A Message from the President & CEO
Welcome to the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras Spring Concert. We’re so glad you’re here to celebrate the remarkable dedication and artistry of these young musicians.
This afternoon’s program showcases not only the versatility of our students, but also their growing musical maturity. From the music of Titanic and Pirates of the Caribbean to Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony — this is music that continues to challenge and inspire musicians of every age.
We are profoundly grateful to the families who make this possible. Your carpools, practice reminders, early mornings, and constant encouragement are part of every performance. Thank you for the countless ways you support your musicians’ growth.
I hope you’ll join us for the Sunday matinee of the Charlotte Symphony’s performance of Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony on March 29. We are proud to offer free youth tickets to all Classical matinees, making it easy for young listeners to experience the power of the full Orchestra and be inspired by what’s
possible. And for families looking for another shared musical experience, we look forward to presenting Encanto in Concert on March 20 & 21 — a joyful way to experience the live Orchestra together.
Congratulations to each of our performers. Your commitment is evident in every performance. We hope you enjoy this evening of music-making as much as they have enjoyed preparing it.
David Fisk President & CEO
Your Charlotte Symphony Experience
Whether this is your first concert or you’ve been enjoying the Symphony for years, we’re glad you’re here. Below are a few things to know to help you feel right at home.
Food & Drink
A full bar, beverages, and snacks are available both before the concert and during intermission in the lobby.
Photography
We welcome and encourage you to capture and share photos before and after the concert or during intermission. Feel free to use your cell phone for photography without flash during the performance, but please refrain from video or audio recording.
Applause
You’ll notice that audiences applaud to welcome the concertmaster, conductor, and featured artists on stage. Some works may have several sections, or movements, separated by brief silent pauses. It is tradition to hold applause until after the last movement. If you are unsure, wait for the conductor to face the audience. But if you feel truly inspired, don’t be afraid to show your appreciation.
Need help or have questions?
Our ushers and staff are happy to assist — just ask!
Spring Concert
Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 4:00 pm
Belk Theater at Blumenthal Arts Center
Youth Philharmonic Katie Ebert, conductor
GUSTAV HOLST
(arr. Vernon Leidig)
“Jupiter” from The Planets
“Sword Dance” TRADITIONAL (arr. Bob Phillips)
JAMES HORNER
(arr. Calvin Custer)
MATT TURNER
Music from Titanic
“Blue Skies and Bright Stars”
Youth Philharmonic + Youth Camerata
KLAUS BADELT
(arr. Ted Ricketts)
Pirates of the Caribbean
Youth Camerata Ian Passmore, conductor
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
(arr. Vernon Leidig)
LEROY ANDERSON
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
II. Allegretto
Themes from Irish Suite, Part 1
Youth Symphony Ian Passmore, conductor
EDWARD ELGAR
Enigma Variations, Op. 36
Theme (Enigma)
I (C.A.E.)
IV (W.M.B.)
VII (Troyte.)
VIII (W.N.)
IX (Nimrod)
XII (B.G.N.)
XIII (* * *)
XIV (E.D.U.) Finale
Katie Ebert conductor, Youth Philharmonic
Katie Ebert is the Director of Bands at Cuthbertson Middle School in Waxhaw NC, having served in this capacity since the school’s opening in 2009. She is in her 21st year teaching public school, and each of her ensembles continues to experience success. The Cuthbertson Middle School concert bands have consistently earned superior ratings at local, district and regional music festivals. Under her baton, the middle school program has grown to a current enrollment of approximately 330 music students. Mrs. Ebert also serves as the Assistant Director of Bands at Cuthbertson High School.
A graduate of Lassiter High School in Marietta GA, Mrs. Ebert holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Performance from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah GA, and a Master of Music Education from Western Carolina University. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and holds professional associations in the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Educators, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the American School Band Directors Association, the South-Central District Bandmasters Association, and the Union County Bandmasters Association.
Mrs. Ebert is a three-time award recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence and was recognized as Cuthbertson Middle School’s Teacher
of the Year in 2016/17. She currently serves as a district representative on the state MPA committee and Solo and Ensemble chair.
Mrs. Ebert recently served as a guest clinician for the South Central and Northwestern All District Symphonic Honor Bands, and she continues to conduct both Distinct and County bands in the Southeast.
She resides in Waxhaw, NC and team teaches the Cuthbertson band program alongside her husband Todd.
Ian Passmore
interim conductor, Youth Symphony conductor, Youth Camerata
Known for adventurous musicality and a captivating stage presence, Filipino American conductor Ian Passmore enjoys a rich career as an orchestral leader and pedagogue. Hailed as “a rising young conductor” by Fanfare magazine, his unapologetically Romantic performances of the standard repertoire harken back to a bygone generation of conductors.
During the current season, Passmore returns to conduct Tennessee’s Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, and embarks on a second season as Interim Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra and Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Camerata. He also leads performances of the wildly popular “Stardew Valley Symphony of Seasons” show in eight major US cities.
Following two seasons as the Omaha Symphony’s Assistant Conductor, in 2019, the orchestra named Mr. Passmore its Associate Conductor — a position never before created in its 100-year history. Passmore has also led programs with the Buffalo and Louisiana philharmonics, the symphony orchestras of Anderson, Charlotte, Delaware, Greensboro, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Lincoln, North Carolina, Oak Ridge, Salisbury and Winston-Salem, the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, and Vietnam’s Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra. He will also lead the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra’s 2025 holiday performances of Tchaikovsky’s The
Nutcracker with the Charlotte Ballet. Passmore holds three academic degrees: a Doctor of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Delaware, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Having embarked on his own conducting studies at a very early age, Passmore’s career also prioritizes conducting pedagogy and music education. His educational contributions include frequent appearances as a guest conductor and adjudicator for student ensembles, as well as numerous speaking engagements. Recent conference presentations include the International Conductors Guild, South Dakota Bandmasters Association, and Nebraska Music Educators Association.
Passmore and his wife, Dianna Fiore, reside in North Carolina, in a home ruled over by a quartet of dogs: Beethoven, Charlie, Belle, and Heidi. When not on the podium, he can be found enjoying local restaurants and craft beers, cooking, traveling, road biking, and CrossFit. He is the creator of the social media series “Symphonic Shorts,” which seeks to remove the walls of formality that often surround classical music, making it more accessible to everyone.
Youth Philharmonic
Katie Ebert, conductor
VIOLIN ONE
Matin Ayoubzadeh
Valentin Gorkovoy
Caroline Long
Isabel Moore
Asher Rauch
Joy Wan**
Christy Wan
Annie Wang
Claire Xu
Avery Yang**
VIOLIN TWO
Ellie Ahn*
Oliver Trigo Bonar
Nikitha Hegde
Samanvi Hegde
Esther Jo
Nicholas Johnson
Seff Khan
Eloise Koert*
Jordyn Smith
Oscar Sweet
VIOLA
Sahishnu Ponnapati*
CELLO
Kate Allen
Benedict Imparto
Declan Johnson*
Hannah Grace Peterson
Caswell Taylor
Angel Vasquez-Morales
Daniel Wan*
BASS
Charlotte Slingerland*
Evan Thompson
FLUTE
Natalie Fang
Akshadhaa Ramakrishnan
Aathmika Thanigai
Avanthika Thanigai
Katie Yu*
Andrew Zhao
CLARINET
Sofia Rodrigues Angrisano*
Suman Siripurapu
BASSOON
Ava Zwally*
HORN
Aramina Ebert*
TRUMPET
Liam Arenas*
TROMBONE
Krish Anath*
TUBA
Nathaniel Perez*
** Concertmaster
*Principal
Youth Camerata
VIOLIN ONE
Ellie Allen
Aanya Bharadwaj
Ethan Brainard**
Constance Cao
Caroline Jenkins
Grace Jordan
Freya Lin
Elizabeth Nanashima
Adithi Somee
Ariya Song
Jane Wang
Zion Yoo
James Yuan
Liana Zhang**
VIOLIN TWO
Ryan Ahn*
Katherine Cen
Charlie Delucia
Eden Gourdet-Bilancia*
Hai John Huang
Darina Kucherenko
Angelina Lambright
Jasmine Lee
Lucy Murray
Purvi Selvaraj
Sydney Tuttle
Mia Wang
Serena Yang
VIOLA
Pranav Bodavula
Emerson Lawrence*
Harshita Sharma*
Ian Passmore, conductor
CELLO
Gaddiel Brewer*
Olivia Fang
Brian Garcia Mejia
Isaac Jo
Nathaniel Keenan
Edward Liu*
Nolan Pratt
Adam Refaey
Isabella Ruz
Ishan Sundaram
Nathan Tackson
BASS
Aaron Dobson
Polina Flint*
Abagail Murray
Delilah Murray
FLUTE
Justin Li
Stella Moy*
Eva Novinskaya
Kamilah Ochoa
OBOE
Xander Wang*
CLARINET
Grace Chiu*
Soliana Demsie
BASS CLARINET
William Thompson
BASSOON
Connor Burch*
TRUMPET
Zac Bao-Dai
Mila Bock
Harper Worrall*
TROMBONE
Ben Clancy*
TUBA
Eliah Keaton*
PERCUSSION
Theo Ottinger
Gianna Ngetich
Shanna Ngetich*
Anish Suresh*
** Concertmaster
*Principal
Youth Symphony
Ian Passmore, conductor
VIOLIN ONE
Noel Fang
Anish Ghosh
Nethra Gopalakrishnan
Emma Hew
Elena Oh
Sayuki Peterman**
Lincoln Ruesch
Levi Teague**
Sameeya Vasan
Emunah Wang
Audrey Zhang
Ethen Zheng
Neil Zhu
VIOLIN TWO
Amisha Bharti
Campbell Carter
Chloe Dai*
Lillian Dong*
Erin Hadiwidjaja
Adelle Holderman
Siaya Larsen
Davis Pak-Lin
William Peterson
Chloe Phung
Isabelle Pierre
Elina Tackson
Evelyn Tjahjadi
Rachel Wang
Zhangkai Yang
VIOLA
Darsh Goenka
Grace Higham
Ellen Leahy
Elias Pak-Lin*
Mahi Valiveti*
CELLO
Virginia Bouknight
Shwetanshu Chakraborthy
Joshika Chappidi
Clark Fan*
Charlotte Feddersen
Lars Kaijser Bots
Dennis Lin*
Chloe Oh
Gabriel Pierre
Josiah Shin
Lillian Song
Addison Turner
BASS
Nate Dyer*
Agastya Kumar
FLUTE
Gwen Johnson*
Qianxun Cherrie Li
Sadie Mitchell*
Trey Parrish
Natsuko Peterman
OBOE
Charlotte Feldman*
Davis Hubbard*
Mishka Shukla
CLARINET
Hanna Choi
Nicholas Smith*
Stella Taub
BASS CLARINET
Matthew Smith*
BASSOON
Beckett Jackson
Randy Mayo-Rodriguez*
Sadie McClellen
HORN
Alexander Davis*
Alex Fink
TRUMPET
Levi Cook
Colin Meuse*
TROMBONE
Leon Baiye*
Daniel Paulauskas
BASS TROMBONE
Braden Osteen*
TUBA
Nolan Rice*
PERCUSSION
Xavier Lee
Wiley Lomac*
Addison Miles*
Emanya Sibu
HARP
Ella Higham
** Concertmaster
*Principal
The Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras provide extraordinary music education to all. The programs aim to inspire in our students a strong sense of character, discipline, commitment, and community.
Our ensembles are inclusive, diverse, and accessible to all students, regardless of financial resources. We provide high-quality ensemble training led by conductors Ian Passmore, Katie Ebert, and Eric Thompson as well as dedicated Charlotte Symphony musicians, all who
provide a nurturing environment through which young musicians create lasting bonds in music and friendship.
We offer regular performance opportunities throughout the city, including at the Belk and Knight Theaters; plus guidance from the Charlotte Symphony’s renowned Music Director, Kwamé Ryan, and internationallyacclaimed visiting artists such as Gil Shaham and Anthony McGill.
The Charlotte Symphony Youth Ensemble Conductor Chair is made possible by a generous gift from
Debbie & Pat Phillips
The Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra Conductor Chair is made possible by a generous gift from The Symphony Guild of Charlotte
This program is made possible in part through the support of
SITE ASSISTANTS
William Wiand & Keylee Campos
SPECIAL THANKS
We would like to thank the following individuals whose passion for Music Education and our Youth Orchestra programs helped make this season possible.
The Mary Norris Preyer Fund
Judy Crozier
Park Road Baptist Church
Leslie Gipple
First Baptist Church West
Visit our website for more information!
Kwamé Ryan · Music Director
Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor Christopher Warren-Green, Conductor Laureate
MUSICIAN ROSTER
FIRST VIOLINS
Calin Ovidiu Lupanu Concertmaster
The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair
Joseph Meyer* Associate Concertmaster
Kari Giles
Acting Associate Concertmaster
Hanna Zhdan
Acting Assistant Concertmaster
Susan Blumberg°°
Jane Hart Brendle
Cynthia Burton
Fengwan Chen†
Ayako Gamo
David Horak†
Oliver Kot°°
Lenora Leggatt
Jenny Topilow
Dustin Wilkes-Kim*
SECOND VIOLINS
Kathleen Jarrell, Acting Principal
The Wolfgang Roth Chair
Carlos Tarazona°
Acting Assistant Principal
The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair
Monica Boboc
Martha Geissler
Sakira Harley
Laura Herrera†
Tatiana Karpova
Ellyn Stuart
VIOLAS
Benjamin Geller, Principal
The Zoe Bunten Merrillt Principal Viola Chair
Pin-Hao Liao
Assistant Principal
Ellen Ferdon
Wenlong Huang
Pedro Mendez
Viara Stefanova
Ning Zhao
CELLOS
Jon Lewis, Principal
The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair
Allison Drenkow
Assistant Principal
Marlene Ballena
Jeremy Lamb
Sarah Markle
Nicco Mazziotto
David Olson
DOUBLE BASSES
Jason McNeel, Acting Principal
Judson Baines, Assistant Principal
Jeffrey Ferdon
Eric Thompson†
HARP
Andrea Mumm Trammell
Principal
The Dr. Billy Graham Chair
FLUTES
Victor Wang, Principal
The Blumenthal Foundation Chair
Amy Orsinger Whitehead
Erinn Frechette
PICCOLO
Erinn Frechette
This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed.
° Non-revolving position
°° Alternates between first and second violins
† Acting member of the Charlotte Symphony
‡ Funded by The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.
* On leave
OBOES
Timothy Swanson, Principal
The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡
Erica Cice
Jamison Hillian†
ENGLISH HORN
Erica Cice
CLARINETS
Taylor Marino, Principal
The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair
Samuel Sparrow
Allan Rosenfeld
E ♭ CLARINET
Samuel Sparrow
BASS CLARINET
Allan Rosenfeld
BASSOONS
AJ Neubert, Principal
Joshua Hood
Nicholas Ritter
CONTRABASSOON
Nicholas Ritter
The CSO is a proud member of the League of American Orchestras.
HORNS
Byron Johns, Principal
The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair
Andrew Fierova
Christopher Caudill†
The Robert E. Rydel, Jr. Third Horn Chair (acting)
Richard Goldfaden
Paige Quillen
TRUMPETS
Alex Wilborn, Principal
The Betty J. Livingstone Chair
Jesdelson Vasquez†
Gianluca Farina†
Acting Associate Principal
The Marcus T. Hickman Chair
Gabriel Slesinger*
TROMBONES
John Bartlett, Principal
Thomas Burge
BASS TROMBONE
Scott Hartman, Principal
TUBA
Colin Benton, Principal
The Governor James G. Martin Chair
TIMPANI
Denis Petrunin, Acting Principal†
The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair
PERCUSSION
Brice Burton, Principal
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is one of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest continuously operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas. As Charlotte’s most active performing arts group, the CSO presents around 150 concerts each season, reaching more than 150,000 music lovers.
The 2025–26 season marks the next chapter in the Charlotte Symphony’s artistic evolution under Music Director Kwamé Ryan. Framed by a season-long exploration of home — reflecting on belonging, identity, and place through a wide range of musical voices — the season offers bold new works, symphonic masterworks, and creative collaborations across the Classical, Pops, Movie, and Family series. Highlights include the debut of the CSO Spotlight Series, an everexpanding look at the work of this season’s CSO Spotlight Artist, Gabriel Kahane; performances of audience favorites like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Ravel’s Boléro; and more events that showcase the Orchestra’s breadth, from the music of Dolly Parton to Black Panther in Concert. Engaging with more than 15,000 students each year, the Charlotte Symphony nurtures the next generation of musicians and music lovers through its four diverse
youth orchestras, in-school education programs, instrument coaching, and Project Harmony, which offers free afterschool lessons in music and life skills to over 200 students in under-resourced areas. With its new mobile stage, CSO Roadshow, the Symphony extends its reach directly into neighborhoods, bringing live music to communities across the region.
Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra continues to play a vital cultural role in the region and remains committed to the belief that music, accessible to all, enriches and unites our community.
OUR MISSION
The Charlotte Symphony uplifts, entertains, and educates the diverse communities of CharlotteMecklenburg and beyond through exceptional musical experiences.
OUR VISION
Reaching out through the transformative power of live music, the Charlotte Symphony will be a civic leader, reflecting and uniting our region.
For more information, visit us online at charlottesymphony.org
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT
Brice Burton
PRINCIPAL PERCUSSION
CSO Member since September 2017
HOMETOWN: San Diego, CA
Fun Facts
• Brice switched to percussion from piano at age 7 because it looked really active and like the percussionists were having lots of fun.
• If he could ask one composer a question, it would be for Anton Bruckner: What’s the story behind that lone cymbal crash in Symphony No. 7?
• He once battled with a stuck timpani pedal mid-performance during Elgar’s Enigma Variations — with the entire audience staring.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2025-26 OFFICERS
Richard Krumdieck, Chair
Ulrike Miles, Vice Chair
Melinda Snyder, Vice Chair & Secretary
Denise DeMaio, Treasurer
David Fisk, President & CEO
Kwamé Ryan, Music Director
2025-26
DIRECTORS
Krisha Blanchard
Joye D. Blount
Mike Butterworth
Nick Clements
Sidney Fletcher
Craig Froelich
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Linda McFarland Farthing, Chair
Francisco & Jeannette Alvarado
Paul Anderson
Ruth & Richard Ault
Rachel Gogal Badillo
Arlene & Milton Berkman
Mary & Charles Bowman
Frank Bragg
Robin & Bill Branstrom
Paige & Steve Burgess
Dr. William Charles & Dr. Cynthia Nortey
Derick & Sallie Close
Robin Cochran
Catherine & Wilton Connor
Jeanie & T. Thomas Cottingham III
Brian Cromwell
Susan Cybulski
Marcia & Jason Daily
Alessandra & Pasquale De Martino
Alvaro & Donna de Molina
Peggy & Richard Dreher
Carrie Galloway
Lucia Zapata Griffith
Fran Hyde
Byron Johns*
Valerie Kinloch
Stephen Makris
Juliette Pryor
Manley Roberts*
Sara Garces Roselli
Lindsay Schall
Ylida Scott
Cameron Sherrill
Matthew Spanjers
Jennifer Sullivan
Brienne Tinder*
Andrea Mumm Trammell*
Ken Walker *ex-officio
Lisa Hudson Evans
Bill Farthing
Karen Fox
Eileen Friars & Scott Pyle
Ralph S. Grier
Laurie Guy
Janet Haack
Reginald B. Henderson, Esq.
Mark & Whitney Jerrell
Jeff Lee
Dee & Joe Marley
Gov. James G. Martin
Jane & Hugh McColl
Stacie McGinn
Susan & Loy McKeithen
Alex & DeDe McKinnon
Elizabeth & Jay Monge
Janet Preyer Nelson
Mica Oberkfell
Patrick J. O’Leary
Richard Osborne
Sarah Frances Peck
Daniel Peterson
Debbie & G. Patrick Phillips
Derek & Judy Raghavan
Paul Reichs
Nancy & Charles Robson
Patricia A. Rodgers
M.A. Rogers
Frank Schall
Laura & Mike Schulte
Carolyn Shaw
Emily Smith
Will Sparks
Elizabeth Connor Stewart
Bob & Marsha Stickler
Kelly & Neal Taub
Adam Taylor
Chris & Jim Teat
Kevin & Jill Walker
Elizabeth & Steve Willen
Braxton Winston
Richard Worf
Joan Zimmerman
Albert Zue
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
EXECUTIVE
David J. L. Fisk
President & CEO
Samantha Hackett
Manager of Executive Administration & Board Relations
ARTISTIC OPERATIONS
Scott Freck
Vice President for Artistic Operations & General Manager
Erin Eady
Director of Orchestra Personnel
Laura Lindsay
Director of Orchestra Operations
Claudia Schmitz
Director of Artistic Planning
Bart Dunn
Principal Music Librarian
Ana Faithe Allen
Operations Coordinator
John Jarrell
Stage Manager
Byron Johns
Senior Stage Technician
Ross Jarrell
Stage Technician
DEVELOPMENT
Shayne Doty
Vice President of Development
Richard Riedl
Associate Vice President of Development
Mary Nell Johnson
Senior Director of Individual Giving
Tara Spil
Director of Corporate & Institutional Giving
Tammy Matula
Director of Development Services
Josh Bottoms
Manager of Corporate & Institutional Giving
Jennifer Gherardi
Manager of Development Services & Events
HUMAN RESOURCES
Maribeth Baker
Human Resources Counselor
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Christian Drake
Vice President of Finance & Administration
Amy Hine
HR Coordinator & Office Administrator
Kensloe Norrington
Staff Accountant
Chazin & Company, Financial Services
LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Aram Kim Bryan
Vice President of Community Relations & Learning
Dylan Lloyd
Senior Manager of Youth Orchestras
Mark Rockwood
Senior Manager of Youth Education
Michaela Sciacca
Senior Manager of Youth Programs
Gavin Fulker
Education Programs Assistant
Bria Alexander Community Engagement Assistant
MA RKETING & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Frank Impelluso
Vice President of Marketing & Audience Development
Deirdre Roddin
Director of Institutional Marketing & Communications
Nicole Glaza
Senior Manager of Digital Marketing
Laura Thomas
Senior Manager of Marketing & Audience Development
Chad Calvert
Visual Communications Manager
Meghan Cole
Patron Experience Manager
Garrett Whiffen
Ticketing Manager
March 6 & 7 BELK THEATER
