The Chicago Philharmonic Society has announced the addition of 15 latest musician members for the 22/23 Season. With the addition of those latest members, Chicago Philharmonic has expanded its pool of the Midwest’s finest musicians to 209.
The 15 latest musicians are violinists Azusa Tashiro, Caitlin Edwards, David Taylor, Kate Carter, Roy Meyer, and Sylvia de la Cerna; saxophonists Geof Bradfield and John Wojciechowski; bassists Kit Polen, Michael Hovnanian, and Nicholas Adams; cellist Mara McClain; pianist Bob Sutter; drummer Jim Widlowski; and guitarist Steve Roberts.
“It’s such a joy to see the orchestra grow,” said Executive Director Terell Johnson. “With so many latest concert events, partnerships, and events, we’re comfortable to offer opportunities for these incredibly talented and well-deserving musicians.”
Chicago Philharmonic has a singular governance structure unlike nearly another orchestra in the US. The governing body of Board members and Board-appointed committees are made up of a majority of musician members. In total, 13 musicians participate as Board Officers, making up not less than 50% of the Board of Directors, and leading nearly all seven Board-appointed committees.
HOW MUSICIANS BECOME CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC MEMBERS
Musicians across Chicago and the Midwest are encouraged to submit their resumes and supporting information to the Chicago Philharmonic to be considered by the musician-led Personnel Committee for addition to the orchestra’s Prospective Member list. Prospective Members who perform with the Chicago Philharmonic 3 times during a season are eligible to be considered for membership. The Personnel Committee evaluates eligible musicians annually for possible addition to the member roster and people approved by the committee are invited to turn out to be full Musician Members.
ABOUT THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY
Founded by musicians of the Lyric Opera Orchestra in 1989, The Chicago Philharmonic Society is a collaboration of over 200 of the highest-level classical musicians within the Midwest. Its orchestra, often called the Chicago Philharmonic, has been called certainly one of the country’s finest symphonic orchestras, and its unique chamber music ensembles perform as Chicago Phil Chamber. The brilliance of our structure is in its versatility – one of the best ensemble is curated for every concert from the exceptional pool of musicians, be it classical, jazz, pops, movie concert events, outreach programming, and every little thing else.
The Illinois Council of Orchestras has awarded Chicago Philharmonic “Orchestra of the 12 months” (2018), “Programming of the 12 months” (2019), “Community Relations of the 12 months” (2019), “Executive Director of the 12 months” (2020), and “Conductor of the 12 months” (2021). Discover more about Chicago Philharmonic at chicagophilharmonic.org.
AZUSA TASHIRO, VIOLIN
A Chicago based violinist, Azusa Tashiro enjoys her energetic and diverse profession as an orchestra player, chamber musician and violin teacher. She is a Concertmaster of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, and holds positions on the South Bend Symphony Orchestra as an Assistant Concertmaster and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra as a Principal Second Violinist. She has usually performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Joffrey Ballet, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago which she served as a Concertmaster of their 2009-10 season. She has also appeared as a Guest Concertmaster within the Orchestra Iowa for his or her 2018-19 season.
BOB SUTTER, PIANO
Bob Sutter is a flexible pianist, keyboardist and composer who has performed and/or conducted in pit orchestras for major musical productions-in Chicago and on tour. Amongst the various shows he’s performed in are Broadway in Chicago productions of “The Lion King,” “The Color Purple,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Cats” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” in addition to productions on the Goodman and Steppenwolf theatres.
CAITLIN EDWARDS, VIOLIN
Violinist Caitlin Edwards began her musical journey on the age of eight inside a non-profit organization in her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. She later attended the University of Louisville (BM) and DePaul University (MM). Edwards is a 2022 Esteemed Artist Award recipient from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, a 2021 3Arts/Walder Foundation awardee, 2018 Gateways Music Festival Rising Star, a co-curator with the Fulcrum Point Latest Music Project, and a former fellow with the Chicago Sinfonietta. As well as, she has received Grammy certificates for recordings on Disney’s “The Lion King” and for albums by John Legend and PJ Morton. She released her debut album, “Exhale,” in 2021.
DAVID TAYLOR, VIOLIN
David Taylor joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as Assistant-Concertmaster in 1979. Born in Canton, Ohio, he first studied violin along with his father starting on the age of 4 and later continued his studies with Margaret Randall and Rafael Druian on the Cleveland Institute of Music. He later studied with Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay on the Juilliard School, where he received each bachelor and master’s degrees. He became a member of the Cleveland Orchestra in 1974 as a primary violinist. With the Chicago Symphony he as made quite a few solo appearances, including performances with Sir Georg Solti. He also has served as Acting-Concertmaster of the Saint Louis Symphony and Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony.
GEOF BRADFIELD, SAXOPHONE
Geof Bradfield’s work as a composer and performer on saxophones and clarinets embraces intersections of contemporary jazz and other streams of African Diaspora music, drawing inspiration from Charlie Parker, Melba Liston, Lead Belly, Shona mbira music, and Gullah spirituals. Born in Houston, TX, Bradfield has performed throughout North America, Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa and the MiddleEast, sharing the stage with artists resembling Randy Weston, Dana Hall, Clark Sommers, Brian Blade, Anna Webber, Orrin Evans, Jeff Parker, Matt Ulery, and Ryan Cohan. His work is featured on 50+ CDs including eight albums as a pacesetter which have garnered critical accolades from the Latest York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and NPR.
JIM WIDLOWSKI, DRUMSET
Jim Widlowski’s credits include Chicago (BIC) productions of Hamilton, the Book of Mormon, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Frozen, Beautiful, Rent and the Lion King. He has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera, Grant Park Symphony and the Milwaukee Symphony.
JOHN WOJCIECHOWSKI, SAXOPHONE
Saxophonist John Wojciechowski, is originally from Detroit and has spent the last 20 years performing and teaching in Chicago. Along with leading his own groups, he has performed or recorded with The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, The Woody Herman Orchestra, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Clark Terry, Charlie Haden, and Kurt Elling amongst many others. Wojciechowski was also a 3rd place finalist within the 1996 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. He’s currently a member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Dana Hall’s spring, the Jeff Campbell Trio (w/ John Hollenbeck), and Ryan Cohan’s Sextet and Quartet. He has appeared on dozens of recordings as a sideman, and has two recordings as a pacesetter: “Lexicon”, released in 2009 and “Focus” which was released in the autumn of 2015 on Origin records to critical acclaim.
KATE CARTER, VIOLIN
Kate Carter is a flexible violinist who enjoys a varied profession as a recitalist, orchestral player and teacher. She has been the Assistant Concertmaster of the Elmhurst Symphony since 2008, and she or he also performs usually with ensembles including the Chicago Philharmonic, Lyric Opera Orchestra, Joffrey Ballet, Camerata Chicago, Fulcrum Point Latest Music Ensemble, Access Contemporary Music, and others. Recent activities include recording a second album of American works with Blue Violet Duo, in addition to co-founding the Pyrenean String Quartet with fellow Chicago Philharmonic members. Carter can also be energetic as a member of the Board of Directors of the Musicians Club of Women, a bunch dedicated to supporting women in music. Dr. Carter holds degrees from Northwestern University and the Eastman School of Music.
KIT POLEN, BASS
Chicago Philharmonic bassist Kit Polen performs usually with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, including joining them on tours through Europe, Asia, and the US. Since 2015, he has been Principal Bass of Camerata Chicago in addition to the Associate Principal Bass of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, along with performing with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, he has performed with many artists across the country including the Kontras Quartet, Chai Collaborative Ensemble, and Leon Fleisher. Equally comfortable outside the normal symphonic setting, Polen has collaborated with CSO’s MusicNOW series, the Chicago Composer’s Orchestra, and has also been a component of multiple Grammy nominated R&B recordings.
MARA MCCLAIN, CELLO
Mara McClain is currently a contract cellist within the Chicago area, performing usually with the Lyric Opera Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Joffrey Ballet Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic and the Grant Park Music Festival. McClain was previously a member of the Alabama Symphony, in Birmingham Alabama, from 2006-2018. She attended the Cleveland Institute of Music for her undergraduate studies with Richard Aaron. Prior or to her appointment with the Alabama Symphony she joined the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, as principal cellist. After a few years away, she is thrilled to be back in Chicago along with her husband, who can also be a cellist, teacher and the director of the Barston Suzuki Center on the Music Institute of Chicago.
MICHAEL HOVNANIAN, BASS
Michael Hovnanian grew up within the Seattle area. His primary teachers were James Harnett and Ronald Simon of the Seattle Symphony. He also studied with Frederick Tinsley of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at California Institute of the Arts, where he received a Bachelor of Nice Arts degree. A member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1989 until 2019, he’s currently an instructor of double bass at DePaul University in Chicago.
NICHOLAS ADAMS, BASS
Originally from the Western Pennsylvania area, Nicholas Adams received a Bachelor’s of Science in Music Education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania studying under Nathan Santos in addition to Jeffrey Grubbs of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Following that, Adams studied on the Academy of Music in Zagreb, Croatia under Niška Bobetko before pursuing a Master’s degree at Carnegie Mellon studying under Micah Howard. Following that, Adams relocated to the Chicago Area where he joined the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and commenced freelancing within the greater Chicago Area. After moving to the world, he won the position of Principal Bass on the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, served as Principal Bass of the Charleston Symphony.
ROY MEYER, VIOLIN
Along with his role as concertmaster of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Meyer is a founding member of the Apollo Music Festival in Houston, Minnesota. Chamber music collaborations include performances with Mike Block and Wu Tong of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, and violinists Tobias Steymans, concertmaster of the Bavarian Radio Symphony, and Robert Hanford, concertmaster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Festival appearances include the Round Top Festival and performances with Opera Italiana with musicians of the Metropolitan Opera as a part of the Central Park Summer Concert events, amongst others.
STEVE ROBERTS, GUITAR
Steve Roberts (guitars, mandolin, banjo, other fretted instruments), a veteran of the Chicago rock, jazz and experimental music scene, has recorded and performed with a myriad of local and touring artists. His work as co-founder/songwriter/electric guitarist for the bands Loud Thoughts and the post-punk/art rock D-Section has one way or the other led (most unnaturally), to popular and not-so-popular music, orchestral, latest music, musical theater and chamber music.
SYLVIA DE LA CERNA, VIOLIN
Sylvia de la Cerna is Chicago-based violinist and music educator. She has performed in its place violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Grant Park Symphony and is a founding member of the Chicago Sinfonietta. De la Cerna has been a soloist with the Orchestra of Illinois, the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. She has also performed and toured with The Black Music Repertory Ensemble, The Gateways Chamber Ensemble, and the Dee Alexander Jazz Group. She has accompanied acclaimed musicians resembling Jon Batiste, Common, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Page and Plant, Diana Ross, Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Wonder, the late Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles to call a couple of, and previously served because the National Music Contractor for Vince Gill.
