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 mark portolese
Mark Portolese
kso violinist marley haller
Marley Haller

Lewis & Sally Iversen Chair

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Eleanor K. Pifer
kso violin tigran shiganyan
Tigran Shiganyan
kso violinist matthew musachio
Matthew Musachio
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Jameson Cooper

Temporary Appointment

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

Second Violin

violinist lisa williams
Lisa A. Williams

Artist in Residence
Principal
Neill & Ruth Currie Chair

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Hsin-Ju Yu

Assistant Principal
Katharine D. Rogers Chair

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

Eric V. & Margaret Ann Brown Chair

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Jean Roberts
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Dana Duncan-Davis
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Fahad Awan

Viola

symphony principal violist arturo ziraldo
Arturo Ziraldo

Principal
Connable/Burdick/Rood Chair

kso violist nora frisk
Nora Frisk
kso violist sara churchill
Sara Churchill
kso violist rebecca boelzner
Rebecca Boelzner
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 brook bennett
Brook Bennett
kso cellist jean hatmaker
Jean Hatmaker

Nola Matthews Thole Chair

kso cellist allison rich
Allison Rich
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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

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Open Chair
frank tramp bass
Frank Tramp
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Brett Armstrong
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Jason Niehoff
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Open Chair

Flute

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

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Open Chair

Artist in Residence
Principal
Marge and Gerry Thomas Chair

kso clarinet frank silva
Frank X. Silva

Bassoon

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William George

Principal
Norman & Doreen K. Bristol Chair

kso bassoon alan palider
Alan Palider

Horn

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Paul Clifton

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

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Open Chair

Assistant/Utility
Don and Ann Parfet Chair

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Lin Baird

Temporary Appointments

Alex Laskey

Temporary Appointment

Trumpet

kso principal trumpet scott thornburg
Scott Thornburg

Principal
Stephen Blackwood Chair in honor of Mrs. Greta Patterson

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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

Leo Ernest Garcias Leite

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

Harp

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Anna Dunlap

Principal
Dorothy Smith Goodloe Chair

WMU Orchestra ARTIST SCHOLARS

Guanqun Li

Violin

Ian Berrington

Viola

Charlie Mueller

Cello

* Orchestra Member On Leave

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