Martha Aarons Aspen Music Festival
Former member Cleveland Orchestra Martha Aarons is enjoying freelancing after 25 years with the Cleveland Orchestra. She performs frequently and often extensively with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and has appeared as guest principal flute with the Metropolitan Opera, Mostly Mozart Festival, and the orchestras of Minnesota, Baltimore, and Milwaukee. During the summers she serves as artist faculty of Aspen Music Festival, where she gave the festival premiere of the Christopher Rouse flute concerto.

Karen Busler Principal, Memphis Symphony

Greg Pattillo project

Todd Skitch Canadian flutist Todd Skitch, member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra and Adjunct Flute Professor of Rhodes College, has developed a distinguished and diverse career as a teacher and symphonic musician. His many credits include the Bellingham Festival of Music, Memphis Chamber Music Society, Tanglewood, Kent/Blossom, Spoleto and the National Repertory Orchestra. Teaching privately in Memphis between concerts, he specializes in preparing young flutists for All West, Youth Symphony and college auditions. Mr. Skitch is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the Memphis Youth Symphony Program.

Alexander Bedenko Clarinet Clarinetist Alexander Bedenko has recently emerged as one of the most promising talents of his generation, attracting the attention of major conductors, as well as leading orchestras, ensembles and festivals in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Alexander Bedenko has won first prizes in 1994 at the Second International Young Artist's Competition in Moscow, in 1995-96 at the Interlochen Center for the Arts "Concerto Competition", in 1999 Grand-Prix and Laureate at the International Selmer Clarinet Competition in Kiev, and was a recipient scholarship of Vladimir Spivakov's Foundation and the named scholarship of The President of Ukraine, from (1997-1999).

Born in Ukraine into a family of musicians, Alexander Bedenko completed his music studies at the prestigious The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia in 2005 and since then has regularly performed with The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York.

In 2009 Mr. Bedenko was invited to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra as a guest principal clarinetist both at the Barbican Centre in London, as well as on tour in Germany under conductor Daniel Harding.

In addition to his work with major orchestras, Alexander Bedenko has appeared both as soloist and as a chamber musician at Carnegie Hall, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, at the Steinway Hall in New York, at the Chicago Cultural Center, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C, UNESCO in Paris and collaborated with world's renowned artists such as Vladimir Spivakov, Christoph Eschenbach, Nikolai Lugansky, Kirill Gerstein, Daniel Hope, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Frans Helmerson, Nobuko Imai, Eugenia Zukerman and Gautier Capucon. Alexander Bedenko has also been televised and broadcasted in France, Sweden, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and was featured on WQXR Radio Station in New York, WRTI Radio Station in Philadelphia, and "Voice of America" in Washington.

In the past seasons, Alexander Bedenko has performed with The Kremlin Chamber Orchestra, Romanian National Radio Orchestra, The National Orchestra of Ukraine, The Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, and appeared at the Colmar, Verbier, Spoleto, Saratoga and Sarasota music festivals. In 2007, Alexander Bedenko was invited to appear together with Richard Stoltzman on a recording of music by J.S.Bach for the RCA/BMG Japan label.

Alexander Bedenko has made his home in Philadelphia in the United States since 2000.

Ben Freimuth Formerly San Francisco Symphony

Bill Kalinkos Member of Alarm Will Sound Clarinetist Bill Kalinkos enjoys a varied freelance career as a member of Alarm Will Sound, Signal, National Gallery of Art New Music Ensemble, and East Coast Contemporary Ensemble. In addition, Bill has played with Ensemble de Sade, Metropolis Ensemble, Toby Twining Music, Ensemble Pamplemousse, and Anti-Social Music. Past solo performances include Aaron Copland’s Concerto with the Columbia Civic Orchestra and John Adams’ “Gnarly Buttons” with Alarm Will Sound in Amsterdam and California. As an orchestral player, Bill has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, New World Symphony, Spoleto Festival USA, and the Wordless Music Orchestra. He is currently principal clarinet of City Music Cleveland and co-principal clarinet of the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra. Bill is originally from Queens, New York City and now resides in Philadelphia.

Alucia Scalzo New York Philharmonic

Jerome Simas Jerome Simas has performed in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings in the US and abroad. He has performed as a guest musician with both the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Symphony with which he toured Europe, China, and the US and participated in several Mahler Symphony and Keeping Score recording projects. As a chamber musician, he studied and performed at the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont and also represented the New World Symphony in chamber music concerts in Europe and the Eastern US. He won First Prize at the International Clarinet Society’s Young Artist’s Competition, Grand Prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and First Prize at the Yellow Springs, Ohio National Chamber Music Competition. He studied at the Tanglewood Music Center and was also a fellowship recipient with the New World Symphony as principal clarinet under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas, with whom he recorded Rhapsody in Blue and Stravinsky’s Ebony Concerto for BMG Classics. A resident of San Francisco, he has performed as principal clarinetist with the California Symphony, Oakland East Bay Symphony, Modesto Symphony, Monterey Symphony, and the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, a group dedicated to promoting a mix of contemporary music alongside traditional masterworks. He has performed as soloist with the New World Symphony, Monterey Symphony, Modesto Symphony, IRIS Orchestra, and the Cleveland Institute of Music Symphony, where he received his BM and MM as a student of Cleveland Orchestra principal clarinetist, Franklin Cohen. Currently, Jerome Simas teaches clarinet at Stanford University, bass clarinet at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, is active as a coach with youth orchestras throughout the region, and teaches privately. He was recently appointed to the summer Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in western New York. 

John Warren Atlanta Opera John Warren is currently a member of the Atlanta Opera Orchestra and serves as Artist-in-Residence in Clarinet At Kennesaw State University. He is a graduate of both the University of Cincinnati College/Conservatory of Music and The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he first met future IRIS colleagues Michael Stern and David DePeters. His wife Laura is a bassoonist with the Atlanta Symphony. His daughter Phoebe is a talented singer and pianist. His son Leo recently quit the clarinet, but John still loves him anyway.

Robert Woolfrey Cleveland Orchestra

Amy Zoloto New York Philharmonic

Richard Dallessio Associate principal and English horn, New York City Ballet

Laura Griffiths Principal, San Francisco Opera and Ballet Laura Griffiths is Principal Oboe of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and the Midsummer Mozart Festival. From 2003-2005, she was Principal Oboe of the Cleveland Orchestra and was Principal Oboe of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1993-2003. She also was  Acting Principal Oboe of the San Francisco Symphony for a season, and Acting Principal of the San Francisco Opera for three seasons. Laura studied with Richard Killmer at the Eastman School of Music, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree.

Ben Hausmann Principal, Seattle Symphony Ben Hausmann currently serves as Principal Oboist of the Seattle Symphony, a position he has held in L'Orcheste Symphonieque de Quebec, the Savannah Symphony, the Florida Philharmonic, and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and has been a frequent guest of the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Baltimore Symphony.  As a pianist, Ben Hausmann has performed at the Juilliard School, the Aspen Music Festival, throughout the Seattle area, and has served as Principal Keyboardist of the Hilton Head Orchestra.  An avid composer, Hausmann's works have been performed and recorded by the Seattle Symphony, and chamber works premiered in Europe and North America by Joshua Roman, Nathan Hughes, Elaine Douvas, and Katherine Needleman. Also a published poet, Hausmann's other interests include yoga, cooking, and figuring out how to play the violin.

Winnie Lai Freelance, New York City

ToniMarie Marchioni DMA candidate, the Juilliard School ToniMarie Marchioni, oboe, has performed in Europe, South America, Asia, and throughout the United States. Based in New York, she performs regularly with IRIS Orchestra and Continuum Ensemble. Most recently, she appeared as a soloist with the Orquesta Philarmónica del Ecuador and as an orchestral musician at Maestro Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Festival. She is currently a fellow for The Academy – A Program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute and a DMA candidate at The Juilliard School.

Reid Messich Mr. Messich has ben a member of IRIS Orchestra since 2005. He received his Bachelor of Music at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied extensively with Mr. Richard Woodhams principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also holds a Masters in Performance from Florida State University, where he is currently ABD towards his DMA and studied with Dr. Eric Ohlsson. Mr. Messich serves on Faculty as the Assistant Professor of Oboe at the University of Georgia's Hugh Hodgson School of Music and is an active member of the Georgia Woodwind Quintet. During the summer, Mr. Messich serves at the Masterworks Festival in Winona Lake, IN as the oboe instructor and as an orchestral coach. Mr. Messich has performed with many organizations through out the Southeast including, The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Miami City Ballet, Boca Raton Symphonia, and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra.

Peter Kolkay Asst. Professor, University of South Carolina Peter Kolkay is currently Associate Professor of Music at the University of South Carolina.  He has been awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant and was First Prize Winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition.  In addition, he has been named an Artist of the Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center for the 2010/11 season.

Adrian Morejon Sospiro Winds, Faculty - Boston Conservatory Adrian Morejon has been a member of IRIS Orchestra since 2002. When not in Germantown, Adrian performs regularly with his New York based wind quintet, Sospiro Winds, the Metropolis Ensemble, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Argento Chamber Ensemble, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (POA), and many others. His awards include a Theodore Presser Foundation Grant, 2nd prize of the Fox-Gillet International Competition, and a shared top prize at the Moscow Conservatory International Competition. Adrian is currently on faculty at the Long Island and Boston Conservatories.

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Jennifer Rhodes Principal, Memphis Symphony Jennifer Rhodes is the Principal Bassoonist of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra where she appeared as soloist in 2007. Praised by the New York Times and Village Voice for her “vivid” and “soulful” musicianship, Ms. Rhodes has performed solo, chamber and orchestral concerts around the world. As a recipient of a Tennessee Arts Commission 2011 Individual Artist Fellowship, she plans to delve deeper into her love of early music and foster the growth of period instrument performance in Memphis. Jennifer holds Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School and a Bachelor of Music degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. She is on faculty at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN and has recorded for the EMI, Furious Artisans, and Naxos labels.

Lecolion Washington Professon, University of Memphis Lecolion Washington, Jr. is the Associate Professor of Bassoon at the University of Memphis and the Director of the PRIZM Chamber Music Festival. He is principal bassoon of the Eroica Ensemble, and in the summers he serves on the faculty of the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in South Africa.

Bryan Young The Poulenc Trio Praised by the Washington Post as a bassoonist "whose music dances with a lightness and grace uncommon for his instrument" Bryan Young performs in the US and around the world with the Poulenc Trio. Bryan is a winner of the Fox-Gillet International Bassoon Competition and a finalist in the ARD International Competition in Munich. Bryan is the Principal Bassoon with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and has appeared as soloist with the National Symphony and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra among others. Bryan has been a member of IRIS Orchestra since 2004.

In addition to his musical activities, Bryan is the leader of Intertwine Systems, a software company that he founded in 1999. Bryan was recently featured on the front page of the Baltimore Business Journal as a mobile software entrepreneur to watch. Intertwine was recently awarded a large grant by the State of Maryland to develop iPad-based medical software for cardiologists, in collaboration with the University of Maryland and futurist Alvin Toffler. An avid sailor, Bryan is a co-owner and chief technology advisor to SailTime, the world’s largest fractional sailing company.

Kristi Crago Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra In addition to being a member of IRIS Orchestra, Kristi Crago plays Second Horn in the Madison Symphony and Third Horn in the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra. Before moving to Milwaukee she played two seasons with the Kansas City Symphony. She is also a former member of the Cleveland-based Burning River Brass ensemble . Prior to her time in Kansas City, she served as Principal Horn in the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Horn Instructor at the University of Evansville and Third Horn in the Canton Symphony. She has performed with numerous orchestras including the Detroit, St. Louis and Houston Symphony Orchestras and performs frequently with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Dan Grabois Assistant Professor of Horn, University of Wisconsin-Madison Hornist Daniel Grabois is a member of the Meridian Arts Ensemble, a brass and percussion sextet specializing in the performance of contemporary works. He is also Chair of the Contemporary Performance Program at Manhattan School of Music and Professor of Horn at The Hartt School (CT). Grabois also performs frequently throughout New York and on tour with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and others. He has played with many rock and jazz ensembles including Duran Duran. He lives near New York with his wife and son.

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Ben Jaber Principal, San Diego Symphony

Tracy Leonard Naples Philharmonic

Kait Mahony Brooklyn Philharmonic

Seth Orgel Seth Orgel, is Associate Professor of horn at Louisiana State University, holds degrees from Northwestern University and Louisiana State University. His principal teachers were Dale Clevenger, Richard Oldberg, and Gail Williams. After spending more than ten seasons with the Syracuse Symphony horn section he moved to Boston to pursue an active freelance career including shows, jazz orchestras, orchestral and chamber work. Orchestral credits include the Chicago Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Filarmonica de Caracas, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic and currently principal horn with the Baton Rouge Symphony. Mr. Orgel is a member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet with whom he tours internationally.  Recent trips have included Taiwan, Korea, and Italy, as well as residencies at Sonoma State University, Cal State Fullerton, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Boston College.  The Atlantic Brass Quintet has three CDs available on the Summit label.  Mr. Orgel is also a regular member of IRIS Orchestra in Memphis, TN. Mr. Orgel has served on the faculties of The Boston Conservatory, Boston University, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute in addition to his current position at Louisiana State University. At LSU Mr. Orgel plays regularly with the Timm woodwind quintet and the Norem Brass Quintet.

Robert Patterson Memphis Symphony

Amy Jo Rhine Quadre, The Voice of Four Horns Amy Jo Rhine has been a member of IRIS Orchestra since 2001 and performs regularly with the Saint Louis Symphony. From 1996-2001, Rhine was the Assistant Professor of Horn at Wichita State University and currently is on faculty at Webster University and Maryville University. An active chamber musician, she has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan and Panama with the faculty quintets of WSU, the Wilson Wind Quintet and QUADRE, The Voice of Four Horns. Rhine received her training from Verne Reynolds at the Eastman School of Music and James Decker at the University of Southern California. Formerly, she held Principal Horn positions with the Wichita Symphony and the Louisiana Philharmonic, to which she made critical administrative contributions in that cooperative ensemble. Since 1997, she has enjoyed spending her summers in Boulder, CO performing Associate Principal Horn with the Colorado Music Festival, where she met her husband and fellow hornist, Greg Roosa. Amidst their busy performance schedules, they reserve ample time to managing the Death Star with their son, Norty.

Lydia Van Dreel Quadre, The Voice of Four Horns Lydia Van Dreel, Eugene, Oregon, joined the University of Oregon as an assistant professor of horn in 2006. Van Dreel performs regularly as a member of QUADRE: The Voice of Four Horns, Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra (Germantown, TN) the Eugene Symphony Orchestra, and the UO’s Faculty Brass Quintet and Oregon Wind Quintet. Before joining the Oregon faculty, Van Dreel held a ten-year tenure as co-principal horn of the Sarasota Orchestra (FL).  Lydia is a graduate of the Juilliard School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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John Freeman Freelance, San Francisco John Freeman is a busy freelance trumpeter in the San Francisco Bay area, and has been a member of IRIS Orchestra for two years.   He is a member of the Oakland Symphony and also performs with groups such as the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera, Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, Napa Valley Symphony and many others.   He is adjunct professor of trumpet at California State University Stanislaus and is trumpet teacher at The San Francisco School.   Before moving to San Francisco, John was Principal Trumpet of the Charleston Symphony in Charleston, SC.   He received a Bachelors and Masters degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music, where he was a student of James Darling and Michael Sachs.    When he's not performing or teaching music, John enjoys training for bicycle races, roasting his own coffee and spending time with his wife, Robin.

Louis Hanzlik Orpheus Chamber Orchestra  Trumpeter Louis Hanzlik has established himself as an accomplished chamber musician, orchestral player, and educator.  He is a member of the Grammy Award-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and Atlantic Brass Quintet.  Dr. Hanzlik is Professor of Trumpet and Chamber Music at the University of Connecticut.  In addition to his duties at the University of Connecticut, he maintains an international teaching presence with the Atlantic Brass Quintet’s International Brass Quintet Seminars (Boston, MA and Sonoma County, CA) and the Orpheus Institute, in residence at the Manhattan School of Music, University of Maryland, and University of Connecticut.  He is co-principal trumpet of the Riverside Symphony in New York City, performs with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and is a frequent guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.  Hanzlik is a graduate of the University of Iowa (BM), Juilliard School (MM), and Teachers College, Columbia University (Ed.D.).

Jeff Kaye Principal, Boca Philharmonic

Darin Kelly Freelance, Philadelphia Darin Kelly appears frequently with the Philadelphia Orchestra and other mid-Atlantic based ensembles. His arrangements and orchestrations have been performed by symphony orchestras across North America (including IRIS Orchestra), and he has recorded for the Albany, Ondine, Naxos, and Deutsche Grammophon labels.

Andrew Sorg Freelance, Boston Andrew Sorg is an active performer, composer, chamber musician and trumpet teacher in the Boston area. Originally from New Jersey, he began playing trumpet at the age of eight. A graduate of The Boston Conservatory, Andrew is a proud member of two award winning ensembles, The Atlantic and Triton Brass Quintets. He is the recipient of the bronze and silver medals at The Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, The Spedidum Prize at The International Lyon Chamber Music Competition, and the Grand Prize Winner at The New York City Brass Conference Brass Quintet Competition. He has also performed with The Paramount Brass, The Innovata Brass, Bala Brass, The Royal Brass Quintet, The Nashua Symphony and Vermont Symphony Brass Quintets and is a member of The Old South Brass Ensemble.

Chris Beaudry Originally from Putnam, Connecticut, Bass Trombonist Chris Beaudry holds a Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He is a Boston area freelance musician, performing regularly with the Lexington Symphony, the Plymouth Philharmonic, and Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra. He has performed and recorded with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and has also performed with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Portland Symphony, Vermont Symphony, Masterworks Chorale, and Indian Hill Symphony. In addition to his work in the New England area, Chris has also performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nat Dickey Nathaniel Dickey is assistant professor of music at Concordia College (Moorhead, Minn.), teaching applied low brass, brass pedagogy, and conducting the Symphonic Band. He is principal trombonist of the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, lead trombonist of the Jazz Arts Group of Fargo-Moorhead, and an original member of the Post-Traumatic Funk Syndrome. Dickey has performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera, the Boston Philharmonic, and the Boston Ballet. He was a founding member of the Orion Trombone Quartet (first prize winners at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition) and the Brass Mosaic, which performed its New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall. He earned undergraduate degrees from Oberlin College and Conservatory, a master of music degree from Rice University, and a doctorate in music from the University of Minnesota.

Chris Dudley Principal, Dergen Norway

Mike Hosford Freelance, Jacksonville

Greg Luscombe Principal, Memphis Symphony Greg Luscombe has served as Principal Trombonist with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra since the 1989-90 season. Mr. Luscombe is also the Professor of Low Brass at the University of Mississippi and is active with freelance work and as a musician contractor. He has been a main stay in IRIS Orchestra’s trombone section since the orchestra’s innaugaral season and has been a part of some of IRIS’s recording projects. Mr. Luscombe performance experience has included features as a soloist with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras. As an orchestral musician Mr. Luscombe has performed with the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Mexico City Philharmonic. He has also been a member of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, the Canton Symphony(Canton, Ohio), the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago

David Murray Freelance, Philadelphia, PA David Murray is a freelance trombonist in Philadelphia.  He is a frequent substitute with the Baltimore Symphony, and has also performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and San Diego Symphony.  In addition to IRIS, David has performed with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, Symphony in C, and the Delaware, Harrisburg, and Reading Symphonies, among others.  He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music. 

Phillip Ostrander Assoc. professor, University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire Phil Ostrander is Associate Professor of Trombone at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.  He also performs as Principal Trombone of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra.  Phil’s wife Allison plays violin in IRIS. Together, they have two wonderful children - Lydia (2 years old) and Eliott (2 months old).

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John Rojak American Brass Quintet John D. Rojak joined the American Brass Quintet in 1991 and has been in residence with them at Juilliard and the Aspen Music Festival, performing, teaching privately and coaching chamber music. Additionally, he is a member of IRIS Chamber Orchestra, New York Pops, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Stamford Symphony, Little Orchestra Society, and Riverside Symphony. He has performed and recorded with the New York Philharmonic, Orpheus, and Solisti New York, and performed with the Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, and many international ballet companies. Rojak has also been active in the commercial field, playing the complete 16 year Broadway run of Les Misérables, the shows Sugar Babies and The Producers, recordings of soundtracks for film, television, and jingles, performing with Metallica, and with Peter Gabriel. He also had the distinct honor of performing music for Pope John Paul II both in Central Park and at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. As a soloist, he has released “The Romantic Bass Trombone” on MMC Records and is featured on “Bass Hits, the Bass Trombone Concerti of Eric Ewazen” on Albany Records and on “The Essential Rochut” on Belle Records. Rojak has given master classes throughout the US, and in Europe, Asia, and Mexico, and is on the faculties of Bard College, where he is chair of the brass department, Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, Colorado College Summer Music Festival, and New York University.

Joe Sellmansberger Mississippi Brass Quintet Joe Sellmansberger, tuba, resides in rural western Tennessee in a log cabin and performs with the Eroica Ensemble, the Jackson Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, the Mississippi Brass Quintet, the New Orleans Jazz Ramblers, the Beale Street Jazz Band, and (of course) IRIS. Joe and his wife, Debbie repair, restore, and sell upscale brass and woodwind instruments under their three-decades moniker, Mid-South Music. Joe has built some of his own tubas and has designed and markets a highly successful line of tuba mouthpieces known as the Sellmansberger “Solo” and “Symphony” models. Debbie embraces the log cabin existence with her spinning, weaving, beekeeping, orchard, gardening, fishing, poultry, and venison dressing endeavors, as well as her investment real estate dabblings and her festivals-related enterprise, Celtic Corner. Joe and Debbie are delighted with their two baby granddaughters who reside in Texas.