The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has named HANNAH HAMMEL principal flute and SARAH LEWIS assistant principal oboe. Additionally, Alexander Volkov has joined the violin section. The appointments begin in January 2020.
Hannah Hammel goes to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from Tennessee’s Knoxville Symphony, where she was principal flute for two and a half seasons. She has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Richmond Symphony, and others. She has spent summers at festivals including Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, Pacific Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and Round Top Music Festival. Hammel has won multiple flute competitions. A native of Richmond, VA, she began studying the flute with her mother, Alice Hammel. She holds a BM in flute performance and a minor in music theory from Oberlin Conservatory, and graduated with a MM in flute performance in 2017 from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.
Sarah Lewis is currently second oboe at the DSO and becomes assistant principal oboe in January, succeeding Brian Ventura, who retired after 30 seasons with the orchestra. Lewis joined the orchestra’s oboe section in 2017 after five seasons with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. She has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Lansing Symphony Orchestra. A Michigan native, Lewis studied at Interlochen Arts Academy and earned an undergraduate degree at Michigan State University and a master’s degree at the Juilliard School. She participated in the Chautauqua and Tanglewood music festivals. She plays second oboe and English horn in Festival Napa Valley and Nevada’s Classical Tahoe Orchestra. Lewis has served as a guest lecturer at Michigan State University and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
