Stephen Paulson
Principal
SFS member since: 1977
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Music schools you attended: Eastman School of Music
Began playing music: At age 10
Musical inspirations: Listening to my parents’ classical records
If I were not a professional musician, I might be a: Firefighter
Favorite composers: Mahler, Strauss, Sibelius, Stravinsky
Favorite works featuring my instrument: Stravinsky, Rite of Spring; Shostakovich, Symphony No. 7; Mozart, Bassoon Concerto; my bassoon concerto
When I’m not working, I enjoy: Cooking, hiking
Recent reading: The Rest is Noise, by Alex Ross; No Ordinary Time, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
On my CD player/iPod: Whatever Symphony Parnassus has coming up
Favorite things to do in the Bay Area: Hike Mt. Tam and Point Reyes
Plus: I also serve as music director of Symphony Parnassus.
Steven Dibner
Associate Principal
SFS member since: 1983
Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI
Music schools you attended: Indiana University, the Juilliard School
Began playing music: At age 4
Musical inspirations: My two great teachers Leonard Sharrow and Stephen Maxym
If I were not a professional musician, I might be an: Actor or maître d’hotel
Favorite composers: Bach, Stravinsky, Ravel, Mozart
Favorite works featuring my instrument: Rimsky-Korsakov, Sheherezade; Ravel, Alborada del gracioso; all the late Mozart piano concertos
When I’m not working, I enjoy: Gardening, cooking and baking
Recent reading: Mademoiselle: Conversations with Nadia Boulanger, by Bruno Monsaingeon; The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
On my CD player/iPod: Monteverdi, Vespers; Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
Favorite things to do in the Bay Area: Bay Area Discovery Museum, Exploratorium, Dahlia Garden in Golden Gate Park
Plus: I’m continuing to commission new chamber music featuring the bassoon. I feel my greatest joys and greatest challenges come from being a single adoptive dad to my son Pablo. My “baby” is a kindergartner now!
Rob Weir
SFS member since: 1990
Hometown: Weyburn, Saskatchewan, CA
Music school you attended: Curtis Institute of Music
Began playing music: At age 6
Musical inspirations: Other kids and later mentors
If I were not a professional musician, I might be: In theatre one way or another
Favorite composers: Stravinsky, Bach, Adès, Barber
Favorite works featuring my instrument: Stravinsky, Rite of Spring; Barber, Knoxville, Summer 1915
When I’m not working, I enjoy: Family time, travel with family, golf, reading
Recent reading: Pnin, by Vladimir Nabokov; Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri
On my CD player/iPod: Hip-hop, soul, rap, jazz
Favorite things to do in the Bay Area: Walk in Golden Gate Park (it’s across the street from my house!); Walk on the beach (it’s six blocks away); all things outdoors and enjoying our great city.
Steven Braunstein
Contrabassoon
