THE MUSICIANS

Since 1987, our ensemble of over 80 volunteer musicians and professional guests rise to the challenges of many musical styles, genres and periods as they enrich the cultural landscape of Southern Nevada.

VIOLIN I

Patrick Hsieh – Concert Master

Rita Boehme

Pat Harrell

Kristen Hsu

Marla Huizar

Barbara James

Karen Kelley

Nancy Palmer

Braydon Pikyavit

Lisa Riley

Kay Sanderson

Erin Sheppard

Sandy Watson

Debra Yavitz

VIOLIN II

Donna Martinez – Principal

Belinda Boswell – Assistant Principal

Megan Thompson – Assistant Principal

Hwayeon Bement

Jennifer Clemons

Charlotte Conner

Christina Duke

Tena Fox

Lois Goodman

Sabina Orlowska

Bob Taras

VIOLA

David Eckert

Kelley Blatnik

Tanya Hambourg

Kimberly Johnson

Elizabeth Letourneau

John Riley

Harriet Walker

CELLO

CONTRABASS

FLUTE

Christian Garcia – Principal

Cynthia Burgess

Jonnie-Jo Didas

Christina Hekkert

Charles Javier

Eric Lam

Susan Maunder

Tim Thomas – Principal

Geoff Fleming – Assistant Principal

Elise Eden – Assistant Principal

Jimmy Cisneros

Emma Glaess

Tom Hawley

Carmella Cao – Principal

Rodrigo Corral

Julie Williams

OBOE

CLARINET

BASSOON

Gilbert Castaneda – Principal

Rachel LaRance

Carol Embry – Principal

Jeannie Galvin

Gary Van Cott

Dorothy Rumsey – Principal

Nathan Hill

HORN

TRUMPET

Lee Higbie – Principal

Rick Crockett

Tom Frauenshuh

Ona Snyder

Michael Weaver

Allison McSwain – Principal

John Dunia

TROMBONE

Matt Stofferahn – Principal

Juan Vasquez – Assistant Principal

Robert Delgado

Duane Zook

TUBA

Jon Kercher 

HARP

Yvone Cox

Mary Gunnell 

PIANO

Paula Johnson 

PERCUSSION

John Nasshan – Principal

Amy Crosley

Mario Garfrias

Gabriela Ordonez

Alec Petronsky

Phillip Rose

Zachary Soukup

Julia Wegener

MUSIC DIRECTOR

ALEXANDRA ARRIECHE

        Alexandra Arreiche has been elevating the Southern Nevada arts scene as Henderson Symphony Orchestra's Music Director since 2016 with programs that emphasize community building through interdisciplinary collaborations including dance, theatre, culinary, and visual arts.

      Alexandra's unique ability to switch between genres has led to work with the most important figures in classical and popular music. She received a full scholarship for Maestro Harold Farberman's studio at Bard College in 2010. In 2011, she won the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship followed by the Baltimore Symphony Conducting Fellowship in 2012.  She subsequently served as Maestra Marin Alsop's assistant in Baltimore, São Paulo, and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. In Cabrillo, Alexandra reconnected with her early roots as a composer and became an advocate of new music, working with the most exciting composers of the new generation including Jennifer Higdon, Mason Bates, Clarice Assad, Kevin Putz, Anna Clyne, John Adams, James Macmillan, Michael Daugherty, John Corgliano, Christopher Rouse and Jennifer Bellor. 

        In 2015, Alexandra Arrieche was invited to conduct the European Emmy Award-winning spectacle "Night of the Proms" where she was engaged as their principal conductor after her first show. Since then, she has been part of the NOTP productions as conductor and collaborator alongside pop icons such as Bryan Ferry, Simple Minds, Earth Wind and Fire, Pointer Sisters, Natasha Bedingfield, Chaka Kahn, Suzanne Vega, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Peter Cetera (Chicago), Alan Parsons, and John Miles. 

            Inspired by the lack of opportunities for young conductors in Brazil, Alexandra started a Conducting Studio in Brazil in 2015. She then adapted the program in 2019 for Henderson Symphony Orchestra with the support of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Under her direction, the inaugural "HSO Conductor Camp" launched with huge success and continues as an annual event attracting conductors from all over the world to the Las Vegas valley.

            Alexandra Arreiche's diverse expertise, passion for artistic collaborations, and innovative approach to community engagement with the arts are some of many reasons why she is considered one of the most unique and exciting conductors of her generation.

PAST MUSIC DIRECTORS