Katherine Young Steele is the principal oboe of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held since 2012. Of her recent performances of Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto with Music Director Edo de Waart, Steele was praised for her “engrossing performance…with a ringing, beautifully centered sound and elegant interpretive direction.” (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 2/15) Steele was principal oboe of The Florida Orchestra from 2007-2012, where she appeared as soloist and collaborated on the orchestra’s multi-year cultural exchange with musicians in Havana, Cuba. She has also served as guest principal oboe in the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony and the Sarasota Orchestra. Ms. Steele currently serves on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A native of Lancaster, Ohio, Steele holds a Bachelor of Music degree and the prestigious Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and a Master of Music degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School. 

Ashley Ertz is an oboist, educator and arts administrator in the Chicago metropolitan area. Ertz is Principal Oboe with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra and English Horn/Second Oboe with the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. She is also the Artistic Director/Founder of 5th Wave Collective and Program Manager with Classical Music Chicago. Ertz has performed with numerous ensembles including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Quad City Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonic, Orchestra Iowa, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra and more. While living in San Francisco she also performed with the San Francisco Symphony, Green Music Center’s ChamberFest with Jeffrey Kahane and Jennifer Koh. Ertz hold’s degrees from DePaul University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music and San Francisco State University. 

Italian clarinetist, Dario Brignoli, is the Principal Clarinetist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra since 2017 and Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago since 2019. Dario has been praised by the Chicago Classical Review for his “eloquent playing” and “warm hushed hues”. He was a 2016 Fulbright Scholar recipient studying at the University of Southern California, under the tutelage of Yehuda Gilad. Dario received his Master of Music at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen under the guidance of Lee Morgan and Jorgen Jensen, and Bachelor of Music at the Conservatorio di Milano. Mr. Brignoli has performed internationally with various ensembles including, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Macao Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival founded by Leonard Bernstein, Orchestra Unimi in Milan, Ensemble Bernasconi, the contemporary music ensemble of the Academia La Scala. In addition to Dario’s extensive performance career, he is the Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at the Pima Community College in Tucson, AZ.

Theresa Zick is a Chicago based clarinetist. She was Acting Assistant Principal, Second, and E-flat Clarinet of the Nashville Symphony from 2021-2023. In addition to Nashville, Theresa has performed with many groups including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the Sun Valley Festival Orchestra. Theresa has also recorded for companies such as Disney and EA Games. Theresa holds a master’s degree from DePaul University and bachelor’s degrees in both clarinet performance and music education from the University of Michigan. Her primary teachers include: Stephen Williamson, Chad Burrow and Dan Gilbert. Theresa plays on Henri Selmer Paris Clarinets and is a Selmer Artist. When not playing the clarinet, Theresa enjoys spending time with her husband, Rory, and their cat and dog, Salem and Maggie. 

A native of Heredia, Costa Rica, clarinetist Wagner Campos graduated from Baylor University and DePaul University, where he is now Professor of Clarinet and Chamber Music. He is a student of Dr.Richard Shanley, Larry Combs and John Bruce Yeh. Besides his teaching, he is currently a member of the Chicago Sinfonietta and Fulcrum Point New Music Project. As a guest artist outside Chicago, Mr. Campos has performed with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Galicia Symphony Orchestra, The Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In addition to his own solo recording, Romantic Songs for Clarinet and Piano, he has also recorded with the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Chicago  Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, and the St. Charles Chamber Singers.

A clarinet soloist, orchestral musician and educator in Chicago, Michael Tran has performed in sought-after engagements across the United States. Most recently, he has appeared as a guest artist in the Knox Galesburg Symphony’s chamber music series. He has also performed on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series and Rush Hour concert series, broadcasted on WFMT. Michael has appeared as a guest with many orchestras in his career, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Lyric Opera, Chicago Sinfonietta, Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. A dynamic chamber musician, Michael performs with his own group, Ensemble du Jour. He has also collaborated with members of the International Contemporary Ensemble, the 5th Wave Collective, and the Lynx Project .  Michael holds a Master of Music degree from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Florida.

Keith Buncke began his tenure as Principal Bassoon of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in July 2015, having been appointed to the position by Music Director Riccardo Muti. He previously served as Principal Bassoon of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, a post he was appointed to in 2014 while still attending the Curtis Institute of Music. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, he went on to study at the Interlochen Arts Academy and the Curtis Institute. His principal teachers include Daniel Matsukawa, Dr. Eric Stomberg, and Mark Eubanks. Working with acclaimed artists like Mitsuko Uchida and Vadim Gluzman, Keith has performed chamber music both in Chicago and around the country at festivals like Marlboro Music Festival and La Jolla Music Society. He has been a guest artist and teacher at Aspen Music Festival and Interlochen Academy and Camp, and has given masterclasses at universities across the country. He is an adjunct faculty at DePaul University.

Liam Jackson is a Chicago-based Bassoonist and Music Educator with a passion for performing new music and expanding the bassoon repertoire. Liam recently won the Principal Bassoon position with the Billings Symphony Orchestra. After graduating from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in Bassoon Performance and Music Education, and DePaul with a master’s degree in Bassoon Performance in 2020, Liam joined the Civic Orchestra of Chicago Bassoon Section from 2021-2023. In addition to his work with the Civic Orchestra, Liam has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Musicians of the Chicago Symphony MusicNOW in addition to the Detroit Opera, International Chamber Artists, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Kenosha Symphony Orchestra, Folks Operetta, Michigan Philharmonic, and the 5th Wave Collective. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Liam’s primary teachers were Robert Williams, Dr. Jeffrey Lyman, William Buchman and Keith Buncke.

Upon graduating from Northwestern University in 1987, David Griffin began his career with the Rochester Philharmonic and followed with positions in the orchestras of Montreal and Houston before joining the Chicago Symphony in 1995. Griffin has served as guest principal horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Saint Louis Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Shanghai Radio Orchestra. In September 2017, Griffin traveled to Japan for a solo tour, performing recitals in Tokyo, Nagasaki, and Osaka. With the wind quintet Prairie Winds, he has performed in more than 25 states and has released two CDs. With the CSO Brass Quintet, Griffin has toured Japan, China, Taiwan, and Mexico. In June 2012, Griffin soloed with the National Orchestra of Brazil. He debuted as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony in Schumann’s Konzertstück at the Ravinia Festival in 2010. He has released the solo album For You, featuring the world-premiere recording of the Sonata for Horn by Bruce Broughton. Griffin is a faculty member at Roosevelt University and previously taught at McGill University and Northwestern University. Griffin, his wife Susan Warner, and their children, Henry and Pearl, live in Oak Park, Illinois.

Susanna Gaunt joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra horn section in January 2006.

Just before joining the CSO, Gaunt performed regularly with the San Francisco Symphony, LucasArts Productions (recording movie soundtracks), the California Symphony and the Santa Rosa Symphony. She has held various positions in other orchestras across the country, including third horn in the San Diego Symphony, third/associate principal horn in the San Antonio Symphony, and both third and fourth horn in the North Carolina Symphony. Gaunt also has been a member of the San Diego Chamber Orchestra and the New World Symphony. In addition, she has performed and recorded with the Boston Symphony Orchestra A native of New England, Gaunt completed a bachelor of music degree in 1992 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where her principal teachers were Richard Sebring, Norman Bolter and Richard Mackey. Her primary mentor and inspiration is former teacher Nedo Pandolfi.

Fiona Chisholm is a dynamic freelance musician, soloist, and chamber musician based in the Midwest. She has performed with notable ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, among others. Currently, Fiona serves as the Principal Horn of the Racine Symphony Orchestra and holds the position of Guest Principal Horn with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. As a founding member and horn player of Lakeshore Brass, a Chicago-based brass quintet, Fiona is actively involved in the chamber music scene. She was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2019 to 2021. Recognized for her talent, Fiona was one of five finalists worldwide in the International Horn Society’s Premier Soloist Competition in San Francisco in 2011, where she earned third place. Fiona holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Lethbridge and both a Master of Music and Postgraduate Certificate from DePaul University.

Canadian French horn player Emily Whittaker is an active soloist, freelance musician, and educator in the Chicagoland area. She has performed with many orchestras and ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Music of the Baroque, Omaha Symphony, Victoria Symphony Orchestra, and the Pacific Opera Victoria. Performing as a soloist both with ensembles and as a recitalist, this year’s highlights include solo performances with the Joliet Symphony Orchestra, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra, and Summer Music Festival Winds. As an educator, Emily serves on the faculty as the Horn Instructor at Elgin Community College and is a guest lecturer for colleges and universities across the country presenting her research and benefits for Audition Data Tracking and leading masterclasses. In 2021, Emily was the founding director of Sunshine Horn Camp, an annual summer horn camp dedicated to young horn players to instill knowledge and confidence in playing the horn. Emily holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Toronto with a minor in Indigenous Studies, and both a Master of Music and a Performance Diploma from DePaul University.

Originally from Milwaukee, Olivia Reyes is currently a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Fellowship program and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, where she has performed as a section and rotating principal bassist since 2021. Reyes has also been a substitute principal bass for the Opera Festival of Chicago and a substitute bass with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and the Camerata Chicago. In 2021, Reyes was principal bass of the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado. She is also active as a mentor for the Negaunee Music Institute at the CSO’s ongoing partnership with Chicago Public Schools and a substitute mentor and coach for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. Bassist Olivia Reyes graduated in 2021 with a bachelor of music degree in bass performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, where she studied with Jon McCullough-Benner, principal bass of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.