Photo of the Bellingham Festival Orchestra in concert.

2024 Festival Orchestra

*Indicates rotation of seating from week to week.

Violins

Violin Section Sponsor- Joanne Donnellan

Violin I

Photo Portrait of Justin Bruns, principal violinist and Concertmaster

Concertmaster Sponsor – Marti Caputi

  • Associate Concertmaster: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Concertmaster: Cabrillo Music Festival
  • Faculty: Emory University
  • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Former Concertmaster: Huntsville Symphony Orchestra
  • Concertmaster: Chattanooga Bach Choir

  • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

  • Professor Emeritus: Butler University
  • Formerly Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, including Acting Concertmaster
  • Formerly Vancouver Opera
  • Bellingham Chamber Music Series
  • Canfield Widrig Duo
  • BFM Member since 2016
  • Faculty: Kennesaw State University
  • Principal: Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • First Violin: Cabrillo Festival
  • Recording Artist: Skywalker Sound
  • Guest Concertmaster: Pacific Northwest Opera
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet (sub)
  • Seattle Symphony (sub)
  • 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
  • The Florida Orchestra (sub)
  • Montgomery Symphony Orchestra
  • Professor: Western Washington University
  • Professor: University of Georgia
  • Professor: University of Georgia
  • Victoria Symphony Orchestra
  • Welcome Home Alumnae
  • Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Viola

Viola Section Sponsors- Don and Karen Berry

Photo Portrait of Christian Colberg, principal viola

Chair Sponsors – Kurt & Wilma Schweickhard

  • Principal: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

  • Principal: New Haven Symphony
  • Associate Principal: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Bellingham Chamber Music Society
  • Seattle Symphony Orchestra (sub)
  • Seattle Opera (sub)
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet (sub)
  • Maryland Symphony (sub)
  • Annapolis Symphony (sub)
  • DC Youth Orchestra Program coach
  • National Philharmonic Youth Mentorship Program

Violoncello

Violoncello Section Sponsors- Marty and Gail Haines

Photo Portrait of Steven Thomas, principal cello

Chair Sponsor – Loraine Boland

  • Professor: University of Florida
  • Principal Cellist: Hamptons Festival of Music
  • Cellist: Helton-Thomas Duo
  • Associate Principal: Kansas City Symphony
  • Virginia Symphony Cape Symphony
  • Cape Symphony
  • Adjunct Faculty: Bard College
  • The Florida Orchestra
  • Ensemble Aesthetica
  • Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (retired)
  • Faculty: Peabody Preparatory

Contrabass

Contrabass Section Sponsors- Marty and Gail Haines

Photo Portrait of Ira Gold, principal bass.

Chair Sponsors – Barry Hembree & Michelle Judson, Diana Finney

  • National Symphony Orchestra
  • Associate Professor: Peabody Conservatory
  • Oakland Symphony
  • Alchemy Sound Project
  • Outpost Collective
  • Composer
  • Assistant Principal: Oregon Symphony
  • Faculty: Reed College
  • Assistant Professor: Illinois State University
  • St Louis Symphony (sub)
  • Opera Theater St. Louis
  • San Diego Symphony (2022)

Woodwind Section Sponsors- John and Marcia Harter

Flute

Photo Portrait of Christina Smith, principal flute.

Chair Sponsors – Dave Peterson & Diane Penn

  • Principal: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
  • Artist Affiliate: Emery University
  • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Piccolo

  • Professor: University of North Texas

Oboe

Photo Portrait of Harrison Linsey, principal oboe.

Chair Sponsors – David Wu & USA Yang, Barbara Young

  • National Symphony Orchestra
  • Professor: Kent State University
  • Principal: The Erie Philharmonic
  • Artistic Coordinator: Kent Blossom Music Festival

English Horn

  • St. Louis Symphony
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet

Clarinet

Photo Portrait of Andrea Levine, principal clarinet.

Chair Sponsors – Peter Coogan & Maureen Ryan, Charli Daniels

  • Louisville Orchestra

Photo Portrait of Sammy Lesnick, principal clarinet.

Chair Sponsors – Donna Gibbs & Dennis Minor

  • Assistant Principal: North Carolina Symphony

  • Executive Director: Bellingham Festival of Music
  • Bellingham Chamber Music Society

Bass Clarinet

  • Yakima Symphony Orchestra
  • Northwest Sinfonietta

Saxophone

  • Senior Instructor: Western Washington University
  • First call Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet

Bassoon

Photo Portrait of Joshua Elmore, principal bassoon.

Chair Sponsors – Garland Richmond & Richmond Stattleman

  • Principal: Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

  • Oregon Symphony

  • Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • Instructor: Western Washington University
  • Bellingham Chamber Music Society

ContraBassoon

  • Pacific Northwest Ballet

Brass Section Sponsors- Ronald and Carolyn Woodard

Horn

Photo Portrait of Jeff Garza, principal horn.

Chair Sponsors – Bob & Wilma Bryant

  • Principal: Oregon Symphony

  • Houston Grand Opera

  • Associate Principal: Kansas City Symphony
  • Victoria Symphony
  • Pinnacle Brass Quintet

  • Virginia Symphony Orchestra

  • Principal Horn: Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
  • Adjunct Faculty: University of Puget Sound and Seattle Pacific University
  • Extra: Seattle Symphony/Seattle Opera

Trumpet

Photo Portrait of Charles Butler, principal trumpet.

Chair Sponsors – Grace Phelan & David Harris, Lindsey & Jan Vereen

  • Pacfic Northwest Ballet
  • Portland Opera
  • Oregon Bellet Theater
  • Oregon Symphony

  • Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
  • Co-Principal: Dallas Winds
  • Principal: Santa Fe Pro Musica
  • Regular Substitute: Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • 5th Ave Theatre
  • Seattle Symphony
  • Former Member: Atlanta Symphony
  • Former Member: Grant Park Orchestra

Trombone

Photo Portrait of Steven Osborne, principal trombone.

Chair Sponsors – John & Marcia Harter, William Fly & Sarah Younglove

  • Assistant Principal: North Carolina Symphony

  • Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Bass Trombone

  • Olympia Symphony
  • Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band
  • Substitute: Seattle Symphony and Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
  • Paramount Theater Orchestra

Percussion Section Sponsor- Lois Nicholl

Timpani

Photo Portrait of Mark Guthrie, principal timpani.

Chair Sponsors – Barbara Vz Howard & Robert Powell,
George & Nancy Gale

  • Principal: Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Percussion

  • Principal Timpani: Symphony Tacoma
  • Principal Timpani & Percussion: Northwest Sinfonietta
  • Principal Timpani: Auburn Symphony
  • Principal Timpani & Percussion: North Corner Chamber Orchestra
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet
  • Extra Musician: Seattle Symphony
  • Extra Musician: Vancouver Symphony
  • The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle
  • The Paramount Theatre, Seattle
  • Auburn Symphony Orchestra
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra
  • Auburn Symphony
  • Pacific Rims Percussion Quartet
  • Seattle Youth Symphony
  • Professor: Western Washington University
  • Symphony Tacoma

Harp

  • Artistic Director: Archipelago Collective Chamber Music Festival

Piano/Organ/Celeste

  • Professor: Western Washington University
  • Seattle Opera
  • Professor: Western Washington University
  • Vox Pacifica
Musicians
Artistic Director
2024 Guest Artists
Festival Orchestra
Festival Chorus
Laureate Conductor