Notable Alumni

At the Sarasota Music Festival, we are proud to nurture the next generation of musicians, many of whom go on to perform in leading American orchestras and teach at top conservatories and universities. Their achievements reflect the excellence and spirit of our festival. Below is a selection of festival alumni who have gone on to distinguished careers in major orchestras, ensembles, and music institutions across the country.

* The years after each name indicate attendance dates as Fellows

• Ani Kavafian, Yale School of Music (1970, 72)
• Nathan Cole, Boston Symphony Orchestra concertmaster (1996)
• Frank Huang, NY Phil concertmaster (2000)
• David Coucheron, Atlanta Symphony concertmaster (2005, 06, 07, 09, 10)
• Stella Chen, soloist (2012)

• Steve Ansell, Boston Symphony Orchestra Principal (1998)
• Victoria Chiang, Peabody Conservatory faculty (1988)

• Joel Noyes, Assistant Principal Metropolitan Opera (1999)

• Brandon Vamos, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music faculty (1987, 91)

• Nina DeCesare, Peabody Conservatory faculty/Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (2013)
• Marguerite Cox, active orchestral and chamber musician (2017)
• Robin Kesselman, Houston Symphony Orchestra Principal bass (2010)
• Thomas Van Dyck, Boston Symphony Orchestra/New England Conservatory faculty (2002)

• Demarre McGill, soloist/Seattle Symphony Principal flute (1993)
• Jasmine Choi, soloist/Indiana University Jacobs School of Music faculty (2003)
• Marianne Gedigian, Rice Shepherd School of Music faculty (1986)
• Christina Jennings, University of Colorado Boulder faculty (1992)

• Robert Atherholt, Houston Symphony Principal oboe (retired) (1974)
• Eugene Izotov, San Francisco Symphony/former Metropolitan Opera Principal oboe (1993)
• Betsy Starr Masoudnia, Philadelphia Orchestra English horn (1982)
• John Upton, Metropolitan Opera Principal oboe (2010)
• Kate Wegener, Minnesota Orchestra Principal oboe (2019)

• Anthony McGill, NY Philharmonic Principal clarinet (1997)
• Charles Neidich, Juilliard School of Music faculty/soloist (1974-75)

• Nancy Goeres, Pittsburgh Symphony Principal bassoon/Carnegie Mellon University faculty (1970-72)
• Joseph Grimmer, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra/Washington National Opera Orchestra Principal bassoon/University of Maryland faculty (2009-10)
• Josh Baker, Boston Symphony Orchestra Principal bassoon (2012)
• Kristin Wolfe Jensen, University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music faculty (1989)

• Julia Pilant, Utah Symphony (1990)
• Bradley Gemeinhardt, Metropolitan Opera Principal Horn (1998)