The Musicians of the NHMF

Charles Dimmick-Concertmaster-Violin

Violinist Charles Dimmick enjoys a varied and distinguished career as concertmaster, soloist, and chamber musician.  Praised by the Boston Globe for his “cool clarity of expression,” Charles is one of New England’s most sought-after orchestral musicians.  In addition to his role with the New Hampshire Music Festival, he is co-concertmaster of the Boston Pops Esplanade, and concertmaster of both the Portland Symphony and the Rhode Island Philharmonic.  Charles has appeared as guest concertmaster for the Arizona Music Fest and the Winston-Salem Symphony.   A frequent soloist, Charles has garnered praise, packed houses, and received standing ovations for what the Portland Press Herald has called his “luxurious and stellar performances” and his “technical and artistic virtuosity.” Recent concerto engagements have included performances with the Portland Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Arizona Musicfest, Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Boston Civic Symphony, and NHMF. As a chamber musician, Charles can be heard collaborating with the Sebago Long Lake Chamber Festival, the Chameleon Arts Ensemble, Radius Ensemble, and Monadnock Music. He is featured as concertmaster on many recordings with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Odyssey Opera, including the Grammy-Award winning opera The Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Tobias Picker. His debut recording as concerto soloist in Elliot Schwartz’s Chamber Concerto and his debut solo violin recording of Lisa Bielawa’s Synopsis #7 can be found at bmop.org.  Charles lives with his wife, NHMF flutist Rachel Braude, and their daughter Chloe. He performs on a 1784 Joseph Gagliano violin.

Ella Marie Gray-Assistant Concertmaster-Violin

Violetta Tordova-Principal Second Violin

An emerging voice of her generation, Violetta Todorova has performed throughout the USA, Russia, Europe and Asia. Among the many concert halls she appeared in are Carnegie Hall in New York, the Symphony Center in Chicago, St-Petersburg State Capella Concert Hall in Russia, and Xuzhou Concert Hall in China. She also had the honor of playing at the inaugural concert at the Ulanhot Grand Theater in Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia.  Currently, Todorova is the Concertmaster of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Artist Violin Professor at Taylor University. She holds top prizes from several violin competitions, including the International Competition for Young Violinists in Estonia and the All-Russian Competition for Young Violinists in Nizhny-Novgorod. In February 2019, she won the prestigious “Emerging Artist” Award from Arts United in the USA. She holds BM and MM degrees from DePaul University, having studied with Ilya Kaler.

Kristina Handler-Violin

Kristina Handler has been a member of the New Hampshire Music Festival’s violin section since 1995. Her most influential teachers were Marylou Speaker-Churchill, Ruggerio Ricci, and Camilla Wicks. Kristina has a performance degree from Rice University and a masters in performance from Kent State University. She also attended the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau, the Tanglewood Young Artist Program, the Grand Teton Music Festival, and the National Orchestra Institute.  She lives with her husband and son in Birmingham, Alabama where she has performed with the Alabama and Tuscaloosa Symphonies.  She also enjoys illustration and writing children’s stories.

David Handler-Violin

David Handler began his study of music at age 6 on piano, and picked up violin in his public school music program at age 12, for the fun of it. A summer at the Brevard Music Center cemented his desire to be an orchestral musician.  He attended the Indiana University School of Music, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and spent summers at Meadowmount. Principal teachers were Thomas Weaver, Eduard Melkus, William Steck and David Cerone.  After college, Mr. Handler became the youngest member of the Alabama Symphony, from which he recently retired, forty-something years later, from the position of Assistant Principal 2nd violin.  Prior to joining the New Hampshire Music Festival in 1995, he was Principal 2nd violin in the Missouri Symphony Society Chamber Orchestra for 6 years. Past summers include 3 years with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute.  In his spare time, he enjoys nature photography and modifying his motorcycle.

Sasha Callahan-Violin

Violinist Sasha Callahan has established a vibrant and diverse career as a recitalist, chamber and orchestral musician. She has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia, and is a founding member of Sheffield Chamber Players and the Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival. Chamber music has been one of Sasha’s great loves since she played her first string quartets with her sister Eve and their grandparents. She’s particularly interested in projects that challenge preconceived notions about classical music and bring audiences and performers closer together to forge connection and community. The Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival, Sheffield Chamber Players, and the educational string trio All Ears were each formed with this in mind. Sasha is passionate about exploring new music alongside masterpieces of the past, and has worked closely with many composers such as Joan Tower, Gabriela Lena Frank, Evan Ziporyn, Osvaldo Golijov, Nathaniel Stookey, Andrew Waggoner, Jessie Montgomery, Kenji Bunch, Lukas Foss, and Gunther Schuller. She can be heard as a member of the Portland (Maine) Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and New Hampshire Music Festival, as well as with the Boston Pops, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Boston Lyric Opera, Odyssey Opera, and the Boston Ballet Orchestra. She recently served as a faculty mentor to emerging composers at the innovative Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music in California. A native of Portland, Oregon, Sasha received her BM degree in violin performance from Rice University and MM from Boston University. Principal teachers include Lucia Lin, Sergiu Luca, Denes Zsigmondy, and Carol Sindell. She currently resides in Boston with her husband Leo Eguchi, daughter Freya, and a rather sedentary cats named Max.

David Langr-Violin

Violinist David Langr has been a member of the Utah Symphony Orchestra since 2002. He has also been Concertmaster of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Denver Chamber Orchestra, the West Virginia Symphony and the Ohio Valley Symphony. It has also been a great joy for David to explore the chamber music repertoire as a member of the Montclaire, Freimann, and Ravel String Quartets. David is very happy to return to performing at the NHMF and climbing all the 4,000 footers for the third time.

Kathy Langr-Violin

Kathryn Langr, violin, is excited to be back in New Hampshire after an especially long year!  She has been playing with the Festival for many summers and relishes her time in the White Mountains making music with dear friends.  Kathryn lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she performs with the Ballet West Orchestra, is a freelance musician and teaches violin.

Viktoria Tchertchian-Violin

Born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Viktoria Tchertchian began playing violin at the age of five. She received her Bachelor’s’ Degree in Violin Performance from Louisiana State University in 2001 and her Performance Diploma and Masters Degree at the Longy School of Music in 2006. Her principal teachers include Laura Bossert, Kevork Mardirossian, James Alexander and Dora Ivanova. Ms. Tchertchian has participated in festivals including the Round Top International Music Festival, the Lyrica International Chamber Music Festival, and the Heber Springs Chamber Music Festival. She was a featured soloist with the Longy School of Music Chamber Orchestra, the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra and the Plovdiv National Catholic Choir in performances in France, Belgium, Germany, Norway, and the Czech Republic. Ms. Tchertchian’s orchestral experience includes positions in the Baton Rouge Symphony, Acadiana Symphony, Simon Sinfonietta and Cape Cod Symphony and she currently performs with the BSO Pops, Portland Symphony, the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the Springfield Symphony. Ms. Tchertchian is a dedicated violin teacher at the Melrose Middle School in Melrose, MA and Dana Hall School of Music. She holds a Private Studio in North Andover, MA.

Lidija Peno-Kelly-Violin

Lidija Peno-Kelly, violinist, was born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and received her first violin lesson at age five. As a young violinist Lidija won five first prizes at national level competitions. She studied simultaneously at the Academy of Music in Novi Sad (BM, MM) and at the Academia Internazionale di Musica a Portogruaro – Venice, Italy (Performance Diploma). Further studies were completed at the Richard-Strauss-Konservatorium, Munich, Germany (Post Diploma) and the Boston Conservatory of Music (Perfomance Diploma). Lidija’s teachers include Pavel Vernikov, Ilya Grubert, Martin Albrecht Rohde, G. Jislin, Lynn Cheng,Tamara Smirnova. Lidija has worked with the trio Tchaikovsky and has performed as soloist with the Belgrade Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Dubrovnik Philharmonic and La Picolla Symfonia di Venezia. She was also a member of the Gaertnerplatz Theater Orchestra in Munich. Solo performances include various large and chamber ensembles in Belgrade, Dubrovnik, Moscow, Venice, Milan, Munich, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Chicago, San Francisco, Bordeaux, Madrid, Bilbao and others. Mrs. Peno-Kelly has also recorded for the Yugoslavian National Radio, Rai Uno, Italy, ARD and ZDF – Germany, Paris – CD recording. Currently she is playing with Portland Symphony Orchestra, PORTopera, New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Kristen Van Cleve-Violin

Kristin Van Cleve is the Director of the Music Department at the University of Dallas where she also directs the UD Chamber Ensembles, teaches violin as well as music history courses. She is Principal Second Violin with the Dallas Opera Orchestra and is Artistic Director and Principal Violinist of the historical performance ensemble, Texas Camerata. Kristin began violin studies in her hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska and later moved to Texas, receiving both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Violin Performance from the University of North Texas. As a baroque violinist, she has performed in Boston, Seattle, Washington, D.C., France, Mexico, Bolivia, southeast Asia and throughout the southwest United States. Kristin has performed in Taiwan, in Guangzhou, China and in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam as well as in Paris, France as part of the Festival St. Louis en Ile at the Eglise St. Louis in the heart of the city. In addition to performing with the Dallas Opera Orchestra, Kristin is a member of the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra and has returned to Alaska as a faculty member of the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. She is a member of the University of Dallas Crowley Trio, performing as part of a chamber music concert series at the Museum of Biblical Arts in Dallas. A dedicated educator, Kristin founded the University of Dallas Summer Music Academy for middle school and high school students and is also a founding teacher at the DISD-Orchestra of New Spain Summer String camp. Kristin is concertmaster of numerous church orchestras in Dallas, performs with the Fort Worth Symphony and is concertmaster of the Wichita Falls Symphony. She has been a featured soloist in Wichita Falls a number of times, performing such works as the iconic Chinese Butterfly Lovers concerto and Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherezade.

Phyllis Saunders-Violin

Phyllis Mazza Saunders has been a member of the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra since 1985, the longest continuous engagement in her career as a professional violinist. After completing the Master of Music degree at Boston University, where she was a student of the late Joseph Silverstein, Ms. Saunders joined the San Diego Symphony. Her diverse career includes years spent in Nashville, Tennessee as Principal Second violin of the Nashville Symphony and as a session musician in the recording studios. Ms. Saunders has also been a member of the Albany (NY) Symphony, the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra, the Cleveland Opera orchestra and the Cleveland Chamber Symphony.  Currently Ms. Saunders lives in Boise, Idaho, where she is a member of the Boise Philharmonic, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, and the Opera Idaho orchestra. In Boise, Ms. Saunders found increased enrichment and creativity in her musical life by becoming a high school orchestra director, bringing the love of making music to young people, learning conducting skills, and building a program that boasted award winning ensembles.  Through all these moves, the New Hampshire Music Festival has remained a constant in her life.  In 1987 Ms. Saunders met David Saunders, who was then the Principal Horn of the NHMF, and their ensuing partnership ensured a shared and continuing commitment to the festival.  

Olev Viro-Violin

Olev Viro first played with the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra while a graduate
student at the New England Conservatory of Music where he gained his Master of Music in
1980. After playing in the Syracuse Symphony and as Principal Second of the Knoxville
Symphony and Chamber Orchestra, Olev joined the Columbus Symphony as a full-time violinist
in 1984, where he still holds a contract. Olev has played with numerous orchestras in Central
Ohio, including Pro Music, and as a founding member and Principal Second of the New Albany
Symphony. Mr. Viro has held Adjunct teaching positions at Capital, Otterbein and Denison
Universities. He was Visiting Conductor at Denison and has been Music Director of the Greater
Columbus Community Orchestra and Hilliard Bach Ensemble sin 1999. Olev previously created
the Sonus Artis project, presenting musical programs and outreach in Ohio and Estonia
collaborating with universities, churches, schools, arts organizations and other private and public
institutions.  Since 2008, Olev has brokered Trade Credit and Political Risk Insurance and is currently
employed by JZJ Insurance Services. JZJ was named New Broker of the Year by the Export-
Import Bank of the United States in 2020.

Alana Carithers-Violin

Alana Pritchard Carithers, violin, holds a double Masters Degree in Performance and Pedagogy from Northwestern University.   During her time at Northwestern, she served as Assistant Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and Principal Second Violin of the Northwestern Symphony Orchestra. She also received her Suzuki Certification with the renowned Betty Haag of Chicago. She was one of the founding members of the MusiCorp program in Chicago, a grant funded chamber music program to take music into the inner city schools and churches of the Chicago area. In 2005, she began Vivace!, a great summer camp for students in the Richmond/ and Chesapeake areas. She began her orchestral career as the Associate Principal Second Violin of the Colorado Springs Symphony in 2000 and held that post until 2003.  She played as a member of both the DaVinci String Quartet and the Hausmusik String Quartet, in addition to having a private teaching studio. She has appeared as a guest soloist with the Bob Jones University Symphony Orchestra, the Richmond Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Masterworks Festival Orchestra and performed on the Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C, Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Carnegie Hall, Kimmel Center, Symphony Hall Chicago, Symphony Hall Boston, Schermerhorn Symphony Hall, and the Bermuda Music Festival.  She has participated, programmed and led chamber music, orchestral clinics, private lessons and masterclasses, at SIAS International University in Henan Province, CHINA, Changsha, Hunan, Zhengzhou, Beijing, Kunming and The University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii. She plays several solo and chamber recitals each year throughout Virginia as a member of the Oberon Quartet in Residence at St. Catherines School, a guest with Richmond Chamber Players, and with the Atlantic Chamber Ensemble.  She teaches in the Richmond area and has played in the violin section of the Richmond Symphony since September 2003 and serves as principal second violin of the Williamsburg Symphony orchestra.

Julie Fox Henson-Violin

Julie Fox Henson, violin is the Associate Concertmaster of the Des Moines Symphony, and is an active chamber musician in Iowa.  Ms. Henson enjoys a successful teaching studio in the Ames/Des Moines area, and was voted the 2010 Leopold LaFosse Studio Teacher of the Year by the Iowa String Teachers Association.  Since the summer of 2001, she has performed with the Belin String Quartet, which has a summer concert series in Des Moines. Ms. Henson was founding first violinist of the Montclaire String Quartet.  During her tenure with this group, the ensemble won grand prizes at the Coleman and Monterey Competitions, and was in residence with the New Hampshire Music Festival from 1988 – 1992.  She has been a member of the New Hampshire Music Festival since 1988.

Rebecca Willie-Violin

Before relocating to North Carolina, Ms. Willie was a member of the Nashville Symphony for 12 seasons including traveling with the NSO to perform at Carnegie Hall on the Spring for Music series as the culmination of their eastern US tour in 2012. She also performed at Carnegie Hall in June of 2018 with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago. Ms. Willie is also a regular performer at the New Hampshire Music Festival.  In addition to performing, Ms. Willie serves as Executive Director of Music for a Great Space, a chamber music series in Greensboro.

Bernard Di Gregorio-Principal Viola

BERNARD DI GREGORIO is the violist of the Montclaire String Quartet, which is in residence at West Virginia State University. Among his many responsibilities he is the Principal Viola of the West Virginia Symphony and Artist-in-Residence in the West Virginia Symphony/ Kanawha County Schools String Program, and a member of the Ohio Valley Symphony. During the summer months he is the Principal Viola with the New Hampshire Music Festival where he also participates in chamber music programs. He has been Principal Viola with the Roanoke (VA) Symphony for over 20 seasons before resigning, and has been a member of the Alabama Symphony. Mr. Di Gregorio also performs occasionally in the viola section of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He has studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and holds a diploma in Viola Performance from the Longy School of Music where his principal instructor was George Neikrug. Although very busy as an orchestral/chamber musician and teacher he also is the founding member of DUO VIANNO, and viola and piano duet which has given performances throughout the Ohio Valley and West Virginia areas. As a composer he has had his Symphony for String Orchestra performed by the Seneca Chamber Orchestra and Scenes From the Old Country- Four Pictures for Cello and Piano composed for and performed by his wife and cellist, Andrea, at the New Hampshire Music Festival. At the behest of the Montclaire String Quartet has also arranged his Love Letters, Seven Miniatures for Piano for string quartet and was performed by Montclaire in 2014.

Mary Harris-Viola

Mary E. M. Harris is Professor Emerita of Viola, Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), and former member of the Oxford String Quartet. An avid performer, she is also principal violist of ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, Ohio and violist of the Nexus String Quartet. In addition, she is a founding member of Cosmos, a flute, viola and harp ensemble dedicated to commissioning and performing new works for this combination. Cosmos’ recording, American Premieres on MSR Classics, features works written for and premiered by the trio to critical acclaim.  A former member of the Dakota String Quartet and I Musici de Montreal, Ms Harris has served as principal violist of the New American Chamber Orchestra, touring Europe extensively and performing at the Korsholm, Casals, and other international festivals. She also served as principal of the Echternach Festival Orchestra in Luxembourg and has performed with the Garth Newel Festival in Virginia. For many years, Ms Harris has spent her summers performing at the New Hampshire Music Festival and the Peter Britt Festival in Jacksonville, Oregon. She also performs with the Serafin Summer Music chamber music series in Wilmington, Deleware.  Ms. Harris is an enthusiastic dog-lover, hiker and backpacker!

Joan Ellersick-Viola

Joan Ellersick, viola, studied at Indiana University with Georges Janzer and received her Bachelor in Viola Performance from Boston University where she worked with Bernard Kadinoff.  After graduating from BU, Ms Ellersick served as assistant principal viola and personnel manager of the Grand Rapids, MI Symphony, also playing frequently with the Detroit Symphony and teaching viola at Calvin College.  Since returning to her native Boston, she has appeared with many local ensembles, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Boston Lyric Opera, Cantata Singers, Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Emmanuel Music, Opera Boston and Odyssey Opera.  In addition to playing viola with Emmanuel Music, Ms Ellersick serves as their orchestra personnel manager, ensuring the proper combination of players and instruments appears to perform the weekly Bach cantata.  An avid chamber musician, Ms Ellersick was a founding member of the Somerset Quartet and Mackinac Trio, as well as violist of the Van Swieten Quartet and a regular guest with Music at Eden’s Edge.  Ms. Ellersick coaches the viola sections and teaches lessons for Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras; she taught for many years at St Mark’s and Fay Schools in Southboro, MA.

Michael Molnau-Viola

Formerly principal viola with the Memphis Symphony, Michael Molnau is a member of the Iris Orchestra and the New Hampshire Music Festival. He has also performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Auckland Philharmonia and the Grand Rapids Symphony. A native of Idaho, he studied with Yizhak Schotten at the University of Michigan and with Jesse Levine at Yale University.

Christopher Nunn-Viola

Chamber musician, soloist, recording artist and orchestral specialist. English, born Lichfield UK, now residing in Cambridge MA, holding degrees from Leeds University and University of North Texas. Chris has spent 2 decades collaborating with Apollos Fire, H&H, Emmanuel Church and Marsh Chapel Orchestras Boston, Early Music NY, RI Philharmonic, Portland Symphony, New Bedford Symphony, American Baroque Orchestra, East Texas Symphony, Cantata singers and Back Bay Chorale. Chamber music appearances this summer include NH Music Festival and South Coast Chamber Series. Diverse highlights of the 2021/22 season include Bright Eyes ’21 Tour, a new CD release through MSR Classics titled ‘The Raven Consort’, concerts in both Symphony Hall, Boston with H&H and Severance Hall, Cleveland with Apollo’s Fire. Chris will be appearing in scenes from the 2^nd season of HBO’s ‘The Gilded Age’, following filming in Newport this Spring. Regularly serving and sought as principal, performing weekly Bach cantatas with NPR live broadcast. Beautiful tools assist, Chris performs on an Anthony Nickolds viola ’97, Jason Viseltear baroque viola ’02 and a dynamic trio of bows provided by Roger Lotte, David Hawthorne and Louis Begin. When not immersed in performing, Chris is a teacher, arts advocate, event manager, avid runner, cyclist, hiker and artist.

Walter Gray-Co-Principal Cello

Walter Gray has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Far East. He was a founding member of the Kronos Quartet and for over five years presented hundreds of concerts including numerous world premieres. Mr. Gray’s expanded contemporary music adventures have included working with Pearl Jam, Dave Mathews Band, Queensrÿche, Heart, and David Lanz. He has recorded works of John Cage, Paul Schoenfield, Jake Heggie, and Chinary Ung and produced recordings for the London Symphony, Seattle Symphony, New Hampshire Music Festival and numerous solo and chamber musicians.

A member of the Seattle Symphony since 1979, Mr. Gray has performed as soloist with the orchestra several times. “Gray played with his usual intensity and flair…the cello’s lyrical possibilities are realized.” (The Seattle Times)  He has taught at SUNY Geneseo, Mills College, Western Washington University, and the University of North Texas.  In the summer he makes regular appearances at the Olympic, Marrowstone, New Hampshire, and Grand Teton Music Festivals.

David Goldblatt-Co-Principal Cello

David Goldblatt is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Orlando Cole, Felix Galimir, Mischa Schneider, and Isadore Cohen.  A versatile musician, Goldblatt has performed in symphonic, baroque, and rock ‘n’ roll ensembles. He has been a member of the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Skywalker Orchestra, and the Philly Sound, which won a 1973 Grammy for best instrumental rock ‘n’ roll recording.  Presently he is a member of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and appears regularly throughout the Bay Area in concert, including the San Francisco Symphony chamber music series. He is the director of Chamber Music Sundaes.

Leo Eguchi-Cello

Leo Eguchi has been described as “copiously skilled and confident” (New York Times) with performances that were “ravishing” (New Bedford Standard-Times) and “played with passion and vitality” (Boston Music Intellegencer).  A native of Michigan, Leo has performed extensively across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. He enjoys an active and multi-faceted performance schedule – Leo can be heard in myriad chamber music settings, including the Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival and Sheffield Chamber Players; in larger ensembles as principal cellist of the New Bedford Symphony, a member of the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, the New Hampshire Music Festival and the Portland Symphony; and frequent appearances with the Boston Pops.  A strong advocate of new music, Leo has worked closely with, and premiered dozens of solo and chamber works by many notable composers such as William Bolcom, Bright Sheng, George Crumb, Lukas Foss, Joan Tower, Ken Ueno, Yehudi Wyner, Jessie Montgomery, Gabriela Lena Frank, Osvaldo Golijov, and Daniel Bernard Roumain.  Recent performing highlights include being a prize winner at the 2021 ProCello International Cello Competition, having several GRAMMY nominated recording releases from Parma recordings, multiple concerto appearances, an artist residency and solo performances in Kabul, Afghanistan, and opportunities to share the non-classical stage with the likes of Pete Townshend, Queen Latifah, Melissa Etheridge, Demi Lovato, Brian Wilson, Kelly Clarkson, Peter Gabriel, Billy Idol, Jennifer Hudson, Nick Jonas, Josh Groban, and Audra McDonald, to name a few.  Leo is on the music faculty of Boston College, and was formerly the Assistant Conductor of the MIT Symphony Orchestra. His degrees include a BM (Cello Performance) and BS (Physics) cum laude from the University of Michigan, and MM (cello performance) from Boston University, where he received the String Department Award for Excellence. Leo, along with violinist wife Sasha Callahan and cat-obsessed daughter Freya, live in Boston and spend their non-musical time time appreciating the outdoors, food, and wine.

Tido Jannsen-Cello

Cellist Tido Janssen has served on the faculty at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley since 2010 and is director of the annual UTRGV Cello Festival, hosting ca. 150 cellists every year. Before joining the music faculty at UTRGV, Dr. Janssen was on the faculty of the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, and Assistant Professor of Cello at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. As a charter member of the University of Lethbridge faculty ensemble Trio Amaranth, he has performed extensively throughout western Canada. In Abilene, TX, he was Principal Cellist of the Abilene Philharmonic and Abilene Opera Orchestras, founder and director of the Abilene Summer Music Festival, and founding member of the Abilene Chamber Players. Dr. Janssen has performed repeatedly in Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Austria, Canada, and throughout the US. He has recorded for Deutsche Welle, Public Radio, and Centaur Records and has performed at the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra since 2000.

Andrea Di Gregorio-Cello

A founding member of the Montclaire String Quartet, dedicated teacher and author of over seven musical plays for children, cellist ANDREA DI GREGORIO has shared her passion for chamber music through both her instrument and her innovative educational programs. Ms. Di Gregorio has held principal cellist positions in the Cedar Falls, Seneca, River Cities, New Hampshire Music Festival and currently, the West Virginia Symphony. A strong proponent of music education, she has served on the faculties of the University of Northern Iowa and currently West Virginia State University.

Joe Higgins-Principal Bass

Joe Higgins has performed in a wide variety of musical settings from classical orchestral and chamber music to jazz, world music, and musical theater. He has performed with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, the Boston Ballet Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony, the Portland (ME) Symphony, the Vermont Symphony, Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, the Pro-Arte Chamber Orchestra, the Artie Shaw Orchestra, the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, the World Music group Natraj, and many others.  Currently Joe is a member of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra the Vista Philharmonic at Groton Hill, is Principal Double Bass of the New Hampshire Music Festival, and performs regularly at the Providence (RI) Performing Arts Center and the North Shore Music Theater.

Eliot Porter-Bass

Eliot has played in many area orchestras: Rhode Island Philharmonic, Worcester Orchestra, Providence Opera Theatre Orchestra, Vermont Symphony, ProArte Chamber Orchestra, New Hampshire Music Festival, New England Symphony Orchestra, Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Greater Bridgeport Symphony, Opera Rhode Island, Ocean State Lyric Opera, Providence New Music Ensemble, RI Festival Ballet, PORTOpera ; the Kingston and Newport Music Festivals; as well as in orchestras such as the Opera Company of Boston, Boston Ballet, Springfield Symphony, Portland Symphony, Albany Symphony, and the New Haven Symphony.  As a freelancer, has accompanied artists ranging from Pavarotti to Brian Wilson to Harry Connick, Jr to Joni Mitchell to Peter Gabriel .  Eliot has played in many pit orchestras for musical theater, locally and on international tours with shows such as Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Cabaret,
Sound of Music and West Side Story.  As a rhythm section player, on the string bass and electric bass, has accompanied many artists including Michael Feinstein, Connie Francis, Joel Grey, Helen Reddy, Rita Moreno, Patti Lupone, Charlotte Church and Bernadette
Peters; Attended the University of Michigan, Boston University (B.A.) and Brown University (A.M.)  Teaches bass students at the Music School (founding faculty), the Wheeler School, Brown University, Rhode Island College, St. George’s School, UMass Dartmouth, Community College of RI, University of RI and Providence College; in addition to maintaining his own studio.  2 sons, Elijah and Samuel.
Exercise junkie: Qualified for and ran Boston Marathon: Certified Personal Trainer, (ACE)

Nancy Kidd-Bass

Nancy Kidd has been performing and teaching the double bass for over twenty-five years. A tenured member of the Rhode Island Philharmonic’s double bass section since 2004, she also held the Principal Bass position with the Albany Symphony from 1995-1998. Mrs. Kidd is an active freelancer in the Greater Boston Area, performing with groups including the Boston Ballet Orchestra, and Cantata Singers of Boston, and spends her summers as a member of the NH Music Festival Orchestra. As a double bass teacher, Mrs. Kidd loves working with students of all ages. In addition to her private studio, she is a teaching associate at Brown University, and has been on the faculties of Northeastern University, Atlantic Union College and Eastern Nazarene College, as well as The Joy of Music Program in Worcester. A graduate of both The Juilliard School, where she earned an Advanced Certificate in Double Bass Performance, and New England Conservatory of Music, where she earned a Bachelor of Music, Mrs. Kidd’s principal teachers include Orin O’Brien, Donald Palma, Edwin Barker and Lawrence Wolfe.

Valerie Watts- Principal Flute

Dr. Valerie Watts is professor of flute at the University of Oklahoma School of Music and principal flute of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra. Her guest residencies as soloist and chamber musician include the Bach Camerata in Santa Barbara, California; Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada; “Made in the USA” Festival in Geneva, Switzerland; artist-in-residence at Xu Beihong, School of the Arts, Remni University in Beijing, China; Festival Interacional, Natal, Brazil; and the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria.

Rachel Braude-Flute

Grammy-award winning flutist and piccoloist, Rachel Braude, has been a prominent member of the Boston music scene for many years.  She is on the faculties of Dartmouth College and the New England Conservatory of Music (Preparatory Division).  Rachel is the former piccoloist of the St. Louis Symphony and currently holds positions with the Portland Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boston Philharmonic, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and Odyssey Opera.  She is also a frequent performer with the Boston Ballet Orchestra, the Boston Pops Esplanade, the Boston Pops Orchestra,  and the Boston Symphony.  She regularly performs in every role in the flute section, from principal to piccolo. Rachel is a long-time member of the prestigious Arizona Music Fest and in the summers can be found performing at the New Hampshire Music Festival and teaching at the Greenwood Music Camp (Junior Division).  Rachel won a Grammy in 2019 for her participation in Tobias Pinker’s Opera The Fantastic Mr. Fox with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.  She is the former instructor at the University of Massachusetts, Boston; Rhode Island College, School of Music; and was interim lecturer in flute at the University of Rhode Island, School of Music.  A frequent guest lecturer, Rachel has visited the flute studios of the Longy School of Music, Tufts University, University of Colorado, Amherst College, Williams College, University of Oklahoma, and Wichita State University.  Rachel is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and the Juilliard School.  She can be heard on the Chandos, Naxos, New World, and BMOP Sound labels.   Rachel is married to the violinist and Concertmaster, Charles Dimmick.  Their daughter Chloe, aged 10, is an aspiring violinist and author.  Visit RachelBraude.com for more information.

Mary Kay Robinson-Flute

Flutist Mary Kay Robinson has risen to national prominence as a versatile musician who has performed, recorded, toured with the Symphony orchestras of Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis, Boston, Portland, Vermont, New Hampshire, Pittsburgh and premiere chamber musicians throughout the United States. She balances a career of performance, teaching and arts leadership and has been featured soloist on flute and piccolo with the Southern Tier Symphony (NY), Cleveland Pops at Severance Hall, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra.  “Dazzling virtuosity…a hugely talented soloist”, critics heralded of her New York solo debut where she performed two concerti on different instruments.  She is the founder of the international award winning mixed chamber ensemble, Panorámicos, the Greater Cleveland Flute Society, and former Chair of the National Flute Association’s Piccolo Committee.  Chamber Music collaborations include musicians from Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Music from Angel Fire, Monadnock Chamber Music, ChamberFest Cleveland and the New Hampshire Music Festival. Previous posts include the Akron Symphony, Lyric Opera Cleveland, and the Playhouse Square Orchestra. She has championed the commissioning of new solo and chamber works for Flute, Piccolo and Alto Flute, and can be heard on recordings by Polyhymnia, Hyperion, Azica, TelArc, and Albany Records. As Artistic Director of Panorámicos, she produced three CD’s to international acclaim including “Editor’s Choice”,“ Top Pick”of North America” – Gramophone. Faculty appointments include Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Music, Ithaca College, Franklin Pierce University and is a frequent clinician, adjudicator and guest artist working with aspiring musicians. She has given masterclasses and worked with orchestras and chamber musicians at Bowdoin College, Oberlin Conservatory, University of New Hampshire, University of Texas-El Paso, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, and The University of Akron. She serves as Director of the Bascom Little Fund, a philanthropic trust created to promote the work of NE Ohio composers, and previously Music from Angel Fire and ChamberFest Cleveland.

Shawn Welk-Principal Oboe

A native of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Shawn Welk joined the Richmond Symphony as Assistant Principal Oboe and Principal English Horn in 2008, following a seven year tenure as Co-Principal Oboe of the “President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra in Washington, D.C.  During his years with the “President’s Own,” Shawn performed concerts at the White House, Washington D.C. Metro area, overseas, and across the United States as soloist, chamber player, and principal musician. His solo appearances included performances of John Harbison’s Concerto for Oboe, Clarinet and Strings, Frank Martin’s Trois Danses for Oboe, Harp and Strings, and Samuel Barber’s Capricorn Concerto, all with the Marine Chamber Orchestra.  In addition, he performed at the White House as soloist in J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Oboe and Violin, entertaining former President George W. Bush and other heads of state.  With the Richmond Symphony, Shawn has served as Acting Principal Oboe, soloist, chamber musician, and as educational program leader, designing innovative music education shows for elementary and middle school students, commissioning new chamber works, and arranging music for the Richmond Symphony Woodwind Quartet.  In the summers of 2008-2014, Shawn served as Principal Oboist of the New York Symphonic Ensemble, performing annual summer concert tours across Japan, and in 2017 was appointed Principal Oboe of the New Hampshire Music Festival.  For the 2013–14 season, he served as Acting Principal Oboe of The Florida Orchestra in Tampa, FL. He has also performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera, Washington Concert Artists, Tulsa Philharmonic, Aspen Festival Orchestra, and the Staunton Music Festival. An active chamber musician, Shawn is a core member of D.C.’s acclaimed Fessenden Ensemble and the Executive Director of Richmond’s innovative Atlantic Chamber Ensemble.  Shawn holds performance degrees from the University of Oklahoma and the Eastman School of Music, and he is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree from Indiana University.  He is currently on the faculty of the University of Richmond, having previously served on the faculties of the Virginia Commonwealth University and the Catholic University of America.

Elizandro Garcia Montoya-Co-Principal Clarinet

Elizandro Garcia Montoya has been co-principal clarinet of the New Hampshire Music Festival since 2006. Elizandro is a member of the Fifth House Ensemble in Chicago, principal clarinetist with the Elmhurst Symphony and a member of the Chicago Philharmonic. He is former principal clarinet of the Sarasota Opera, Mexico State Orchestra and Mineria Symphony in Mexico City. Elizandro has performed with the Jacksonville Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and was the silver-prize winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition in 1999. Elizandro holds a Master’s degree from Rice University, a Professional Studies diploma from Cleveland Institute of Music and a Bachelor’s degree from Baylor University. His major teachers include Larry Combs, Richard Shanley, Michael Webster and Franklin Cohen. Elizandro lives in Chicago and teaches clarinet at DePaul University’s Community Music Division, the Musical Offering in Evanston and Loyola University-Chicago.

Bill Kalinkos-Co-Principal Clarinet

Bill Kalinkos, clarinetist, enjoys a varied career as a member of critically acclaimed groups such as Alarm Will Sound and Splinter Reeds. Recognized by the Washington Post as a “notable contemporary music specialist,” he has been fortunate enough to work with and premiere pieces by many renowned composers. As an orchestral player, Bill is the principal clarinetist of the Oakland Symphony, a member of both IRIS Orchestra and the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, and he has performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and the Kansas City Symphony. He attended the Eastman School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music prior to earning his doctorate degree at Stony Brook University. Bill has served on the faculties of the University of Missouri and the University of California at Santa Cruz and Berkeley. As a recording artist, he can be heard on the Cantaloupe, Nonesuch, Euroarts, Naxos, Mode, Orange Mountain, Albany Records, Deutsche Gramophon, and Harmonia Mundi labels.

Amy Advocat-Clarinet

Sought out for her “dazzling” (The Boston Globe) performances with “extreme control and beauty” (The Clarinet Journal), Dr. Amy Advocat, clarinetist, is an avid performer of new music having performed with Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Guerilla Opera, Alarm Will Sound, Sound Icon, Firebird Ensemble, Callithumpian Consort, Collage New Music, Dinosaur Annex, and The New Fromm Players. Equally at home with more traditional classical music, Amy Advocat has performed with Odyssey Opera, Boston Pops, Harrisburg Symphony, Opera Boston, Boston Philharmonic, New Hampshire Music Festival, and Monadnock Music.

Dr. Advocat is a founding member of the bass clarinet and marimba duo, Transient Canvas, with whom she has commissioned and premiered hundreds of new works and released three albums to critical acclaim by The Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, The Clarinet Journal, I Care If You Listen, Fanfare Magazine, and more. Transient Canvas regularly tours across the United States and Europe, including featured performances at Alba Music Festival (Italy), Tetractys New Music, Red Note New Music Festival, Festival of New American Music, Music on the Edge, and Outpost Concert Series, and engages the next generation of composers and performers at educational residencies across the country.  Amy Advocat is a proud endorsing artist with Conn-Selmer and Henri Selmer Paris Clarinets.

Mark Christianson-Oboe, English Horn 

I began playing the oboe with Richard Killmer, Professor of Oboe at the Eastman School of Music. I received a degree in Oboe Performance from the University of Minnesota. I went on to receive my Masters in Oboe Performance at Northwestern University as a fellowship student of Ray Still, Principal Oboe of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I became Principal Oboe of the Chicago Civic Symphony and then went on to a professional career as the Solo English Horn player in the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra and then the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
When I returned to the United States, I joined The United States Marine Band “The President’s Own” in WashingtonD.C., as Solo English Horn with 21 years of service, playing for Presidents, dignitaries, also playing under famous musicians such as John Williams and many others as well. My long professional career in music has taught me how to be an effective teacher and master reed maker. I freelance as a professional Oboe and English Horn player in the Washington D.C. area, playing in solo positions for many of the leading local orchestras and Opera companies as well. My wife and I live in Olney, Maryland and we have two children.

Andrea Gross Hixon-Oboe

Andrea Gross Hixon has played with the New Hampshire Music Festival since 2015.  She is a member of the Madison (Wisconsin) Symphony Orchestra, and was principal oboe of the Green Bay Symphony for its final ten years.  She teaches oboe at UW-Oshkosh and St. Norbert College, and has also taught at Lawrence University, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay, and the University of Memphis (Tennessee).  She has played with the Woodstock/Midwest Mozart Festival Orchestra in Illinois since 2005.  Andrea received her Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She completed additional studies at the Conservatoire de Paris.  She resides in Appleton, Wisconsin with her husband, son, daughter, and chihuahua mix, Rosie.

Nicolasa Kuster-Principal Bassoon

Bassoonist Nicolasa Kuster joined the faculty of University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music in Stockton, CA, in the fall of 2008 and became it’s Associate Dean of Academic Affairs ten years later. She balances her full-time teaching and administrative position with a rich orchestral, chamber, and solo performing life around northern California and beyond. She also launched and continues to lead the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, a biennial competition for young women bassoonists from the Americas. This competition awards $20,500 in prizes at the exciting three day MQVC Bassoon Symposium open to all.  Kuster is Principal Bassoon of the Stockton Symphony and the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, Second Bassoon (Acting Principal since 2019) of the Monterey Symphony, and performs on occasion with the San Francisco and San Diego Symphonies. Previous positions include the Wichita Symphony (also serving on the faculty of Wichita State University), the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, and the Virginia Symphony. She spent six summer seasons performing and recording with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy. She is a double degree graduate from Oberlin College and Conservatory with a BM in Bassoon Performance and a BA in Religion. Her solo album, Metamorphosis, can be found where cd’s are sold online.

Molly Norcross-Principal Horn

Hailed by Alan Kozinn in the New York Times as giving “a magnificent performance: precise, passionate, and supple,” horn player Molly Norcross is equally at home in the back of the orchestra as she is taking center stage in chamber music and solo performances.  She currently holds the position of Assistant Principal and Utility Horn with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops and has been playing the role of Acting Associate Principal Horn since joining the orchestra in 2019.  She can be seen in the CSO’s Music Hall performances, live-streamed online content, and many chamber music concerts throughout the Cincinnati area. Additionally, Ms. Norcross serves as the Principal Horn of the New Hampshire Music Festival, which she joined in 2018. Previously, she was the Principal Horn of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and Third/Associate Principal Horn of the San Antonio Symphony.  A sought-after performer and teacher, Ms. Norcross maintains a busy schedule, making appearances with several other symphonies and chamber music series, and working with students in Ohio and Kentucky.  She often plays with the Philadelphia Orchestra, loves getting back to Texas to play with her old colleagues, and is active in working with the members of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. In the upcoming season, Ms. Norcross is slated to play several woodwind quintet and brass quintet shows, and is teaching at the University of Kentucky for the fall semester. She received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at The Juilliard School and pursued additional professional studies at the New England Conservatory, studying with William Purvis, Jennifer Montone and Richard Sebring, respectively.  She spends time in the great outdoors whenever she can, especially enjoying cycling and backpacking, while contemplating which White Mountain peak will be crossed off her list next!

Nina Miller-Horn

Nina Allen Miller has been a member of the Portland Symphony Orchestra since 1976.  She freelances and performs with several orchestras in New England including the New Hampshire Music Festival, where she has been a member of the horn section since 1981. Her eclectic performances include concerts with Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Three Irish Tenors, Beach Boys, and special performance of the Brahms Requiem with the Dartmouth Glee Club Alumni at Carnegie Hall. Nina has taught horn at Bates College and in the Wellesley, MA public schools. A native New Yorker, she earned her degree in Horn Performance from Northwestern University. Her horn teachers include Dale Clevenger, Arthur Berv and Phillip Farkas. In addition to her work as a hornist, Nina is also an accomplished ukulele player and is the Music Director/Conductor of Maine’s popular 30-member ukulele ensemble, “The FLUKES”, whose goal is to bring ukulele music and song to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, memory care and rehabilitation centers throughout New England.

Robert Marlatt-Horn

Robert Marlatt is currently principal horn with the Boston Ballet Orchestra, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, and the Bach, Beethoven, Brahms Society Orchestra, and a member of the Boston Philharmonic. Robert has performed as principal horn with the Portland Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Buzzards Bay Musicfest, Vermont Symphony, Opera Company of Boston, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, and Symphony New Hampshire. He has also appeared with the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Springfield Symphony, New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, and numerous other ensembles throughout New England.  In 2019 Robert performed chamber music at the Newport Music Festival and the Buzzard’s Bay Musicfest. He is the leader of the Commonwealth Brass, and has appeared with Alea III, the Atlantic Brass Quintet, Triton Brass, Epic Brass, Beacon Brass Quintet, Boston Brass, and the Back Bay Brass Quintet. An advocate of period instrument practice, Robert has performed as principal horn with Boston Baroque, the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra, Arcadia Players, and appeared with Mercury Orchestra in Houston. He may be heard performing on numerous recordings with Boston Baroque. Recent solo appearances include performing the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with fellow principal winds of the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, and a concerto with the Tri-County Symphonic Band. Mr. Marlatt has been a featured performer at the Buzzard’s Bay Musicfest alongside Hollywood recording legend James Thatcher in: a Telemann double horn concerto, Schumann’s Konzertstuck for Four Horns, Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #1, and Brahms’ Four Songs for Women’s Chorus, Two Horns, and Harp. In May 2014 he performed at the Boston Opera House as horn soloist with Boston Ballet’s “Next Generation” in the world premiere of Yury Yanowsky’s “Trazom.” Robert has performed as principal horn in every major Boston venue for a variety of touring presentations such as the Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Broadway shows: Evita, The Lion King, Miss Saigon, Wicked, Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera, and numerous others. Robert has also worked as an orchestral sideman with headliners The Who, Weird Al Yankovich, Johnny Mathis, Hans Zimmer, Linda Ronstadt, Diana Krall, Harry Connick, Jr., Yes, Brian Wilson, Deep Purple, Ray Charles, and many others. Robert holds an MM from Northwestern University, and a BM from Ball State University. He was born and raised in Richmond, Indiana.

Daniel Taubenheim-Trumpet

Daniel Taubenheim, originally from Lake Bluff, Illinois, is currently both the Associate Principal Trumpet of The San Antonio Symphony and the acting Associate Principal Trumpet of The Phoenix Symphony. He completed his graduate studies at Rice University with Barbara Butler and Charlie Geyer in 2016, and prior to that he received his undergraduate degree from The Juilliard School, studying with Ray Mase and Mark Gould. Daniel has played in a variety of ensembles, including the Houston Grand Opera, National Symphony Orchestra, Britt Festival Orchestra, and the Columbus Symphony. In 2018, Daniel was featured as soloist in Bach’s 2nd Brandenburg Concerto with the San Antonio Symphony. As an educator, he served as an adjunct faculty member at both St. Mary’s University and Trinity University in San Antonio. In his free time, Daniel enjoys sport climbing, hiking, and spending time with his dog.

John Charles Thomas-Trumpet

John Charles Thomas has performed in the premieres of works in both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and appeared in Europe, Asia, Canada, Latin America and the U.S. as soloist and chamber musician. He has played under many of the great conductors, including Riccardo Muti, Lorin Maazel, Sir Colin Davis, Charles Dutoit, Zubin Mehta, Krzysztof Penderecki, Alan Gilbert and Mstislav Rostropovich. John is the assistant principal trumpet of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, principal trumpet with the Ridgefield and Waterbury Symphonies (CT), and the associate principal trumpet of the Queens Symphony (NYC). He has performed frequently with the New York Philharmonic, Harrisburg Symphony and various Broadway shows. He has appeared with L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, American Symphony, Solisti New York, Trier Bach Soloists (Germany), Vienna Symphony, Bermuda Philharmonic, San Jose and San Francisco Symphonies. For over 20 years John was a member of the Grammy Award winning Chestnut Brass Company. As a soloist, his appearances have included performances of Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 2”, Copland’s “Quiet City”, and concertos by Shostakovich,  Tomasi, Bennett, Hummel, Haydn and Arutunian, among others.  While living and studying in Vienna, he was presented in several solo recitals on a concert series at Vienna’s historic Karlskirche. Subsequently he joined the New York Harlem Opera Orchestra, and toured throughout Germany, Italy, France and Spain in Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”.  John has performed on many classical, chamber, contemporary and popular music recordings. He has recorded with the New York Philharmonic, on their recordings of Mahler’s Second and Sixth Symphonies under Lorin Maazel, and several works of Handel, Bach and Buxtehude (on the historical “baroque” trumpet) including “Messiah” and “B-Minor Mass”. Hailed for his clear and rich trumpet sound, he can be heard on several film soundtracks including S.W.A.T., Sphere, Final Fantasy, Highway, and Titus. He was the trumpet soloist on the Bill Moyers & Joseph Campbell television series, The Power of Myth, and has been heard on National Public Radio, The Today Show, and 60 Minutes.   Dr. Thomas teaches trumpet and jazz studies at the Hartt School. Previously he was the Artist/Teacher of Classical Trumpet at the University of Rhode Island, brass instructor at Bard College from 2000-2019, visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Ithaca College, and at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.   For several years, he was a juror at the prestigious Cheju International Brass Competition in South Korea. His principal teachers were Philip Smith, Vincent Penzarella, Allan Dean, Adolph Holler, Charles Gorham, William Adam, and Marvin Perry.

Frank Tamburro-Trumpet

Mr. Tamburro received his Bachelors as well as his Masters of Music from the Eastman School of Music. Upon graduation, he was appointed principal trumpet of the Chicago Chamber Brass Quintet. Mr. Tamburro has also appeared as solo trumpet with the Chicago Music of the Baroque. He is currently principal trumpet of the New Britain Symphony Orchestra and section trumpet with the New Hampshire Festival Orchestra and has previously held the position of principal trumpet of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra for ten years. He enjoys an extensive freelance career in southern New England, performing with the New Haven and Hartford Symphonies as well as soloing and giving master classes.  As an educator, Mr. Tamburro taught for six years in the Hartford Public school
system and eighteen years for the Bristol Public Schools. He currently devotes much time to his private trumpet studio in Andover where his students have regularly earned positions in Connecticut regional and all state music festivals

David Loucky-Principal Trombone

David Loucky has been Principal Trombonist with the New Hampshire Music Festival since 1987. He is Professor of Trombone and Euphonium at Middle Tennessee State University and he performs on all the low brass instruments. From 1998-2000 he served as Assistant Principal Trombonist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, touring 6 European countries, performing six times in Carnegie Hall, and playing in all the low brass chairs except tuba (Principal, Assistant, Second and Bass Trombone, Euphonium and Bass Trumpet). He has performed and lectured at several International Trombone Festivals and International Tuba-Euphonium Conferences and served on the faculty of the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. He is Principal Trombonist with the Nashville Opera and Ballet and performs regularly with Nashville Symphony, Stones River Chamber Players, Tri-Star Brass Ensemble and the MTSU Faculty Jazz Ensemble. He regularly performs for diverse recording projects in Nashville, Music City, USA.  Loucky earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University, a Master of Music from Yale School of Music, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He had additional studies in Cologne, Germany and Vienna, Austria in both classical and jazz traditions. His principal teachers include John Swallow (New York Brass Quintet and NYC Ballet), Ronald Borror (American Brass Quintet and NYC Ballet), William Harris (Syracuse Symphony), Jiggs Whigam (West German Radio Big Band), Horst Küblböck (Vienna Symphony) and Eric Kleinschuster (Austrian Radio Big Band).

Tanner Antonetti-Trombone

Trombonist Tanner Antonetti grew up in central Arkansas and began his musical studies at age 7 with piano, continuing with trombone and double bass at age 10. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Middle Tennessee State University, studying music performance with a minor in Recording Industry Management. While in Tennessee, Tanner cultivated a diverse freelance career performing with classical, jazz, and commercial ensembles in and around the Nashville area. He then attended Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, earning a Master of Music degree. While a student, he was featured on a program of the music of Luciano Berio given by the school’s contemporary ensemble, Hear & Now, performing the composer’s Sequenza V for solo trombone. Currently Second Trombone with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Tanner has also performed with the Arkansas, Chattanooga, Huntsville, Alabama, Albany, San Antonio, Houston, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras on both tenor trombone and bass trumpet. He spent summers studying at Eastern Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. Past mentors include Michael Underwood, Joshua Bynum, David Loucky, Per Brevig, and Allen Barnhill. Away from music, Tanner enjoys pursuing his other passions: cooking, learning about wine, and the art of home espresso.

Velvet Brown-Principal Tuba

Velvet Brown is profoundly passionate about her career as a performer and educator. She is the David P. Stone Endowed Professor for the School of Music at Penn State and the Associate Director of the School of Music for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Brown is also Visiting Artist Faculty at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.  Velvet enjoys a career as professor, international soloist, composer/arranger, chamber ensemble performer, recording artist, conductor, and orchestral player. She has performed and taught in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Finland, France, England, Hungary, Slovenia, Russia, Japan, Cuba, Canada and the United States. Ms. Brown is currently the principal tubist of the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra. Brown was honored to be principal tuba with the Hope and Harmony Ensemble which recorded a video of fanfares for the 2021 Presidential Inauguration conducted by Marin Alsop. She has served as principal tuba with the River City Brass band, guest principal with the Lahti Philharmonic in Finland, the Detroit Symphony, San Francisco Women’s Philharmonic Orchestra, and as substitute or additional tubist with the Saint Louis Symphony and Fort Wayne Philharmonic.  Having performed and worked closely with jazz, commercial and classical artists regarded as some of the most influential musicians of all time, including Howard Johnson, Marie Speziale, Bob Stewart, Susan Slaughter and Doc Severinsen, she felt inspired to explore new territories in her music career. As a consequence, influenced also by some personal experiences, she decided to explore in music how life events shape one’s creativity and thus started a veritable music renaissance, which involves soul-searching musical patterns and a more profound relationship with the audience. She is the co- founder of MOJATUBA: Tuba and Dance Fusion Project, and is in her 16th year as lead tuba with Howard Johnson’s “Gravity” Tuba Jazz Ensemble.  Velvet Brown has been an invited solo artist or tuba solo artist adjudicator at the International Tuba and Euphonium Conferences since1998. She has also served as guest conductor for festivals in the United States in Maine, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania as well as abroad in Austria, Finland, Italy, Slovenia, Japan, and Canada. Prior to her tenure at Penn State, she also taught at Bowling Green State University (Ohio), Ball State University (Indiana), and served as an associate director of University Bands at Boston University.  Brown has garnered high praise as a founding and current member of Stiletto Brass Quintet, Monarch Brass Quintet and Brass Ensemble, the Quintet of Americas and the Pennsylvania Brassworks. Moreover, she is also a founding board member of the International Women’s Brass Conference. Velvet also serves as the Artistic Director of the Chromatic Brass Collective.  She has released five solo CDs, and has collaborated on several other recordings as a soloist and ensemble member, such as Stiletto Brass Quintet featuring Doc Severinsen, trumpet, on one of her original compositions, Testimony (Howard Johnson and Gravity) as lead tuba, and a solo tuba jazz recording with the Cleveland Jazz Ensemble. Many of her arrangements are published by Potenza Music. Velvet Brown is a Buffet/Crampon Performing Artist, performing on the MW 2250 and 2182 F tubas, and the MW 2000 and MW 3450 CC tubas. She is also a performing artist for Denis Wick mouthpieces, mutes, and accessories.

Richard Kelly-Principal Percussion

Upon completion of a BMA from Boston University in percussion, Richard toured Europe with a Broadway show playing drum set. After a year on the road, he began performing more as a substitute player for many European orchestras and left the tour to pursue this. At this time, he also started a Masters of Percussion Program in Frankfurt, Germany with Siegfried Fink. 2 years later he returned to the US to begin his studies with Vic Firth, timpanist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Richard remained in Boston after completing his Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory. Richard has performed with the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Boston Opera, Boston Ballet, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and numerous New England orchestras throughout the years. Since 1993 he has been a fulltime member of the Portland, ME Symphony Orchestra. In addition to music, mathematics is another passion of his and he has Master’s degrees in Elementary Education and Mathematics. When not on stage, Richard can be found teaching Middle School Math, in Massachusetts, for the past 27 years. Performing each summer with the NHMF since the late 1990’s is something he looks forward to every year.

Dr. Megan Arns-Percussion

Dr. Megan Arns is a percussionist, ethnomusicologist, and educator with a diverse set of skills and a driven passion for her craft. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO where she has served as Director of Percussion Studies since 2014. Dr. Arns regularly performs with two professional chamber groups specializing in contemporary music: the [Switch~ Ensemble] – an electroacoustic ensemble based out of New York, and DRAX – a saxophone and percussion duo in residence at Mizzou. During the summers, Dr. Arns performs as a section percussionist at the New Hampshire Music Festival and is the Program Leader for a Mizzou Study Abroad trip to Ghana. Dr. Arns received her D.M.A. in Percussion Performance & Literature and M.A. in Ethnomusicology at the Eastman School of Music.

Matt Sharrock-Marimba, Percussion

Hailed as one of “Boston’s best percussionists” by I Care if You Listen, Matt Sharrock (they/them) is a versatile marimbist, percussionist, and conductor who tirelessly champions the music of living composers. As half of the bass clarinet/marimba duo Transient Canvas, they have premiered over 80 pieces while touring extensively in the United States and abroad. From 2013-2020 they served as Music Director and conductor for Equilibrium and are a founding member of the mixed quartet Hinge and the Boston Percussion Group. In demand as a chamber musician, Matt is the resident percussionist with the Chameleon Arts Ensemble of Boston and has performed with the Lydian String Quartet, Boston Musica Viva, Sound Icon, the Lorelei Ensemble, and Dinosaur Annex, among others. As an orchestral percussionist, Matt can be heard regularly with the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, the Orchestra of Indian Hill, and the Grammy-winning Boston Modern Orchestra Project. They have recorded on Beauport Classical, BMOP/sound, Innova, Navona, New Focus, and Ravello record labels. They are an assistant professor of core studies and composition at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and a course developer and facilitator for Berklee Online. Matt proudly endorses Marimba One and Encore Mallets. For more information, visit www.mattsharrock.com.

Bill Shaltis-Principal Timpani

Bill Shaltis is the Assistant Professor of Percussion at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, University of Memphis and Principal Timpanist of the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra and Boise Baroque Orchestras. Formerly, Shaltis was the Principal Timpanist for the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Percussion of the Evansville Philharmonic and Owensboro Symphony, and on faculty at Missouri Southern State University and the University of Evansville. He is a sought-after clinician and performer throughout North America, Europe, and China and has performed and presented at several PASICs, the NAfME and Midwest Conferences, and at state conferences, Day of Percussion events, and universities throughout the country.   Shaltis created the video podcast series Good Beats (tips for music educators) and The Solo Timpanist. His debut album, “Essence/Descent,” features premiere recordings of 21st century solo and chamber timpani repertoire and is available on major streaming platforms. Shaltis is also a co-founder of the annual Two Rivers Timpani Summit.  Shaltis is a proud performing artist/clinician for Grover Pro Percussion, JGpercussion, Remo, Yamaha, and Zildjian.

Frances Renzi-Piano

Steinway Artist Frances Renzi has appeared as soloist with many orchestras including those of Dallas, Houston, Toledo, and the New Hampshire Music Festival.  She has performed throughout North America, Taiwan, and China, giving recitals in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, at the Phillips Collecton in Washington, D.C., at the National Concert Hall in Taipei, and at the China Conservatory in Beijing.  She appears regularly as a featured guest artist on the Toledo Symphony Chamber Series, performs each summer as a soloist and chamber musician at the New Hampshire Music Festival, and has performed as a solo pianist for the New York City Ballet.  She was a founding member of the Toledo Trio at the University of Toledo and performed with them for 27 years.  Ms. Renzi has recorded both solo and chamber music for Educo, Centaur, Koch International, the Musical Heritage Society, Azica, Audite, and Decca-Argo.  Her numerous recordings have won critical acclaim and many awards in Europe and the United States, including a Grammy nomination for the recording of the chamber music of Paul Schoenfield for Decca-Argo.

An experienced teacher as well as performer, she is Professor Emerita at the University of Toledo. In 2000, she received a commendation from the Ohio Senate honoring her outstanding university career.

Leslie Amper-Piano

Leslie Amper began her national career with a critically acclaimed New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall. She went on to delight audiences in Chicago, New York, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco as well as at Monadnock Musicʼs Virtuoso Piano Series. A member of New Hampshire Music Festival, she is a frequent participant in Boston’s Emmanuel Music solo and chamber music celebrations.   An acknowledged scholar and practitioner of contemporary music, Amper has recorded Andrew Imbrieʼs Short Story for Neuma Records which was chosen for the international radio broadcast, Art of the States. Equally adept at accompanying silent film, she has compiled piano accompaniments at the Harvard Film Archives for the short films of Georges Méliès and King Vidor’s The Crowd.  As a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts solo recitalist grant, she presented Messiaenʼs monumental Vingt Regards sur lʼenfant Jésus in Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC. Her unique multi media performances related to the visual arts  have been presented at the invitation of the National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Pittsburgh Frick, New York State Museum, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Phoenix Art Museum, Carnegie Mellon University and California State University East Bay. Leslie Amper studied at Oberlin College and with Russell Sherman at New England Conservatory. Currently teaching at New England Conservatory Preparatory and Wheaton (MA) College,  Leslie Amper has lectured at Boston University, Currier House of Harvard University, and the University of Pittsburgh.

Rachel Ferris-Harp

Rachel Ferris currently holds the position of Principal Harp with the San Antonio Symphony. She enjoys a varied career as an orchestral harpist, soloist, and chamber musician. Originally from rural upstate New York, she attended high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy, where she studied with Joan Raeburn-Holland. Ms. Ferris received Bachelor’s Degrees in Religion and Harp Performance from Oberlin College and Conservatory, studying harp with renowned harpist and pedagogue, Alice Chalifoux. Ms. Ferris has participated in several music festivals including Aspen, Chautauqua, the National Repertory Orchestra, the Colorado Music Festival, Breckenridge Music Festival, and the New Hampshire Music Festival.

She has recorded a CD on the Centaur label, featuring French works for cello and harp with former Chicago Symphony cellist Donald Moline. Ms. Ferris has also held the position of principal harp with the Florida West Coast Symphony and Tulsa Philharmonic. She has performed with several orchestras, including the Houston Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Florida Orchestra, and the New World Symphony. She has appeared as a soloist with Mid-Texas Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, Victoria Symphony, and the San Antonio Symphony. Ms. Ferris has appeared as a guest artist with several San Antonio chamber music groups, including the Olmos Chamber Ensemble, Camerata, Cactus Pear, and Musical Offerings.