February 21, 2022
Kelly Shanafelt (she/her) has been a member of the viola section since 1991 and is a native of Boise, Idaho. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, she has also played with the Honolulu Symphony and the Galliard String Quartet. Kelly Shanafelt has an interest in many kinds of music and has played on … Continued
February 21, 2022
On that evening in fifth grade when Helen McDermott went to the instrument fair, she had no idea that her fate would be changed. She went into the fair determined to choose a clarinet. But the music director was so convincing in his efforts to secure a viola student that she walked out with a … Continued
February 21, 2022
Leah grew up in Salt Lake City and was thrilled to join the Colorado Symphony and return to the Rocky Mountains in September 2015. She completed her studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and Rice University Shepherd School of Music, where her primary teachers were Atar Arad and James Dunham.
February 21, 2022
Marsha Holmes is a native of Greeley, Colorado. She is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado with a double major in music education and performance. Her non-musical interests include cooking, gardening and knitting.
February 21, 2022
Mary Davis Cowell has held her position as Fixed Third Chair in the Colorado Symphony viola section since 2007. She has a Professional Studies Diploma from the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied with Jeffrey Irvine and Lynne Ramsey. Mary Davis Cowell has held her position in the viola section of the Colorado Symphony since 2007. … Continued
February 21, 2022
Catherine Beeson (she/they) is a performing violist and seasoned arts management professional with nearly 30 years of experience in artistic programming, fundraising, marketing and operations. Beeson served as Executive Director of the Longmont Symphony Orchestra during the 2020-2022 performance seasons, seeing the organization through the COVID-19 pivot of online streaming to the return of public … Continued
February 21, 2022
Basil Vendryes (he/him) is the Principal Violist of the Colorado Symphony, and is a former member of the San Francisco Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and Rochester Philharmonic orchestras. He currently serves on the faculty of the Lamont School of Music of the University of Denver. As a member of the Aurora String Quartet (1986-95) … Continued
February 18, 2022
Wenting Yuan was born in Shanghai China and began studying the violin at the age of four. She attended middle school at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and graduated with high honors. In 2010, she was selected to perform at the Shanghai World Expo. In the same year, she entered the Shanghai Conservatory of Music … Continued
February 18, 2022
Tena began studying the violin at the age of three. From 2000 to 2005 she attended the Cleveland Institute of Music for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in violin performance. Tena has studied with many different teachers including David Updegraff, Peter Salaff, and the Cavani String Quartet. She has both attended and coached chamber … Continued
February 18, 2022
Bradley Watson held positions with the New World Symphony, Houston Ballet, and Houston Grand Opera orchestras prior to joining the Colorado Symphony. He also taught for seven years as the adjunct professor of violin at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. Bradley was born in Tucson, Arizona and began studying the violin at age two. … Continued