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orchestra with conductor

Musicians

Your world-class Symphony includes musicians from all over the globe who call Kansas City home.

Making KC Home

Eighty (80) full-time musicians comprise our orchestra.

Making KC Home

Eighty (80) full-time musicians comprise our orchestra.

Every chair is auditioned, attracting sometimes hundreds of candidates from all over. Our auditions are completely blind – meaning candidates play behind a screen. In fact, the audition committee does not know or see the candidates until a winner has been named!

Learn more

Music Director

Michael Stern

Michael Stern

David T. Beals III Associate Conductor

Gonzalo Farias

 

Chorus Director

Charles Bruffy

charles bruffy headshot

Flute
Michael Gordon
Principal Flute, Marylou and John Dodds Turner Chair
Shannon Finney
Associate Principal Flute
Kayla Burggraf Michal
Utility Flute and Piccolo
Oboe
Kristina Fulton
Principal Oboe, Shirley Bush Helzberg Chair
Alison Chung
Associate Principal Oboe
Matthew Lengas
Oboe and English Horn
Clarinet
Raymond Santos
Principal Clarinet, Bill and Peggy Lyons Chair
Silvio Guitian
Associate Principal and E-flat Clarinet
John Klinghammer
Third and Utility Clarinet and Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Ann Bilderback
Principal Bassoon, Barton P. and Mary D. Cohen Chair
Thomas DeWitt
Associate Principal Bassoon and Contrabassoon
Horn
Alberto Suarez
Principal Horn, Landon and Sarah Rowland Chair
David Sullivan
Associate Principal Horn
Stephen Multer
Associate Principal Horn Emeritus
Trumpet
Julian Kaplan
Principal Trumpet, James B. and Annabel Nutter Chair
Steven Franklin
Associate Principal Trumpet
George Goad
Third and Utility Trumpet
Trombone
Roger Oyster
Principal Trombone
Porter Wyatt Henderson
Associate Principal Trombone
Jahleel Smith
Bass Trombone
Adam Rainey
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Joe LeFevre
Principal Tuba, Frank Byrne Chair
Timpani
Timothy Jepson
Principal Timpani, Michael and Susan Newburger Chair
Percussion
Josh Jones
Principal Percussion
David Yoon
Associate Principal Percussion
Harp
Katie Ventura
Acting Principal Harp