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