Principal Players
The Bellingham Festival Orchestra is comprised of principal players from major American and European orchestras and exceptional musicians from other local, regional and national ensembles. We are fortunate to have this assemblage of talent as our resident Festival orchestra. These talented artists will also present chamber music and perform as soloists with the orchestra during the Festival.
Richard Roberts, Concertmaster
has served as Principal Concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra since 1982. He studied violin with Josef Gingold at Indiana University, chamber music with Janos Starker and William Primrose, and pursued further studies in Geneva, Switzerland with Henryk Szeryng. Prior to his appointment in Montreal, he was Assistant Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra under conductor Lorin Maazel.
Mr. Roberts has also appeared as soloist and chamber musician throughout North America, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia in repertoire ranging from the early Baroque to Contemporary music. He has appeared as soloist with the Montreal Symphony on more than sixty-five occasions. As a teacher, Mr. Roberts has served on the faculties of the University of Minnesota, McGill University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, has given master classes at Indiana University, Oberlin College, the University of California at Los Angeles, and has been a frequent jurist for competitions world-wide.
Mr. Roberts has been concertmaster of the Bellingham Festival of Music since 2004. This season also marks Mr. Robert’s third appearance as soloist at the Bellingham Festival of Music. He was previously featured in Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra” in 2004, and Dvorak’s “Romance in F Minor” in 2005.
Charles Butler, Principal Trumpet
is distinguished by his associations with the Israel Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Malaysian Philharmonic, Orquesta de Tenerife, Orquesta de Galicia, Houston Symphony, the Louisiana Symphony Orchestra, Burning River Brass and many high level performing organizations across the US and abroad. Charles has worked with many leading conductors and is a prolific recording artist. He has been featured on numerous commercial recordings with Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Itzhak Perlman (Israel Philharmonic), Donald Runnicles (San Francisco Opera), Hans Graf (Houston Symphony), and over 100 recordings with the Seattle Symphony as well as countless motion picture and TV sound tracks. Two of his most recent motion picture sound track recordings for 2007-2008 have been “Forbidden Kingdom” with Jackie Chan and “Hulk II” with Ed Norton. Charles currently resides in Seattle and returns to the Bellingham Festival for his 6th season.
Rita Constanzi, Principal Harp
resided in Vancouver, BC, for 28 years where she was Principal Harp of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the CBC Radio Orchestra, and on the faculties of the University of British Columbia School of Music, the Comox Valley Youth Music Center and the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific. She has been soloist with orchestras across Canada and with every major arts organization in Vancouver, and has premiered many new works written especially for her. She relocated to New York City in April, 2007.
Ms. Costanzi’s training began under the guidance of her father, noted violist Francis Tursi, and harpist Eileen Malone. After graduating from the Eastman School of Music with Highest Distinction and the Performer’s Certificate, she furthered her studies with Bernard Zighera, Marcel Grandjany, and with Jacqueline Borot. She was twice winner of the American Harp Society’s National Competition and recipient of the Lily Laskine Award for most outstanding solo harp recital.
Victor Costanzi, Principal Second Violin
is one of North America’s more versatile violinists, with a resume spanning many genres (symphony, chamber music, opera, ballet, musical theatre, pop and film) and eras, from early music with John Eliot Gardener to new music with Steve Reich. After his solo debut at sixteen with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra he was invited to attend the Eastman School on full scholarship. Since then he has toured Latin America, the U.S. and Canada, to glowing press notices (inspired playing brought the house down”- Toronto Globe and Mail; “the highlight of the concert”- Montreal Gazette). He is co-founder and Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed Vetta Chamber Series. He has recorded for CBC, Vox, Skylarc, Centre Disc and Miracle record labels. In March, 2005, Mr. Costanzi relocated from Vancouver BC to New York, where he is active as a Broadway concertmaster.
Andrew Gott, Principal Bassoon
is Assistant Principal Bassoon of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Previously he was principal bassoon with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. He has also been a member of the Woodlands Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Contra/Utility bassoon with Orchestra X. He has been on faculty at the Ball State Bassoon Camp, played with the Norfolk Chamber Consort, the Virginia Wind Players, the Virginia Arts Festival, and taught bassoon at Old Dominion University and the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. He attended Ball State University and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
Frank Kowalsky, Principal Clarinet
is the Joseph A. White Professor of Clarinet at Florida State University. He has performed as principal clarinetist with orchestras throughout the United States, including the Naples Philharmonic, Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, and Northwood Orchestra, and has been a member of the United States Marine Band, Colorado Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, and Music at Gretna.
Recent activities include a tour to England as guest soloist with the Florida State Winds and nation-wide tours as a member of Trio Con Brio. He is music director for the Tallahassee Ballet’s annual production, Evening of Music and Dance, appears regularly with the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, and is a regular artist with the Orcas Chamber Orchestra. A member of the faculty at the Interlochen Arts Academy for ten years, he has been Professor of Clarinet at FSU since 1984. Dr. Kowalsky holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Catholic University of America.
Ju-Fang Liu, Principal Contrabass
currently serves as Principal Contrabass of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Ju-Fang Liu was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and began her study of the bass at age 9. She earned B.M. and M.M. degrees from Indiana University and has studied with Bruce Bransby and Lawrence Hurst. Prior to joining the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 2003, she was principal contrabass with the New World Symphony in Florida. She has also been a member of orchestras in Kansas City, Owensboro and Evansville, performed in summer festivals at Aspen, Marlboro and Tanglewood, and been heard as soloist with the Louisville and New World orchestras.
In her leisure time, she enjoys jogging, badminton, table tennis, reading, cooking and learning/playing jazz. Her parents, two brothers and a sister reside in Taiwan.
Christie Reside, Principal Flute
is Principal Flute of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. She began studying flute with her parents at the age of six. Since then, she has been an active participant in numerous competitions, winning the National Music Festival of Canada, and placing second at the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists Competition. She has participated in numerous festivals around the world, including the Spoleto Music Festival, and the Mountain View International Festival of Song and Chamber Music. An enthusiastic chamber musician, Ms. Reside has collaborated with artists such as Rudolf Jansen, Olivier Thouin, Yegor Dyachkov, and Lise Daoust. She has also appeared as a soloist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, among others. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from McGill University, where she was a student of Timothy Hutchins and Eugene Plawutsky.
Joseph Robinson, Principal Oboe
served as Principal Oboe of the New York Philharmonic for 27 years from June, 1978 until September 2005, succeeding the illustrious Harold Gomberg. He was also the last oboist in America to study with the legendary Marcel Tabuteau. Like both of them, Mr Robinson became one of the most distinguished orchestral musicians of his era. In 1989 he proposed, planned, and arranged funding for the first residency in the history of the New York Philharmonic, at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In May 2005 at Riverside Church in New York City Mr. Robinson received the highest award bestowed by the Manhattan School of Music, the Presidential Medal, for 27 years of meritorious faculty service.
Today Mr. Robinson resides in Blaine with his wife, violinist Mary Kay Robinson. They are parents of three remarkable daughters — executive Katie, Doctor Jody and diva Becky.
Alberto Suarez, Principal Horn
is Principal Horn of the Kansas City Symphony. He also performs with the Britt Festival and the Mozart Festival in San Luis Obispo during the summer. Prior to joining KCS, Alberto was a member of the New World Symphony and has a Bachelors of Music from Northern Illinois University and a Masters of Music and Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory of Music. James Sommerville, Principal Horn for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has been his primary instructor since 2001.
Alberto has also worked with Michelle Baker from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. As a member of the Huntington Brass Quintet, Alberto received critical acclaim for their 2002 recording, Daniel Pinkham: Music for Brass, and was part of Chamber Music America’s Rural Residency program.
Steven Thomas, Principal Cello
is Principal Cello of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. He is known internationally as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher. A top prize-winner in the Villa-Lobos (Rio, 1982) and J.S. Bach (Washington, 1985) International Competitions, and other national competitions in the US and his native England, he performs regularly throughout Europe, North and South America. Mr. Thomas has recorded for radio and CDs in Denmark, Holland, the Czech Republic and Israel.
Mr. Thomas has been a faculty member at the Hartt School of Music since 1994, and has given master classes at universities in Brazil, Italy and Connecticut. He holds a performers’ diploma from the Royal College of Music in London (received at the age of 16), and degrees from Cambridge and Yale Universities, including a Doctorate from the latter, where he studied with Aldo Parisot.
Rob Tucker, Principal Timpani
a Washington native, performs regularly with the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, and Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestras, as well as in most of Seattle’s major recording studios, having played for countless motion picture soundtracks, video games, and commercials. As a chamber musician he has performed with the Seattle Chamber Players, and is a founding member of the Pacific Rims Percussion Quartet, and Quake, a new music septet. Rob attended the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Southern California.
Jonathan Vinocour, Principal Viola
currently serves as Principal Viola of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Previously a full time substitute in the Boston Symphony, he has also served as guest principal violist of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Herbert Blomstedt. Vinocour is an avid chamber musician and has appeared with Musicians from Marlboro, the Boston Chamber Music Society, International Sejong Soloists and Richardson Chamber Players. Performances have brought him to Boston’s Jordan Hall, Gardner Museum and Sanders Theater, New York’s Metropolitan Museum and Town Hall, and the Freer Gallery and Kennedy Center in Washington DC. He has also performed at the Aspen, Marlboro, Portland, Prussia Cove, and Tanglewood festivals where he received the Henri Kohn Memorial Prize. Jonathan completed his graduate studies at New England Conservatory with Kim Kashkashian. Prior to that, he studied chemistry at Princeton University and was honored by the Sudler Prize in the Arts.
| 360 201-6621 | P.O. Box 818 | Bellingham WA 98227 |