Coral Springs (Fla.), Kevin received a bachelor’s from the Eastman School and his master’s from the Shepherd School at Rice University. His primary teachers are Richard Killmer, Robert Atherholt, and Robert Weiner, with additional mentorship from Elaine Douvas, Richard Woodhams, and Nathan Hughes. In addition to traditional classical music, Kevin enjoys collaborating with the ensemble Gravity the Architect, led by composer/producer Nathaniel Wolkstein, whose music combines sounds of orchestral instruments with modern pop textures and beats. Outside of music, Kevin enjoys working out, playing video games, and spending time with his cat, Niyla. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Alex Hayashi, oboe (February), is on faculty at the University of Hawaii (Manoa), where he teaches applied oboe. Previously, he was Adjunct Assistant Professor of Oboe at Western Michigan University. Alex has been active in various avenues of performing including solo appearances and competitions, chamber music collaborations, and orchestral and wind band settings, both in and out of the country. Most recently, he was featured as guest soloist with the West Point Band, the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, and the WMU Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with ensembles such as the Michigan Opera Theatre and the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra (Acting Principal Oboe), along with being a regular member of the TAD Wind Symphony in Tokyo. Alex is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and specializes in injury prevention for musicians through personal training. A Marigaux Oboe artist, this is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Rebecca Scarnati, oboe/English Horn (March), serves as Principal Oboe of the Flagstaff Symphony and is a member of the Kokopelli Ensemble. She is Professor at Northern Arizona University and also teaches at the NAU Curry Summer Music Camp. Ms. Scarnati received her bachelor’s, master’s, and Performer’s Certificate from Indiana University, and her doctorate from the University of Arizona. Her principal teachers include Jerry Sirucek at Indiana and John Mack of the Cleveland Orchestra. Ms. Scarnati has been a member of the Flagstaff Festival of the Arts, the Wagner Festival Orchestra (Arizona Opera), and the Desert Symphony (Palm Springs). She performed in the United States and Europe with the Con Spirito Wind Quintet, and regularly gives recitals at the Chautauqua Institution. Ms. Scarnati has been a faculty member of Binghamton University and Ohio University. This is her twenty-eighth year  at Arizona Musicfest.

Ricardo Morales, Principal Clarinet (March), serves as Principal of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Previously Principal Clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Florida Symphony, he has been Guest Principal of the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, and the Berlin Philharmonic. Mr. Morales has been a featured soloist with many orchestras, among them, Philadelphia, the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, and Indianapolis Symphony. An active chamber musician, he has performed widely, including the MET Chamber Ensemble series, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and at chamber music festivals in Santa Fe and Saratoga. Following studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory, Mr. Morales received his Artist Diploma from Indiana University. He serves on the faculties of The Juilliard School, Temple University, and the Curtis Institute of Music. This is his sixth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Chad Burrow, Principal Clarinet (February), serves as Principal of the Ann Arbor Symphony. He is on the faculty of the University of Michigan, where he teaches clarinet and chamber music. Additionally, he serves as co-artistic director and clarinetist for the Brightmusic Society of Oklahoma. He performs regularly with the Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra and the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. Chad is the former Principal Clarinetist of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the New Haven Symphony, and Quartz Mountain Music Festival. Chad’s recent engagements as a soloist and chamber musician include appearances in Austria, Denmark, Taiwan, and France; in the U.S., he performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chamber Music Northwest, and in a series of Benny Goodman centennial concerts at Carnegie Hall and Yale University. He recently released a recording of William Bolcom’s Clarinet Concerto with the University of Michigan Symphony Band. He holds degrees from Yale and Northwestern Universities, and plays exclusively on Backun, MOBA clarinets. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Burrow is generously sponsored by Ruth Jaffe.

Steve Hanusofski, clarinet, bass and Eb clarinet (February & March), is Assistant Principal and Bass Clarinet of The Phoenix Symphony. He began playing the clarinet in junior high, and added flute, bassoon, and saxophone in high school. At fifteen, Steve also took up the piano. He received his bachelorʼs from North Park University in Chicago and his master’s from Florida State University; he has done doctoral work at FSU and Arizona State University. His principal teachers include Clark Brody, Robert Marcellus, Fred Ormand, and Frank Kowalsky. Prior to joining The Phoenix Symphony in 1986, Steve performed with the Florida Philharmonic and the Miami Opera Orchestra. An active chamber musician, he has appeared often as soloist and a member of the Bel Canto Players. He is a faculty member at the Arizona Community School of the Arts and the Arizona School of the Arts. This is his thirteenth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Cris Inguanti, clarinet (March), is Associate Professor of Practice at the Kitt School of Music at Northern Arizona University, having previously served as Assistant Principal and Bass Clarinetist of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for seventeen seasons. He has also been a member of the orchestras of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, and New York City Opera National Company, as well as Portugal’s New Philharmonia. He has been a frequent guest artist with The Phoenix Symphony and Arizona Ballet Orchestra. Mr. Inguanti has appeared as orchestral soloist and in recital in Europe and North America; currently, he is a member of NAU’s Kokopelli and Flageolet ensembles. He has recorded widely, including solo CDs and orchestral works with members of the Vancouver Symphony. Prior to NAU, Mr. Inguanti taught at the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Academy of Music. This is his seventh year at Arizona Musicfest.

Glenn Einschlag, Principal Bassoon (February & March), has served as Principal of the Buffalo Philharmonic since 2009. He has also performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra. Mr. Einschlag has been featured soloist with the Ars Nova Chamber Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra. A frequent recitalist, he has also participated in many festivals, among them Aspen, Tanglewood, Spoleto USA, and Domaine Forget, where he was influenced by the noted bassoon pedagogue Norman Herzberg. Mr. Einschlag studied at The Juilliard School, Curtis Institute, and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he received his master’s under the tutelage of Benjamin Kamins. This is his thirteenth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Miles Maner, bassoon (March), is a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Previously, he was Associate Principal Bassoonist and contrabassoonist with the Kansas City Symphony, and Principal Bassoonist of the Breckenridge Music Festival. Mr. Maner has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Austin Symphony, and Austin Lyric Opera. His festival appearances include the Pacific Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Center, and the National Repertory Orchestra. A faculty member at DePaul University, he has given master classes at the University of Texas (Austin),  University of Michigan, Texas State University, University of Missouri (Kansas City), Grand Valley State University, and Utah Valley University. His former teachers are Benjamin Kamins of Rice University and Kristin Wolfe Jensen of the University of Texas. This is his fourth year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Maner is generously sponsored by Arthur and Nancy Jo Peters.

Saxton Rose, bassoon (February), is Principal Bassoonist of the Winston-Salem Symphony and a member of the Zéphyros Winds. Previously, he was Principal of the Puerto Rico Symphony. His recent engagements as soloist include appearances with the National Symphony of Colombia, National Symphony of Panamá, Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río (Mexico), Puerto Rico Symphony, the West Point Band, and Fayetteville Symphony. He has performed numerous times as soloist at conferences of the International Double Reed Society, and in recital throughout Asia, South America, and Europe. Mr. Rose works to expand the repertoire of the bassoon and redefine its role in contemporary music by commissioning new works written by established and emerging composers. He is on the faculty at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he directs the contemporary music ensemble. Mr. Rose studied with William Winstead at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. His teachers also include Yoshi Ishikawa and Timothy McGovern, with additional courses taken with Gustavo Nuñez, Sergio Azzolini, and Stefano Canuti. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Joseph Kluesener, bassoon/contrabassoon (February & March), is founder and bassoonist of the Paradise Winds Reed Quintet. A US Air Force Qualified Musician at age twenty-two, he earned degrees cum laude from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music prior receiving his master’s and doctorate from Arizona State University. From 2013-2019, he served as Second Bassoon and Faculty with Wintergreen Summer Music Festival (Va.). Kluesener has performed abroad and nationally, and taught in Portugal, Germany, Spain, and Japan. Since 2008, he has been Adjunct Faculty at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and also maintains a private bassoon studio. He has appeared in numerous conferences celebrating woodwinds with NASA, ICA, and IDRS. His primary mentors include Cynthia Cioffari, Martin James, William Winstead, Jeffrey Lyman, and Albie Micklich. Kluesener is a serious cook, baker, and pickleball player, who resides in Chandler with his wife and two French bulldogs. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jeffrey Fair, Principal Horn (March), has been Principal Horn of the Seattle Symphony since 2013. He also performs as Principal Horn of the Seattle Opera and has served as Guest Principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony, Dallas Symphony, and New Zealand Symphony. Mr. Fair is a proud member of the Seattle Symphony Horns, which have been featured at regional and international horn conferences and recently performed Schumann’s Konzertstück with the Seattle Symphony. His festival appearances as Principal Horn include the Aspen Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Mainly Mozart Festival, and Festival Mozaic. A former faculty member at the University of Washington, he appears throughout the country as a soloist, chamber musician, clinician, and teacher. Mr. Fair was Principal Horn of the San Antonio Symphony for three seasons, appearing as soloist on several occasions. He holds degrees from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Jerome Ashby, and the University of Oklahoma, as a student of Eldon Matlick. This is his eighth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Neil Deland, Principal Horn (February), serves as Principal of the Toronto Symphony.  Previously, he had an extensive freelance presence in Boston, performing and touring with the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops. He was also a member of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, the Boston Philharmonic, and the orchestras of Vermont, Rhode Island, Portland, Springfield, and Emmanuel Church. As a soloist with the TSO, Mr. Deland has performed Britten’s Serenade and the concertos of Mozart and Richard Strauss. He appears frequently with the Amici Chamber Ensemble and Toronto Summer Music Festival. Since 2011, Mr. Deland has performed often as a member of the Saito Kinen Festival and Mito Chamber Orchestra at the invitation of Seiji Ozawa. He has been Guest Principal Horn with the Boston Symphony and the Chicago Symphony. In 2020, Neil joined his partner, TSO Associate Principal Trombonist Vanessa Fralick, in performing over one hundred consecutive nightly concerts in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood as members of Horn on the Cob and the Social Distance. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Erin Cooper Gay, horn (February & March), pursues a dual career as hornist and singer. Educated at the Cleveland Institute (horn) and the University of Toronto (voice), she has performed with the Toronto Symphony for over a decade. She has also appeared with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Seattle and Vancouver Symphonies, Canadian Opera Company, National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Oregon Bach Festival. Among Erin’s notable recitals is one with the Madison Bach Players, during which she performed both the Brahms Horn Trio and soprano arias by Handel with Les Amis Concerts. Her debut vocal album, Black Market, is an evocative fusion of current indie, Renaissance and Baroque music. Her future plans include touring the album, while maintaining her freelance horn-playing. This is her sixth year at Arizona Musicfest. Ms. Gay is generously sponsored by David and Susan Mortensen.

Kevin Rivard, horn (March), is Co-Principal Horn of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Principal Horn of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. As soloist and chamber musician, he has performed with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, Music@Menlo, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and the LA Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Rivard has served as Guest Principal Horn with both the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and was a featured soloist with Houston Symphony. Previous positions include the Colorado Symphony and Florida Orchestra. He has won numerous solo competitions, notably Grand Prize at the 2008 Concours International d’Interprétation Musicale in Paris. A Juilliard graduate, Mr. Rivard spends summers performing and teaching with the Aspen Music Festival and Music@Menlo. A professor at San Francisco Conservatory, he loves teaching and inspiring the next generation of horn players. Every year he volunteers at local schools performing for youth, hoping to give as many children as possible the opportunity to enjoy live music. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jonathan Karschney, horn (February), joined the Seattle Symphony in 2010 as Assistant Principal Horn. A Seattle native, he attended Garfield High School and was a member of the Northwest Boy Choir and Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. Karschney earned his  bachelor’s at the Manhattan School of Music, studying under Erik Ralske and Al Spanjer. He then spent three years as a freelance musician in New York City, serving as Principal Horn at Radio City Music Hall and performing frequently in Broadway pits and as a substitute with the New York Philharmonic. Over the years, Jonathan has performed with a variety of ensembles throughout the U.S., including the All-Star Orchestra. Outside of the symphony, he enjoys adventuring in his ’87 Vanagon Westfalia, and relaxing with his wife and their three children, long-haired dachshund, and catahoula pup. A master tinkerer, Jonathan can usually be found fixing up one of his many vehicles or tackling a home improvement project. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Cara Kizer, horn (March), is currently a nationally-active freelance musician and college professor in the St. Louis and Illinois areas. She has held positions with numerous orchestras, including Assistant Principal Utility Horn for the New York Philharmonic and the Colorado Symphony. She also played Second Horn with the Seattle Symphony. Cara has been a substitute musician with the Minnesota Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, and the Vancouver Symphony. In New York, she played on Broadway and with New York City Opera and The Orchestra of St. Luke’s. She can be heard on many movie soundtracks. Cara holds a bachelor’s from Texas Tech University, where she studied with Anthony Brittin; a master’s from The Juilliard School, a student of Jerome Ashby; and an artist diploma from the Curtis Institute under Ashby and Jennifer Montone. This is her second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Nathan Mitchell, Assistant Horn (February & March), is in his twenty-first season as Second Horn of the Arizona Opera Orchestra. Founding hornist in the Sonoran Brass Quintet, he also performs frequently with The Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony, and New Mexico Philharmonic. For more than two decades, Nathan has spent summers serving as Hornist and Faculty Brass Coordinator of the AIMS Festival Orchestra in Graz, Austria. He has performed with national touring companies in dozens of Broadway productions, including Wicked, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, The Producers, and West Side Story. Mitchell has also appeared in concert with Barry Manilow, Michael Crawford, The Moody Blues, Johnny Mathis, Clay Aiken, Mannheim Steamroller, and Josh Groban. He can be heard on numerous recordings and is featured on the Sonoran Brass Quintet’s debut album Dry Heat. Nathan received his bachelor’s and master’s from Arizona State University. He is an adjunct faculty member at Mesa Community College and an Eastman Performing Artist. This is his eleventh year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jessica Valeri, horn (February), has served as Fourth Horn with the San Francisco Symphony since 2008. Previously, she has been a member of the St. Louis Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Grant Park Orchestra, and the Milwaukee Ballet. A Minnesota native, Ms. Valeri started playing the horn at age nine. After studying with Doug Hill at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she earned a graduate degree and Performance Certificate from Northwestern University as a student of Gail Williams, Bill Barnewitz, and Norman Schweikert. Ms. Valeri is on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and coaches the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. She has participated in many recording projects, including the Grammy Award-nominated Sound the Bells with the Bay Brass, and several albums with the Millar Brass Ensemble. During the summers, she is frequent performs with the Grand Teton Music Festival. This is her third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Matthew Ernst, Principal Trumpet (March), currently serves as Principal Trumpet of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, appointed by Edo de Waart in 2016. He was previously the Principal Trumpet of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops, Associate Principal Trumpet of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and acted as Principal Trumpet for the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. A dedicated educator, Matthew maintains a private studio in Milwaukee, and he and his wife, Janna Ernst, a collaborative pianist, tour extensively as a duo, giving performances and masterclasses across the country. Matthew has a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan, also receiving the school’s prestigious Emerging Artist Award, and two Master of Music degrees from Southern Methodist University in trumpet performance and wind conducting. Matthew resides in Shorewood, Wisconsin, with Janna and their two daughters, Madeleine and Margaret. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Alex Mayon, Principal Trumpet (February), is Acting Principal Trumpet of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also performed with the London Symphony, New World Symphony, Meridian Symphony, and Baton Rouge Symphony. Recently, he has been runner-up for positions in the Columbus Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, and San Antonio Symphony; he was a finalist for positions in the London Symphony, Chicago Lyric Opera, Richmond Symphony, and Charleston Symphony. His festival experience includes Music Academy of the West, Maverick Concerts, Caroga Lake Music Festival, Marrowstone Music Festival, Chosen Vale, and Music Inspire Africa. Alex won the 2016 International Trumpet Guild Orchestral Excerpts Competition and is a two-time winner of the Loyola University Concerto/Aria Competition. He holds a master’s from the Eastman School and a bachelor’s in music education  from Loyola University New Orleans. His previous teachers include Barbara Butler, Charlie Geyer, Paul Merkelo, James Thompson, and Dr. Nick Volz. Besides trumpet, Alex enjoys playing piano. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Mayon is generously sponsored by Dennis and Virginia O’Neal.

Joe Burgstaller, trumpet (February & March), is a former long-time member, featured trumpeter, and arranger with the Canadian Brass. He tours internationally as a soloist, most recently in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Winnipeg, Hamburg, Bologna, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Joe is also a chamber musician, crossover artist, guest orchestral musician, and master class clinician (more than 129 universities and conservatories), including his groundbreaking seminars for all instruments called Change Your Mind, Change Your Playing^®. An Associate Professor at Arizona State University, he also live-broadcasts a weekly Trumpet Warmup Show that combines warmup, routine, fundamentals, and pedagogy to an audience in more than thirty countries. His discography includes hit classical solo CDs (License to Thrill and The Virtuoso Trumpet) and multiple Top 10 Billboard hits with the Canadian Brass. His crossover CDs (Bach’s Secret Files and Mozart’s Blue Dreams) were Top 50 on JazzRadio charts. A Yamaha Performing Artist, this is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Scott Moore, trumpet (March), is Principal Trumpet with the Memphis Symphony and Leader of the MSO Big Band. He has also performed with the Chicago, St. Louis, Baltimore, National, and Toronto Symphonies. He has appeared as Guest Principal with the Symphony Orchestras of Atlanta, Toronto, and Jacksonville. He has recorded and performed with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, and with I Fiamminghi, the Orchestra of Flanders. As soloist, Mr. Moore has appeared with the San Antonio Symphony, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, the Tennessee Summer Symphony, the Chattanooga Symphony, and on numerous occasions with the Memphis Symphony. He has also been a featured Guest Artist at the International Trumpet Guild Conference. Scott holds a master’s from the New England Conservatory and a bachelor’s from McNeese State University. His teachers have included Charles Schlueter, Arnold Jacobs, and Michael Ewald. Now in his sixth year at Arizona Musicfest, he serves as Principal Trumpet for the March Pops concert. Mr. Moore is generously sponsored by Brooks Hull and Terry Gimmellie.

Wesley Nance, trumpet (February), is now in his thirty-seventh season as a member of the Rochester Philharmonic, where he has been featured soloist on several occasions. He has performed as Principal Trumpet with the RPO, the Indianapolis Symphony, Skaneateles Festival Orchestra, and the Brevard Music Center Orchestra. Wes also performs regularly and has toured with the Pittsburgh Symphony. He is a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Brass Quintet and a frequent collaborator in the Rochester area. Wes is also a composer, several of whose works were commissioned and premiered by the RPO. Wes frequently writes music for brass: his trumpet ensemble pieces have been featured at the National Trumpet Competition and International Trumpet Guild Conferences. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, he is on the faculty of the Eastman Community Music School and also an Adjunct Instructor of Chamber Music at the Eastman School. In 2019, Wes was featured in the Sinfonia’s performance of Bach’s Cantata 51. This is his seventh year at Arizona Musicfest.

Matthew Vaughn, Principal Trombone (March), has been a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1999 and Co-Principal Trombone since 2014. Previously, he was Principal of the San Antonio Symphony and served in the U.S. Air Force Concert Band in Washington, D.C. He has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, National Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, and the “Super-World” Orchestra in Tokyo. Mr. Vaughn earned his bachelor’s and Performer’s Certificate from Indiana University, and did graduate work in education and conducting at Indiana and George Mason University. He credits most of his success to his teachers David Brumfield, M. Dee Stewart (formerly with The Philadelphia Orchestra), and the late Milton Stevens (former Principal Trombone of the National Symphony).  An accomplished educator, Matthew teaches trombone and coaches brass chamber music at the Curtis Institute and Temple University. He founded Bar Harbor Brass Week, an intense summer festival for high school and college brass players. This is his sixth year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Vaughn is generously sponsored by Eddie and Susan (*) Smith.         
(*) Deceased

Samuel Schlosser, Principal Trombone (February), joined the San Francisco Opera Orchestra as Principal in 2013. Before coming to San Francisco, he was a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Milwaukee Symphony. He has also appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Opera, and the New York Philharmonic. An avid teacher, he has given master classes at the Mannes College New School for Music in New York and at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. Samuel received his formal training from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he was a student of Nitzan Haroz, Principal Trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Stephen Lange, trombone (March), has been a member of the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops since 2010. Previous positions include Associate Principal Trombone of the St. Louis Symphony and Assistant Principal Trombone/Second Trombone in the San Antonio Symphony. Mr. Lange has also performed with Gerard Schwartz’s All-Star Orchestra and New York Philharmonic, and toured internationally with the Cincinnati Symphony and Kennedy Center Opera. He is also in demand as a clinician and soloist, presenting solo recitals and master classes worldwide. Mr. Lange has been on the faculty of the Cleveland Trombone Seminar, Southeastern Trombone Symposium, and the Pierre Monteux School. A native of Dallas, he earned two bachelor degrees and a Performer’s Certificate from Indiana University, received his master’s from The Juilliard School, and now teaches at the New England Conservatory. Mr. Lange is forever indebted to his teachers; Joe Dixon in Texas, Keith Brown, Professor Emeritus at Indiana University, and Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest. Mr. Lange is generously sponsored by Robert and Shari Levitan.

Craig Mulcahy, trombone (February), is Principal Trombone of the National Symphony, having joined the orchestra in 2006. Prior to this appointment, he served as Principal Trombone of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Second Trombone with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Principal Trombone of the Tulsa Philharmonic. He has also performed with the San Francisco Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Colorado Symphony. Born in Denver (Co.), he is a graduate of the Juilliard School and University of Northern Colorado. Mr. Mulcahy was the first winner of the prestigious Zellmer-Minnesota Orchestra Trombone Competition. As an active clinician and soloist, he has performed solos, recitals, and given master classes throughout the U.S. and abroad, including the Chinese International Trombone Workshop in Beijing, where he was the featured artist. In his free time, he enjoys backpacking, cycling, and flying planes. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Scott Hartman, bass trombone (March), joined the Charlotte Symphony as Principal Bass Trombone in 2014. Prior to joining the CSO, he was the Bass Trombonist of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. The Orlando (Fla.) native studied with Charlie Vernon and Mark Fisher at DePaul University, and is an alumnus of the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, National Repertory Orchestra, Brevard Music Center, and Bar Harbor Brass. Hartman has won International Trombone Association Competitions as well, winning both the Edward Kleinhammer Orchestral Bass Trombone Competition and the Donald Yaxley Bass Trombone Competition. He was also a medal winner at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition as a member of the Lincoln Chamber Brass. Scott has performed in the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra, and the contemporary group Ensemble Dal Niente. Hartman is the low brass instructor at Davidson College and has presented master classes and recitals throughout the Southeast. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Darren McHenry, bass trombone (February), joined the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1995. A native of Atlanta, he received his bachelor’s from Southern Methodist University, where he studied with John Kitzman, winning the Concerto Competition in his senior year. Mr. McHenry earned his master’s from The Juilliard School under Don Harwood. He toured with the American-Soviet Youth Orchestra and with the New York Philharmonic on their 150th Anniversary Tour. In 1994, Mr. McHenry won the International Trombone Association Concerto Competition (Donald Yaxley Division) and the I.T.A. Lewis Van Haney Orchestral Excerpt Competition. Since 2001, he has been a member of the Idaho’s Sun Valley Summer Music Festival Orchestra. He is an Adjunct Professor at Southern Methodist University. Darren’s wife, Jenny, teaches middle school orchestra in Flower Mound (Tex.), where their two sons attend school and enjoy performing as cellists. This is his fourth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Craig Sutherland, Principal Tuba (February), is Principal of the Rochester Philharmonic.  Prior to joining the RPO, he served as Principal Tubist with the Charleston Symphony, and with the Hofer Symphoniker and Rekkenze Brass Quintet in Hof, Germany. He has also performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, and spent several summers as a member of the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. Craig is an active music educator in the Rochester area, currently serving as Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Roberts Wesleyan School and as the RPO low brass mentor for the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In previous summers, he was on the faculty at the New York State Summer School for the Arts in Saratoga, in conjunction with performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and as a performing faculty member at the Brevard Music Center in Brevard (N.C.). He holds a bachelor’s from the University of Michigan and a master’s from The Juilliard School. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Alan Baer, Principal Tuba (March), joined the New York Philharmonic as Principal in 2004, having served as Principal with the Milwaukee Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, and Louisiana Philharmonic. He has recorded with the Cleveland Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy, and performed with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, New Orleans Symphony, and Los Angeles Concert Orchestra. Festival appearances include Ojai and Wisconsin’s Peninsula Music Festival. He has toured as featured soloist in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and France. Mr. Baer studied at Indiana University of Pennsylvania with Gary Bird, then earned his bachelor’s at the Cleveland Institute under Ronald Bishop. He has done graduate work at the University of Southern California, Cleveland Institute, and California State University, Long Beach, where he studied with Tommy Johnson. He also taught at CSU and directed the University’s tuba ensemble and brass choir. Formerly, Mr. Baer was Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin and directed the tuba-euphonium ensemble. This is his second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Jonathan Haas, Principal Timpanist (March), is Principal for the New York Pops and the Aspen Chamber Symphony, as well as Principal Percussionist of the American Symphony. Known as a soloist, orchestral musician, conductor, teacher, clinician, and entrepreneur, he has won international acclaim for his performances of Philip Glass’s Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra, which he commissioned and has performed widely. Haas is Professor of Music, Director of Percussion Studies, Co-Director of the orchestra program, and Conductor of the Contemporary Music Ensemble at New York University. He also teaches at the Juilliard Pre-College Division and conducts the JPC Percussion Ensemble. Haas continues to showcase the timpani in unusual musical settings through his Hot Jazz Timpani performances with his nine-piece Latin/jazz ensemble Johnny H. And The Prisoners of Swing. In addition, Haas is president of Gemini Music Productions, the largest employer of musicians in New York and author of a ground-breaking book on timpani method, Jazz Virtuostics for Timpani. This is his fourth year at Arizona Musicfest.  Mr. Haas is generously sponsored by Stephen Modzelewski and Deborah Sze.

Alana Wiesing, Principal Timpanist (February), currently serves as Principal of the Tucson Symphony. Previously, she was Principal Timpanist of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and the Terre Haute Symphony, and a regular substitute and extra percussionist with the Indianapolis Symphony and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Alana has appeared as Guest Principal Timpanist with the National Symphony at Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap. Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music, she is an alumna faculty member at the National Orchestral Institute + Festival. She serves as the President and Chair of the board of directors for the Network for Diversity in Concert Percussion and a member of the executive board for the Tucson Federation of Musicians (Local 33). Alana earned her bachelor’s and master’s at the Jacobs School at Indiana University. In her free time, she enjoys exercising, cooking, playing games and trivia, attending arts events, trying restaurants, and spending time with family and friends. This is her second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Steve Fitch, Principal Percussionist (February & March), is Associate Principal Timpani and Drum Set Soloist for The Phoenix Symphony. He received his bachelor’s from Oberlin Conservatory and was the first percussionist to win the Senior Concerto Competition. Steve earned his master’s at the Eastman School. For seven years, he taught at Bayreuth’s Festival junger Künstler. He also played, toured, and recorded extensively with the NDR Radio Philharmonie. Steve has performed or toured with many stars, including Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, and Bobby McFerrin. A prolific writer, his fourth book is Flam Pathways to Drumming Fluency. Steve also composes: his works are published by C. Alan Publications and Musikverlag Zimmermann. A Yamaha Performing Artist, he can be heard in various Phoenix area jazz constellations, including the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. This is Steve’s fourteenth year at Arizona Musicfest.

Gene Cervantes, percussion (March), currently serves as Timpanist of the West Valley Symphony, Principal Percussion of Symphony of the Southwest, and Principal Timpanist of the Phoenix Opera. Since 1988, he has also performed regularly with The Phoenix Symphony. Gene has appeared with numerous other Arizona State and Valley organizations and chamber ensembles, and been a featured soloist with the Flagstaff Festival of the Arts Orchestra, Mesa Symphony, and Sun City Symphony. He received his bachelor’s from Northern Arizona University and his master’s from the University of Kentucky. Gene has appeared frequently at Arizona Musicfest since the festival started in 1992.

Michael Compitello, percussion (March), is a dynamic, “fast rising” (WQXR) percussionist dedicated to music which explores the sonic and expressive possibilities of percussion instruments.  Michael develops sustained collaborations with composers on new music while working to build community around the arts. His debut solo album Unsnared Drum—released 2021 on New Focus Recordings—seeks to reinvent the snare drum with “superb performances” (Classical Voice of North Carolina) and “brilliant technique” (An Earful) of new works by composers Nina C. Young, Hannah Lash, Amy Beth Kirsten, and Tonia Ko.  With cellist Hannah Collins as the “remarkably inventive and resourceful” (Gramophone) New Morse Code, Michael has created a singular and personal repertoire through collaboration with some of America’s most esteemed young composers.  Michael is also a member of Percussion Collective, an ensemble dedicated to refined performances of contemporary percussion repertoire. Michael is Associate Professor of Percussion at Arizona State University.  He holds degrees from the Yale School of Music and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. For more, visit michaelcompitello.com. This is his first year at Arizona Musicfest.

Pat Chapman, percussion (March), was one of six percussionists selected internationally for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra (YTSO), consisting of ninety professional musicians from around the world conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Since his time with YTSO, Mr. Chapman has performed with numerous orchestras across the United States, including The Phoenix Symphony, Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra (LA), as well as other ensembles across Southern California, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. He received his bachelor’s from the University of South Carolina, where he studied with Scott Herring, and his master’s from Long Beach State University. He is currently pursuing a Professional Studies Certificate at the Colburn School where he studies with Ted Atkatz. This is his third year at Arizona Musicfest.

Gaye LeBlanc, Principal Harpist (March), serves as Principal with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. She is Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma and recently joined the Sewanee Music Festival as harp faculty. She has served as Principal with Fort Smith Symphony (Ark.), Tulsa Symphony and Opera, and Mozart Festival with the NY Amici Orchestra. Ms. LeBlanc has also been active as a concerto soloist with orchestras throughout the area, most recently performing Concerto No. 1 for Harp and Chamber Orchestra by Hannah Lash with the OKC Philharmonic. In concert, she has backed a wide variety of artists, including Ray Charles, Josh Groban, Ben Folds, Joshua Bell, Yo-Yo Ma, Kristin Chenoweth, Vince Gill, and Garth Brooks, among others. Ms. LeBlanc has been at the UO since 1998 where she teaches harp students and, since 2000, two classes entitled “Understanding Music for Non-majors.” She  especially enjoys meeting “students who thought they didn’t like Classical music.” This is her tenth year with Arizona Musicfest.

Heidi Hernandez, harp (February), is in her eighteenth season playing with The Phoenix Symphony. She has served as Second Harpist for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, and Principal for the Fort Smith Symphony, Oklahoma City University Orchestra, and Oklahoma City Wind Philharmonic. She enjoys playing for different types of events, from political fundraisers and corporate dinners to intimate weddings. Favorite celebrity collaborations or audience members include Michael W. Smith, John McCain, Sandra Day O’Connor, Peyton Manning, Itzhak Perlman, and Midori. Heidi maintains a private teaching studio and also teaches via Skype throughout Arizona and nationwide. To help her students gain ensemble skills and experience collaborative music-making, she founded HarpSynergy, whose members, ranging in age from seven to seventy-five, play throughout Arizona alongside their teacher in a mix of classical and popular music. She holds a bachelor’s from Oklahoma City University, and a master’s and doctorate from The University Arizona, Her teachers have been Paula Compton, Leah Riddick, Jill Justice, Gaye LeBlanc, and Dr. Carrol McLaughlin. This is her second year at Arizona Musicfest.

Lawrence Loeber, Principal Piano & Harpsichord (February & March), is in his twenty-second season as Principal Piano for The Phoenix Symphony. He has appeared as piano soloist in works by Gershwin and Saint-Saëns, as harpsichord soloist in Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, and as kazoo soloist in Michael Dougherty’s March of the Metro. Larry has also soloed for Ballet Arizona in Stravinsky’s Five Movements for Piano and Orchestra. In 2010, he performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Festival Orchestra. Larry holds degrees in Music and German from Case Western Reserve/Cleveland Institute. While working on his master’s in Chinese Linguistics at The Ohio State University, he continued piano studies and worked as coach/accompanist in the opera department. He is Music Director and pianist at the Congregational Church of the Valley, and maintains a private studio. Now in his sixteenth year at Arizona Musicfest, he also serves as rehearsal pianist for the Festival Chorus. Mr. Loeber is generously sponsored by Doug and Mollie LeFevre.