Roma Duncan has been the Principal Piccolo in the Minnesota Orchestra since 2003, and has been featured as a concerto soloist with the orchestra on multiple occasions. Roma has performed as a soloist on both flute and piccolo with various other ensembles, including The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Bach Ensemble, the Lakes Area Music Festival Orchestra, and several Canadian orchestras. She has also played in the sections of many orchestras across the country, including the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, and Detroit Symphony Orchestras. Roma has had the opportunity to perform throughout Canada and the United States, as well as in concert halls in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Roma has been teaching flute and piccolo students almost as long as she has been playing, and enjoys teaching private lessons as well as coachings and masterclasses.
(Photo credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash)

Adam Kuenzel has served as Principal Flute in the Minnesota Orchestra since 1990. He is a frequent soloist at Orchestra Hall and has premiered numerous acclaimed works including two concertos by Manuel Sosa and Stanislaw Skrowaczewski. Adam has appeared at leading festivals including the Aspen Music Festival and the Grand Teton Music Festival, and as guest principal flute with the Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas, and Pittsburgh symphony orchestras.(Photo credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash)

Hannah Peterson is Principal Flute of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and Adjunct Professor of Flute at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. She recently performed in the orchestra for Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party on Netflix during the 2025 Christmas Day NFL game. Hannah has previously held positions with the Des Moines Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, and the Duluth Superior Symphony. She maintains a busy chamber music calendar, which in the 2025-26 season included recitals at The Schubert Club and the Marine Candlelight Concert Series. In 2018 she was awarded first prize in the Upper Midwest Flute Association Young Artist Competition. Hannah has been selected twice as an MPR Class Notes Teaching Artist, and teaches privately in Saint Paul.
(Photo credit: Emily John Photography)

Fei Wen is an active freelance musician and private instructor who has performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra. In the summer, she plays with the Moziac Summer Festival in San Luis Obispo, California. Fei received a Bachelor's Degree in flute performance from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She now also has an Artist Diploma from Oberlin Conservatory and a Master's Degree from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.
(Photo credit: Festival Mozaic)

Acclaimed American oboist Barbara Bishop has had a rich and varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician and teacher prior to joining The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. She has served as Assistant Teaching Professor of Oboe at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory and Associate Principal Oboe with the Kansas City Symphony, and holds degrees from the Eastman School and the University of Minnesota.

Julie Gramolini Williams has been a member of the Minnesota Orchestra's oboe section since 2007. She previously performed with the Omaha Symphony and served as Principal Oboe of the United States Air Force Band of the West in San Antonio, Texas. Julie serves as the Board Chair of CAYO and also contributes as a Teaching Artist, leading educational initiatives in Cuba and facilitating the delivery of essential supplies to students and educators.

Carrie Vecchione, oboe/English horn, teaches at the MacPhail Center for Music, subs with the Minnesota Orchestra, and appears as Principal Oboe of the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra. She has previously performed with the Indianapolis Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and New Orleans Ballet, among others, and has soloed at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall. Carrie holds doctoral and bachelor's degrees from Louisiana State University and a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

Karrin Meffert-Nelson has served as Principal Clarinet of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra since 2012. An active freelancer, she performs with VocalEssence, productions at the Ordway, Orpheum, and State Theaters, and as a substitute Principal Clarinet with the Minnesota Orchestra. She has also performed with the St. Louis and Milwaukee Symphonies. Karrin holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota and is an Associate Professor of Clarinet at Gustavus Adolphus College.

Daniel Friberg has performed widely across the United States and internationally in South Korea, Russia, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Hungary, Austria, Italy, and France. He holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Yale University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. In addition to performing and teaching, Daniel manages the printed music department of Groth Music. He collects and plays historical clarinets and chalumeaux, and is the author of the pedagogical duet book "Clarinet Excerpts in Context: Duets for Ensemble Mastery."
(Photo credit: Autumn Lee)

Olivia Hamilton recently completed a two-year Minnesota Orchestra Fellowship and is now Principal Clarinet of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and a tenured member of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. She has been a finalist in the Sphinx Orchestra Partners Audition Competition and has performed with the Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Paul Chamber, Houston, Sphinx, Gateways, Omaha, and Princeton Symphony Orchestras and the Kennedy Center Honors Orchestra, the latter broadcast nationally on CBS. Olivia earned her Master of Music degree from Northwestern University.

After 25 seasons as Principal Clarinet of the Minnesota Orchestra, Burt Hara joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic as Associate Principal Clarinet. He also served as Principal Clarinet of the Philadelphia Orchestra and has performed with the New York Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He is a faculty member at California State University-Fullerton and a Buffet Group USA and Vandoren Performing Artist. Burt attended the Curtis Institute of Music and made his solo debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at age 14.

David Pharris has performed as second clarinet in the Minnesota Orchestra since 2005 and served as acting associate principal clarinet for the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons. He has also played with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and New York Philharmonic, and he has appeared regularly at the Grand Teton Music Festival since 2009. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University School of Music.
(Photo credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash)

Paul Schimming is a Twin Cities-based clarinetist and has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Opera as well as touring orchestras for the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theater, and many others. He is a strong advocate for contemporary music and was a founding member of Ensemble 61 in addition to performances with Zeitgeist, 10th Wave, and RenegadeEnsemble. Paul holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota and has held teaching positions at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, University of North Dakota, and Concordia University, St. Paul.
(Photo credit: University of Minnesota)

Paul Schulz has been a member of the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra since 1991, serving as principal clarinet since 2005, and has been principal clarinet of the Minnesota Sinfonia since 2011. He has also performed with the Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Opera. A composer as well as a performer, he has written numerous works for the Minnesota Sinfonia and premiered original works for solo bass clarinet. Schulz holds degrees from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and Arizona State University and teaches private bass and contrabass clarinet as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas.
(Photo credit: Erin Kathleen Photography)

Dr. Alexandra Berndt is a Twin Cities-based performer and educator.  She joined the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra in 2016 and has served on the faculty of Gustavus Adolphus College since 2018.  She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, from Northwestern University.

Fei Xie joined the Minnesota Orchestra as Principal Bassoon in 2017, after serving in the same role with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra-becoming the first Chinese-born bassoonist to hold a principal position in a major American symphony orchestra. He has given masterclasses and recitals at conservatories and festivals throughout the United States, China, Cuba, and Brazil, and serves on the faculty of the University of Minnesota. (Photo credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash)

Ariel Detwiler is an active bassoon teacher, freelance performer, and reed maker based in Minneapolis. She performs regularly with orchestras, chamber ensembles, and musical pits throughout the Twin Cities, and has appeared as a soloist with the Encore Wind Ensemble and Minnetonka Symphony Orchestra. Ariel holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Music degree from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music degree from DePauw University. She is adjunct professor of bassoon at Augsburg University and Northwestern University (St. Paul), and she is the owner of ACDC Reeds.
(Photo credit: Ali Gessner)

Preston Duncan is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist who has performed as a soloist in venues across Paris, Berlin, Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville, Boston, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Taiwan. He performs regularly with the Minnesota Orchestra and is Professor of Saxophone at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Benjamin Cold is the Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Clarinet at the University of Minnesota Duluth where he teaches applied single-reeds, music technology courses and directs woodwind chamber ensembles. A passionate advocate for new music, he has been involved in the commissions and premieres of dozens of compositions for saxophone, with work performed and recorded on Classical Minnesota Public Radio, National Public Radio and American Public Media’s “Performance Today”. He has given masterclasses and recitals at institutions across the United States including the University of Minnesota, Bowling Green State University, and the University of North Texas. Benjamin completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in saxophone performance and pedagogy at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
(Photo credit: Dan Gerber “dangerberphotography”)

Russell Sweet holds a Master of Music degree in Multiple Woodwinds performance from the University of Oregon, where he studied saxophone, flute, and clarinet. He also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Russell teaches private lessons and performs with jazz bands, chamber ensembles, and pit orchestras throughout the Twin Cities.

Sean is a saxophonist based out of White Bear Lake, Minnesota who earned a Master of Arts degree in Woodwind Performance at the University of Iowa under the instruction of Dr. Kenneth Tse. He is a two-time winner of the Minnesota MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition, the Grand Prize winner of Vandoren’s Young Emerging Artist Competition in January 2019, and, most recently, earned 3rd Prize in the 2020 MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Competition. Sean was featured as an international soloist with the St. Olaf Band on its 2018 tour to New Zealand and Australia.

Sean is an active performer in the Twin Cities Area, including recent appearances with Mae Simpson, The Belfast Cowboys, The Twin Cities Saxophone Quartet, Mick Sterling, Transit Authority, and Star of the North Jazz Orchestra.

Outside of playing saxophone, Sean enjoys marathon training, spending time with his fiancé, Leighlin, and aussie, Greta, and working on his golf game.
(Photo credit: Brandon Lenzmeier)

Jonathan is an active freelance musician in the Twin Cities, performing with the Minnesota Opera, Vocal Essence, and the Northrop Dance Series. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California, Master of Music degree from Rice University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. His primary teachers included Boyde Hood, Marie Speziale, and David Baldwin. Jonathan is also on the faculty of MacPhail Center for Music.

Lynn Erickson played Second Trumpet with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for 34 years before retiring in 2025. She is an active performer whose credits include the Minnesota Orchestra, Mill City Opera, and Broadway productions at the Ordway. She is Principal Trumpet of the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra and teaches at Augsburg University. Lynn earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota.
(Photo credit: LeslieShankPhotography)

Manny Laureano was Principal Trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra for 44 years until his retirement in 2025. He is in demand as a soloist, clinician, and conductor with ensembles throughout the region, and has been Music Director of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra for 12 seasons. Manny and his wife, Claudette, co-directed the Minnesota Youth Symphonies for 32 years. A graduate of The Juilliard School, he also holds a third-degree black belt in Kenpo. Manny got his start playing the trumpet in junior high band in East Harlem, New York, and he served as the first conductor of Minnesota Winds in 2024.
(Photo credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash)

Amy Schendel is a freelance trumpet player and teacher based in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. She is the associate principal trumpet in the South Dakota Symphony and has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, Madison Symphony, and Oregon Symphonic Band, among others.  In addition, she has presented at the International Women's Brass Conference and International Trumpet Guild Conference. She was previously Associate Professor of Trumpet at the University of Iowa.

Alexander Henton served as Principal Horn of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Japan (2014-2017) and the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra in China (2018-2019). A 2022 Sphinx Fellowship recipient, he was also named Outstanding Musician at the 2023 Sphinx Orchestral Partners Audition. Currently freelancing in the Twin Cities, he substitutes with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Omaha Symphony. In 2025, he performed in the Netflix production of Snoop Dogg's Holiday Halftime Show alongside Snoop Dogg, HUNTR/X,  Andrea Bocelli and Lainey Wilson. Henton holds degrees from Temple University and the New England Conservatory. He is currently on faculty at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire and Gustavus Adolphus College. 

Jenna McBride-Harris is Second Horn of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Visiting Assistant Professor of Horn at St. Olaf College, and an active freelancer with the Minnesota Opera, Minnesota Orchestra, and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Jenna earned her Doctorate of Music degree from The Ohio State University. Career highlights include performing for Norwegian royalty and playing under the batons of Doc Severinsen and John Williams.
(Photo credit: @Audreychristine.co)

Patrick Pridemore has performed with a wide range of artists and ensembles, from Aretha Franklin, Cheap Trick, and Harry Connick Jr. to the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Metropolitan Opera. His playing is featured in films including The Manchurian Candidate, The Greatest Showman, and Joker. Patrick spent more than two decades as a freelance musician in New York City performing on and off Broadway.

Matthew Renz is a Twin Cities-based freelance hornist and a founding member of the Compass Rose Brass Ensemble and the Minnesota Horn Quartet. He performs regularly with the Rochester Symphony Orchestra. Matthew's broad performance experience spans symphonic and chamber music, musical theater, and beyond, with credits including the Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, the Guthrie Theater, and the 2005 Disney Collegiate All-Star Band. He studied horn performance at the University of Minnesota. 

Dr. Phillip Ostrander is Professor of Trombone and Bands at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Principal Trombone of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra. He has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, and Kansas City Symphony, and performs regularly on Broadway shows in Minneapolis. An accomplished jazz trombonist, he has collaborated with Maria Schneider, Jimmy Heath, and Jim McNeely. Phillip holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and New England Conservatory and is a clinician for Conn-Selmer.

Trombonist Felix Regalado recently completed a Minnesota Orchestra Fellowship. A graduate of Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music, where he earned his Master of Music degree, he was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the training ensemble of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Felix now teaches trombone at Macalester College.
(Photo credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash)

Kirsten Lies-Warfield is a trombonist, composer, and performer hailing from Fargo, North Dakota. She made history as the first woman trombonist hired by The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own," when she joined in 1999. She also served as Principal Trombone of the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. Kirsten holds degrees from Lawrence University and Indiana University, where she pursued doctoral studies in brass pedagogy.
(Photo credit: Robert Mesite)

Mason Donnohue is a freelance bass trombonist who regularly performs with the La Crosse, Fargo-Moorhead, and Rochester symphonies along with the Northern Lights Music Festival Orchestra on the Iron Range. Career highlights include performing at Carnegie Hall, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Musikverein in Vienna. He holds an artist diploma from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Music degree from Duquesne University. Mason is an Eagan native and a graduate of Eastview High School in Apple Valley.
(Photo credit: Steve Groves)

Jason Tanksley is a Minnesota-based tubist and Instructor of Tuba at St. Olaf College. He has performed with many of the nation’s leading orchestras, including The Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Oregon Symphony, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 2022, he appeared with the Kennedy Center Honors Orchestra in a special tribute to honoree Tania León. Jason has toured nationally with the Sphinx Orchestra, performed internationally with the Minnesota Orchestra, and regularly presents masterclasses across the United States and abroad.

Dr. John Tranter has served as Instructor of Low Brass at the University of Minnesota since 2003 and performs regularly with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, and JazzMN Big Band, among many others. He also serves as solo euphonium with the Sheldon Theatre Brass Band. Beyond Minnesota, he has performed with Symphonia, the Palm Beach Opera, and the Kansas City Symphony Brass Quintet. He has a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Performance from the University of Minnesota, along with Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Electrical Engineering and Music Performance.

Sage Kiritschenko is a Tuba Performance Major at St. Olaf College in Northfield, class of 2029. He plays in the St. Olaf Band under Dr. Henry Dorn and the St. Olaf Orchestra under Dr. Chung Park. Sage studies tuba with Jason Tanksley and hails from St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jason Wells serves as Executive Director of the 10th Wave Chamber Music Collective and is a versatile bassist whose career spans classical performance, education, and arts leadership. Based in Minneapolis, he is a substitute musician with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, joining the SPCO for their 2024-2025 season and performing alongside artists such as Tabea Zimmerman, Abel Selaocoe, and Jasmine Choi; he has also performed with orchestras across the Midwest including the Des Moines Symphony and Sioux City Symphony.  Jason’s versatility extends beyond classical music to jazz, gospel, Salsa, and folk; in 2023, he toured Qatar, Türkiye, and Bulgaria with the folk band Barbaro as part of the U.S. Department of State's American Music Abroad program. A passionate educator, Jason provides private bass lessons, leads workshops and coaching sessions at middle and high schools throughout the Twin Cities, and teaches masterclasses at universities throughout the Midwest, while also championing contemporary classical music by collaborating with local composers to bring new works for the bass to life.
(Photo credit: Claire Loes)

William Eddins is an accomplished pianist, Music Director Emeritus of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and a frequent guest conductor of major orchestras throughout the world. He is also co-founder of MetroNOME Brewery in Saint Paul, a socially missioned brewery dedicated to providing music education for underserved youth in the Twin Cities. William graduated from the Eastman School of Music, where he played with the legendary wind ensemble. He served as conductor for Minnesota Winds in fall 2025.
(Photo credit: Nate Ryan)

Sarah Grudem is a classically trained, award-winning harpist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She began her musical journey at age seven as a Suzuki harp student at MacPhail Center for Music. Sarah collaborates with choirs, orchestras, and chamber groups including the Minnesota Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, VocalEssence, the Valley Chamber Chorale, and the Oratorio Society. A recent performance highlight was a performance with Andrea Bocelli at the Target Center. She holds a bachelor's degree from the Juilliard School and a master's degree from the University of Minnesota.
(Photo credit: Luke Allen, Illumination Studios)

Bob Adney is principal timpanist of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and timpanist for the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra. A founding member of the Minnesota Percussion Trio, he has performed over 1,500 concerts throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. As a Twin Cities freelancer, he has recorded 25 albums with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Minnesota Opera. Bob teaches at MacPhail Center for Music, is the author of several instructional percussion books, and is co-owner of marimbarental.com.
(Photo credit: Illumination Photography)

Heather Barringer is a member of the new music ensemble Zeitgeist which has commissioned over 500 new works since its inception. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls with a bachelor's degree in Music Education and studied at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory. In addition to performing and recording with Zeitgeist, she is a member of Mary Ellen Childs' ensemble, Crash, and has worked with many Twin Cities organizations, including Nautilus Music-Theater, Ten Thousand Things Theater, Minnesota Dance Theater, and Aby Wolf.

Erik Barsness is a percussionist based in the Twin Cities who performs regularly with the Minnesota Percussion Trio and Crash,and is the percussionist with the Minneapolis Pops Orchestra. Internationally, Erik has performed throughout Europe as well as Cuba and Russia. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden, where he studied on a Fulbright Scholarship. In addition to performing, Erik maintains a teaching studio in the Twin Cities. For more information, please visit www.ErikBarsness.com

Eri Isomura is a founding member and the artistic director of the 10th Wave Chamber Music Collective, is a member of Heartland Marimba, and regularly performs with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, Theater Mu, and Champagne Confetti. Eri has two solo/duo albums and is endorsed by Innovative Percussion and Koide Cymbals. She is former adjunct faculty at St. Olaf College (2019–2023), past president of the MN Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society (2022–2025), and the percussion seminar instructor at GTCYS. eriisomura.com‍ ‍10thwave.org

Dr. Adam Rappel is a versatile percussionist, performer, and teacher. He currently serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Percussion at Gustavus Adolphus College. He performs regularly with the Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Opera, and he has appeared in musicals including Aladdin and Mean Girls in Minneapolis. He has shared stages with artists including Bobby McFerrin and Valerie Dee Naranjo. Adam is the first percussionist to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota and is endorsed by Innovative Percussion, Sabian Cymbals, and Yamaha Concert Percussion.

Kevin Watkins joined the Minnesota Orchestra's percussion section in 1999 and currently serves as acting associate principal timpani and associate principal percussion. He has also performed with the Cleveland Orchestra and the major symphony orchestras of Detroit, Kansas City, and Atlanta, as well as The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Watkins earned his bachelor's degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and his master's from Cleveland State University, and can be heard on recordings from BIS, Reference Recordings, and Opus One.
(Photo credit: Zoe Prinds-Flash)