Six musicians have been named to the roster of Kentucky’s Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra for the 2013-14 season: PEI-SAN CHIU, principal flute; ANDREW DUNCAN, principal trombone; ANILEYS BERMUDEZ, section violin; WILLIAM RONNING, section violin; CLAIRE WHITCOMB, section viola; and EMMET HANICK, section double bass.
Pei-San Chiu, principal flute, is a native of Taiwan and made her Carnegie Hall debut in October 2012 as first-prize winner of the Alexander & Buono International Flute Competition. In addition to her solo and chamber work, she has appeared as an orchestral principal under such conductors as Naoto Otomo and Michael Gilbert. Chiu is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree at Indiana University, where she has also served since 2009 as associate instructor in flute.
Andrew Duncan, principal trombone, is a member of the United States Air Force Band of Flight and an adjunct professor of low brass at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. He has performed in the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Bach Society, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, and in numerous chamber and contemporary-music ensembles. Duncan holds a Master of Music degree from Carnegie Mellon University in his native Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor of Music degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Anileys Bermudez, section violin, has played in the Knoxville (Tenn.) Symphony Orchestra since 2011, and performs regularly in Tennessee’s Symphony of the Mountains and Oak Ridge Symphony. A native of Cuba, she received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels/Noord Nederlands Conservatorium, and a Master of Music and Artist Certificate from the University of Tennessee. She is currently an adjunct professor of violin at Crown College in Powell, Tenn., and director of Knoxville Strings, a training program for young violinists.
William Ronning, section violin, made his solo debut at age twelve with the Anderson (Ind.) Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra, both in the Indianapolis area, and with Symphony in the Valley (Glenwood Springs, Colo.). Ronning has received training and orchestral performance opportunities at Aspen Music Festival and School and in Graz, Austria, at the American Institute for Musical Studies. He is pursuing a Master of Music degree in violin performance at the University of Kentucky, where he serves as concertmaster of the UK Symphony Orchestra.
Claire Whitcomb, section viola, born in southern California and raised in Hendersonville, Tenn., is an active freelance player and string teacher in the Nashville area. She is a founding member of Tennessee’s Lavanda Dolce Quartet and currently performs with several professional orchestras in Tennessee and Kentucky. Whitcomb holds a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University, and graduated from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a master’s degree and an artist diploma in violin.
Emmet Hanick, section double bass, goes to Lexington following a three-year fellowship at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach. A native of Iowa City, he has performed with the Pacific Music Festival (Sapporo, Japan), the National Repertory Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival and School, and with such orchestras as Kentucky’s Owensboro Symphony Orchestra and Indiana’s South Bend Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, and Columbus Indiana Philharmonic. Hanick holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a master’s from Indiana University.
Posted November 8, 2013
Photo of Pei-San Chiu courtesy Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra
