Musicians of the Bellingham Festival of Music orchestra perform on stage, featuring violinists, cellists, and flute players in formal white concert attire during a live classical music performance.

2026 Festival Orchestra

*Indicates rotation of seating from week to week.

Violin I Section Sponsor- Joanne Donnellan

Violin II Section Sponsors- Peter & Maureen Coggan

Violin I

Photo Portrait of Justin Bruns, principal violinist and Concertmaster


Concertmaster Sponsors - Dr. Robert & Cindy Klein

  • Associate Concertmaster: North Carolina Symphony
  • Concertmaster: Cabrillo Music Festival
  • Faculty: Emory University

Concertmaster Sponsors–Grace Phelan & David Harris

  • Assistant Concertmaster: Oregon Symphony
  • Oregon Symphony
  • Former Concertmaster: Huntsville Symphony
  • Concertmaster: Chattanooga Bach Choir
  • Former Principal Second Violin: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
  • Principal Second Violin: ProMusica Chamber Orchestra
  • Artist in Residence for Orchestral Studies: National Orchestral Institute
  • Professor Emeritus: Butler University
  • Concertmaster: Carmel Symphony Orchestra
  • Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra
  • Assistant Principal Second Violin: Atlanta Opera Orchestra
  • Concertmaster: Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra
  • Artist in Residence: Kennesaw State University
  • Substitute: Seattle Symphony
  • Substitute: Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • Substitute: San Francisco Ballet
  • Principal Second Violin: Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • First Violin: Cabrillo Music Festival
  • Recording Artist: Skywalker Sound
  • Arkansas Symphony
  • Assistant Concertmaster: New Haven Symphony

Violin II

Photo Portrait of Sarah Shellman, principal second violinist


Chair Sponsors - Jack & Marybeth Campbell

  • Principal Second Violin: The Florida Orchestra
  • First Violin: Cabrillo Festival
  • Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
  • ProMusica Chamber Orchestra
  • Senior Instructor: Western Washington University
  • Bellingham Chamber Music Society
  • Alabama Symphony Orchestra
  • Professor: Western Washington University
  • Sandy Beaver Teaching Professor
  • Professor of Violin: Hugh Hodgson School of Music, University of Georgia
  • Freelance Concertmaster: New York
  • Concertmaster: Bellingham Symphony Orchestra
  • Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Viola Section Sponsors- Marian Alexander & David Netboy

Portrait of Caroline Gilbert, principal viola, holding her viola.


Chair Sponsors - Don & Karen Berry, Peter & Maureen Coggan

  • Principal Viola: Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Associate Principal: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Saint Louis Symphony
  • Bellingham Chamber Music Society
  • Substitute: Seattle Symphony Orchestra
  • Substitute: Seattle Opera
  • Substitute: Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • Substitute: Annapolis Symphony
  • Maryland Symphony
  • Guest Principal: Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra

Violoncello Section Sponsor- Holly Witte

Photo of Allan Steele, principal cello.


Chair Sponsor - Loraine Boland

  • Principal Cello: Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Chair Sponsor–Holly Witte

  • Associate Principal: Kansas City Symphony
  • Sarasota Orchestra
  • Faculty: Florida Southern College
  • The Florida Orchestra
  • Faculty: Eckerd College
  • Artistic Director and Founder: Quadra Island Festival of Chamber Music (B.C., Canada)
  • Principal Cellist (ret.): Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Nashville Music Scoring Orchestra
  • Substitute: Nashville Symphony
  • Substitute: Louisville Orchestra
  • Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
  • Faculty: University of Indianapolis

Contrabass Section Sponsors- Marty & Gail Haines

Photo Portrait of Ira Gold, principal bass.


Chair Sponsors–Joel & Mary Pat Thuma

  • National Symphony Orchestra
  • Associate Professor: Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University
  • Director: Boston University Tanglewood Institute Double Bass Workshop
  • Substitute: Detroit Symphony
  • QuinTango
  • Ali and the Wild Geese
  • Substitute: Detroit Symphony
  • DMA Teaching Assistant: Michigan State University
  • Double Bass: Dallas Symphony Orchestra
  • Professor of Double Bass: SMU Meadows School of the Arts
  • Colorado Symphony
  • Central City Opera

Woodwind Section Sponsors- Garland Richmond & Richard Statesman

Photo Portrait of Christina Smith, principal flute.


Chair Sponsors-Dave Peterson & Diane Penn

  • Principal: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Artist Affiliate: Emory University
  • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Philadelphia Orchestra
Photo Portrait of Harrison Linsey, principal oboe.


Chair Sponsors-David Wu & Una Yang

  • Principal: Oregon Symphony
  • National Symphony Orchestra
  • San Diego Symphony
  • Professor: Kent State University
  • Principal: The Erie Philharmonic
  • Artistic Coordinator: Kent Blossom Music Festival
Portrait of Taylor Marino, clarinet in a blue shirt, holding a clarinet.


Chair Sponsors-Kurt & Wilma Schweickhard

  • Principal: Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
  • Executive Director: Bellingham Festival of Music
  • Bellingham Chamber Music Society
  • Philadelphia Orchestra
  • US Army Band
  • Senior Instructor: Western Washington University
  • First call: Seattle Symphony
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
  • Professor: University of Washington School of Music
  • Seattle Symphony Orchestra
  • Jim Knapp Orchestra
  • Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra
  • Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Portrait of Julia Paine, Bassoon.


Chair Sponsor–Ron & Carolyn Woodard

  • Saint Louis Symphony
  • Sarasota Opera Orchestra
  • Principal Bassoon: Pacific Northwest Ballet

Brass Section Sponsors- Ronald and Carolyn Woodard

Photo Portrait of Jeff Garza, principal horn.


Chair Sponsors-Garland Richmond & Richard Statesman

  • Principal: Oregon Symphony
  • Adjunct Professor of Horn: Oregon State University
  • Principal Horn: Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
  • Adjunct Faculty: University of Puget Sound and Seattle Pacific University
  • Extra: Seattle Symphony/Seattle Opera
  • San Francisco Symphony
  • Principal Horn: MUNY Orchestra
  • Artistic Director: VIA Academy
  • St. Louis Symphony

  • Houston Grand Opera

  • Associate Principal: Kansas City Symphony

  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Photo Portrait of Charles Butler, principal trumpet.


Chair Sponsors - Barry Hembree & Michelle Judson, Lindsey & Jan Vereen

  • Former Principal Trumpet: Seattle Symphony
  • Former Assistant Principal Trumpet: Houston Symphony
  • Former Principal Trumpet: Israel Philharmonic
  • Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
  • Third Trumpet: Oregon Symphony Orchestra
  • Instructor of Trumpet: Oregon State University
Portrait of Ross Holcombe, trombone in a black shirt, leaning against a wall and holding a trombone.


Chair Sponsors - Barbara Vz Howard

  • Associate Principal: The Florida Orchestra

  • Faculty: University of South Florida
  • North Carolina Symphony

  • Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band
  • Substitute: Seattle Symphony and Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
  • Paramount Theater Orchestra
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
  • Auburn Symphony
  • University of Puget Sound

Percussion Section Sponsors- John & Marcia Harter

Photo Portrait of Mark Guthrie, principal timpani.


Chair Sponsors - Bob & Wilma Bryant

  • Principal: Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
  • Principal Timpanist: Symphony Tacoma
  • Principal Timpani & Percussion: Northwest Sinfonietta
  • Principal Timpani: Auburn Symphony
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • Extra Musician: Seattle Symphony
  • Extra Musician: Vancouver Symphony
  • The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle
  • The Paramount Theatre, Seattle
  • Auburn Symphony Orchestra
  • Principal Timpanist: CMSgt (ret.) United States Air Force Band
  • Timpanist/Percussionist: PNW Opera
  • Founder/Faculty: Percussion on the Rock Festival
  • Professor: Western Washington University
  • Colorado Symphony Orchestra
  • Colorado Music Festival
  • Kalamazoo Symphony
  • South Bend Symphony
  • Southwest Michigan Symphony
  • Principal Harp: New York City Ballet
  • Faculty: Western Washington University
  • Principal Harp: Bellingham Symphony Orchestra
  • Principal Harp: Yakima Symphony Orchestra
  • Executive Director: Seattle Tabla Institute
  • Professor: Western Washington University
  • Artistic Director: Sanford-Hill Piano Series

Sponsor–Andrew Moquin

  • Tropical Zone Music, St. Petersburg, FL
Musicians
Artistic Director
2026 Guest Artists
Festival Orchestra
Festival Chorus
Conducting Institute
Laureate Conductor