SDSO principal trumpet Chris Smith explains how he has come to be a YouTube star posting nearly 500 etude videos. In 2013, while on tour with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, I was giving a masterclass in Bogotá, Colombia. It became
An Interview with Kaelan Decman, Double Bass
Kaelan Decman has become a beloved member of the San Diego Symphony while playing multiple one-year contracts with the Orchestra. He is kind and compassionate, a really fun guy, and brings incredible energy to the music. He has become part
San Diego Cello Foundation, Interview with Yao Zhao and Xian Zhuo
The San Diego Cello Foundation was conceived by Yao Zhao in 2019. Its goal is to improve access to music education through instrument loans, masterclasses, competitions, and festivals. I briefly spoke about the Foundation with President Yao Zhao and Artistic
A New Collaborative Album for Solo Violin: Chaconnes
My solo violin album was released in late September 2021. It includes Bach Chaconne from Partita No. 2, Vitali Chaconne, and Waters Moonlight Beach Chaconne. My husband Abe heard Joe Waters’ Moonlight Beach Chaconne while working late and suggested I
The Adventure of the Missing Measures
By John Stubbs In the spring of 2020, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. Amy Taylor had a question about the piccolo part in my arrangement of “The Nutcracker.” Having access to a Russian web
Remembering 9/11: An Interview with Tommy Dougherty
By Hanah Stuart Composer, violinist, and Pittsburgh native, Tommy Dougherty, was commissioned to write a piece for the Laurel Arts Exhibit in Somerset, PA, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The piece, titled “Blue Steel Cranes” and scored for