Orchestra

Each season, some of the most accomplished instrumentalists in classical music come together to form the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. Professional musicians from as far away as California and New York, as well as from here in Florida, join together to perform in one of the finest opera orchestras in the country. Many of our players have been with us for more than five years, with several performing over ten seasons.

Having a resident orchestra gives Sarasota Opera the opportunity to thoroughly rehearse the season’s operas over the course of several weeks. Sarasota Opera’s orchestra, along with its other artists and technicians, are committed to presenting quality opera season after season.

Sarasota Opera Orchestra 2026

Violin

Mark Chien — Brooklyn, NY (6)
Concertmaster
The Murray Bring and Kay Delaney Endowed Chair

Emma Richman – New York, NY  (1)
Associate Concertmaster

Sue Faux – Jamaica Plain, MA (22)
Principal Second Violin

Sardardjan Djumaev – St. Petersburg, FL (2)
Lu Friedman – Hartford, CT (17)
Kimberly Hain – Winnetka, CA (3)
Juan Jaramillo – Pittsburgh, PA (19)
Benjamin Kronk – New York, NY  (1)
Anna Luebke – Silver Spring, MD (2)
Shelley Mathews – Wheaton, MD (10)
Milene Moreira – Sarasota, FL (19)
Mark Oshida – London, England (3)
Imanuel Sandoval – Miami, FL (2)
Luke Santonastaso – Los Angeles, CA (7)
Suzanne Wagor – Pawling, NY (3)
Rita Wang – New York, NY (2)
Jaya Varma – Houston, TX (3)
Sherri Zhang – Chicago, IL (3)

Viola

Laurel Borden — St. Petersburg, FL (6)
Principal

Maija Anstine – Pittsburgh, PA (2)
Elisa Rega – Portland, OR (4)
Matthew Ross – Cleveland, OH (3)
Alexandra VandeGeijn – Philadelphia, PA (11)

Cello

Nadine Trudel —Sarasota, FL (21)
Principal

Julia Henderson – New York, NY (8)
Andrea Mills – Trumbull, CT (22)
     The Eleanor Wilson Williams Endowed Chair
Edevaldo Mulla – Zephyrhills, FL (4)
Paul Swensen – New York, NY (9)
Emily Yoshimoto – Port Richey, FL (2)

Bass

Gil S. Katz – Sarasota, FL (24)
Principal

Ryan Bassett – Pittsburgh, PA (6)
Kolten Heeren – Bloomington, IN (4)
Jessica Sharp – Pittsburgh, PA (6)
 

Flute

Kasumi Leonard – Santa Fe, NM (2)
Principal

Francesca Arnone*
Carmen Bannon*
Sootnalee Philom*
Gino Rimanelli*

Piccolo

Alexandra Stokes
Sootnalee Philom*
Gino Rimanelli*

Oboe

Rick Basehore – Silver Spring, MD (16)
Principal

Jennifer Case – Huntsville, AL (10)

English Horn

Jennifer Case

Clarinet

Rodolfo Mireles-Manzano – Ft. Worth, TX (1)
Principal
The Ed and Jane Bavaria Endowed Chair

Logan Miller – San Antonio, TX (2)
Stacey McColley*

Bassoon

Marat Rakhmatullaev – Towson, MD (7)
Principal 

Corinne Crowley – Cary, NC (3)

Horn

Brian Goodwin – Highland Park, IL (3)
Principal

Lyndsie Wilson – Valrico, FL (9)
Brooke Boehmer – Pittsburgh, PA (1)
Sandra Swanson – Evanston, IL (26)

Trumpet

Paul Neebe – Chapel Hill, NC (8)
Principal 

Larry Herman – Cleveland, OH (27)
Alan Evans*
David Clark*
Chris Pate*

Trombone

Matthew Moran – Palatine, IL (1)
Principal 

Christopher Brosius – Cleveland Hights, OH (1)
Michael Stanton – Gainseville, FL (2)

Bass Trombone

Jonathan Schubert – Harleysville, PA (17)
The Mr. and Mrs. William E. Chapman, II Endowed Chair

Harp

Eric Sabatino – La Plata, MD (1)
Principal

Timpani

Matthew Kibort – Sarasota, FL (3)
Principal

Percussion

Andre Sonner – Edwardsville, IL (8)
Principal

Aaron Nix – Sarasota, FL (10)
Jennifer Marasti – Miami Beach, FL (1)
John Bannon*
Kelsey Bannon*

Orchestra Contractor

Gregg Koyle

Orchestra Manager

Andre Sonner

Orchestra Librarian

Julia Henderson

* Associate Musician