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 2023
Violin
Mark Chien —Brooklyn, NY (3)
Concertmaster
The Murray Bring and Kay Delaney Endowed Chair
Abigail Hong –Cherry Hill, NJ (1)
Associate Concertmaster
Sun-Young Gemma Shin—Sarasota, FL (1)
Principal Second Violin
Julia Birnbaum– Brooklyn, NY (6)
Jeremiah Blacklow– New York, NY (1)
Lu Friedman– Hartford, CT (14)
Juan Jaramillo– Pittsburgh, PA (16)
Ivelina Kofler– Laguna Hills, CA (5)
Yuri Kye– Oakland, CA (6)
Anna Leunis– New Haven, CT (3)
Natalia Vasilieva Maiden– Sarasota, FL (14)
Shelley Mathews– Wheaton, MD (7)
Milene Moreira– Sarasota, FL (16)
Adrianne Munden-Dixon– New York, NY (2)
Matthew Oshida– Palo Alto, CA (9)
Luke Santonastaso– Los Angeles, CA (5)
Jaya Varma– Houston, TX (1)
Ann Yu– Northfield, OH (1)
Viola
Alexandra VandeGeijn —Philadelphia, PA (8)
Principal
Isabella Mensz –Astoria, NY (3)
Elisa Rega –Portland, OR (1)
Laura Sacks –New York, NY (1)
Dan Urbanowicz –St. Petersburg, FL (1)
Madeline Warner –Ypsilanti, MI (2)
Cello
Nadine Trudel —Sarasota, FL (18)
Principal
Julia Henderson –New York, NY (5)
Heewon Lee –Honolulu, HI (1)
Andrea Mills –Trumbull, CT (19)
The Eleanor Wilson Williams Endowed Chair
Edevaldo Mulla –Zephyrhills, FL (2)
Paul Swensen –New York, NY (6)
Bass
Gil S. Katz – Sarasota, FL (21)
Principal
Ryan Bassett –Pittsburgh, PA (3)
Kolten Heeren –Bloomington, IN (1)
Jacob McAleavey –Pittsburgh, PA (1)
Flute
Mira Magrill –New York, NY (2)
Principal
Allison DeFrancesco –Houston, TX (1)
Francesca Arnone*
Piccolo
Allison DeFrancesco
Francesca Arnon
Oboe
Rick Basehore – Silver Spring, MD (14)
Principal
Jennifer Case – Huntsville, AL (7)
Alyssa McKeithen*
Shane Wedel*
English Horn
Jennifer Case
Clarinet
Eric Anderson –Naples, FL (4)
Principal
The Ed and Jane Bavaria Endowed Chair
Benjamin Chen –Cleveland, OH (3)
Nicholas Davies –Great Falls, MT (1)
Bass clarinet
Nicholas Davies
Bassoon
Galina Kiep –Chicago, IL (8)
Principal
Corinne Crowley –Cary, NC (1)
Horn
Margarite Waddell –Eugene, OR (1)
Principal
Brian Goodwin –HighlandPark, IL (1)
Heather Johnson –SlipperyRock, PA (1)
Sandra Swanson –Evanston, IL (23)
Trumpet
Paul Neebe – Chapel Hill, NC (5)
Principal
Larry Herman – Cleveland, OH (24)
Alan Evans*
Trombone
Whitney Clair –Jacksonville, FL (1)
Principal
Kathryn Curran –San Francisco, CA (10)
Matthew Russell –Montreal, Canada (1)
Bass Trombone
Jonathan Schubert – Harleysville, PA (14)
The Mr. and Mrs. William E. Chapman, II Endowed Chair
Harp
Giuseppina Ciarla – Bari, Italy (19)
Principal
John Kieffer*
Mandolin
Rafael Ramíez*
Timpani
William Manley –Jamaica Plain, MA (17)
Principal
Percussion
Andre Sonner –Glen Carbon, IL (5)
Principal
Aaron Nix –Sarasota, FL (7)
Greg Simonds –West Newton, MA (2)
Orchestra Contractor
Gregg Koyle
Orchestra Manager
William Manley
Orchestra Librarian
William Manley
* Associate Musician