Orchestra - Charleston Symphony

Orchestraadmin2021-07-26T19:48:50+00:00

Yuriy Bekker

Concertmaster, Principal Pops Conductor, Artistic Director

Yuriy Bekker is a critically-acclaimed violinist and conductor, and an impassioned community ambassador. Bekker has been a mainstay of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO) for 17 years. He has led the CSO as Artistic Director since 2021 and concurrently leads as Concertmaster (2007) and Principal Pops Conductor (2016). Bekker previously served as the orchestra’s Acting Artistic Director from 2010-2014 and has a long history of dedication and vision for the CSO. In 2011, he was given the Outstanding Artistic Achievement award from the city of Charleston to honor his cultural contributions to the community.

Micah Gangwer

Principal Second Violin / Assistant Concertmaster

Violinist Micah Gangwer joined the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Concertmaster in the fall of 2012.

Asako Kremer

Assistant Principal / Second Violin

Alexander Boissonnault

Violin

Jan-Marie Christy Joyce

Principal Viola

Jan-Marie Christy Joyce is in her 25th as Principal Violist with the Charleston Symphony, where she has appeared frequently as soloist. She is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied under Stanley Konopka, Assistant Principal Violist of the Cleveland Orchestra.

Sadie Nichols

Assistant Principal Viola

Sadie Nichols completed her Viola Performance studies at Indiana University (Bachelor's Degree) under Atar Arad and University of Maryland (Master's Degree) under Katherine Murdock of the Mendelssohn quartet & Michael Tree of the Guarneri Quartet. She currently plays as Assistant Principal with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held since 2001.

Benjamin Mekinulov

Principal Cello

Benjamin Mekinulov started his cello studies at the age of 6 with Professor Feng Hew, continued his studies for a couple years with Professor David Ying, and is currently attending the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music, studying cello performance with the renowned professor, Dr. Melissa Kraut.

Damian Kremer

Assistant Principal Cello

Cellist Damian Kremer, a native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has performed throughout the world as a soloist and as a chamber and orchestral musician. Mr. Kremer studied cello at Michigan State University

Christian Hales

Principal Bass

When Christian began studying the bass at age 9 he wanted to be different from his other musical siblings by playing jazz. His teacher David Yavornitzky, principal bassist of the Utah Symphony, convinced him to start with some classical fundamentals—years later Christian still hasn’t gotten around to doing much jazz. As a teenager, Christian made his big debut as a winner of the Utah Symphony's Salute to Youth concerto competition. Years later, in college at BYU, Christian won the school’s concerto competition, and then, while attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for a Masters Degree, he won that school's concerto competition. After completing a Master's Degree with Scott Pingel (Former Charleston Symphony Principal), Christian extended his studies one year to earn a Professional Studies Certificate. In 2021 he attended the National Orchestral Institute and Festival in Maryland and in 2022 he played in the Music in the Vineyards festival in Napa Valley. In California he was a regular substitute with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony.

Regina Helcher-Yost

Second Flute / Piccolo

Regina Helcher-Yost is Second Flute of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Principal Flute/Piccolo of the Colorado Music Festival, Adjunct Professor of Flute at Charleston Southern University and core flutist for Chamber Music Charleston.

Jessica Hull-Dambaugh

Principal Flute

Jessica Hull-Dambaugh is currently the Principal Flute of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held since 2004.

Kelly Mozeik

Principal Oboe

Kelly Mozeik joined the Charleston Symphony as principal oboe in 2022. She is also the second oboist in the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra as of May 2024. Kelly also serves on faculty at the College of Charleston. Prior to this appointment, Kelly served as second oboe in the Greenville Symphony and performed as principal oboe with the Augusta Symphony for the 2021-2022 season before winning the title in 2022. Kelly has been invited as a guest musician with notable ensembles across the country, including the Atlanta Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Louisiana Philharmonic, and the New World Symphony.

Kenny Bader

Second Oboe and English Horn

Originally from Snellville, GA, Kenny Bader is joining the Charleston Symphony as Second oboe and English Horn in 2024. Prior to this appointment he served as Principal oboe of the York Symphony Orchestra for the 2023-24 season, and Second oboe and Utility English horn of the Bozeman Symphony for the 2022-23 season. Additionally, he has had the pleasure of performing with numerous orchestras including the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Bay Atlantic Philharmonic, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, and many others. He holds a master’s degree from Temple University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia where he studied with Jonathan Blumenfeld and Dr. Reid Messich, respectively.

Charles Messersmith

Principal Clarinet

Charles Messersmith, Principal Clarinet, began playing the clarinet at the age of eight. He attended the Cleveland Institute of Music and received a Bachelor of Music degree (while studying with Franklin Cohen) in 1991.

Jordan Brokken

Principal Bassoon

A native of Houston Texas, Jordan Brokken joined the Charleston Symphony as Principal Bassoon in July 2022. As an orchestral player, he has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and San Bernardino Symphony as guest principal bassoon, as well as with the Los Angeles Ballet, Houston Ballet and Fort Worth Symphony, and has recorded various film and television scores. As a chamber musician, Mr. Brokken is a founding member of the Monarch Chamber Players, a group formed during the pandemic that has safely produced and performed over 150 socially distant concerts since October 2020. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Colburn Conservatory, where he studied with Richard Beene. While at Colburn, he was a featured soloist with the Colburn Zipper Orchestra and performed on Colburn Chamber Music Society concerts with members of the London Symphony Orchestra and pianist Orli Shaham. His other major teacher was Whitney Crockett. He has been a fellow at the Aspen and Tanglewood summer music festivals.

Hank Landrum

Second Clarinet

Joining the Charleston Symphony in the 2024-25 season, Clarinetist Hank Landrum is excited to assume the role of Second Clarinet. In addition to his position in the CSO, Hank also holds the Third/Utility Clarinet position with the Chicago Sinfonietta. Other orchestral engagements have included appearances with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, New World Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and more. Hank has spent his summers and winters holding positions and fellowships with Spoleto Festival USA, Sunflower Music Festival, Buzzard’s Bay MusicFest, the New York String Orchestra Seminar, Aspen Music Festival, and the National Repertory Orchestra.

Katherine St. John

Second Bassoon

Katherine St. John just completed her 26th season with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra having started in the 1992-93 season.

Beth Albert

Principal Timpani

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Beth has served as Principal Timpanist of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra since the 1994-95 season.

Ryan Leveille

Principal Percussion

Brandon Nichols

Principal Horn

Brandon Nichols has served as Principal Horn of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra since 1991, having been a member since 1989

Anne Holmi

Second Horn

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Anne Holmi has been hornist in the Charleston Symphony Orchestra since the 1996-97 season.

Christopher Lindgren

Principal Trombone

Chris Lindgren joined the Charleston Symphony as Principal Trombone during the 2018-19 season. Prior to that, he held the 2nd Trombone position with Symphony in C, performing in Camden, New Jersey. He has also performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Charlotte Symphony, and was featured as a soloist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. During the summers of 2017-2019, Chris was a member of the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Verbier, Switzerland. He also attended the Aspen Music Festival during the summers of 2015 and 2016 and was the trombone fellow in the Aspen Chamber Symphony in 2016.

Thomas Joyce

Bass Trombone

Tom Joyce has been with the CSO since 1995 as a trombonist, and since 2010 as the Personnel Manager.

Antonio Martí

Principal Trumpet

Antonio Martí was appointed Principal Trumpet with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in Charleston, South Carolina in May 2015.