Cynthia is a Knoxville native and began studying flute at the age of 10 with her father, Anthony J. D’Andrea. Tony D’Andrea is an iconic retired University of Tennessee band director and privately taught flute, saxophone and clarinet during his career. She also studied with David Van Vactor who was the Music Director of the […]
Archives: Musicians
Claire Chenette
GRAMMY-nominated oboist Claire Chenette has been principal oboe with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra since 2014. Additionally, Claire performs in varied settings as a member of the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, Des Moines Metro Opera, Wildup modern music collective, and Nief Norf. Claire has been a regular guest with the San Diego, Pacific, and Chattanooga Symphonies […]
Deniz Ayca Yayman
Jessica Smithorn
Alex Chang
Mark Tucker
Mark Tucker holds performance degrees from the Universityof Tennessee and the Manhattan School of Music. He has studied clarinet and saxophone with Douglas Masek, Ed Bingham, William Scarlett, Jerry Coker, Kalmen Opperman, and Joe Allard. Mark joined the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra as bass clarinetist in 1988 and became second clarinet in 1994. In addition to […]
Victor Chavez
Dr. Victor Chávez, Jr. is a Mexican-American, fifth-generation musician from El Paso, Texas. In 2014, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Clarinet at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and currently holds tenured orchestral positions with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra in Johnson City, Tennessee, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the […]
Duncan Henry
Duncan Henry, raised in Savage, Minnesota, is the principal bassoonist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He has played as a substitute bassoonist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Chattanooga Symphony. He is an emerging artist at the Marlboro Music Festival and has attended the National Repertory Orchestra and Norfolk Chamber Music summer […]
Mackenzie Brauns
Jeffery Whaley
Originally from Sevierville, TN, Jeffery Whaley is the Principal Horn of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He also holds the principal horn chair in the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and Symphony of the Mountains in Kingsport, TN. Prior to his return to Tennessee, he held positions with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Wichita Grand Opera, and Wichita Brass Quintet. […]
Kelsey Bentley
Ms. Bentley is currently the Second Horn of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. She has made orchestral appearances with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and New World Symphony and from 2019-2021 was the Second Horn of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera. With playing lauded by ArtsKnoxville as “impressive” and “lovely,” […]
Brooke Ten Napel
Brooke Ten Napel is an active orchestral and chamber music performer the greater Cincinnati area. Originally from Sibley, Iowa, Brooke holds degrees from Luther College (B.A.) and University of Cincinnati CCM (M.M., A.D.). Joining the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra in 2018, she also performs regularly with the Louisville Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic, […]
Sean Donovan
Sean Donovan is currently the Fourth Horn of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as Principal Horn of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra and as Fourth Horn of the Symphony of the Mountains. Engaged in orchestras across the southeast as a performer of the horn and the Wagner tuba, his playing has been called […]
Kole Pantuso
Originally From San Antonio, Texas, Kole Pantuso is the newly appointed Principal Trumpet of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra beginning in the 2024-2025 season. Prior to joining the KSO, he had an active freelance career in the greater Cincinnati area which included substituting with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. He has been […]
Brian Winegardner
Brian Winegardner continues his career with the KSO as Second Trumpet after having won a one-year position as Second Trumpet for the 2015-16 season. He is currently the Second Trumpet for the South Carolina Philharmonic and the Symphony Orchestra Augusta, and was previously the Principal Trumpet with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. He holds a Master […]