KANSAS CITY, Mo. (August 19, 2026) — The Kansas City Symphony today announced the appointment of six new musicians for the 2026/27 season, including two section principals, as the orchestra continues to build its reputation for artistic excellence and orchestral depth. The new appointments bring experience from leading orchestras, conservatories and music festivals across the U.S. and around the world, including from top national orchestras such as the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. 

“We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional musicians to the Kansas City Symphony,” said Danny Beckley, President & CEO of the Kansas City Symphony. “They bring extraordinary talent and experience from leading musical institutions around the world, which reflects the growing stature and momentum of our orchestra as we enter our 45th season. We look forward to the artistry our new musicians will bring to the Symphony’s sound and to the many ways they will enrich the musical life of Kansas City.” 

 

Roy Femenella, Principal Horn 

Roy Femenella joins the Kansas City Symphony as principal horn. Born and raised in New York City, Femenella has built a dynamic career as one of the most in-demand horn players of his generation. Prior to moving to Kansas City, he was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, where he performed for five seasons. Recently he has served as guest principal horn of the San Francisco Symphony and has appeared regularly with ensembles such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and Swedish Radio Symphony. Additionally, he has appeared as guest principal horn of the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería in Mexico City and Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa in Portugal. Recent chamber music appearances include a tour performing the Brahms Horn Trio throughout China, as well as appearances in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall with colleagues from the Metropolitan Opera. Femenella also has appeared on several major motion picture soundtracks.  

During the 2017 through 2020 seasons, Femenella held a fellowship at the New World Symphony in Miami, Fla., during which he gave several performances of Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 2 as a winner of the New World Symphony’s Concerto Competition. He holds a degree from the Juilliard School and pursued additional studies at the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he held a fellowship for three summers.  

  

Landon Honolka, Principal Double Bass 

Landon Honolka joins the Kansas City Symphony as principal double bass. Prior to his appointment in Kansas City, he served as principal bass of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Oklahoma Baroque Orchestra. He was also a member of the double bass section of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and has performed with ensembles including the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Fort Smith Symphony and New Mexico Philharmonic. 

A native of Albuquerque, N.M., Honolka began studying the double bass at age 11. His early musical development led him to Oklahoma City University, where he earned his Bachelor of Music degree before continuing his studies at the Juilliard School. While at Juilliard, he studied with Joseph Conyers, principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and developed a passion for orchestral performance, chamber music and bass pedagogy. 

An active orchestral and solo performer, Honolka has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Arapahoe Philharmonic and New Mexico Philharmonic. He is a recipient of fellowships to both the Aspen Music Festival and School and the National Repertory Orchestra, where he performed under internationally recognized conductors and collaborated with emerging artists from across North America. 

 

Yun-Chung Lin, First Violin 

Yun-Chung Lin earned her master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Areta Zhulla. She began her musical training in Taiwan and later earned her bachelor’s degree from the Taipei National University of the Arts, where she studied with I-Ching Li. 

She has performed with renowned artists including Mihaela Martin, Joseph Lin, Nai-Yuan Hu and Yu-Chien Tseng. Driven by a passion for orchestral performance, she served as an intern with the Taiwan Philharmonic National Symphony Orchestra and also was awarded full scholarships to the Taipei Music Academy Festival and the Asian Youth Orchestra. 

Beyond the concert stage, Lin is deeply committed to community engagement. She regularly brings music to hospital patients and students in rural elementary schools, using her artistry to connect with and inspire others.  

 

Alejandro Lombo, Piccolo and Flute 

Alejandro Lombo is the new piccoloist of the Kansas City Symphony. He previously held the piccolo position with the Florida Orchestra. Lombo has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the symphony orchestras of Detroit, Houston, London and Milwaukee, among others. Recent highlights include European tours alongside the Kansas City Symphony under Matthias Pintscher and the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin. 

He also has served as the principal flutist of Symphony in C and the Detroit Opera and was a fellow with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Lombo is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, where he studied with Jeffrey Khaner. He has also been deeply influenced by his studies with Erica Peel, Hannah Hammel and Chelsea Knox. 
 

Joon Park, Trumpet 

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Joon Park will be joining the Kansas City Symphony as Acting Third/Utility Trumpet for the 2026-27 season. He also performs regularly as a substitute musician with the Kansas City Ballet, the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, and has performed with the St. Louis Symphony, New World Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Orchestra Iowa and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. Additionally, Park is a member of the world-renowned Brass Band of Battle Creek.
 

Michael Zogaib, Double Bass 

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Michael Zogaib joins the Kansas City Symphony in the double bass section. Prior to joining the Kansas City Symphony, Zogaib held one-year contracts with the Phoenix Symphony and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. He also has performed alongside the Cleveland Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. 

In 2021, Zogaib received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Scott Dixon. He completed a Master of Music degree in 2024 from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he studied with Timothy Pitts. Other influential teachers include Paul Ellison, Brett Shurtliffe and William Staebell. As a student, Zogaib attended various summer music festivals including Domaine Forget de Charlevoix and the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he was a fellowship recipient for three summers. 

 

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About The Kansas City Symphony
In only its 45th season, the Kansas City Symphony has become one of America’s most vibrant major orchestras and has gained international recognition. At its orchestral home of Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, the Symphony serves the Kansas City metropolitan region of more than 2.2 million people.   

The Symphony’s 80 full-time musicians present a diverse and dynamic range of orchestral and chamber music performances each season under the artistic leadership of music director Matthias Pintscher, an internationally acclaimed conductor and composer who regularly conducts the world’s leading orchestras and opera companies. 

In addition to concerts in Helzberg Hall, Symphony musicians perform throughout the region on an innovative portable stage, the Mobile Music Box. The Symphony also serves as the orchestra for the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, adding to the rich cultural experiences that these organizations offer to the community. 

For more information, visit www.kcsymphony.org.