Assistant Concertmaster EMANOUIL MANOLOV made his debut on Bulgarian National Television at age 10. His appearances include the Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, and National Museum of American History, Barge Music, Weill Recital Hall, and Symphony Space. Solo appearances include Young Soloists of New York Chamber Ensemble, Virginia Commonwealth Symphony and many more. He is the Artistic Director of the North Shore ProMusica on Long Island. Mr. Manolov joined the Norwalk Symphony as Assistant Concertmaster with a solo debut in December 2016. Mr. Manolov began his musical studies at the Central Music School in Sofia, Bulgaria, and received his Bachelors of Music at the Eastman School of Music, studying under Ilya Kaler. He earned his DMA at SUNY Stony Brook under supervision from Pamela Frank, Ani Kavafian and Philip Setzer. He has a studio in Greenwich, CT, and is on the faculty of Concordia College Conservatory.
TAE SHIK KIM performs with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and serves as Concertmaster of the Civic Orchestra of New Haven. He was selected for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra in 2009, performing at Carnegie Hall, and has served as Concertmaster of the Korea United College Orchestra and the Korail Symphony Orchestra, appearing as a concerto soloist with both. While in Boston, he performed with the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra, the Apollo Ensemble of Boston, and the New England Philharmonic. Alongside his musical life, Tae Shik is a researcher and engineer specializing in optical metrology at ASML in Wilton. He studied at KAIST and later conducted optical imaging research at Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School. These musical pursuits have run alongside a full-time career in science and engineering, and he is grateful for the chance to connect with audiences through music.
In addition to the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, CLAUDIA HAFER TONDI has performed as first violin with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra for over twenty-five years under the direction of Lukas Foss, Dennis Russell Davies, and Robert Spano. Her orchestral work also includes performances with the San Francisco Ballet and Opera Orchestras, the American Ballet Theater Orchestra, the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, and roles as co-concertmaster with the Greenwich Symphony and concertmaster for several Broadway shows in New York City. Dedicated to music education, Claudia founded and developed string programs at the Luis Muñoz Marín School, the Roosevelt School in Bridgeport, CT, and the Samuel Staples Elementary School in Easton, CT and since 2012 has been a strings teacher with the KEYS Music Organization. In 2013, Claudia founded Heartstrings, a conductorless chamber orchestra that performs in senior nursing homes throughout Connecticut and supports young string students by helping them prepare and perform solos with live orchestral accompaniment. Claudia performs with numerous chamber ensembles and regularly appears with the Wallingford, Ridgefield, and Greater Bridgeport Symphony orchestras.
SUZANNE COREY-SAHLIN is Principal Violist of the Norwalk Symphony and Ridgefield Symphony, both of which she has performed with as soloist. Suzanne has studied with Albert Markov, Jesse Levine, Robert Glazer, Steve Larson and two years with the Manhattan String Quartet at Music Mountain. Her opera experiences include Berkshire Opera Company and Connecticut Grand Opera. She was also a member of the Tourmaline String Quartet for eight years, which had a residency with Ridgefield Symphony and performed extensively throughout Fairfield County and New York areas. Suzanne often performs as “Duetto Viello” with her husband Gunnar, playing old as well as new viola and cello duets written for them. Suzanne and Gunnar have been involved with the Chamber Music Institute in Darien as well as in Maine and Vermont for many years, including a tour in 2018 to Japan. In 2019 both played at the David Geffen Hall in New York City as part of Chinese cultural celebrations. For seven years she was the conductor of the String Ensemble of the Western CT Youth Orchestra. She teaches privately at her studio at St. Andrew’s Church in Ridgefield.
Assistant Principal Violist SARAH SMALE attended the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, gaining the Postgraduate Diploma and the Hartt School where she studied with, and was the assistant to, the Emerson String Quartet and obtained her MM in viola performance. Sarah is the Associate Director at the Suzuki Music Schools in Westport, CT, co-Director of the White Mountain Suzuki Institute in NH and is a frequent guest teacher and coach at educational workshops and Suzuki Institutes around the country. Ms. Smale has also played with various ensembles and orchestras as principal viola, recorded television and radio for work for the BBC and Radio Suisse. She is a member of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra as assistant principal viola.
ANDREW KNEBEL is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music/University of Hartford where he was a student of Steve Larson. He holds a Bachelor's degree in viola performance and music education. He has participated in master classes with John Largess (Miro SQ), Chauncey Patterson (Miami SQ), and Heidi Castleman. Andrew is a member of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra in Hartford, CT, the Eastern CT Symphony in New London, CT, the Norwalk Symphony in Norwalk, CT and freelances on viola and violin in Connecticut and New York. He has also played with Quartetto Vivo, The Living Room Players, the Spectrum String Quartet, and the Rocio String Quartet. He is currently the orchestra director at Highlands Middle School in White Plains, NY. He teaches private lessons on violin and viola in Westchester County, NY. He is also on faculty at Summertrios and The Lake Placid Chamber Seminar. He has also taught with the Hartt String Project, Project Music, and The Young People's Institute for Chamber Music.
A third generation professional musician, Dr. NICHOLAS HARDIE has always been surrounded by music, beginning the cello before the age of three. An avid chamber musician, Nick was shaped by his apprenticeship with the Takacs Quartet and mentorship by the Juilliard Quartet. His chamber music engagements have included the Aspen Music Festival’s Winter Series, numerous broadcasts on WBUR Boston through the Marsh Chapel Cantata Series, and Peabody Conservatory and Boston University’s Faculty concerts. Nick has soloed with orchestras across the country, often championing rarer masterpieces including Strauss’s Don Quixote, Schumann’s Cello Concerto, Dvorak’s Waldesruhe, and Shostakovich’s Concerto No.1. A resident of Connecticut, Nick performs locally as principal cellist of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, Ridgefield Symphony, and Norwalk Symphony Orchestras. A passionate educator, Nick teaches cello, chamber music, and advanced performance techniques through the Greenwich Suzuki Academy, a program of 140 students he directs hand in hand with his wife Heather.
Assistant Principal Cellist JUSTIN ELKINS, originally from Wyoming, began playing the cello in elementary school and quickly discovered it was his passion. He went on to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy and later earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in cello performance from the Eastman School of Music. Since 2007, he has made Connecticut his home, first in Norwalk and now in Trumbull. Justin has taught strings in public schools for many years, including elementary strings in Norwalk (2015–2021) and currently middle school strings at Madison Middle School in Trumbull, and also teaches private lessons. He has been an active member of the Norwalk Symphony since moving to the area, becoming assistant principal cello in 2015. In addition, he has contributed to the organization as both office assistant and music librarian. Outside of music, Justin enjoys time with his wife and two daughters, summer grilling, and family bike rides.
Dr. SARA BENNETT WOLFE is the director of SBW Cello Studio in Norwalk and Trumbull CT. She holds music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Indiana University, Ithaca College, and Rutgers University. Collaborations include the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Mimesis Ensemble, Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, Binghamton Philharmonic, and positions as Principal Cellist with the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra and Opera in the Ozarks. Sara has taught at the Belize, Ogontz, Ithaca, Intermountain, Westchester, and Ozark Suzuki Institutes, as well as high school and collegiate masterclasses and workshops. Sara’s primary teachers include Elizabeth Loughran, Jodi Beder, Emilio Colón, Elizabeth Simkin, Merry Peckham, and Jonathan Spitz; she has completed Suzuki teacher training with Pam Devenport, Melissa Kraut, Beth Cantrell, Heather Hadley, Alice Vierra, Mark Mutter, and Carrie Reuning-Hummel. Sara lives in Stratford, Connecticut with her partner Matthew Willis, a jazz musician, and their 5-year-old son Luke.
Music has been a constant north star in RACHEL STEIN’s life since age four, when she first picked up the cello. Though she also studied piano, clarinet, and oboe, the cello has always remained her true musical voice. Rachel has been a member of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra since 2011 and has also performed with other area orchestral and chamber ensembles. She enjoys playing at weddings and community events, as well as in numerous musicals, always appreciating the collaboration, creativity, and connection that music provides. Beyond the concert hall, Rachel serves as Director of Animal Husbandry at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, where she oversees the care and welfare of a diverse collection of animals. She is especially excited about the orchestra’s collaboration with the aquarium, which brings together her twin passions for music and marine biology in a unique and meaningful way.
After three years of study at the Academy of Music in Prague, Czechoslovakia, GUNNAR SAHLIN joined the Stockholm (Sweden) Philharmonic Orchestra in 1975. As a member of that orchestra, he participated in tours all over Europe and in the US, playing with world famous soloists and conductors. The orchestra appears at the annual Nobel Prize Ceremonies at the Stockholm Concert Hall. Gunnar moved to the US in 1988 and is a freelancing musician in Fairfield County and New York. He was Principal Cellist of Norwalk Symphony Orchestra from 2002 and retired from that position in 2024. Gunnar has worked with many contemporary composers and premiered works by Alan Cohen, Constance Walton, Joe Russo, Gwyneth Walker and composer/pianist Marc Chan. Gunnar has performed works with and by legendary violinist Albert Markov. He teaches privately in his home in Stamford, CT. Also, every Tuesday he conducts the Fairfield County Symphony Society in Norwalk.
DAVID UHL is one of Connecticut’s most active and versatile bassists. In addition to performing regularly with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, he appears throughout the state with professional ensembles and in theater productions at venues such as the Goodspeed Opera House. A founding member of the Irish folk group The Jolly Beggars, David also performs extensively in jazz and a range of other musical genres. Beyond the stage, he is a dedicated music educator, teaching at The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, Cheshire Academy, and the Hartt Community Division, while also maintaining a vibrant private studio.
JENNIFER BERMAN began studying the flute at the age of 7 in South Florida. She attended the North Carolina School of the Arts where she received both her High School diploma and Bachelor of Music degree as a student of Philip Dunigan. She then studied at the Manhattan School of Music with Ransom Wilson for her Master of Music degree. After freelancing briefly in New York, Jennifer became a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, where she was co-principal for 2 years. Since moving to Connecticut in 1994, she has performed with many area ensembles, including the Symphonies of Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, and Ridgefield as well as the US Coast Guard Band. Jennifer currently serves as Principal Flute of both the Norwalk Symphony and New Britain Symphony, and Assistant Principal of the Waterbury Symphony. She is also a member of the Harmonia V woodwind quintet, an innovative group dedicated to performing the best standard literature, seldom heard treasures, and the most dynamic contemporary music available today. Jennifer has appeared as soloist with the Albany, GA Symphony, the Rome Festival Orchestra and the New Britain Symphony Orchestra.
JOANNE HISCOCKS began her tenure as Second Flute/Piccolo of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra after graduating with a Master of Music degree and moving to the area. She also has a background as a high school teacher - music and science - and extensive experience in marketing. In addition to performance in regional orchestras throughout Connecticut, Joanne is an active chamber musician and private instructor, bringing her teaching experience and enthusiasm from the classroom into the studio. Originally from Canada, Joanne earned her undergraduate degree from McGill University as a student of Timothy Hutchins, and Master's in Indianapolis under Karen Moratz. Her studies also spanned three decades of masterclasses and private lessons with the incomparable Louis Moyse. In her spare time she is also known to be an avid knitter and photographer, not necessarily in that order.
CAITY MASSOUD has been a member of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra since 2016. She previously won the Fourth Flute/Second Piccolo chair with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and has played with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. Caity has performed under the baton of Rossen Milanov, Carl St. Clair, Lavard Skou-Larsen, Daniel Hege, Josep Caballé-Domenech, and Brett Mitchell. Caity holds her DMA from the University of Houston. There, she studied with Houston Symphony Principal Flutist, Aralee Dorough, and conducted research on her dissertation topic “French Women Perpetuating the French Tradition: Paris Conservatory Flute Contest Pieces by Women Composers.” A condensed version of Caity’s dissertation was published in the December 2015 issue of Flute Talk Magazine. In addition to her performance career, Caity is the Chief Operating Officer at Flute Center in New York and host of the company’s podcast, Flute Unscripted. An in-depth look into its creation was revealed in the article she wrote for the May 2019 Issue of Flute View Magazine, titled “Listening Your Way to Success”.
Dr. SAEROM KIM is widely recognized for her expressive and versatile clarinet playing. She has served as Principal Clarinet of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra since 2022. Born in South Korea, she has earned top prizes including the Grand Prize at the Korean Clarinet Association Competition, third prize at the International Clarinet Association Competition, and first prize in the Paranov Concerto Competition. Her performances include Corigliano’s Clarinet Concerto with the Hartt Orchestra and appearances at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, the Philharmonie de Paris, and the Berliner Philharmonie under conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle and Riccardo Chailly. She has also participated in festivals including Moritzburg, Bowdoin, and Sarasota. Dr. Kim holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Ayako Oshima and Charles Neidich, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Hartford, where her dissertation focused on the music of Isang Yun.
JANET ATHERTON received her Masters Degree from Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Leon Russianoff. She has been a member of the Norwalk Symphony for 35 years, and the Madera Winds Quintet. Previously, she has performed at the Congregation of the Arts Festival Orchestra at Dartmouth College; The Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy; The National Orchestral Association of New York City; and the Prevailing Winds Quintet. For 26 years Ms. Atherton taught general music and instrumental band in the Greenwich Public School System. Although still performing locally in Fairfield County, since her retirement, Ms. Atherton now happily resides on Cape Cod in Brewster Massachusetts, where on occasion, she may be heard bagpiping on the beach and at weddings and birthday parties.
JAMES FORGEY has been an active performer and teacher in Connecticut since 1992. He holds degrees from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. His teachers include John McCaw and Kalmen Opperman. Jim is a member of the Waterbury Symphony, the New Britain Symphony, the Norwalk Symphony, and the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. He also performs frequently as a freelance clarinetist with orchestras throughout Connecticut. He has also been a part of Broadway National tour productions at Hartford’s Bushnell Theater and at Wallingford's Oakdale Theater, including, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”, "Wicked", and "Phantom of the Opera". In addition to his orchestral work, Jim is also an active chamber music performer with the Harmonia V Woodwind Quintet.
S. AERIN SWITZER (they/them) serves as both principal bassoonist and orchestra librarian with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. Aerin holds degrees in Music Performance and Music Theory from the Eastman and Yale Schools of Music. They have performed on the bassoon and contrabassoon throughout the country, including with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Hartford Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic and numerous regional orchestras. They have held fellowships at the Aspen Music Festival, Chautauqua Institution School of Music and the Kennedy Center. Aerin composes and arranges works for small and large ensembles and has had performances all across the globe. In their free time, Aerin enjoys hiking and playing pinball at a competitive level. They live in Naugatuck, Connecticut with their three beautiful children.
Dr. RICHARD EPSTEIN is a Westport native. He first played bassoon in the Norwalk Symphony in 1966 under Quinto Maganini. With a break for college and dental school, he has continuously performed with the NSO since 1977. He also plays alto saxophone in the Westport Community band. Richard has served on the boards of local arts and culture organizations, and is a past President of the board of the Norwalk Symphony. His radio program “Sometimes Classical” on 89.5 FM and WPKN.org, has been running since 1978. This three-hour music program is an eclectic mix of music of all genres. The WPKN program xguide says: “For over 40 years he’s played classical, the fringes and the unexpected.” He and his wife, Ina Chadwick, are proud to have founded a jazz club in Westport, CT ten years ago that is currently going strong at VFW post 399 in Westport.
BRYAN MEYER has served as Principal Horn of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra since 2015. In addition to his position with the NSO, Mr. Meyer serves as Assistant/Utility horn with the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Meyer has performed with the New Haven Symphony, Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, MidAtlantic Opera Orchestra, Glens Falls Symphony, and Adelphi Chamber Orchestra, among others. Also a passionate educator, Mr. Meyer is in his twentieth year of teaching music in the Yonkers public schools. Mr. Meyer holds degrees in performance from Florida State University and music education from the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Mr. Meyer resides in Rockland County, NY with his wife Alison and their two children.
DANIEL SHAPIRO has been a member of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra since the 2016-2017 season. He won the second horn position when he was a sophomore at Manhattan School of Music. Before joining the NSO, Daniel had been part of the Norwalk Youth Symphony: first as a student, and later on as a ringer/coach. Daniel joined the Army National Guard Band in 2019. From 2022 to 2024, he worked to obtain a master's degree from University of Connecticut in Special Education. Daniel continues to play and teach the French Horn professionally while teaching at Cesar Batalla K-8 School in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
KATIE MASON joined the Norwalk Symphony in 2004, after earning a Masters’ degree from the Yale School of Music. She has performed with numerous ensembles including New England Philharmonic, Quincy Symphony, Lincoln-Sudbury Chamber Players, Lowell House Opera, Mercury Orchestra, Calliope, Symphony by the Sea, the Apollo Ensemble of Boston, Claflin Hill Symphony, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Firebird Pops Orchestra, and the Boston Philharmonic Funk Foundation.
SUSAN LAFEVER’s playing was called “bold and striking” with “a confident lyric quality” by the New York Times. Susan has been playing with Norwalk Symphony Orchestra for over 20 years and loves performing in the beautiful concert hall. Adjunct Professor of Horn at NJCU, she is a recitalist and orchestral performer and has toured the U.S., Europe, Mexico and Asia. She has given master classes at the University of Iowa, Western Illinois University, and the University of California, Santa Barbara and has presented clinics and performances at several Northeast Horn Workshops, the International Women’s Brass Conference, the International Horn Symposium, and the National Flute Association Convention. She can be heard on Phoenix USA records and YouTube.
JOE SABIA is a native of Port Chester NY and is currently third trumpet in the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra where he has performed many of his favorite works, including Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring”, Mahler’s 3rd and 5th symphonies, and Verdi’s “Requiem”. On occasion, Joe has been invited to the principal trumpet chair (this can be seen in the Norwalk Symphony’s performances on YouTube of Bernstein’s “On the Town”, Ellington’s “Harlem”, as well as the concert featuring the sons of Dave Brubeck). You may have also seen Joe play in the orchestra pit at the countless musical theatre performances all over Westchester Fairfield counties. Some of his favorite shows to play are “West Side Story”, “Legally Blonde”, “In the Heights”, “Anything Goes”, “A Chorus Line”, “Chicago”, and “The Addams Family”. In Joe’s spare time, he arranges pop tunes for brass groups (can you imagine the intro to “Baba O’Riley” on trumpet?), and enjoys playing bass in his 60s cover band.
Trombonist MATTHEW RUSSO enjoys a dynamic career as an educator and performer throughout the northeastern U.S. Since 2015, he has served on the faculty of the University of Connecticut, where he teaches trombone and directs the UConn Trombone Choir. He is also on faculty at Wesleyan University and Choate Rosemary Hall. Dr. Russo has been principal trombonist of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra since 2015 and performs regularly with ensembles across Connecticut, including the New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury, Wallingford, and Greater Bridgeport symphonies, as well as Orchestra New England. An active theatre musician, he is the regular trombonist at Goodspeed Musicals, where he has played more than 20 productions since 2015. A frequent recitalist and advocate of new music, Dr. Russo has premiered dozens of works. His recording of Robert Carl’s Updraft for ten multitracked trombones was released on Neuma Records in April 2024. He holds degrees from the Yale School of Music and The Hartt School, and is a proud S.E. Shires artist.
NICHOLAS MARTIN is an accomplished trombonist and versatile low brass performer based in the New York City area. He has performed with leading ensembles including the Boston Pops, Boston Ballet, and American Symphony, and is a regular member of the Allentown Symphony. As founder and Artistic Director of Skyline Bones, a trombone trio dedicated to adventurous repertoire and community outreach, he has championed new works and presented performances across NYC. Equally at home in orchestral, chamber, jazz, and theater settings, he has won professional auditions and continues to appear with pit orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the region. Nicholas has served as second trombonist in the Norwalk Symphony since 2009.
JAMES MARBURY holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Bridgeport and a Master's degree from SUNY at Stonybrook. He's currently a core member of the Ridgefield, Norwalk and Wallingford Symphonies and also performs with several other symphonies in the area. As a member of the Oakdale Music Theater orchestra, he has played behind many performers including The Temptations, Johnny Mathis and Joan Rivers. He currently has private students throughout Fairfield County.
Maneuvering tubas through bustling cities and across rolling countrysides, Dr. SAMANTHA LAKE enjoys a diversified freelance career in tuba performance and education. She is a member of Calliope Brass, Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, and Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and serves on the faculties of the University of Connecticut, Kutztown University and Luzerne Music Center. In 2024, Calliope released Second Nature, an album of new music featuring A Garden Story by Sara Jacovino. Dr. Lake earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Rutgers University, a Master of Music from The Juilliard School, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Connecticut. Her doctoral research focused on the exclusion of high voices in tuba multiphonic repertoire, leading to presentations at international conferences and the commissioning of two new solo works for unaccompanied tuba.
RUSS COOPER has been the principal timpanist in the symphony since 1981. If you include a year while in high school it’s a cool 45 years! In that time he has performed a good deal of the classical repertoire and still enjoys the excitement of live performance. Russ just recently retired from a great career in acoustic design and consultation with the renowned acoustical consulting firm in Norwalk, JaffeHolden Acoustics. He designed the acoustics of many great concert facilities throughout the United States such as Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, renovations to the Kennedy and Lincoln Centers, The Seattle Opera House, The Westport Playhouse and Detroit Orchestra Hall as well as many university schools of music and conservatories and high profile museums such as the 9-11 museum, the national music center of Canada and many more. Russ also had a hand in the hiring of our current music director, Jonathan Yates, when he was a board member back in 2011.
PETER HOHMEISTER has had a two-decade long association with the Norwalk Symphony as a percussionist. He is fortunate to be able to musically express himself these days in a variety of musical styles, as drummer for the renowned folk / rock band, Aztec Two Step. Peter can also be heard in the pit accompanying local musical theatre groups, playing tympani in church, drum set for life celebrations, and the occasional jazz gig. He continues to share music with youngsters through teaching. After retiring from a 30-year career teaching middle school band in the Greenwich Public Schools, he's presently active teaching with Stamford's Project Music, as well as private percussion students. His training included a B.A. from Hartt School of Music as a student of Alexander Lepak, and a Masters in Music Education from the University of Bridgeport. Peter and his wife Hilary, also a teacher in the Greenwich Public Schools, make their home in Stamford, CT.