The Orchestra

Photo: Jennifer Taylor

The Scheherazade Initiative Orchestra is comprised of artists from the following orchestras, ensembles and institutions, who have generously donated their services:

THE ORCHESTRA

1st VIOLIN

*Elmira Darvarova, Former Concertmaster, MET Orchestra
Eva Gruesser-Smith, Concertmaster, American Composers Orchestra
Mayuki Fukuhara, Principal Violin, Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Daniel Andai, Concertmaster, Miami Symphony Orchestra; Dean of Music, New World School of the Arts
Nabih Bulos, Concertmaster, Palestine National Orchestra; Associate Concertmaster, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
Lin He, Associate Concertmaster, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra
Deborah Greitzer, Buffalo Philharmonic
Muneyoshi Takahashi, Albany Symphony Orchestra
David Bousso, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra; Founder, Empire Chamber Orchestra
Karl Kawahara, Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Sam Katz, Former Concertmaster, New York Youth Symphony
Katsuko Esaki, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra
Clare Semes, Verbier Festival Orchestra, The Juilliard School

2ND VIOLIN

*Mary Ann Mumm, MET Orchestra (Former)
Funda Cizmecioglu, Principal Second Violin, Albany Symphony Orchestra
Benita Benéitez-Vega, Concert Artist and Educator, Madrid Symphony Orchestra
Anastasia Dolak, The Juilliard School
Rohan Smith, Music Director, Mid-Coast Symphony Orchestra (ME)
Mitsuko Suzuki, Assistant Principal Second Violin, Albany Symphony Orchestra
Heidi Stubner, American Symphony Orchestra
Denise Rood, Santa Fe Opera Orchestra
Karen Cueva, Student, Harvard University
Luis Casal, Concertmaster, Washington Heights Camerata
Katherine Hannauer, Principal 2nd Violin, Glimmerglass Festival
Mariam Machaidze, The Juilliard School
Kristin Baird, Fellow, New World Symphony

VIOLA

*Milan Milisavljevic, Assistant Principal Viola, MET Orchestra
Louise Schulman, Principal Viola, Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Matthew Sinno, The Juilliard School
Vivek Kamath, New York Philharmonic
Jules Lai, Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Enrique Marquez, CEO, Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río, Mexico
Yumi Oshima, Assistant Principal, Symphony in C
Christopher Jenkins, Assistant Dean, Oberlin Conservatory
Madeline Sharp, Fellow, New World Symphony
Geeta Nazareth, Highline Chamber Ensemble

VIOLONCELLO

*Alan Stepansky, Former Associate Principal, New York Philharmonic
Jillian Bloom, Alumna, Orchestral Performance Program, Manhattan School of Music; Aiana String Quartet
Roberta Cooper, American Symphony Orchestra
Patrick Hopkins, Manhattan School of Music
Grace An, Former Fellow, New World Symphony
Maureen Hynes, American Symphony Orchestra
Weiting Sun, Orchestral Performance Fellow, Manhattan School of Music
Blake-Anthony Johnson, Orchestral Performance Fellow, Manhattan School of Music
Joe Isom, Maryland Symphony Orchestra

DOUBLE BASS

*Timothy Cobb, Principal Bass, New York Philharmonic
Peter Lloyd, Former Bass, The Philadelphia Orchestra; Former Principal Bass, Minnesota Orchestra; Acting Principal Bass, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
Andrew Trombley, Assistant Principal, New Haven Symphony Orchestra
William Morris, Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra
Andrew Sommer, Substitute, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Peter Weitzner, Stamford Symphony Orchestra
Ivy Wong, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Verbier Festival Orchestra (Switzerland)
Hayden Joyce, Co-Principal National Repertory Orchestra

FLUTE

*Robert Langevin, Principal, New York Philharmonic
Megan Natoli, Aternus Chamber Orchestra, Manhattan School of Music

PICCOLO

Ji Weon Ryu, New York String Orchestra Seminar, The Juilliard School

OBOE

*Richard Woodhams, Principal, The Philadelphia Orchestra
Brian Greene, Buffalo Philharmonic
Julia DeRosa, Substitute, MET Orchestra, The Juilliard Orchestra

ENGLISH HORN

Pedro Díaz, Solo English Horn, MET Orchestra

CLARINET

*Charles Neidich, New York Woodwind Quintet, Distinguished Professor at Juilliard and the Aaron Copland School of Music
Eric Umble, Orchestral Performance Fellow, Manhattan School of Music
Ayako Oshima, Saito-Kinen Orchestra; Contrasts Quartet

BASSOON

*Frank Morelli, Principal, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; Westchester Philharmonic
Glenn Einschlag, Principal, Buffalo Philharmonic
Leonard Hindell, Retired, New York Philharmonic;

FRENCH HORN

*Leelanee Sterrett, 3rd Horn, New York Philharmonic; Genghis Barbie
Rachel Drehmann, Genghis Barbie
Dominic Rotella, Principal Horn, Orquesta Filarmónica de Santiago
Alana Vegter, Assistant Principal, New York Philharmonic, Genghis Barbie
Howard Wall, 4th Horn, New York Philharmonic

TRUMPET

*Raymond Riccomini, MET Orchestra
Eli Maurer, Faculty, Queens College
Joseph Soriano, Mannes College of Music

TROMBONE

*Colin Williams, Associate Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic
Nicole Abissi, Stiletto Brass Quintet; Former Acting Principal, Colorado Symphony

BASS TROMBONE

George Curran, Bass Trombone, New York Philharmonic

TUBA

*Kyle Turner, Principal Tuba, Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Former Acting Principal, New York Philharmonic

TIMPANI

Barry Centanni, Principal Percussion, Orchestra of St. Luke’s

PERCUSSION

*Greg Zuber, Principal Percussion, MET Orchestra
Taylor Goodson, Former Principal, New York Youth Symphony
Benjamin Herman, Principal Timpani, American Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Mulvaney, Substitute, MET Orchestra
Eric Borghi, New York Percussion Group

HARP

Nancy Allen, Principal Harp, New York Philharmonic
Stacey Shames, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

CELESTE

Kiyoko Takeuti, Principal Keyboard, The Philadelphia Orchestra

LIBRARIANS

*Paul Beck, Principal Orchestra Librarian, The Juilliard School

* Principal

HONORARY MEMBERS OF THE ORCHESTRA

Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone, New York Philharmonic
Nathan Hughes, Principal Oboe, MET Orchestra
Erik Ralske, Principal French Horn, MET Orchestra

Special Thanks to the following musicians who had come from near and far to participate in the originally-scheduled Scheherazade Initiative on January 26, 2015, but are unable to be with us on the rescheduled date

Meena Bhasin, Decoda Ensemble, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra
Kayla Burggraf, Principal Flute, Des Moines Symphony Orchestra
Ronald Carbone, Principal Viola, American Ballet Theater Orchestra
Marji Danilow, MET Orchestra
Robert Donowick, The Juilliard School
Ana Drobac, Concertmaster, Youth Orchestra of the Americas
Melanie Feld, English Horn, Orchestra of St. Luke’s
Blair Francis, Former Second Flute, Austin Symphony Orchestra
Mariella Haubs, Violin The Juilliard School
Mark Holloway, Viola, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Joe Lee, New York City Ballet Orchestra
Catarina Longhi, Viola, Colorado Symphony
Tobin Low, New Haven Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Krekeler, MET Orchestra
Kye Young Sarah Kwon, Manhattan School of Music
Jameel Martin, The Juilliard School, Perelman Music Program
Anthony McGill, Principal, New York Philharmonic
Joseph Morag, Concertmaster, New York Youth Symphony
Daniel Mumm, Rutgers University
Kartik Papatla, National Youth Orchestra of the USA
Jessica Phillips, MET Orchestra
Matthew Smallcomb, Alarm Will Sound
Yoobin Son, Second Flute, New York Philharmonic
Eric Silberger, Prizewinner, Tchaikovsky Competition
Rosemary Summers, Retired Assistant Principal Librarian, MET Orchestra
Harriet Wingreen, Retired Principal Keyboard, New York Philharmonic
Deborah Wong, Greater Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra
Alice Yoo, New York Classical Players
Jennifer Choi, Student, The Juilliard School
Conway Kuo, New York City Ballet Orchestra
Erin White, Student, The Juilliard School
Kenneth Renshaw, Student, The Juilliard School
Xi Liao, Yale University
Joshua Butcher, Curtis Institute
Jennifer Liu, Student, The Juilliard School
Alexis Sykes, Substitute, New York Philharmonic
Kelly Hall-Tompkins, International Soloist and Chamber Artist, Founder Music Kitchen
Sarah Harball, New York Symphony