Music for Maryland Summer Tour 2024

Michelle Merrill, conductor

Michelle Merrill has been inspiring audiences throughout the country with her sharply detailed and vibrant performances. A passionate and dynamic artist, she is the newly named Music Director of the Winston Salem Symphony and also serves as the Music Director of the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, where she has ignited the growth and expansion of the orchestra’s offerings both on and off the stage.

Ms. Merrill’s growing guest conducting schedule includes recent and upcoming engagements with the National Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Opera, National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa), Minnesota Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony, Symphoria (Syracuse), Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and the Round Top Music Festival Institute. In past seasons, she has conducted concerts with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, Orlando Philharmonic, Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera, Boise Philharmonic, New Music Detroit, and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, where she formerly served as the Assistant Conductor from 2012 - 15.

During her four-year tenure from 2014 - 18 as the Assistant and then Associate Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin, Ms Merrill helped plan a wide variety of concerts each season, including the renowned educational webcasts, which have reached over 100,000 students to date in classrooms throughout the nation. Holding the title of Phillip and Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador, Ms. Merrill also gave pre-concert lectures, led adult music education seminars, engaged with students and adults in and around Metro Detroit, spoke on behalf of the DSO throughout the community, and participated in hosting Live from Orchestra Hall, the DSO’s free concert webcast that launched in 2011 and is now watched in more than 100 countries. 

Ms. Merrill is a proud recipient of a 2016 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, as well as the prestigious 2013 Ansbacher Conducting Fellowship as awarded by members of the Vienna Philharmonic and the American Austrian Foundation, which enabled her to be in residence at the world-renowned Salzburg Festival.  Born in Dallas, TX, she studied conducting with Dr. Paul C. Phillips at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts, where she holds a Master of Music Degree in conducting and a Bachelor of Music in performance. Apart from music, she loves cooking, running, hiking, and spending time outdoors with her husband, Steve Merrill, who serves as the principal percussionist of the Jacksonville Symphony, and their two sons, Davis and Emmett.

Boram Kang, violin

Boram Kang joined the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in September 2015. She graduated from Eastman School of Music with a bachelor’s degree in music, studying with Charles Castleman, Cleveland Institute of Music for her Master’s degree with William Preucil, and Performance Residency Program at Carnegie Mellon University with Andres Cardenes. Ms. Kang was a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival during the summer of 2006, and was a member of Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan in 2001, 2002 and 2005. Prior to joining Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, she was an Interim Assistant Concertmaster of Louisville Orchestra in 2012, and a fixed 4th chair of Colorado Symphony in 2013-2015.

Kevin Smith, violin

Kevin Smith, a native of Dallas, Texas, joined the Baltimore Symphony as Acting Assistant Concertmaster in 2015. Mr. Smith earned his Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance as a student of Julia Bushkova at the University of North Texas. At the Cleveland Institute of Music, he earned Master of Music degree in the studio of Stephen Rose, Principal Second Violin of The Cleveland Orchestra. While attending CIM, Mr. Smith was awarded the 2015 Helen C. Webster Award for Outstanding Graduate Student. As a chamber musician, he has been coached by the Cavani, Juilliard, Shanghai, and Takács Quartets, and studied under Peter Salaff of the Cleveland Quartet. He has attended the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, the Round Top Festival Institute, and the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. Mr. Smith has performed under the acclaimed conductors, Franz Welser-Möst, Osmo Vänskä, and Valery Gergiev. Before joining the Baltimore Symphony, Mr. Smith was a member of the Akron and Canton Symphony Orchestras, acted as concertmaster for the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with The Cleveland Orchestra. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, reading, and playing golf.

Peter Minkler, viola

Peter Minkler is heralded by Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun as an inspiring artist who “makes the viola sing….” Having firmly secured his reputation as a musician of rare communicative warmth and possessing eloquent depth of expression, he was awarded Baltimore’s prestigious Mary Sawyers Baker Prize, and is a two-time recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award in Classical Music Solo Performance.

Mr. Minkler began his undergraduate studies with Robert Vernon at the Cleveland Institute of Music and earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, where he was a student of Francis Tursi. He also participated in master classes at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada with Lillian Fuchs, Donald McInnes and William Primrose.

A longtime member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, he also holds the position of Principal Viola with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society Orchestra. Prior to his arrival in Baltimore, he served as Associate Principal Viola with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

He has appeared as soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on multiple occasions, as well as with the Prince George’s Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Johns, Ars Nova Chamber Orchestra, The Columbia Orchestra, Baltimore Choral Arts Society and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, he was the featured artist at the Finger Lakes Bach Festival in Ithaca, NY. As soloist, he has worked with such distinguished conductors as Andrew Constantine, Tom Hall, Marvin Hamlisch Raymond Harvey and Daniel Hege.

An avid and versatile musician, Mr. Minkler is also highly sought both as recitalist and chamber musician. He has performed extensively throughout the Baltimore region and is a regular guest artist on numerous established local series including: Musical Mondays,Free-Fall Baker Awardee Concerts, Catonsville Concerts at 3, An die Musik LIVE!, Music in the Great Hall, Sundays at Central Concert Series, Sundays at Three Chamber Music Series and Chamber Music by Candlelight, a series he co-founded at the Second Presbyterian Church. Other appearances include an exhibition and recital at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the University of Maryland, Chamber Music UB: The BSO Musicians Series, a series he developed and coordinated in conjunction with the University of Baltimore and musicians of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the BSO Summer MusicFest. Nationally, he has been a featured artist at the 2012 40^th International Viola Congress held in Rochester, NY and presented recitals at both Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA and the Channing Concert Series in Houston, TX. At the invitation of Mrs. George Rochberg, he also presented recitals at Dunwoody Retirement Village in Newtown Square, PA. Throughout the years, Mr. Minkler has collaborated with many luminaries including violinists Pinchas Zukerman, Stephan Jackiw and Victor Costanzi, cellist Ralph Kirschbaum, flutist Toshiko Kohno, harpists Rita Costanzi and Elizabeth Hainen, percussionist David DePeters and pianists Jonathan Biss, Lura Johnson and Max Levinson. More recently, he has begun exploring new and innovative ways to express himself and has worked in partnership with Shodekeh, a human beat boxer, award winning jazz saxophonist, Carl Grubbs, and modern dancer, Naoko Meshiba.

In addition to his private teaching studio, Mr. Minkler, a devoted pedagogue, has presented a viola composition seminar at the Peabody Conservatory of Music; coached adult chamber music participants of theBSO Summer Academy, regularly coached the viola section of the Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra and has presented numerous master classes for students of all ages and abilities in a variety of formats, cities and settings, including the Hoff Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale, NY, East Aurora High School, East Aurora, NY, and the aforementioned Northwestern State University.

Mr. Minkler has released two solo CDs on the Centaur Records label, both garnering exceptional reviews. The first, Viola Seul: Works for unaccompanied viola, is a compilation of seven works that showcase the extraordinary qualities of the oft-maligned viola and was praised by allmusic: “ Minkler’s playing is…thoroughly musical, insightful, witty, and highly nuanced…this album is likely to please anyone interested in solo string works or just solid, unpretentious, musical artistry. ”

Inner Voice , his second project recorded in collaboration with pianist, Lura Johnson, features four major works of the twentieth century by Britten, Rochberg, Pärt and Shostakovich. This CD has also received high praise from critics: Carlos María Solareof The Strad writes, “Britten’s Lachrymae…is given an unusually well-structured performance that goes beyond superficial tonal beauties to reveal the score’s constitutive elements. While listening I felt that this is how William Primrose – the piece’s dedicatee – might have played it ….” It was this recording of Pärt’s spiegel im spiegel that was used in the trailer for the Academy Award winning movie, Gravity , starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. This as well as other critical acclaim continues to affirm his artistry and command of the instrument.

He has actively served on both the BSO Players’ Committee and the Artistic Advisory Committee for the musicians of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In 2012 he was nominated for, and served on, the Maryland State Arts Council Review Panel (MSAC). As one of nine discipline-based panelists, he played a significant role in the grants process through his expert recommendations to MSAC.

Mr. Minkler has commissioned Dark Bells, a major new work for viola, chorus and orchestra by world renowned composer, Jonathan Leshnoff. Based upon the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, this oratorio will receive its world premiere in May 2014 with Music Director Andrew Constantine and the Fort Wayne (IN) Philharmonic. In addition, he is presenting the world premiere of Whistling in the Dark for unaccompanied viola by composer, Jeremy Gill, on the Strathmore Mansion Series in Bethesda, MD. He is actively seeking other contemporary composers with whom he can work so that together, they can create exciting new music that showcases the viola.

As John Peter Thompson of the Prince Georgian said, “ If you get a chance to hear Mr. Minkler perform, you need to grab it.”

Helen Hess, viola

Helen Hess is one of the newly appointed section violists of the Baltimore Symphony. She has spent the last three years as a Fellow with the New World Symphony in Miami, FL under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. Helen is a former principal viola for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as well as one of eight Civic musicians chosen to participate in the pilot season of the orchestra’s Citizen Musician Fellowship. In a Civic performance in the spring of 2013 she was featured alongside Yo-Yo Ma, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant, in Strauss’s Don Quixote. She has played with a number of other orchestras in the Midwest including Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, and has played as a member of the Artosphere festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

While at New World, Helen had the opportunity to mentor local high school students through in school coachings, sectionals and side-by-side performances. In her last year she participated in their partnership with the Iberacademy in Medellín, Colombia where she taught private lessons and led sectionals for the orchestra. She has also traveled to Guangzhou, China to act as adjunct faculty in the Youth Music Culture Guangdong workshop. In that role Helen provided another level of leadership between participants and faculty, as well as participating in all performance aspects of the workshop: chamber ensemble, Silk Road Band and orchestra.

As a chamber musician Helen has attended festivals such as The Meadowmount School of Music and the St. Lawrence String Quartet Chamber Music Seminar at Stanford. During her time in Chicago, Helen and fellow musicians collaborated with choreographer Lin Kahn on her dance piece, SEVEN, arranging and providing music for a number of the dances.

Originally from White Plains, NY, Helen received her Bachelor’s degree from The Boston Conservatory and her Master’s Degree from DePaul University School of Music. Past teachers include Rebecca Eckfeld, Patricia McCarty and Rami Solomonow.

Bo Li, cello

Praised by Baltimore Sun for his “eloquent, poetic playing”, Bo Li performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad.  He was featured as soloist with many orchestras including Baltimore Symphony, Shanghai Symphony, Wuhan Philharmonic, Southern Illinois Symphony, Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra, South Arkansas Symphony, Acadiana Symphony in Louisiana, Riverside Symphonia in New Jersey, Columbia Orchestra in Maryland, Montgomery Symphony in Alabama and Brentwood Symphony in Missouri.  His concerto performance with New England Conservatory Symphony was broadcast nationwide by NPR.

Among the prizes he has received, Bo Li was a prizewinner at the 9th Tchaikovsky International Competition and the First National Cello Competition in China.  He won the Concerto Competitions at New England Conservatory and Illinois State University and awards by Cultural Department of China and Presser foundation in the US.

An active chamber musician, Bo Li performed in US, South America, Europe, Asia and collaborated with many of the world’s leading musicians.  Passionate with teaching, he taught at music festivals and institutes throughout the U.S. and abroad. He is a co-founder and director for the Master Players Festival in Delaware and a distinguished visiting professor to Wuhan Conservatory and Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China.

He was featured on Voice of America, Free Talk Asia and China Central TV. He made several recordings, including a solo CD released by Tian-Tian in Beijing and chamber music CDs by Hugo in Hong Kong and Meyer Media in the US.

Bo Li came from a musical family. After attending the Wuhan and Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China, he finished his education at Illinois State University with Ko Iwasaki and at New England Conservatory with Colin Carr and Laurence Lesser where he was awarded the Presidential Award.  Currently he is a cellist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and a frequent guest to many other major orchestras.

 Holgen Gjoni, cello

Hailed for his “seriousness and depth of an authentic concert soloist”, Holgen Gjoni has been steadily gaining a reputation as one of the most sought after cellists of his generation and has performed as soloist and recitalist throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. Winner of the 1-st Prize at the “John Hsu” and “Nancy Tumarkin” New England Conservatory Cello Concerto Competitions, 2-nd Prize at The Juilliard Concerto Competition, 1-st Prize at Bucharest Music University Concerto Competition, 2-nd Prize at the “Mihail Jora” International Cello Competition, Special Prize at Jeunesse Musicales International Cello Competition, Karl Zeise Memorial Cello Award for Outstanding Commitment of Talent from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Presidential Award from The Boston Conservatory, Jerome L. Greene Fellowship Award from the Juilliard School and the Gregor Piatigorsky Fellowship at the New England Conservatory, he has been praised internationally by critics for his “technique, beauty of sound and emotional projection”, “tempestuous musical sensibility, marked by an ineffable luminosity of expression”, “an elite musician”, while the legendary Yo-Yo Ma writes of him as “a cellist of great talent”.

Highlights of his versatile career include performances at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher, Alice Tully and Merkin Halls, Kennedy Center, Strathmore, Jordan, Seiji Ozawa and Tchaikovsky Concert Halls, Berlin and Budapest Opera Houses, Vatican, Tokyo City Opera, Shanghai Center Theatre and Beijing Century Theatre. Since his solo debut with Korca String Orchestra (Albania) at the age of twelve, Mr. Gjoni went on to play as soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Radio Chamber Orchestra (Romania), Radio and Television Orchestra (Albania), Greeley Philharmonic in Colorado (USA) and Symphony by the Sea Orchestra in Massachusetts (USA), while touring extensively around the world as the featured soloist of the Symphonia Orchestra (Italy) and the Philharmonie of the Nations, in solo performances as an Ambassador of Peace before a Papal audience at the Vatican. An avid chamber musician, Mr. Gjoni’s collaboration with the Borromeo String Quartet (Avery Fisher Grant winner) was praised by The Boston Musical Intelligencer: “The round, full bodied tones of guest cellist Holgen Gjoni were especially notable.”

Orchestral collaborations have included the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, New World Symphony and Philharmonia of the Nations under the directions of Maestros Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Masur, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Colin Davis, Leonard Slatkin, James Conlon, Charles Dutoit, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos and many others.

A Virtu Foundation scholar, Mr. Gjoni was a visiting cello faculty at The Boston Conservatory (2011-2014), where his “Cello Physics” master class was enthusiastically received by a sold out audience. He has been invited to teach and perform at Vianden International Music Festival, (Luxembourg), Saarburg International Music Festival (Germany), University of Northern Colorado and the University of Arts in Tirana, (Albania). Mr. Gjoni served as teaching assistant at the Juilliard School and Assistant Director of Young Artist Program at the Cactus Pear Music Festival. Mr. Gjoni joined the cello sections of the San Antonio Symphony in September 2015 and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2022. He is a Lecturer in Cello Performance at the University of Texas in San Antonio as well as Adjunct Professor of Cello, Founder and Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Series at St. Mary’s University.

Holgen Gjoni holds degrees from New England Conservatory, the Juilliard School, Boston Conservatory and National University of Music in Bucharest, having studied with Paul Katz (cellist of the Cleveland String Quartet), Bonnie Hampton (disciple of Pablo Casals and Zara Nelsova), Andrew Mark and Marin Cazacu. He was selected to play in masterclasses for Yo-Yo Ma, Janos Starker, Natalia Gutman, Franz Helmerson, Radu Aldulescu and has extensively worked with chamber music experts such as Joel Smirnoff, Samuel Rhodes and Joel Krosnick of the Juilliard String Quartet, Donald Weilerstein and Martha Katz of the Cleveland String Quartet, Michael Tree of the Guarneri String Quartet, Norman Fisher and Mark Sokol of the Concord String Quartet and Pamela Frank, to name a few.

Nicholas Hersh, conductor

American conductor Nicholas Hersh is Music Director of the Modesto Symphony, having been appointed in August 2023 with immediate effect. Across the country, Nicholas has earned critical acclaim for his innovative programming and natural ability to connect with musicians and audiences alike, and he was the unanimous choice of the search committee in Modesto.

In the 2023-24 season, Hersh returned to the National, Houston, Baltimore, Colorado, and New Jersey Symphonies, while making debuts with the Springfield Symphony and Wintergreen Festival. Recent engagements include the Detroit, Grand Rapids, New World, North Carolina, Phoenix, Portland (ME), Richmond, Tucson, Utah, and Winston-Salem symphony orchestras, Louisiana and Rochester Philharmonics, and the Florida and Sarasota Orchestras.

Over a remarkable tenure as Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Hersh created the BSO Pulse series, through which he brought together indie bands and orchestral musicians in unique collaborations; he led the BSO in several subscription weeks, and concerts in and around Baltimore; and he directed the BSO’s educational and family programming, including the celebrated Academy for adult amateur musicians. Hersh also maintains a close relationship with the National Symphony Orchestra, leading concerts throughout Washington, D.C. He stepped in to replace an indisposed Yan Pascal Tortelier, on subscription, to great acclaim.

Hersh is frequently in demand as an arranger and orchestrator, with commissions from orchestras around the globe for adaptations of everything from classical solo and chamber music to popular songs. His orchestration of Beethoven’s Cello Sonata Op. 69 was premiered by the Philharmonie Zuidnederland in January 2022, while his symphonic arrangement of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody continues to see worldwide success as a viral YouTube hit. He also serves as arranger and editor for the James P. Johnson Orchestra Edition.

Hersh grew up in Evanston, Illinois and started his musical training as a cellist. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Stanford University and a Master’s Degree in Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Hersh is also a two-time recipient of the Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award. Nicholas lives in Philadelphia with his wife Caitlin and their two cats, and in his free time enjoys baking (and eating) sourdough bread.

René Shapiro, trumpet

René Shapiro, Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, is a versatile musician who has built a reputation as a leader in the brass section, soloist, teacher, and chamber musician. With a career spanning over two decades, he has performed with some of the world’s most renowned orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

As a featured artist on BSO’s Pops Concerts, René has had the opportunity to share the stage with an impressive array of artists, including Paquito D’Rivera, Al Jarreau, John Williams, and Burt Bacharach to name a few. His travels have taken him to over a dozen countries, where he has worked with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Lorin Maazel.

A native of San Diego, California, René is proud to call Baltimore home. In addition to his work with the BSO, he has also taught at the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, French Woods Festival, and other organizations. When not on stage or in the classroom, René can be found on the ski slopes or in the kitchen, where he enjoys experimenting with new recipes.

Jane Marvine, english horn

Jane Marvine joined the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as second oboe in 1978 and was appointed to solo English horn position by Yuri Temirkanov in 2000. In addition, she has performed as acting assistant principal oboe with the BSO for extended periods.

A native of the Chicago area, Ms. Marvine began playing oboe at the age of ten and was fortunate to grow up in a public school system with an outstanding music program. After three years in the Chicago Youth Orchestra and summers at the National Music Camp of Interlochen Michigan, she was accepted to the Interlochen winter academy. She majored in composition while playing principal oboe in the Interlochen orchestra and graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy with achievement awards in both.

She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in oboe performance and a Master’s Degree in composition from Northwestern University. Her oboe teachers include Ray Still, Marc Lifschey, Robert Bloom and Joseph Turner. Ms. Marvine studied composition with John Paynter, Alan Stout and William Karlins.

While a student at Northwestern University, Ms. Marvine performed on several occasions as English hornist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and as an oboist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, including a tour to Carnegie Hall. She performed as English hornist with the Chicago Festival Orchestra and as principal oboe with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as well as the WGN Artist Showcase Orchestra, which was comprised of members of the Chicago Symphony.

Ms. Marvine concurrently plays principal oboe, oboe d’amore and English horn with the Baltimore Choral Arts Society Orchestra and frequently performs chamber music with her colleagues in the BSO. With the BSO, she has been a featured soloist on oboe, oboe d’amore and English horn. She has presented solo recitals and master classes at the Peabody Conseratory, Towson University, the Shenandoah Conservatory, Interlochen Arts Academy and Arts Camp in addition to having been a guest artist for the International Double Reed Society. Having previously taught at Catholic University, Towson University and Essex Community College, she is currently a member of the oboe faculty at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.

Ms. Marvine has spent almost all of her years with the Baltimore Symphony as a player representative and is currently serving on the Artistic Advisory Committee. She also serves as Program Advisor for the BSO Academy.

René Shapiro, trumpet

René Shapiro, Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, is a versatile musician who has built a reputation as a leader in the brass section, soloist, teacher, and chamber musician. With a career spanning over two decades, he has performed with some of the world’s most renowned orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Colorado Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

As a featured artist on BSO’s Pops Concerts, René has had the opportunity to share the stage with an impressive array of artists, including Paquito D’Rivera, Al Jarreau, John Williams, and Burt Bacharach to name a few. His travels have taken him to over a dozen countries, where he has worked with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Lorin Maazel.

A native of San Diego, California, René is proud to call Baltimore home. In addition to his work with the BSO, he has also taught at the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, French Woods Festival, and other organizations. When not on stage or in the classroom, René can be found on the ski slopes or in the kitchen, where he enjoys experimenting with new recipes.

Matt Barker, trumpet

Matthew Barker recently joined the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as the Fourth/Utility Trumpet beginning in the 2016-2017 Season. A native of Houston, he earned a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University in 2013 where he studied under the tutelage of Barbara Butler, Charles Geyer and Robert Sullivan. He also served two years in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a premier training program for emerging professional musicians, continuing his studies with Christopher Martin. Matthew returned to Houston and his former teachers Butler and Geyer in pursuing his Masters at Rice University’s esteemed Shepherd School of Music in 2015, where he frequently subbed with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Matthew served four of his collegiate summers at Camp-of-the Woods, a Christian family resort in the Adirondack Mountains, as a member of the music staff, where he was frequently featured as a soloist. He also participated in the Music Academy of the West Academy Festival Orchestra in 2015. Matthew is an accomplished arranger with a few of his numerous arrangements being featured at the Fischoff National Chamber Competition and the National Trumpet Competition as well as in professional settings by Yo-Yo Ma and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago Brass Ensemble.

Beth Graham, French horn

Beth Graham was delighted to return to the Baltimore Symphony in the fall of 2019, having spent twelve seasons with the BSO prior to being appointed to the horn section of the Warsaw Philharmonic in 2011. Graham also performs frequently with the Philadelphia Orchestra and accompanied them on tour in 2005, 2010, and 2012. She was honored to join the World Orchestra for Peace at the BBC Proms in 2014, and has played extensive Guest Principal Horn with the Malaysia Philharmonic, including recording and touring Japan with Dvorak’s New World Symphony. She can be heard on numerous other acclaimed recordings, including with the Chicago Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Warsaw Philharmonic, and as horn soloist on indie artist Doug Hoekstra’s albums.

Graham grew up in the United States, in New York and New Jersey. She earned a diploma from Juilliard Pre-College, a Bachelors of Music degree from Northwestern University, and a Masters of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory. She has won a number of prestigious international competitions, including the Summit Brass International Solo Competition and the Seventeen Magazine National Concerto Competition, where she was also the winner of the American Music Prize. In demand as a recitalist and concerto soloist, Graham’s engagements include the Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

A period instrument advocate, Graham performed at the 2012 Historical Brass Symposium in New York, and has performed and recorded on baroque and classical natural horns with the Bach Sinfonia and Opera Lafayette in Washington and New York. Also an avid chamber musician and champion of new music, she has commissioned and premiered several new chamber works. Passionate about education, Graham is co-founder of the Warsaw Horn Workshops, was on the faculty of Towson University and Luzerne Music Center, and has given numerous masterclasses in Europe and the United States.

When not holding a horn, Beth can often be found bicycling, hiking, doing yoga, or playing chess. She lives with her husband and young son in Baltimore.

Aubrey Ford, Tuba

Aubrey Foard is the principal tubist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 2018. He also serves as Lecturer of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and as Artist Faculty at the Brevard Music Center. Mr. Foard was most recently principal tubist of the Charlotte Symphony, serving in that position from 2012 until 2018. He has previously held principal tuba positions in the Santa Barbara, West Virginia, Canton, Youngstown and Albany Symphonies, as well as with the Britt Festival Orchestra. He has performed as a guest musician with several other orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Cleveland Orchestra, the Utah Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, Arizona MusicFest and as Acting Principal Tubist with the San Diego Symphony.

Mr. Foard’s solo performances have been broadcast on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today,” and on WQXR New York, KUHF Houston and KDB Santa Barbara. As a soloist, he has performed with the West Virginia Symphony, the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, the Music Academy of the West Orchestra and on multiple occasions with the Charlotte Symphony. He is a past multiple prizewinner of the Minnesota Orchestra’s WAMSO solo competition. An avid proponent of new music for the tuba, Mr. Foard has commissioned a Tuba Concerto by American composer Mark Petering; the solo part is available for free download on IMSLP. The first movement was premiered by the Charlotte Symphony in 2018 and the full work was premiered in February, 2020 with the The US Army Orchestra and Mr. Foard as soloist.

Mr. Foard’s students at UCLA have achieved numerous accomplishments, including winning fellowships to music festivals, performing with professional orchestras, performing on major motion picture soundtracks and winning concerto competitions. He previously taught at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and at West Virginia State University. Mr. Foard has presented master classes and recitals worldwide, most recently at the International Women’s Brass Conference, Florida State University, the US Army Tuba Euphonium Workshop, and Taiwan TubaMania. He is a founding faculty member and Executive Director of Back to School Tune-Up with the Pros, an online summer boot camp for tuba students that allows for continuing education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Foard is a graduate of The Colburn School’s Conservatory of Music, Rice University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. His teachers include Norman Pearson, Fritz Kaenzig, Mark Lawrence, David Kirk, Ron Bishop, and Alan Baer.

Aubrey Foard is a Buffet Crampon performing artist, representing the Melton Meinl Weston line of instruments.

Stephanie Childress, conductor

Principal Guest Conductor: Barcelona Symphony Orchestra (from 2024-25 season)

Strong ideas, lucid communication and intensely focused energy are among the qualities that define Stephanie Childress among today’s most compelling young musicians. Recently appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Her musicianship and command of a broad scope of repertoire have already led her to establish herself on both sides of the Atlantic.

Having been inspired to start conducting due to her love of opera, the Franco-British conductor begins the 2023-24 season making her Hamburg Staatsoper debut in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and returning to Glyndebourne’s autumn season for Don Giovanni. Together they mark the latest milestone in the development of a fine Mozartian, hailed by the Guardian for the ‘lithe vitality’ of her interpretation of Le nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne and on tour last year. In the 2023-24 season she will also make her conducting debut with Detroit Opera in Missy Mazzoli‘s Breaking the Waves.

On the orchestral podium, Childress continues to be reinvited internationally and returns to the Barcelona and North Carolina Symphonies. In North America she will have debuts with the Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony and National Arts Centre Ottawa. In Europe Childress will also make her first appearances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic, and her Japanese debut with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra.

Past 2022-23 season highlights included debuts with l’Orchestre national d'Île-de-France, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and New World Symphony Orchestra, as well as returns to the North Carolina Symphony and l’Orchestre National de Montpellier. That season also marked the conclusion of her time as Assistant Conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under Stéphane Denève and Music Director of the St Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, a post she held from September 2020 and during which she enjoyed multiple subscription concerts with the orchestra.

Childress has very strong ties to the French cultural scene following her second-prize win at the 2020 inaugural conducting competition, La Maestra. Since then, she has conducted some of the top French orchestras including l’Orchestre de Paris, the Paris Mozart Orchestra, and l’Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. In September 2023, following her involvement as one of the first conducting fellows of l’Académie de l’Opéra de Paris, she made her debut at the Palais Garnier with l’Orchestre Pasdeloup for l’Opéra’s opening gala concert. In previous seasons she has also made several exciting appearances with U.K. orchestras, including debuts with the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Mozart Players.

A passionate advocate for amplifying the role of music within today’s world, Childress previously undertook an artistic residence at the Villa Albertine, a network for arts and ideas spanning France and the United States. She is also a member of the Franco-British Young Leaders’ Program, a scheme created by the Franco-British Council to further cooperation across both sides of the Channel. Stephanie is an active supporter of the Tri-borough Music Hub, an award-winning organization for music education. She has taken part in several programmes with the association, including leading the junior string ensemble at an ​‘Artists for Inclusivity’ event and speaking at the Youth Music Conference 2020 held at the Royal College of Music.

Jeremy Buckler, trombone

Jeremy Buckler earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. His principal teachers were James DeSano, David Waters, and David Kirk. Before joining the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2022 he was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for three seasons, and the National Symphony Orchestra for three seasons. Prior to that he was a member of the United States Navy Band, Washington, D.C., for seven years. He has maintained a busy freelance schedule, as well performing with several chamber ensembles and orchestras throughout the United States, including the Atlanta Symphony Brass quintet, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, and the Washington National Opera Orchestra.

Anthony Parnther, conductor

American conductor Anthony Parnther is in his fifth season as Music Director of California’s San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as conductor of the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra and led its sold-out Carnegie Hall debut.

A master of multiple genres, Parnther has conducted many of the world’s preeminent artists, including Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Jessye Norman, Imagine Dragons, John Legend, and Rihanna. Season highlights include guest appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Nashville Symphony, and Chineke! Orchestra, with which Parnther recently made his BBC Proms debut in London. Recent engagements include collaborations with the Atlanta Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and others.

Parnther is dedicated to amplifying traditionally underrepresented voices and champions of works by Black, Latino, and women composers.

One of today’s foremost film conductors, Parnther helms recording sessions for many of the world’s top international feature films and television series, working in close collaboration with some of the most decorated media composers. Recent projects include Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Encanto, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Lisa Steltenpohl, viola

Lisa Steltenpohl, principal viola of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, originally from North Barrington, Illinois, comes from a musical family. She and her twin sister Anna, oboe and English horn, have been featured on the educational series “Musical Encounters” and have performed many recitals together highlighting the viola and oboe repertoire.

Prior to joining the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Ms. Steltenpohl was a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Her teachers have included Misha Amory, Roberto Diaz, Desiree Ruhstrat and Stephen Wyrczynski. She made her Baltimore Symphony Orchestra solo debut performing Bach’s Sixth Brandenburg Concerto in the 2013-14 season and has since been heard performing Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante with violinist Madeline Adkins and Don Quixote by Richard Strauss in the 2017-18 season with conductor Jun Märkl.

Ms. Steltenpohl is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School. She has served as principal violist of The Curtis Symphony Orchestra and the Haddonfield Symphony, now Symphony in C. When not playing the viola, Ms. Steltenpohl spends her time volunteering with the Baltimore based non-profit Thread, as well as serving on the board of the union, Local 40-543.

Anthony Parnther, conductor

American conductor Anthony Parnther is in his fifth season as Music Director of California’s San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as conductor of the Gateways Music Festival Orchestra and led its sold-out Carnegie Hall debut.

A master of multiple genres, Parnther has conducted many of the world’s preeminent artists, including Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Jessye Norman, Imagine Dragons, John Legend, and Rihanna. Season highlights include guest appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Nashville Symphony, and Chineke! Orchestra, with which Parnther recently made his BBC Proms debut in London. Recent engagements include collaborations with the Atlanta Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and others.

Parnther is dedicated to amplifying traditionally underrepresented voices and champions of works by Black, Latino,  and women composers.

One of today’s foremost film conductors, Parnther helms recording sessions for many of the world’s top international feature films and television series, working in close collaboration with some of the most decorated media composers. Recent projects include Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Encanto, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Lisa Steltenpohl, viola

Lisa Steltenpohl, principal viola of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, originally from North Barrington, Illinois, comes from a musical family. She and her twin sister Anna, oboe and English horn, have been featured on the educational series “Musical Encounters” and have performed many recitals together highlighting the viola and oboe repertoire.

Prior to joining the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Ms. Steltenpohl was a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Her teachers have included Misha Amory, Roberto Diaz, Desiree Ruhstrat and Stephen Wyrczynski. She made her Baltimore Symphony Orchestra solo debut performing Bach’s Sixth Brandenburg Concerto in the 2013-14 season and has since been heard performing Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante with violinist Madeline Adkins and Don Quixote by Richard Strauss in the 2017-18 season with conductor Jun Märkl.

Ms. Steltenpohl is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School. She has served as principal violist of The Curtis Symphony Orchestra and the Haddonfield Symphony, now Symphony in C. When not playing the viola, Ms. Steltenpohl spends her time volunteering with the Baltimore based non-profit Thread, as well as serving on the board of the union, Local 40-543.

Katherine Needleman, oboe

Katherine Needleman joined the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as principal oboist in 2003, the same year she won first prize at the International Double Reed Society’s Gillet-Fox Competition. She has appeared with the BSO as soloist in works of Bach, Beethoven, Lukas Foss, Martinu, Mozart, Puts, Rouse, Strauss, Vaughan Williams, and Vivaldi. Mx. Needleman has also been soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra, Albany Symphony, Symphony in C, Symphony of Westchester, Richmond Symphony, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia. She has performed as guest principal oboist with the New York Philharmonic, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego and New Zealand.

Mx. Needleman has premiered numerous numerous works by composers such as Che Buford, Viet Cuong, Ben Hausmann, Dani Howard, Chiayu Hsu, David Ludwig, Alyssa Morris, Alejandra Odgers, Luis Prado, Kevin Puts, and Laura Elise Schwendinger. She conducted and soloed in the American premiere of Brenno Blauth’s Concertino. She recorded Christopher Rouse’s Oboe Concerto with the Albany Symphony and David Alan Miller (release TBA), and gave the West Coast Premiere of the work with Marin Alsop at the Cabrillo Festival. Her recording of Kevin Puts’ second oboe concerto, Moonlight, with the Baltimore Symphony and Marin Alsop was released by Naxos in February, 2023. Mx. Needleman gave the American premiere and second through fourth performances ever of Ruth Gipps’ Oboe Concerto with the Richmond Symphony and Valentina Peleggi 80 years after its London premiere.

A lifelong improviser and arranger, Mx. Needleman returned to composing during the COVID-19 lockdown. Her works have been published by Presser, and she has received commissions from the International Double Reed Society and Schubert Club. Mx. Needleman’s other lockdown activities included 11 live-streamed weekly recitals of oboe solo literature from her living room, including multiple world premieres to an audience of 80,000 and growing.

Mx. Needleman has recorded with Mico Nonet, an improvisational ambient chamber music ensemble involving colleagues from the Berlin Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Richmond Symphony and 1970’s synthesizers. Her other chamber music engagements have taken her to Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall and the Metropolitan Museum in New York; Jordan Hall and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, as well as the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C. She has appeared at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Italy’s Spoleto Festival, the Alpenglow Festival, and the Newport Music Festival. A participant at the Marlboro Music Festival, she has also appeared on two tours with “Musicians from Marlboro.”

A Baltimore native, Mx. Needleman attended high school at the Baltimore School for the Arts but left early to attend the Curtis Institute of Music, where she is now a member of the oboe faculty. She has released a solo album with pianist Jennifer Lim on the GENUIN label.

Agnes Tse, violin

It has been said that violinist Agnes Tse’s musical journey began in her baby stroller when she was transfixed by a performance of Herbert von Karajan conducting on TV. She had to wait until she was four before receiving a size 1/8 violin as a toy and the violin has been her closest companion ever since.

While recently completing her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School as a student of Lewis Kaplan and Joel Smirnoff, within one remarkable two-week span, she worked with the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle and was offered a position with the Baltimore Symphony under Marin Alsop.

A native of Hong Kong, Ms Tse has appeared as a soloist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra. A participant of the New York String Orchestra Seminar at Carnegie Hall, she has been heard at the Music Academy of the West, Tanglewood Music Center, Bowdoin International Music Festival and the International Summer Academy, Mozarteum Universität Salzburg; where she studied with Pierre Amoyal and Zakhar Bron.

An avid chamber musician, she has appeared in Juilliard’s ChamberFest and London Symphony Orchestra’s Discovery Day where she performed in a string quartet with David Alberman, Principal Second Violin of the LSO. Her chamber music mentors include Emanuel Ax, Pamela Frank, Yo-Yo Ma and the Juilliard and Takács quartets. She has also performed with the two contemporary music ensembles at the Juilliard School, AXIOM and New Juilliard Ensemble.

Ms. Tse was a former Co-Concertmaster of the Juilliard Orchestra, Assistant Concertmaster of the Symphony in C and has been a substitute player at the New York Philharmonic and Princeton Symphony Orchestra. Outside of music, she enjoys walking around the streets of New York City to discover flea markets, antique stores, handmade gift shops, cafés and restaurants.

Karin Brown, viola

Karin Brown received critical acclaim for her “strikingly rich and warm tone” (The Strad) after making her solo recital debut at Carnegie Weill Hall. Ms. Brown is Assistant Principal Violist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and performs frequently as soloist and chamber musician in the Baltimore/Washington area. She made her Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concerto debut performing the Britten Double Concerto, of which The Baltimore Sun noted “Karin Brown sculpted her phrases in a rich, subtly shaded tone.” Her Chicago recital debut took place with live radio broadcast at the Dame Myra Hess series. Ms. Brown was hailed “a notable soloist” by the Washington Post after her performance of Bach’s Sixth Brandenburg Concerto with the Baltimore Symphony. Recent performances include collaborations with the contemporary music group Alarm Will Sound, members of eighth blackbird and the Borromeo Quartet, as well as performances of Britten’s Lachrymae with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Brown has served as juror, Laureate recitalist, and masterclass clinician at the William Primrose International Viola Competition, and returned as Laureate recitalist and masterclass clinician. She has been a guest artist at the Oberlin Conservatory for a teaching and performance residency and serves as faculty at the National Orchestral Institute (NOI). More recently, she has collaborated with her viola section colleagues at the Baltimore Symphony as part of an online performance series called “Lunch Bachs” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Brown has been a prizewinner in numerous competitions, including the William Primrose International Viola Competition and the National Federation of Music Clubs Competition. She has been featured in Caramoor’s “Rising Stars” series, and gives masterclasses and recitals across the country. An advocate for new music, she has performed several premieres, and strives to program music by women composers, lesser known masterworks, and American music. She has been a frequent performer and clinician at American Viola Society Festivals, most recently performing the world premiere of violist/composer Christian Colberg’s work The Rant. In addition, with violist Renate Falkner, she has performed and lectured on pedagogue Roland Vamos’s celebrated double stop exercises. While still a student at Juilliard, Ms. Brown was a frequent substitute with the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera, joining each for several international tours. She has performed on numerous major motion picture soundtracks.

She received her Bachelor’s degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and her Master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where she was a recipient of the Nathan Gordon Memorial Viola Award. Ms. Brown has studied with Cynthia Phelps, Roland and Almita Vamos, Lynne Ramsey, Samuel Rhodes, and Zoya Leybin. A committed teacher, she has been recognized as Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the American String Teachers Association, Maryland/DC chapter. She serves as faculty at the Baltimore School for the Arts, and previously at NOI/Pacific Music Institute in Honolulu, Catholic University, Apple Hill, Foulger International Music Festival and the Killington Music Festival. She maintains a private studio of violin and viola students, and her students have been accepted to the New World Symphony, the Juilliard School, Oberlin, Eastman, New England Conservatory, University of Michigan, Rice University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Peabody.

Lachezar Kostov, cello

Lachezar Kostov has appeared as a soloist in some of the world’s leading concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, and Oji Hall in Tokyo. He was the National Winner at the 2006 MTNA Young Artists Competition and has won numerous prizes including the Cello Award at the Kingsville Competition in 2005, the Grand Prix at the International Music and Earth Competition in Bulgaria, and the concerto competitions at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Rice University. In October 2011 Lachezar Kostov and pianist Viktor Valkov won the First Prize and all the special prizes at the Third International Liszt-Garrison Piano and Duo Competition in Baltimore, MD.

Mr. Kostov has appeared as a guest soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Japan, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Bulgaria. Mr. Kostov is represented as a member of the Kostov-Valkov Duo by Pro-Piano Management. Hailed by European and American critics for “the awesome purity of his playing”, and described as “prodigiously skilled protagonist”, he made his official debut at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall in 2009, performing rarely heard works for cello and piano by Ellen Zwilich, Nikolay Roslavets, and Dimitri Kabalevsky. In 2012, following his participation at the Texas Music Festival, he performed the Second Cello Concerto by C. Saint-Saens, under the baton of Carl St. Clair, and in 2013 he performed Dvorak’s famed cello concerto in the legendary Gewandhaus in Leipzig, accompanied by the Academic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Horst Forster. Mr. Kostov’s first commercial CD was released by NAXOS in 2011 and was immediately featured in “The Strad Magazine”, and “American Record Guide”. In 2016 he released a second CD, containing award-winning transcriptions by the Kostov-Valkov Duo of works by Franz Liszt, as well as virtuoso arrangements from the operas Carmen, and The Barber of Seville.

Lachezar Kostov has appeared as a guest artist at the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Summer Fest, Cactus Pear Music Festival, and is also a guest faculty at the Texas Music Festival in Houston. He has performed alongside musicians such as Jon Kimura Parker, the Tokyo String Quartet, Martin Chalifour, Cho-Liang Lin, Stephanie Sant’Ambrodgio, Lucy Robert, Aloysia Friedmann, James Dunham, and Desmond Hoebig. Mr. Kostov plays on a modern cello made by his friend, luthier Sam Matthews in Houston. Prior to his appointment with the Baltimore Symphony he was a tenured member of the San Antonio Symphony, and also performed regularly with the Houston Symphony. His major teachers include Bogomil Karakonov, Aldo Parisot, Norman Fischer, and David Grigorian; he has appeared in master-classes with Yo-Yo Ma, Steven Isserlis, and Bernard Greenhouse.

Lachezar is an avid single-malt Scotch whisky collector, an aspiring runner, conductor, and pianist, and has flown as a co-pilot to General William “Bill” Anders (Astronaut Bill Anders from Apollo 8), on Mr. Anders’ private plane. A passionate Pickleball player, Lachezar has garnered two gold medals in Pickleball tournaments in the Baltimore area.