Welcome New Musicians

Rebecca Boelzner, Associate Principal Viola

For the past two seasons, Rebecca has called Chicago home, serving as a Fellow in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and teaching young at-risk students through Ravinia’s El Sistema program. Last season, with the support of the CSO Negaunee Institute, she created Notes on Nature, a chamber music concert series meant to highlight the climate emergency.

Nicholas Jeffery, Assistant Principal Viola

A resident of Kalamazoo, Dr. Nicholas Jeffery is a member of the Burdick-Thorne String Quartet and serves as assistant principal violist with the Kalamazoo Symphony. Strongly committed to teaching, he maintains a full studio of private students at the Crescendo Academy of Music.

Stephen Castiglione, Principal Bass

Improviser, educator, double bass player and composer, Stephen also performs in the Ann Arbor and Canton symphony orchestras. He holds a degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the University of Michigan.

Robert Johnson, Associate Principal Bass

A native of Traverse City, Robert is an active freelancer, playing in orchestras throughout Michigan, including both the Detroit and Grand Rapids symphonies. National engagements include the Dallas Winds and Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. Now relocated to West Michigan, he is an apprentice luthier at Grand Rapids Violins.

Yi Pei Lin, viola

A native of Taiwan, Yi Pei Lin studied at Taipei National University of the Arts. In addition to WMS, she is assistant principal violist at the Battle Creek Symphony, section violist at the Jackson Symphony, and a graduate teaching assistant at Michigan State University.

Stephen Reichelt, bass

Chicago area bassist, composer and educator Stephen Reichelt has released five albums of solo double bass soundscapes on the Bandcamp platform. He is principal bass of the Dubuque Symphony, acting assistant principal of the Illinois Symphony, and performs regularly with the Chicago Sinfonietta, Oistrakh Symphony, and the orchestras of Charleston, Northbrook and Rockford, among others.

Abigail Monroe, cello

Abigail Monroe has appeared as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, toured with the Oakland-based hip-hop orchestra Ensemble Mik Nawooj, and performed with contemporary chamber group Ensemble for These Times. A past concerto soloist with the Golden Gate Symphony and New Mexico Philharmonic, she is a current member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, where she has performed as both principal and section cellist.

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