Orchestra
Each season, some of the most accomplished instrumentalists in classical music come together to form the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. Professional musicians from as far away as California and New York, as well as from here in Florida, join together to perform in one of the finest opera orchestras in the country. Many of our players have been with us for more than five years, with several performing over ten seasons.
Having a resident orchestra gives Sarasota Opera the opportunity to thoroughly rehearse the season’s operas over the course of several weeks. Sarasota Opera’s orchestra, along with its other artists and technicians, are committed to presenting quality opera season after season.
Sarasota Opera Orchestra 2025
Violin
Mark Chien — Brooklyn, NY (5)
Concertmaster
The Murray Bring and Kay Delaney Endowed Chair
Jeremy Lap Hei Hao – New York, NY (1)
Associate Concertmaster
Sue Faux – Jamaica Plain, MA (1)
Principal Second Violin
Sardardjan Djumaev – St. Petersburg, FL (1)
Lu Friedman – Hartford, CT (16)
Kimberly Hain – Winnetka, CA (2)
Thomas Hofmann – Boston, MA (8)
Juan Jaramillo – Pittsburgh, PA (18)
Anna Luebke – Silver Spring, MD (1)
Shelley Mathews – Wheaton, MD (9)
Milene Moreira – Sarasota, FL (18)
Mark Oshida – London, England (2)
Imanuel Sandoval – Miami, FL (1)
Luke Santonastaso – Los Angeles, CA (6)
Sun-Young Gemma Shin – Lawrence, KS (2)
Suzanne Wagor – Pawling, NY (2)
Rita Wang – New York, NY (1)
Sherri Zhang – Boyda, MD (1)
Viola
Jonas Benson — St. Petersburg, FL (7)
Principal
Maija Anstine – Pittsburgh, PA (1)
Benjamin Penzner – Northville, MI (1)
Elisa Rega – Portland, OR (3)
Matthew Ross – Shaker Heights, OH (2)
Alexandra VandeGeijn – Philadelphia, PA (10)
Cello
Nadine Trudel —Sarasota, FL (20)
Principal
Raphael Boden – Brooklyn, NY (2)
Julia Henderson – New York, NY (7)
Andrea Mills – Trumbull, CT (21)
The Eleanor Wilson Williams Endowed Chair
Paul Swensen – New York, NY (8)
Emily Yomashita – Port Richey, FL (1)
Bass
Gil S. Katz – Sarasota, FL (23)
Principal
Ryan Bassett – Pittsburgh, PA (5)
Kolten Heeren – Bloomington, IN (3)
Jacob McAleavey – Pittsburgh, PA (1)
Brandon Vaughn – Bloomington, IN (1)
Flute
Allison DeFrancesco – Houston, TX (3)
Principal
Kasumi Leonard – Santa Fe, NM (1)
Francesca Arnone*
Carmen Bannon*
Sootnalee Philom*
Gino Rimanelli*
Piccolo
Kasumi Leonard
Carmen Bannon
Sootnalee Philom
Oboe
Rick Basehore – Silver Spring, MD (15)
Principal
Jennifer Case – Huntsville, AL (9)
English Horn
Jennifer Case
Clarinet
Melissa Frisch – Alhambra, CA (1)
Principal
The Ed and Jane Bavaria Endowed Chair
Logan Miller – Dallas, TX (1)
Stacey McColley*
Bassoon
Marat Rakhmatullaev – Towson, MD (6)
Principal
Corinne Crowley – Cary, NC (2)
Horn
Brian Goodwin – Highland Park, IL (3)
Principal
Kayla Howell – Kansas City, MO (1)
Sarah Younker – Lombard, IL (1)
Sandra Swanson – Evanston, IL (25)
Trumpet
Paul Neebe – Chapel Hill, NC (7)
Principal
Larry Herman – Cleveland, OH (26)
Alan Evans*
Trombone
Whitney Clair –Jacksonville, FL (3)
Principal
Derek Gullett – Uniontown, OH (1)
Michael Stanton – Gainseville, FL (1)
Bass Trombone
Jonathan Schubert – Harleysville, PA (16)
The Mr. and Mrs. William E. Chapman, II Endowed Chair
Harp
Giuseppina Ciarla – Bari, Italy (21)
Principal
Phoebe Powell*
Melody Rapier*
Kay Kemper*
Timpani
Matthew Kibort – Sarasota, FL (2)
Principal
Percussion
Andre Sonner –Glen Carbon, IL (7)
Principal
Aaron Nix –Sarasota, FL (9)
Seth Bagwell – Conroe, TX (1)
Guitar
Jonathan Godfrey*
Orchestra Contractor
Gregg Koyle
Orchestra Manager
Andre Sonner
Orchestra Librarian
Julia Henderson
* Associate Musician