Get to know a few of the exciting instrumental soloists, original orchestral programs, and engaging crossover artists available to California symphony orchestras.

Soloists

Janice Carissa
A Gilmore Young Artist and winner of Salon de Virtuosi, Janice Carissa has “the multicolored highlights of a mature pianist” (Philadelphia Inquirer) and “strong, sure hands” (Voice of America) that “convey a vivid story rather than a mere showpiece” (Chicago Classical Review). Following her Philadelphia Orchestra debut at age sixteen, Janice has since performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Pittsburgh, San Diego, Nashville, Kansas City, Delaware, Amarillo, Des Moines, Knoxville and Jakarta symphonies, among others. Highlights of the 2025-2026 season include concerto appearances with the Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, Jackson (MI) Symphony, and Florida Orchestra.

Chee-Yun
Violinist Chee-Yun’s flawless technique, dazzling tone, and compelling artistry have enraptured audiences on five continents. Charming, charismatic, and deeply passionate about her art, Chee-Yun continues to carve a unique place for herself in the ever-evolving world of classical music. She has appeared with the Toronto, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Atlanta, Colorado, Milwaukee, National, Pacific, Cincinnati, Tucson, Detroit, and Pensacola symphony orchestras, the Saint Paul and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestras, Orquesta Sinfonia Nacional, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, New World Symphony, and the National Philharmonic. A champion of contemporary music, Chee-Yun performed Christopher Theofanidis’ Violin Concerto conducted by David Alan Miller as part of the Albany Symphony’s American Festival, in addition to performing Kevin Puts’ Violin Concerto with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Maria Ioudenitch
Violinist Maria Ioudenitch captured the attention of music lovers worldwide in 2021 when she received first prizes in three international violin competitions – the Ysaÿe, Tibor Varga and Joseph Joachim – as well as numerous special prizes at these competitions, including Joachim’s Chamber Music Award, the prize for Best Interpretation of a Commissioned Work and the Henle Urtext Prize. In 2023, she won the Opus Klassik Award in the category “Chamber Music Recording of the Year” for her debut album, Songbird, on Warner Classics. She has appeared with the Cincinnati and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich as part of the Orpheum Foundation’s concert series, Trondheim Symfoniorkester, Sofia Philharmonic and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, with whom she also goes on tour. She works with conductors such as Andrey Boreyko, Sir Donald Runnicles, Marta Gardolińska, Holly Hyun Choe, Robin Ticciati, Ruth Reinhardt, and more.

Alexi Kenney **California-Based**
Violinist Alexi Kenney is forging a career that defies categorization, following his interests, intuition, and heart. He is equally at home creating experimental programs, commissioning new works, soloing with major orchestras around the world, and collaborating with some of the most celebrated musicians of our time. Alexi is the recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant and a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award. Recent and upcoming highlights in the 2526 season include returns to the Pittsburgh Symphony, San Francisco Symphony in a program of his own curation as soloist and leader, and the Dallas Symphony. He will also debut with the Houston Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, Wichita Symphony, and Erie Philharmonic. Honoring his experimental nature, Alexi curates San Francisco Symphony’s SoundBox in February 2026. Past appearances include the Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Oregon Symphony, Louisville Orchestra.

Anne-Marie McDermott
One of the most dazzling American pianists of her generation, Anne-Marie McDermott has played concertos, recitals, and chamber music in hundreds of cities throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. She is one of the most versatile, respected, and best-reviewed pianists of our time. McDermott continues her tenure as music and artistic director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, in Colorado, through 2026, which hosts world-renowned artists and orchestras. She is also the artistic director of the Ocean Reef Chamber Music Festival, in Florida; the artistic director of the McKnight Center’s Chamber Music Festival, at Oklahoma State University; and a former curator of the Mainly Mozart Spotlight Series, in San Diego.

Amaryn Olmeda
Winner of first prize and the audience choice award at the 24th Annual Sphinx Competition, violinist Amaryn Olmeda is a rising star sought after for her bold and expressive performances as a soloist and collaborator. Highlights of 2025-2026 include debut performances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, Tallahassee Symphony, Modesto Symphony, Williamsburg Symphony, and Shreveport Symphony, as well as return appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Des Moines Symphony, Stockton Symphony, and Auburn Symphony. Other highlights include debuts with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Omaha Symphony, and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra at their New Year’s Concert Series, earning her a nomination for the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards.

Simone Porter
Violinist Simone Porter has been recognized as an emerging artist of impassioned energy, interpretive integrity, and vibrant communication. She has debuted with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle and Pittsburgh Symphonies and with a number of renowned conductors, including Stéphane Denève, Gustavo Dudamel, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Nicholas McGegan, Ludovic Morlot, Donald Runnicles, David Robertson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Manfred Honeck, Louis Langrée and David Danzmayr. Simone made her professional solo debut at age 10 with the Seattle Symphony and her international debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London at age 13. In March 2015, Simone was named a recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant.

Blake Pouliot
Described as “immaculate, at once refined and impassioned,” (ArtsAtlanta) violinist Blake Pouliot has anchored himself among the ranks of classical phenoms. A tenacious young artist with a passion that enraptures his audience in every performance, Pouliot has established himself as “one of those special talents that comes along once in a lifetime” (Toronto Star). As a soloist, Blake’s 2025-26 concerto highlights include a return to National Ars Centre Orchestra to open their season with Music Director Alexander Shelley, and debuts with the Illinois Symphony and the Columbus Symphony.Additional concerto appearances include Rochester Philharmonic, as well as a tour with the Prague Philharmonia in Spain and the U.S., culminating with a performance at Carnegie Hall, marking Blake’s Stern Auditorium debut.

Angel Stanislav Wang **California-Based**
Pianist Angel Stanislav Wang was born into a family of musicians in Los Angeles. A winner of more than 35 international competitions and a silver medal winner at the 2023 Tchaikovsky, Angel regularly performs in the United States and Europe. He has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Vienna Musikverein, Moscow Conservatory, Mariinsky Theatre, and Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. Current and upcoming season highlights include a tour with the Russian National Orchestra, concerts with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and solo recitals for the Aspen Music Festival and Steinway Society – The Bay Area.

Wu Man **California-Based**
Wu Man belongs to a rare group of musicians who have redefined the role of their instruments, in her case, the pipa, a pear-shaped, four-stringed Chinese lute with a rich history spanning centuries. Not only is she recognized as the foremost pipa player in the United States, but she is also celebrated as an accomplished composer, educator, and one of the most prominent instrumentalists of traditional Chinese music. Ms. Wu has performed as a soloist with many of the world’s major orchestras, including the Austrian ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Moscow Soloists, Nashville Symphony, German NDR and RSO Radio Symphony Orchestras, New Music Group, New York Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.

Pops & Orchestral Programs

Final Symphony: Music from Final Fantasy
Final Symphony is a concert series featuring stunning orchestral suites based on the music from FINAL FANTASY VI, VII and X, originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu and Masashi Hamauzu. Officially licensed by Square Enix and created and produced by Thomas Böcker, Final Symphony has sold out performances and received rave reviews across the globe. Final Symphony offers a new kind of orchestral concert experience, not just for gamers, but for anyone who simply loves beautiful music.

 

Cheyenne Jackson **California-Based**

Cheyenne Jackson is a GRAMMY and Emmy-nominated actor, singer, and songwriter known for his versatile work across concert stages, Broadway, television, and film. As a concert performer, Jackson has graced the stages of iconic venues including Disney Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, and Kennedy Center. He received a GRAMMY nomination for his collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony as Tony in West Side Story conducted by the legendary Michael Tilson Thomas.

Picasso Symphony
Picasso Symphony is an immersive multimedia experience that brings the life, art, and vision of Pablo Picasso to the concert stage. More than 50 years after his passing, this production explores Picasso not just as a painter but as a revolutionary force who reshaped the way we see art. From painting to ceramics, printmaking to sculpture, he pushed the boundaries of every medium he touched—reinventing artistic expression for the modern world.

Time for Three
Grammy and Emmy-winning ensemble, Time For Three (TF3), defies convention and boundaries by showcasing excellence across different genres, including classical music, Americana, and singer-songwriter. Their unique sound captivates audiences, immersing them in a musical experience that merges various eras, styles, and traditions of Western music. TF3, consisting of Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas “Nick” Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals), combines their instruments and voices in a remarkable sound, establishing a distinct voice of expression that resonates with listeners worldwide.

California-Based, World-Renowned

Cheyenne Jackson
Alexi Kenney
Angel Stanislav Wang
Wu Man