Meet the Orchestra

The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra musicians are the heartbeat of our organization. They create the magic at every Symphony performance…for you!

Meet the artists who make up the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

🎵 Click to learn more!

photo of kalamazoo symphony orchestra on stage

First Violin

kso concertmaster jun-ching lin smiles while holding violin
Jun-Ching Lin

Concertmaster
Jane Rooks Ross and Barry Ross Chair

kso violinist stefan hubenov
Stefan Hubenov 🎵

Artist in Residence
Associate Concertmaster
James G. Westin Chair

Violinist Emelyn Bashour
Emelyn Bashour 🎵

Assistant Concertmaster
Preston & Barbara Parish Chair

kso violinist mark portolese
Mark Portolese
kso violinist marley haller
Marley Haller

Lewis & Sally Iversen Chair

kso 100
Eleanor K. Pifer
kso violin tigran shiganyan
Tigran Shiganyan
kso violinist matthew musachio
Matthew Musachio
oleg bezuglov violin
Oleg Bezuglov 🎵
kso 100
Jameson Cooper

Temporary Appointment

kso 100
Janet Lyu
kso violinist yu xin
Yu Xin
kso 100
Open Chair
kso 100
Ying-Li Pan

Second Violin

violinist lisa williams
Lisa A. Williams

Artist in Residence
Principal
Neill & Ruth Currie Chair

kso 100
Hsin-Ju Yu

Assistant Principal
Katharine D. Rogers Chair

kso 100
Nicholas Naegele
kso 100
Open Chair
kso 100
Benita Barber
kso violinist cori somers
Cori Somers
kso 100
Tatiana Zueva
kso 100
Open Chair

Eric V. & Margaret Ann Brown Chair

kso 100
Jean Roberts
violinist norma-jean forshey
Norma-Jean Forshey 🎵
kso 100
Dana Duncan-Davis
kso 100
Fahad Awan

Viola

symphony principal violist arturo ziraldo
Arturo Ziraldo

Principal
Connable/Burdick/Rood Chair

kso violist nicholas jeffery
Nicholas Jeffery 🎵

Artist in Residence
Assistant Principal
William and Fiona Denny Chair

kso violist nora frisk
Nora Frisk
kso violist sara churchill
Sara Churchill
KSO violist gerson medina
Gerson Medina 🎵
kso violist rebecca boelzner
Rebecca Boelzner
kso violist david beytas
David Beytas 🎵
kso violist sava velkoff
Sava Velkoff 🎵
Violist Kathy Connor
Kathy Connor 🎵
kso violist jasper zientek
Jasper Zientek

Cello

cellist igor cetkovic
Igor Cetkovic

Artist in Residence
Principal
Diether H. Haenicke Chair

kso cellist jinhyun kim
Jinhyun Kim

Assistant Principal
Tomlinson Family Chair

kso cellist carol bullock russell
Carol Bullock Russell 🎵

Anonymous chair in honor of the KSO’s 100th

cellist calin muresan
Calin Muresan 🎵
kso cellist betsy start
Elizabeth Start 🎵

Anonymous chair in honor of Grace Field

kso cellist brook bennett
Brook Bennett
kso cellist jean hatmaker
Jean Hatmaker

Nola Matthews Thole Chair

kso cellist allison rich
Allison Rich
kso cellist lisa bressler
Lisa Bressler 🎵
kso 100
David Machavariani

Double Bass

kso principal bass charles ingrassia
Charles Ingrassia

Principal
Jerry Mason Chair

kso bass victor stahoviak
Victor Stahoviak

Assistant Principal
Clark den Bleyker Chair endowed by the KSOL

kso 100
Open Chair
frank tramp bass
Frank Tramp
kso 100
Brett Armstrong
kso 100
Jason Niehoff
kso bassist noah krzan
Noah Krzan 🎵

Dick and Kathie Tomlinson Chair

kso 100
Open Chair

Flute

kso principal flute | Photo Credit: TAKUMI JUN
Yukie Ota 🎵

Principal
S.U.D. Parish Chair honoring David C. Parish

kso flute nancy rinaldi williams
Nancy Rinaldi Williams

Second/Piccolo
Jim Westin Memorial Chair (flute)
Jacob C. and Naomi B. Stucki Memorial Chair (piccolo)

kso flutist jenny robinson
Jenny Robinson

Third/Piccolo

Oboe

oboist gabriel renteria elyea
Gabriel Renteria-Elyea

Artist in Residence
Principal
Elizabeth Upjohn Mason Chair

kso oboe brad smith
Brad Smith

Second/English Horn
Frizzo Allkins Family Chair

kso oboe maria schneider
Maria Schneider

Clarinet

kso 100
Open Chair

Artist in Residence
Principal
Marge and Gerry Thomas Chair

kso clarinet frank silva
Frank X. Silva
kso clarinetist garret jones
Garret Jones 🎵

Bassoon

kso 100
William George

Principal
Norman & Doreen K. Bristol Chair

kso bassoon alan palider
Alan Palider
kso 100
Lauren Murphy 🎵

Third/Contrabassoon

Horn

kso 100
Paul Clifton

Principal
Dr. William H. and Melinda L. Scott Chair

kso 100
Open Chair

Assistant/Utility
Don and Ann Parfet Chair

kso 100
Lin Baird

Temporary Appointments

kso horn player margaret hamilton
Margaret Hamilton 🎵
horn player tamara kosinski
Tamara Kosinski* 🎵
kso 100
Alex Laskey

Temporary Appointment

Trumpet

kso principal trumpet scott thornburg
Scott Thornburg

Principal
Stephen Blackwood Chair in honor of Mrs. Greta Patterson

kso 100
Scott Brickner

Second/Assistant Principal
Mark Novitch Memorial Chair

kso trumpet mike brozick
Mike Brozick

In Memory of Jay Wayne Heckler and son, Jay Scott Heckler

Trombone

symphony principal trombone kip hickman plays trombone
Edward “Kip” Hickman

Artist in Residence
Principal
Miller Family Chair

kso 100
Leo Ernest Garcias Leite
jack noble trombone
Jack Noble 🎵

Third/Bass Trombone

Tuba

principal tuba robert whaley
Robert Whaley 🎵

Principal
Jacob C. & Naomi Bersch Stucki Chair

Timpani

symphony principal timpanist mark guthrie
Mark Guthrie

Artist in Residence
Principal
Doris “Dori” Kunkle Chair

Percussion

kso principal percussionist kevin kosnik
Kevin Kosnik

Principal
Little and Tyler Family Chair

kso percussionist judy moonert
Judy Moonert 🎵
kso percussionist greg secor
Greg Secor 🎵

Harp

kso 100
Anna Dunlap

Principal
Dorothy Smith Goodloe Chair

Piano

symphony prinicpal keyboard reiko yamada smiles while performing
Reiko Yamada 🎵

Principal
Lawrence Schlack Memorial Chair

WMU ARTIST SCHOLARS

Guanqun Li

Violin

Ian Berrington

Viola

Charlie Mueller

Cello

* On Leave

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