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Our Orchestra

Miami City Ballet Orchestra

Every Miami City Ballet performance is perfectly complemented by the lustrous sounds of our very own live musicians, led by Principal Conductor Gary Sheldon.

The Miami City Ballet Orchestra enlivens the action, inspires our dancers, and transports us to the heights of imagination and the depths of the soul. The orchestra, comprised of the finest musicians throughout the area, performs for the complete subscription season and all Nutcracker performances.

In the early years, members of the Florida Philharmonic performed under Maestro Ottavio DeRosa for Miami City Ballet from time to time. Subsequent principal conductors for the company have included Maestri Akiro Endo, Juan Francisco LaManna and Gary Sheldon, whose tenure began in 2010. The Opus One Orchestra began performing in the pit in 2007.

The 2023/24 season represents the first we proudly announce the orchestra’s new title: Miami City Ballet Orchestra.

Miami City Ballet Orchestra

Music Director & Conductor

Gary Sheldon

Violins

Mei Mei Luo, Concertmaster 

Geremy Miller, Associate Concertmaster 

Erika Venable, Assistant Concertmaster 

Dina Kostic, * Principal Second Violin

Samvel Arakelyan

Sheena Gutierrez

Eduardo Martinez

Ericmar Perez

Akiko Rivera

Anthony Seepersad

Victoria Stepanenko

Viola

Michael O‘Gieblyn * 

Alexandra D’Amico 

Valerie Judd 

Angela Kratchmer 

Modesto Marcano 

Mujan Hosseinzadeh 

Cello

Ashley Garritson * 

Philip Lakofsky 

Elizabeth Aron 

Shea Kole 

Christopher Glansdorp 

Aaron Merritt 

Bass

Janet Clippard * 

Susan Dirgins-Friend 

Douglas Ferreira 

Flute/Piccolo

Karen Fuller * 

Elizabeth Lu

Oboe

Erin Gittelsohn * 

Kendra Hawley 

Antonio Urrutia

English Horn

Erin Gittelsohn 

Kendra Hawley

Clarinet

Richard Hancock * 

Amalie Wyrick-Flax

Bass Clarinet

Amalie Wyrick-Flax

Bassoon

Christina Bonatakis * 

Carlos Garcia 

French Horn

Christopher Komer * 

Stan Spinola * 

Sharon Selinger                                   

Ania Kucia 

Trumpet

Kevin Lyons * 

David Hunsicker * 

Matthew Shefcik 

Trombone

Gilberto Cruz * 

Karla Rojas 

Bass Trombone

Dan Satterwhite * 

Tuba

Calvin Jenkins *

Timpani

Andrew Proctor *

Percussion

Mikhail Mikhelson * 

Doug Friend 

Michael Dehan 

Harp

Kristina Finch * 

Celeste

Anthony Seepersad 

Harmonium

Anthony Seepersad

Geremy Miller, Orchestra Manager  

Susan Dirgins-Friend, Orchestra Librarian 

Kristina Goldson, Orchestra Assistant 

* Principal  

Pointe of Interest

The Orchestra typically includes 45-50 musicians in the pit, depending on the requirements of the music score. The musicians of the ballet orchestra lead busy careers performing for other orchestras and teaching in many area schools.