Violinist KO SUGIYAMA is Assistant Concertmaster of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra/Washington National Opera Orchestra, appointed by music director Philippe Auguin. In addition, he is a member of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, a violinist for the King St. Quartet (an NSO Education Department In-School-Ensemble), and is on faculty at the  Washington Conservatory of Music. As soloist or chamber musician, Sugiyama has performed in North America, Europe, Asia and has performed at major US venues such as Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the 92nd St. Y’s Kauffman Concert Hall, the ..read more

MISHA VITENSON began violin studies with his father, Yuri Vitenson, in his native city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He is a winner of top prizes in international violin competitions, including Premio Paganini (Italy, 1998) and Pablo de Sarasate (Spain, 1997) and First Prize in the 1998 Città d’Andria International Violin Competition (Italy). Mr. Vitenson was the winner of the 1999 Aspen Music Festival Concerto Competition and First Prizewinner at the 2000 National Society of Arts and Letters Violin Competition and is also both a two-time winner of the Harid Conservatory Concerto Competition ..read more

ALEX WILBORN (co-principal trumpet) joined the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra as Principal Trumpet in 2018. Growing up in Cookeville, Tennessee, Wilborn began playing trumpet when he was 9 years old. As a fifth grader, Wilborn already wanted to play with the high school band and dedicated himself to studying recordings of their concerts until he had memorized the music by ear. He began trumpet lessons with Dr. Charles Decker in the eighth grade and continued working with him through his undergraduate degree at Tennessee Technological University. During his time in Cookeville, he also studied wi ..read more

A native of Eugene, Oregon, SETH HORNER (principal tuba) is the Principal Tuba of the North Carolina Symphony in Raleigh, NC. Prior to moving to NC, Horner was the Acting-Principal Tuba of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) for three seasons beginning in 2014 and has held positions as instrumental faculty teaching tuba and euphonium at Towson University and the University of North Carolina School for the Arts (UNCSA). At the age of 19, Horner played one year as Principal Tuba of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop, and been Principal Tuba of the West Virginia Symphony and th ..read more

FRANCISCO JOUBERT BERNARD, a Puerto Rican bassoonist, is the second bassoonist in the, Grammy Award Winning, Louisville Orchestra and a lecturer at the University of Louisville. He holds a B.M. from the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico and an M.M. from the Yale School of Music. Before his current roles, he was a bassoon fellow at the New World Symphony in Miami, where he performed with renowned artists worldwide, including a live solo performance for composer John Williams (in audience) conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Beyond his work with the Louisville Orchestra, Francisco has play ..read more

NATALIE HOE (clarinet) has been Principal Clarinet of The Florida Orchestra since 2017, holding the Bertelstein Family Chair and has already established herself as an accomplished orchestral musician and versatile solo artist. Ms. Hoe is a regular guest musician with The Cleveland Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where she was also Guest Principal Clarinet. She has also recently performed with the St. Petersburg Opera and Opera Tampa, as well as the San Antonio Symphony under Music Director Sebastian Lang-Lessing. Ms. Hoe spent the Summer of 2022 performing as Principal Clarinet wi ..read more

AL STEPHENS is the owner of Greensboro’s Moore Music Company (founded in 1939), which specializes in band and orchestra instruments and sheet music, provides instrument repairs, and offers music lessons. Stephens majored in oboe performance and received a minor in piano and conducting from Ohio University. He is also the music director for the Community Theatre of Greensboro’s annual “The Wizard of Oz” production and is a former marketing director for Eastern Music Festival ..read more

For more than 25 years, LOU ANNE FLANDERS-STEC has worked with and for entrepreneurs in private business and academia – either as a consultant to or employee for, developing programming and services for, or providing access to funding for early stage companies. Some of her positions have included first fund executive for the Piedmont Angel Network, first director for entrepreneurship programs at High Point University and The City University of New York, and as EVP – Entrepreneurship for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. Her current role as Senior Executive Director – Innovation & Engage ..read more

ANNE STARR DENNY is the owner of Starr Marketing. Through her business, Denny works with clients to create a more streamlined approach to marketing and sales. Her goal is to help clients clarify their messaging and create sales/marketing plans that deliver results. Denny has extensive experience in television/media, e-commerce, and the event industry. She received a B.A. in sociology from The College of Wooster and a Certificate in Event Development and Planning from Duke University Continuing Studies. Denny is a present and past board member of the Ragsdale YMCA and was the board chair 2014 ..read more

MELANIE SAMSON TUTTLE founded Tuttle Law, PLLC, to practice business and employment law and to counsel regarding corporate governance. Tuttle has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Elon University School of Law, teaching securities regulation and business planning. She has been named to The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.) for corporate law and securities/capital markets law. She was also the Law Clerk to the Honorable Ruggero J. Aldisert, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit, 1983-1985. Before law school, Tuttle was a mechanical engineer ..read more