San Francisco Symphony: New and Outgoing Musicians

Davies Symphony Hall

Photo by Lisa Hirsch

An assortment of news from San Francisco Symphony, the first two items of which I would have bet folding money on:

• Associate Principal Horn Mark Almond, who has been on leave for the last year, will not return to the orchestra. He is now the Principal Horn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
• Utility Horn Daniel Hawkins, who has been on leave for the last year, will not return to the orchestra. He is now the Principal Horn of the Houston Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Almond and Hawkins will be missed, but I have to say: Congratulations! These are promotions and given everything going on at SFS, why would they come back if they've got tenure as principal horns?

There are also seven new musicians joining the orchestra:

• Christopher Bassett, Bass Trombone

  Christopher Bassett joins the San Francisco Symphony trombone section at the beginning of the 2024–25 season. He previously served as bass trombone with the St. Louis Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, and Santa Fe Opera, and has also performed with the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Detroit Symphony, and Indianapolis Symphony. Last season he appeared as a substitute musician with the SF Symphony, including on the March California tour.  

  
  

  A native of Oceanside, California, Bassett earned a bachelor of music from New England Conservatory and a master of music from Columbus State University, where he studied with James Markey and Bradley Palmer respectively. He won grand prize in the Zellmer Trombone Competition and first prizes in the Edward Kleinhammer and ITA Trombone Quartet competitions.  

  
  

  Bassett is cofounder of the Southwest Trombone Conference in Albuquerque and frequently serves as a guest artist, clinician, and soloist worldwide. As a dedicated teacher, his students are consistently admitted to top festivals and college music programs. He is a performing artist for Edwards Instrument Co., Griego Mouthpieces, and Peck Custom Designs. His recordings include Tres Amigos by the Santa Fe Trombones and an upcoming solo debut, In Dreams. Bassett’s interests include neuroscience and how it can help create more efficient and effective ways to practice for musicians. 
  
  

• Anne Richardson, Associate Principal Cello (This was the position held for many years by Peter Wyrick, who stepped back in the section for his last year and has now retired.)
  

  
  Anne Richardson joins the San Francisco Symphony as Associate Principal Cello, holding the Peter & Jacqueline Hoefer Chair, at the beginning of the 2024–25 season. She was most recently an academy fellow with the Bavarian Radio Symphony and has performed with the Verbier Festival Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, and Pittsburgh Symphony. As a soloist, she has appeared with the Louisville Orchestra, Massapequa Philharmonic, Bryan Symphony Orchestra, and Juilliard Orchestra, and has been featured by Lincoln Center’s Great Performance Circle, Juilliard in Aiken Festival, and Vail International Dance Festival. She has also performed extensively as a chamber musician at the Nymphenburger Sommer in Munich, Tegernsee International Music Festival, Wasserburg Rathauskonzerte Series, Rome Chamber Music Festival, Kneisel Hall, United Nations Chamber Music Society, and with the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players. 

  
  

  A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Richardson completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Juilliard School as a student of Richard Aaron, and earned a doctor of musical arts at the University of Michigan. She was named the Kentucky Center’s Gheens Artist in Residence in 2019 and was a guest faculty member and artist in residence at the 2018 Tennessee Cello Workshop. 
  
  

• Yuhsin Galaxy Su, Second Clarinet (This was the position held for many years by Luis Baez David Neuman, who retired during the pandemic.)
  

  
  Yuhsin Galaxy Su joins the San Francisco Symphony as Second Clarinet at the beginning of the 2024–25 season. She recently completed a master’s degree at the Colburn School of Music, where she studied with Yehuda Gilad, and before that studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with Anthony McGill.  

  
  

  During her time at Curtis, Su was selected for the Curtis 20/21 Ensemble and performed Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire in fully choreographed productions at the Kimmel Center, Columbia University, Kennedy Center, and Curtis Field Recital Hall. She has also been a soloist at the Musique et Vin Music Festival and Marlboro Music Festival. She won top prizes in the 2013 and ’14 HSNU Concerto Competition, third prize and audience prize at the International Morningside Music Bridge in Canada, first prize at the Young Classical Virtuoso of Tomorrow Music Competition, and two Chimei Arts Awards. 
  
  

• Davis You, Fourth Chair Cello
  

  Davis You joins the San Francisco Symphony cello section, holding the Lyman & Carol Casey Second Century Chair, at the beginning of the 2024–25 season. He recently received his bachelor of music from New England Conservatory, where he studied with Laurence Lesser and Paul Katz, and regularly appeared as principal cello of the NEC Philharmonia. He was a member of Quartet Luminera, which won the silver medal at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.  

  
  

  A Bay Area native, You began his cello studies with Irene Sharp and Jonathan Koh. He has appeared on NPR’s From the Top, San Francisco International Piano Festival, Wellesley Chamber Players Series, Taos Chamber Music Festival, and Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Chamber music collaborators have included Miriam Fried, Paul Biss, and the Borromeo String Quartet.  

  
  

  You has also been a prizewinner of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Competition, National YoungArts Foundation Competition, Borromeo Quartet Guest Artist Award Competition, and NEC Honors Ensemble Competition. 
  
  

• Bowen Ha, Fourth Chair Bass 

  Bowen Ha joins the San Francisco Symphony bass section, holding the Lawrence Metcalf Second Century Chair, at the beginning of the 2024–25 season. He is currently a master’s student at the Juilliard School, studying with Timothy Cobb and Harold Robinson, and has appeared as a substitute musician with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Indianapolis Symphony.  

  
  

  Born in Shanghai, Ha studied at the Middle School Affiliated to Shanghai Conservatory and then moved to the United States to study at Interlochen Arts Academy. He subsequently earned a bachelor of music at Juilliard. He has participated in festivals including the Pirastro Strings Elite Soloists Program at the University of North Texas, Verbier Festival Orchestra, and Aspen Music Festival as an orchestral leadership fellow.

   

  Ha has been a prizewinner at numerous competitions including the Tang Rhyme Carnival International Double Bass Competition, Shanghai Conservatory Concerto Competition, Jacqueline Avent Concerto Competition of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Louisiana Bass Fest, International Concerto Competition of the Master Players Festival & School, and Juilliard Double Bass Concerto Competition. 

  
  

• Orion Miller, Section Bass  
  

  Orion Miller joins the San Francisco Symphony bass section at the beginning of the 2024–25 season. He previously performed with the London Symphony as a Keston Max Fellow, as a substitute musician with the Houston Symphony, and with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in a side-by-side performance at Carnegie Hall. He also served as principal bass for the National Youth Orchestra of the United States and the New York String Orchestra Seminar.  

  
  

  Miller began playing cello at the age of three and switched to bass at age 11. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, where he studied with Timothy Pitts. He has been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of West, and Aspen Music Festival. His accolades include first prize in the Ruth Burr Competition and second prizes in the Lynn Harrell Competition and International Society of Bassists Orchestral Competition. He is also a two-time finalist and winner at the National YoungArts Foundation. 
  
  

• Jeein Kim, Section First Violin 
  

  Jeein Kim joins the San Francisco Symphony first violin section, holding the Isaac Stern Chair, at the beginning of the 2024–25 season. She was previously a member of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra and has been a substitute musician with the Chicago Symphony.   

  
  

  As a soloist, Kim has performed with Praha Hradec Kralove Philharmonic Orchestra, Yonsei University Orchestra, Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, JK Chamber Orchestra, and Northwest Sinfonietta. She studied at Yale School of Music, New England Conservatory, and Yonsei University, and attended the Taos School of Music, Heifetz Summer Institute, and Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.  She has won top prizes at the Menuhin Competition, Seoul International Music Competition, and Northwest Sinfonietta Youth Competition.