Biography
Members of the San Francisco Symphony
RUSS de LUNA joined the San Francisco Symphony as English horn player in 2007 and occupies the Joseph & Pauline Scafidi Chair. He was previously principal oboe of the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and the Columbus (Georgia) Symphony; he played English horn in the Atlanta Ballet and the Alabama Symphony. He is currently a coach for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
JEROME SIMAS joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2012. Previously a fellow at the New World Symphony, he has held principal clarinet positions with the California, Oakland East Bay, and Akron symphonies, and is a member of the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble. He is currently a coach for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
STEPHEN TRAMONTOZZI joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1980 and serves as Assistant Principal Bass, occupying the Richard & Rhoda Goldman Chair. A member of the San Francisco Conservatory faculty since 1985, he is also a coach for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
JESSIE FELLOWS is currently Assistant Principal Second Violin of the San Francisco Symphony. Prior to her appointment, she was a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and performed frequently with both the Saint Louis Symphony and the New York Philharmonic.
MARIKO SMILEY began violin studies at age six with her father, David Smiley, who was a violist with the SF Symphony. She joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1982 and was for many years a member of the Aurora String Quartet. She occupies the Paula & John Gambs Second Century Chair.
GINA COOPER joined the San Francisco Symphony viola section in 1992, having served previously as a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic.
ANNE PINSKER joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1982. She was previously a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra and a regular substitute in the Chicago Symphony.
MARC SHAPIRO is Principal Keyboard of the California Symphony and from 1984 to 2003 was San Francisco Symphony Chorus accompanist. Mr. Shapiro performs frequently with Composers, Inc., Chamber Music Sundaes, Sierra Chamber Music Society, Mainly Mozart Festival, and the Mohonk Festival.
LEOR MALTINSKI has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony since 2003. Born in Tel Aviv in 1976, he began playing violin at age six. He studied with Igor Polesitsky in Florence from 1985 to 1993 and then moved to the United States to continue his musical education, first at the Curtis Institute and then at Indiana University. He has also studied at the Juilliard School and the Peabody Conservatory. Mr. Maltinski has won prizes at several competitions, including first prize at the 1999 Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition, an award that enabled him to present violin recitals and perform with orchestras throughout the US and Europe.
POLINA SEDUKH, a native of Saint Petersburg, Russia, joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2007. She was previously a member of the Boston Symphony and made her solo debut with the Chamber Orchestra of Liepaya in Latvia at age of seven, followed by recital tours in US, Germany, and Austria.
JONATHAN VINOCOUR joined the San Francisco Symphony as Principal Viola in 2009, and was previously principal viola of the Saint Louis Symphony and guest principal viola of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. A dedicated teacher, he serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as well as the Aspen Music Festival and School. He plays on a 1784 Lorenzo Storioni viola on loan from the San Francisco Symphony.
KATIE KADARAUCH joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2007 as Assistant Principal Viola. A native of the Bay Area, she was principal viola of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and was the violist of the Janaki String Trio, which toured the US and abroad and recorded with the Naxos and Yarlung labels. She plays on a Peter Rombouts viola ca. 1720, on loan from the San Francisco Symphony.
SÉBASTIEN GINGRAS joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2010. He grew up in Chicoutimi, Québec, and was previously a member of the New World Symphony and the Saint Louis Symphony.
For more information on the performers, visit the San Francisco Symphony’s digital program book platform at sfsymphony.encoreplus.app or text “SFS Concert” to 55741.
JEROME SIMAS joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2012. Previously a fellow at the New World Symphony, he has held principal clarinet positions with the California, Oakland East Bay, and Akron symphonies, and is a member of the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble. He is currently a coach for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
STEPHEN TRAMONTOZZI joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1980 and serves as Assistant Principal Bass, occupying the Richard & Rhoda Goldman Chair. A member of the San Francisco Conservatory faculty since 1985, he is also a coach for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
JESSIE FELLOWS is currently Assistant Principal Second Violin of the San Francisco Symphony. Prior to her appointment, she was a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and performed frequently with both the Saint Louis Symphony and the New York Philharmonic.
MARIKO SMILEY began violin studies at age six with her father, David Smiley, who was a violist with the SF Symphony. She joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1982 and was for many years a member of the Aurora String Quartet. She occupies the Paula & John Gambs Second Century Chair.
GINA COOPER joined the San Francisco Symphony viola section in 1992, having served previously as a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic.
ANNE PINSKER joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1982. She was previously a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra and a regular substitute in the Chicago Symphony.
MARC SHAPIRO is Principal Keyboard of the California Symphony and from 1984 to 2003 was San Francisco Symphony Chorus accompanist. Mr. Shapiro performs frequently with Composers, Inc., Chamber Music Sundaes, Sierra Chamber Music Society, Mainly Mozart Festival, and the Mohonk Festival.
LEOR MALTINSKI has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony since 2003. Born in Tel Aviv in 1976, he began playing violin at age six. He studied with Igor Polesitsky in Florence from 1985 to 1993 and then moved to the United States to continue his musical education, first at the Curtis Institute and then at Indiana University. He has also studied at the Juilliard School and the Peabody Conservatory. Mr. Maltinski has won prizes at several competitions, including first prize at the 1999 Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition, an award that enabled him to present violin recitals and perform with orchestras throughout the US and Europe.
POLINA SEDUKH, a native of Saint Petersburg, Russia, joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2007. She was previously a member of the Boston Symphony and made her solo debut with the Chamber Orchestra of Liepaya in Latvia at age of seven, followed by recital tours in US, Germany, and Austria.
JONATHAN VINOCOUR joined the San Francisco Symphony as Principal Viola in 2009, and was previously principal viola of the Saint Louis Symphony and guest principal viola of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. A dedicated teacher, he serves on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as well as the Aspen Music Festival and School. He plays on a 1784 Lorenzo Storioni viola on loan from the San Francisco Symphony.
KATIE KADARAUCH joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2007 as Assistant Principal Viola. A native of the Bay Area, she was principal viola of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and was the violist of the Janaki String Trio, which toured the US and abroad and recorded with the Naxos and Yarlung labels. She plays on a Peter Rombouts viola ca. 1720, on loan from the San Francisco Symphony.
SÉBASTIEN GINGRAS joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2010. He grew up in Chicoutimi, Québec, and was previously a member of the New World Symphony and the Saint Louis Symphony.
