Symphony orchestras, by their very definition, work as an ensemble, sometimes making it easy to forget that the ensemble is a collection of individuals. And, those are individuals who have devoted years to honing their talents through training and education.
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra has seen some changes in its individuals for the 2018–19 season. Here are the new faces in the orchestra.
Audrey Pride, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a new permanent core violinist for the KSO. She received a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and her master’s degree from Northwestern University, studying with Blair Milton. During her time at Northwestern, she was also a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. For the past six years, Audrey was a member of the Dayton Philharmonic.
Violinist Michael Acosta has received a one-year appointment as a core violinist while Rachel Loseke is on a leave of absence. Acosta hails from Los Angeles, receiving an early start to his musical education by virtue of his parents, two LA professional musicians. He received his Bachelors of Music from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2009, where he studied with the accomplished concertmaster Alexander Kerr. Last year, he received his Master’s of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Danielle Belen and was the concertmaster of the University Symphony Orchestra.
The viola section has two new members. Kristina Zienstra is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Viola from the University of Tennessee as the teaching assistant of KSO violist Hillary Herndon. A native of West Michigan, she received her Bachelors in Viola Performance with a minor in Eurhythmics Pedagogy from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2016. Prior to her new position with the KSO, she was third chair viola for the Holland Symphony Orchestra and has also performed with the Oak Ridge Symphony and as principal violin and viola for several theater companies in Michigan.
Violist Alicia Keener had an early start on the violin at age five as a Suzuki student and added the viola to her instrumental repertoire in high school. She received a Bachelor of Music degree in viola performance from the University of Tennessee in 2013, following that with a Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado Boulder, along with studying string pedagogy at Texas Tech University (M.M. 2018).
There have been two changes within the wind sections. The new third horn is Brooke Ten Napel, originally from Sibley, Iowa, but recently an active orchestral and chamber music performer in the greater Cincinnati area. She received a B.A. degree from Luther College and a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati CCM. She also performs regularly with the Louisville Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic, and various other ensembles. She is currently an Adjunct Professor of Horn at Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Also having spent educational time in the Cincinnati area is the new second bassoon, Jessica Findley Yang. Originally from Wichita, Kansas, she received degrees from the University of Kansas and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Since 2016, Yang has been 2nd Bassoon with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera. She has performed with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, among others.
Biographical information and photographs are courtesy of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
