Barbara Spadavecchia - Violin & Viola
Barbara has a degree from the University of Washington. She has performed with the New World Symphony, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Paramount Theatre Orchestra, the Yakima and Juneau Symphonies, the Boise Philharmonic and the Ketchikan String Quartet. She was a founding member of the Seattle String Quartet and has a very busy teaching schedule.
Karen Sorenson - Violinist
Karen has degrees from the University of Washington and the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University. She has performed with Pacific Northwest Ballet, 5th Avenue & Paramount Theatre Orchestras, Seattle Opera, Northwest Sinfonietta, Boise Philharmonic, Spokane and Yakima Symphonies. She also has many shows and recordings to her credit.
William Boyd - Violin & Viola
William Boyd BA, WWU, MA Temple U
Founding member of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, concertmaster Paramount and 5th Ave. theaters, Joffrey Ballet, Royal Winnepeg Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Seattle Symphony. Performed and recorded with numerous artists: Stevie Wonder, Red Skelton, Dionne Warwick, Johnny Mathis, Josh Grobon, Tony Bennett, and many more.
Annie Center - Viola & Piano
Annie has degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and European Mozart Academy in Prague, Czech Republic. As a piano soloist, she has performed with the San Francisco Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; as viola soloist, she has performed with the Arizona Chamber Orchestra and the Phoenix Symphony Sinfonietta. As a chamber musician, she has performed with members of the Juilliard, Guarneri, Emerson, Cleveland, and Philadelphia string quartets.
Mary Manning - Violin & Viola
Mary Manning is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. She has played with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, and the Tacoma Symphony and has served as concertmaster for the Northwest Sinfonietta
Margaret Thorndill - Cello
Margaret has a master's degree in cello performance from California Institute of the Arts. She is a member of the Tacoma Symphony, and has previously played in the Singapore Symphony, and Ventura Symphony. She has taught and coached young musicians for numerous years.
James R. Smith - Cello
Jim studied music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He is currently Principal Cellist in the Thalia Symphony Orchestra. He has worked with the Yakima, Juneau and Boise Symphonies to name a few. Both of Jim's parents were professional symphony musicians and he has followed in their illustrious footsteps.
Bob Gail - Trumpet
Robert Gale is a native of Oregon, has music degrees from Northern Illinois University and Western Washington University. He is a music teacher and musician in the Seattle area and has performed with the Northwest Sinfonietta, Federal Way Symphony, and the Pacific Brass Quintet, and teaches Band at Bright Water School in Seattle.
Mike Center - Cello
Michael Center holds degrees in music from the New England Conservatory and the Peabody Institute. He has been a member of the Sacramento Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Washington Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Center has also concertized with members of the Julliard, Vermeer, Chicago, and Audubon String Quartets and regularly appears with musicians from the San Francisco, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Chicago Symphonies.
Joseph Gottesman - Viola
Joe is the Director of Chamber Music studies for the Seattle Conservatory of Music of the Seattle Youth Symphony. He has performed in the viola sections of Mostly Mozart, The New York Chamber Symphony, The New York Pops, Seattle Symphony and the Pacific Northwest Ballet orchestra. He has served on the faculty of Western Washington University
Susan Telford - Flute
Susan has degrees from the University of Washington and Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University, Illinois. She have performed with the Tacoma Symphony, the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, the Seattle Opera and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. She also has countless movie soundtracks and recordings to her credit.
Melissa Walsh - Harpist
Melissa Walsh is currently the principal harpist for the Northwest Symphony Orchestra. She studied harp at the undergraduate and graduate level at the University of Washington, as well as master classes with Alice Chalifoux and Marjorie Tyre Sykes. Her playing experiences have ranged broadly, including many orchestras in the Northwest, Alaska and England, choral groups such as the Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Choral Company, theatrical productions at the 5th Avenue Theatre and Paramount Theatre and pop acts including Alice in Chains, Queensryche, Vicci Martinez, Natalie Cole, and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.