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Celebrating 64 Years of Inspired Music Making!

June 28 – August 2, 2025

Alumni

A History of Success

Eastern Music Festival’s alumni numbers are over 11,000. Many alumni have gone on to acclaimed solo, chamber music, and orchestral careers. Many have careers in arts management, health care, business, education, and law. We’re proud and honored to be associated with each EMF alumni.

Where Are You Now?

We love to keep in touch with our EMF alumni and want to hear about your passions and your festival memories. Tell us about where you are now, your family, your community, your favorite EMF moments. Send us photos from “back in the day” to share!

Distinguished Alumni

students walking to a building outside on sidewalk carrying cellos

Distinguished Alumni

VIOLIN

  • Ida Bieler
    University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Faculty
  • Rebecca Boyer Hall
    St. Louis Symphony
  • Eliot Chapo
    Florida State University Faculty
  • Stefani Collins Matsuo
    Cincinati Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster
  • Erin David
    Utah Symphony
  • Ann Fink
    St. Louis Symphony
  • Ingang Han
    Jacksonville Symphony
  • Yumi Hwang-Williams
    Colorado Symphony Concertmaster
  • Miran Kim
    Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
  • Aniko Kovacs
    Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Eva Kozma
    St. Louis Symphony
  • Courtney Lebauer
    Converse College Faculty
  • Brian Lee
    San Francisco Ballet Orchestra
  • Diana Lupo
    Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
  • Jessica “Lady Jess” McJunkins
    Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra Founder and Artistic Director
  • Scott Mozlin
    Cincinatti Symphony Orchestra
  • Jeffrey Multer
    The Florida Orchestra Concertmaster
  • Bruce Patti
    Dallas Symphony
  • Emily Rist Glover
    North Carolina Symphony
  • Carol Ruzicka
    Cleveland Institute of Music Faculty
  • Gail Norine Sharp
    Columbus Symphony Orchestra
  • Angie Smart
    St. Louis Symphony
  • Guillauame Sutre
    University of California Los Angeles Faculty

VIOLA

  • Victoria Chiang
    Peabody Institute, Faculty
  • Elisha Nelson
    Cleveland Orchestra
  • Susan Pardue
    Jacksonville Symphony
  • Chauncey Patterson
    Lynn University, Faculty
  • Diane Phoenix-Neal
    James Madison University, Faculty
  • Lauren Spaulding
    Thalea String Quartet, Tallā Rouge duo
  • Antoine Tamestit
    Concert Artist
  • Geraldine Walther
    Takas String Quartet

CELLO

  • Jennifer Combs
    Hartford Sumphony Orchestra
  • Robert DeMaine
    Los Angeles Philarmonic, Pincipal
  • Bryan Dumm
    Cleveland Orchestra
  • Sterling Elliot
    Concert Artist 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient 2019 Sphinx Competition Laureate
  • Michael Fitzpatrick
    Earth’s Call Foundation, Founder
  • David Hardy
    National Symphony Orchestra, Principal
  • David Kim
    St. Louis Symphony, Assistant Principal
  • Thomas Kraines
    Daedalus Quartet
  • Alvin McCall
    St. Louis Symphony
  • Thalia Moore
    San Francisco Opera Orchestra
  • Marc Moskovitz
    ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Principal
  • Julian Schwarz
    Shenandoah Conservatory, Faculty
  • Rachel Young
    National Symphony Orchestra

DOUBLE BASS

  • Bruce Ridge
    North Carolina Symphony
  • Larry Epstein
    San Francisco Symphony, Associate Pricipal
  • Xavier Foley
    2014 Sphinx Competition Winner
  • Travis Gore
    Seattle Symphony
  • Erik Harris
    St. Louis Symphony
  • Jim Lambert
    Cincinatti Symphony Orchestra
  • Anthony Manzo
    New Century Chamber Orchestra, Smithsonian Chamber Players
  • John Moore
    Pittsburg Symphony
  • Kurt Reicken
    Charlotte Symphony
  • Tristan Sutton
    Bergen Philharmonic
  • Rion Wentworth
    New York Philharmonic

FLUTE & PICCOLO

  • Rachel Taratoot Ciraldo
    Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Principal Flute
  • David Cramer
    The Philadelphia Orchestra
  • Gabe Fridkis
    Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Principal Flute
  • Jake Fridkis
    Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Principal Flute
  • Elizabeth Klein
    Boston Symphony Orchestra, Associate Principal Flute

OBOE & ENGLISH HORN

  • Cally Banham
    St. Louis Symphony
  • Karen Birch Blundell
    Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, English Horn
  • Emily Brebach
    Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Jennifer Christen
    Indianapolis Symphony
  • Colin Gatwood
    Houston Symphony
  • Laura Griffiths
    San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Principal Oboe
  • Kevin Pearl
    Milwuakee Symphony, Assistant Principal Oboe
  • Yvonne Powers Peterson
    Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Associate Principal Oboe
  • Elizabeth Koch Tiscione
    Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Principal Oboe

CLARINET

  • Joseph Beverly
    The Florida Orchestra
  • Todd Cope
    Orcehstre Symphonique de Montreal, Principal
  • Richie Hawley
    Rice University, Faculty
  • Brian Hysong
    New York City Ballet Orchestra
  • Tom Legrand
    Houston Symphony, Associate Principal
  • Ricardo Morales
    The Philadelphia Orchestra, Principal
  • Brad Whitfield
    Alabama Symphony, Assistant Principal

BASSOON

  • Andrew Brady
    Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Principal
  • Sue Heineman
    National Symphony Orchestra
  • Patrick Johnson-Whitty
    San Francisco Ballet Opera

HORN

  • Julie Beckel Yager
    Indianapolis Symphony
  • Beth Beeson
    Nashville Symphony
  • Nicholas Caluori
    West Point Band
  • Nicole (De La Cal) Caluori
    West Point Band, Principal
  • Wei-ping Chou
    Peabody Institute, Faculty
  • Oliver De Clercq
    Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Principal
  • Jacob Diedwardo
    Axion Brass
  • Matthew Eckenhoff
    Louisana Philharmonic
  • Melanie Erena
    Axion Brass
  • Kristen Joham
    Spokane Symphony
  • Charles Putnam
    American Horn Quintet
  • Hunter Sholar
    Nashville Symphony
  • Nathaniel Silberschlag
    Cleveland Orchestra, Principal
  • Zachary Smith
    Pittsburgh Symphony
  • Ross Snyder
    Omaha Symphony, Associate Principal
  • Ernesto Tovar Torres
    Philadelphia Orchestra

TRUMPET

  • Bibi Black
    Soloist and Recording Artist
  • Karin Bliznik
    St Louis Symphony
  • Joseph Burgstaller
    Peabody Institute, Faculty Former member of Canadian Brass
  • Kevin Finamore
    Dallas Symphony Orchestra
  • Billy R. Hunter, Jr.
    Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Principal
  • Manny Laureano
    Minnesota Orchestra, Principal
  • Wynton Marsalis
    National Medal of the Arts Recipient, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Soloist, Composer and Recording Artist
  • Mark Niehaus
    Milwaukee Symphony, President & Executive Director
  • Brandon Ridenour
    Concert Artist, Former member of Canadian Brass
  • Alex Wilborn
    Charlotte Symphony, Principal

TROMBONE

  • Darrin C. Milling
    São Paulo State Symphony, Principal Bass Trombone
  • Steven Osborne
    The Sarasota Orchestra
  • David Ridge
    San Francisco Opera Orchestra
  • Nicholas Schwartz
    New York City Ballet Orchestra

TUBA

  • Aden Beery
    U.S. Naval Academy Band
  • JáTtik Clark
    Oregon Symphony, Principal
  • TJ Graf
    The Florida Orchestra, Principal
  • Justin Gruber
    New Mexico Philharmonic
  • Kevin Harrison
    Axiom Brass
  • James Jenkins
    Jacksonville Symphony
  • Blake Ryall
    Mississippi State University, Faculty

PERCUSSION

  • Keith Carrick
    Utah Symphony, Principal
  • Matthew Decker
    Seattle Symphony
  • David Fishlock
    Cincinnati Symphony
  • Nicholas Sakakeeny
    Fort Worth Symphony

HARP

  • Bridget Kibbey
    Bard Conservatory, Faculty
  • Anna Kate Mackle
    The Florida Orchestra

PIANO

  • Jeremy Denk
    Concert Artist McArthur Fellow Avery Fisher Prize Recipient
  • James Giles
    Northwesetern University, Faculty
  • Christopher Guzman
    Penn State University, Faculty
  • Chu Fang Hong
    Concert Artist; 2011 Avery Fisher Career Grant Recipient, 2005 Van Cliburn Finalist
  • Paul Schuyler Phillips
    Director of Orchestras & Chamber Music – Brown Univeristy
  • Syvia Wang
    Northwestern University, Faculty

GUITAR

  • Manuel Barrueco
    Concert Artist
  • Frank Koonce
    Arizona State University, Faculty (1978-2018)

CONDUCTING

  • Yue Bao
    Houston Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Conductor
  • Kellen Lenard Gray
    Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Assistant Conductor
  • Ho Yin Kwok
    Mississipi Valley Symphony, Music Director and Conductor
  • Chelsea Tipton, II
    Symphony of Southeast Texas, Music Director
  • Paul Schuyler Phillips
    Brown University, Director of Orchestras & Chamber Music
  • Ward Stare
    Rochester Philharmonic, Music Director (2014-2021), Grammy Winner

LEADERSHIP, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS

  • Michael Fitzpatrick
    Earth’s Call Foundation, Founder
  • Angelica Hairston
    Challenge the Stats, Executive Director
  • Mark Niehaus
    Milwaukee Symphony, President & Executive Director
  • Ian Saunders
    Project Step, Artistic Director

Updated as of Jan 02, 2025