How the Orchestra Grew

About the Virginia Symphony Orchestra

What happens at a Virginia Symphony Concert?

When the lights dim, the audience gets quiet.

The concertmaster enters the stage and takes a bow. You can show your welcome to him by clapping as he bows. The concertmaster then asks the oboist to play the tuning ‘A.’ The whole orchestra tunes their instruments.

Next, the conductor enters and greets the orchestra (by shaking hands with the concertmaster) and the audience (by taking a bow). You should clap to greet the conductor in return.

conductorThe conductor then turns to the orchestra, raises his baton, and begins to conduct the orchestra.

The audience listens while the orchestra makes beautiful music.

When the conductor lowers his hands, the piece is finished and the audience should clap.


Orchestra Roster

JoAnn Falletta, Music Director
Matthew Kraemer, Associate Condustor
Robert Shoup, Chorusmaster/Staff Conductor
Akiko Fujimoto, Conducting Associate

VIOLIN
Vahn Armstrong, Concertmaster
Yun Zhang, Associate Concertmaster
Amanda Gates Armstrong, Assistant Concertmaster
Simon Lapointe, Principal Second
Elizabeth Coulter Vonderheide, Assistant Principal Second
Jorge Aguirre
Christine Allison
Lesa McCoy Bishop
Wesi Chong Boyer
Mayu Cipriano
Lillian Curry
Amy Taira Danielson
Jeanne DeDominick
Linda Dennis
Lisbeth Dreier
Bill Fearnside
Kirsty B. Green
Joan Griffing
Allegra Tortolano Havens
Linda Hurwitz
Pavel Ilyashov
Werner Martens
Tara-Louise Montour
Christina Morton
Seiko Syvertsen
Ross Monroe Winter

VIOLA
Beverly Kane Baker, Principal
Jennifer Snyder Kozoroz, Assistant Principal*
Amy Davis
Xuan Lin
Anastasia Migliozzi
Satoko Rickenbacker
Jocelyn Smith
Matthew Umlauf

CELLO
Michael Daniels, Principal
Rebecca Gilmore, Acting Assistant Principal
Lui Berz
Peter Greydanus
Susan Hines
Nancy Keevan
Janet Kriner
J. Carter Melin

BASS
Scott Harris, Principal
Christopher White, Assistant Principal
Frederick Dole
Jason Phillips
Thomas P. Reel

HARP
Barbara Chapman, Principal

FLUTE
Debra Wendells Cross, Principal
Joanne Meyer White
Caitlyn Valovick Moore

PICCOLO
Caitlyn Valovick Moore

OBOE
Sherie Lake Aguirre, Principal
George Corbett
Michael Dressler

ENGLISH HORN
George Corbett

CLARINET
Patti Ferrell Carlson, Principal
Scott Boyer

E-FLAT CLARINET
Scott Boyer

BASS CLARINET
William Thomas

BASSOON
Laura Leisring, Principal
David Savige

CONTRABASSOON
Hana Lee

HORN
David Wick, Principal
Alicia Waite *
Wilford Holcombe
Hazel Dean Davis
Dennis Herring
Kimberly Gilman

TRUMPET
Geoffrey McBride, Principal
David Vonderheide
Stephen Carlson, Associate Principal

TROMBONE
R. Scott McElroy, Principal
Timothy Owner

BASS TROMBONE
Rodney Martell

TUBA
Peter DuBeau, Principal

TIMPANI
John Lindberg, Principal

PERCUSSION
Robert W. Cross, Principal
Tim Bishop
Scott Jackson

*denotes leave of absence


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