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Profiles of Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra Musicians

The success of the Santa Monica Symphony can be attributed to its unique mixture of some of the best Los Angeles-area professionals, emerging pre-professional musicians, and accomplished volunteer non-professional community musicians.

First Violin Section

Michael Emery
Concertmaster Michael Emery is also concertmaster and soloist with the Utica, Catskill, and Schenectady Symphonies, having acted in that capacity for several other orchestras including the Vermont Symphony, BC Pops Orchestra and the Glimmerglass Opera Festival.
Second Violin Section

Jennifer Argenti
An 18-year veteran of the Santa Monica Symphony and Kaplan String Quartet, Jennifer freelances as a violinist in a wide-variety of musical genres including classical, country, pop and rock and she recently brought home the prestigious 'Instrumental Artist Of The Year' award from the Los Angeles Music Awards. Jennifer's other passions include environmental conservation, animal ethics and surfing and she holds the 2007 WSA 'Women's Shortboard West Coast Champion' surfing title. www.JenniferArgenti.com
David Outcalt
David recently joined the SMS. He is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, and has also served on the faculties of the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and University of California, Santa Barbara.
Viola Section

Charles A.T. Brown
The son of a Los Angeles area violinist, Charlie works for a non-profit company that helps community groups build affordable housing for families with incomes that are less than 60% of the Area Median Income.
George Goldberg
After recently relocating to Los Angeles, George works for Ingenix, a division of United Health Care.
Cello Section

Ernest Ehrhardt, cello
Ernest Ehrhardt began his professional career as the youngest cellist hired with the Houston Symphony under the direction of Sir John Barbirolli and Andre Previn. The youngest cellist hired with the L.A. Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. He has served principal with the Tulsa Philharmonic while teaching at the Oral Roberts University and University of Tulsa, and a member of the Tulsa Philharmonic Quartet.
Paul Dolid
A member of SMS since 1992, Paul is the Director of Financial Services for Kubota Tractor Corporation. Paul is a member of the SMS Board and is its currrent Treasurer. Additionally, Paul is a founding member of the Kaplan String Quartet, dedicated to Jordan Kaplan, a former violinist of the SMS, who passed away in 1993. www.kaplanquartet.com
Ken Klein
A graduate of Northwestern and UCLA, Ken is Director of Engineering for Steven Label Corporation in Santa Fe Springs, and father of two children with wife Becky.
Ann Joshi
Her cello studies began at UNM, then a BM from CU-Boulder, and WI-Madison. In Topanga, her life revolves around raising their two talented children, work as an RN at UCLA, chamber music, horses & hiking and every year helping Guido Lamell organize the Topanga Philharmonic at The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum
Bass Section

Reginald Jackson
Newly elected to the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra Board, Reggie is a Vice President with Morley Builders.
Aaron Kohen
A credentialed music teacher, Aaron has taught in the public schools for the last seven years, first at Foshay Learning Center and now at Calabasas High School in the Las Virgenes Unified School District.
Michael Polcino
A member of the symphony since 1997, Michael is animation director on The Simpsons TV show, plays straight ahead jazz around town, and is part owner of Theory FX, an effects house in Santa Monica.
Wind Players

David Shostac, Flute
Mr. Shostac has been principal flutist of the St. Louis, Milwaukee and New Orleans Symphony Orchestras as well as the Mostly Mozart, Ojai, Carmel Bach Festival and Aspen Chamber orchestras. In addition to his long tenure with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, he has also been performing as principal flutist with the Aspen Festival Orchestra since 1982.
Judy Karinen, Flute
A graduate of the University of Southern California and California State University, Long Beach, and a member of SMS since 1967, flutist Judy Karinen is a dentist in private practice in Beverly Hills.
Sherril Wood, Flute
A graduate of the New England Conservatory, Sherril has performed as a baroque flutist with a number of groups in southern California. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Amadeus Music Academy, a nonprofit community music school in Santa Monica.
Catherine Del Russo, Oboe
Catherine Del Russo, oboist is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music where she studied with Robert Sprenkle. As a freelance musician, Catherine has performed with almost every orchestra in Southern California. Currently, she is the principal oboe of the Santa Monica Symphony, the Downey Symphony and the Beverly Hills Live Orchestra and performs regularly with the Glendale Symphony Orchestra.
Jennifer Adrian-Thiroux, French Horn
Jennifer is a GEAR UP Counselor at Eagle Rock Junior-Senior High School. She is a founding member of the Avenel Chamber Players and the Observatory Orchestra in the Los Feliz area, which offers concerts in community parks, libraries and schools.



Director | Roster | Musicians | Rehearsals