Rachel Kristenson

Concertmaster

Rachel Coltvet Kristenson is a professional violinist who celebrates both the brilliance and vulnerability of being human. Life for Rachel is full and messy and overwhelming and exquisite as a musician, partner to a wildfire-fighting pilot, and mom to seven beautiful children.

She began violin at age 5 with her mother, Margit Coltvet, and later earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in violin performance and Suzuki pedagogy from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with renowned teachers like David Russell and William Preucil.

Rachel has performed with orchestras across North America and has been Concertmaster of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra since 2017. She also freelances in Winnipeg, playing with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Her greatest passion is connection—through breath, music, and shared experience. She hopes audiences leave feeling moved and more deeply connected to our incandescent human community.

Susan Schaffer

Assistant Concertmaster

Susan joined the OSO soon after graduating from UBC with her B.Mus. degree. In her first season, she played in both the 1st & 2nd violin sections as well as in the viola section, before winning the Assistant Concertmaster audition in 1992. Well known to local audiences, she has also performed as Guest Artist with the OSO on three separate series. She shared the first stand with retired OSO Concertmaster Denis Letourneau for 25 seasons, and they have been married and living in Armstrong since 1997, where she maintains a teaching studio, practices yoga and Tai Chi, and enjoys the seasons while puttering in the garden, biking, hiking and paddleboarding with their poodle, Grace.

Susan Aylard

First Violin

Susan Aylard is an equally accomplished classical violinist and fiddler, currently performing with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, Rocky Mountain High Band and the Kitchen Sink Pocket Orchestra. Sue has travelled the world performing in Sweden, Russia, Denmark, Mexico, Ireland, the USA and Canada. She has twice competed at Canada’s National Music Competition as a member of the Sabeon Trio, and has received the prestigious Okanagan Arts Award for Music.

Cvetozar Vutev

First Violin

Cvetozar Vutev is a violin player, teacher and conductor based in Kamloops, BC. He first joined the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra in 2006 as an extra musician. Then in 2009, he became a core player and regular member of the 1st violin section.

Cvetozar has also been a concertmaster with the Symphony of the Kootenays since 2016, and a music instructor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops since 2013. He served as a concertmaster with the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra for 20 years until 2025.

In the past Cvetozar has been also a concertmaster with both Kelowna Opera and Prince George Symphony Orchestra, a music director of Vivace Chorale Kamloops (2007 – 2023), as well as a founding music director and conductor of the Kamloops Brandenburg Orchestra (2012 – 2024).

Cvetozar received a master’s degree in violin performance and a doctorate in musicology and musical arts from Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music in Sofia (Bulgaria). He has participated in numerous solo, chamber, symphony, choral, and opera performances across Europe, Japan, South Korea, USA and Canada.

Martine denBok

Principal Second Violin

Martine denBok is a classically trained professional violinist with a captivating stage presence and a spine-tingling tonal colour palette. A natural-born musician who began violin lessons at the age of three, denBok has performed as concertmaster for more than 20 productions with Edmonton’s Opera Nuova Orchestra, spent three seasons playing alongside Juno-nominated Pablo Diemecke with Victoria’s Die Mahler String Quartet, and played first violin for Edmonton’s popular and eclectic StringBeans Quartet.

She holds a Master of Music in violin performance and is the principal second violinist of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. Now a resident of New Denver, BC, denBok is a busy multi-instrumentalist and collaborator, most notably with her acclaimed duo Freya — a group known for its heartfelt and spellbinding instrumental compositions and sweet vocal harmonies.

In addition to performing, denBok maintains a busy teaching studio with students from Nelson to New Denver.

Narumi Higuchi

Second Violin

Originally from Japan, Mrs Higuchi started studying violin at the age of 6. She moved to Toronto in 1997 to study with Jacques Israelievitch at the Royal Conservatory. After graduating, Mrs Higuchi held the position of 2nd Violin for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2010. Currently Mrs Higuchi performs with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and lives with her family in Vernon. She enjoys trail running and spending time with her family. 

John Suderman

Second Violin

John grew up in a family that strongly prioritized music and faith-based living. The last of five children, he started lessons on the piano, like his older siblings. At age 10, he took up the violin as a second instrument. Three years later, he chose to keep the violin.

Having always lived in BC, John started his career in 1982 as principal 2nd violin in the Prince George Symphony Orchestra. He moved to the Okanagan in 1999 with his family and started playing in the OSO as an extra musician. John is very passionate about playing and he has been teaching the art of playing the violin for over 40 years.

Outside of music, John is an electric vehicle enthusiast.

Erin Macdonald

Principal Viola

Erin began her journey into classical music as a young child with a radio, a semi-circle of teddy bears and a chopstick. Staying up past bedtime to watch PBS concerts was insisted upon. Music lessons soon followed and Erin eventually chose the viola to be her instrument.

Ms. Macdonald enjoys an active freelance career as an orchestral player, performing regularly with the Vancouver Symphony and other regional ensembles. Erin joined the Okanagan Symphony in January of 2022 and is honoured to perform alongside these fine musicians.

When not performing, Erin can be found acting as head chef in her kitchen, or on the track attempting 100 metre sprints. Erin lives, works and plays on the traditional unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations in North Vancouver.

Ashley Kroecher

Viola

Known affectionately throughout the Thompson Okanagan region as Mr. Viola, Ashley grew up in North Vancouver and moved to Kelowna in 2003. He holds degrees from UBC and the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Trossingen, Germany.

In addition to his position of assistant principal violist with the OSO, he is also principal violist of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, a longstanding member of the Sycamore String Quartet and a frequent performer in Candlelight Concerts and Opera Kelowna.

A passionate teacher, he integrates various leading streams of pedagogy to help musicians of all ages and abilities at his central Kelowna home-based studios (which he shares with his wife Sarah — an OSO violinist).

In his free time Ashley enjoys keeping fit and exploring the great outdoors. He can often be glimpsed zipping around town on his bike, hiking on Knox Mountain, or weaving through the trees at Big White on his Tele skis. He also enjoys badiminton, chess, reading, and gardening.

Sylvie Lange

Viola

Sylvie Lange was born in Vancouver. She is grateful for her first music lessons as a young child with her violinist grandfather.

After completion of studies at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, she spent 25 years performing with the Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, Toronto Philharmonic, Esprit Contemporain, as well as work in various chamber music ensembles and as a freelance studio recording artist.

Sylvie is enormously grateful for the gift afforded her via her musical life to explore the world and to share life/ stage experiences with a multitude of remarkable musical legends, travelling the world performing throughout North America, Germany, Austria, Scotland, Japan and England.

She moved to Kelowna in 1998 and has been playing with the OSO since 2000.

Sylvie’s various addictions and guilty pleasures include pickleball, biking, good food, travelling, and sipping Okanagan wines (especially bubbles!).

Martin Krátký

Cello

Martin began weekly cello lessons at age 5 with the late Anne Vallentyne, walking over to her home at 7am before going to school. A graduate of the University of Toronto and Oberlin Conservatory, he was principal cellist of the Saskatoon Symphony for two seasons after grad school. Since 2009, Martin has been serving as principal cellist of the Kamloops Symphony.

Martin joined the OSO in 2012. Recent performance highlights include performing as soloist in Anna Clyne’s cello concerto, DANCE, with the OSO, and in Early Music Vancouver’s Silk Strings project.

Martin teaches a vibrant studio of young artists through the Kelowna Community Music School and KSO music school, and is an avid runner, often medaling in local long-distance road races.

Olivia Walsh

Cello

Olivia Walsh began playing the cello at the age of four. Through many enriching experiences with Edmonton’s Society for Talent Education, she was inspired to pursue a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at the University of Alberta. Following her undergraduate studies, Olivia furthered her education in both pedagogy and conducting.

Olivia has been a member of the Okanagan Symphony since 2007. She maintains an active and varied musical schedule of teaching and performing throughout the Okanagan Valley, and serves as a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s College of Examiners.

When not playing the cello, Olivia can be found drinking coffee, eating chocolate and petting her cat.

Meaghan Williams

Principal Double Bass

Raised in Newfoundland, Meaghan studied in Toronto and at the Universität der Künste in Berlin with renowned bassists Joel Quarrington, Gary Karr, and Janne Saksala.

Meaghan was a founding member of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Japan. She performs regularly with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Victoria Symphony, and is a member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Meaghan’s first performance with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra was in 2007.

An advocate of Canadian design, Meaghan performs on a bass made by Peter Mach (QC), bows made by Jordan Scapinello (ON), Reid Hudson (BC), and Max Kasper (NS), and a double bass of Italian origin. She teaches privately, at Capilano University in North Vancouver.

Heather Beaty

Principal Flute

The music speaks for now—the words are on their way.

Lauris Davis

Principal Oboe

Lauris Davis started on trumpet in high school and dreamed of being the next Miles or Wynton, but after graduating and getting braces, the dream faded along with her embouchure. Not yet knowing the life-long drama of reed making, Lauris decided to play the oboe.

Together, Lauris and her trusty oboe got through UBC and the Vancouver Academy of Music and started freelancing throughout BC. In 2011, Lauris won the Principal Oboe position with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and hasn’t looked back since.

When avoiding practicing and making reeds, Lauris can be found playing with clay or wandering aimlessly on the beach communing with nature!

Karmen Doucette

Principal Bassoon

Karmen Doucette discovered the bassoon at 14—though it may be more accurate to say the bassoon found her. After years of piano lessons and a brief flirtation with the flute, a chance encounter with a school bassoon changed her path forever. She earned her B.Mus. in at the University of Calgary and completed her M.Mus at Baylor University in Texas, followed by residencies at the Banff Centre and intensive orchestral training at Toronto’s Glenn Gould School.

Karmen’s orchestral journey has taken her across North America, performing with ensembles such as the Calgary Philharmonic, Waco Symphony, Sudbury Symphony, Kamloops Symphony, and Opera Kelowna. Since 2010, she’s served as Principal Bassoon of the Okanagan Symphony. Also passionate about chamber music and education, Karmen performs regularly with Kitchen Sink Pocket Orchestra and mentors aspiring young bassoonists.

When she’s not immersed in reeds and repertoire, Karmen fuels her creativity with web design, caffeine, and a low-end groove on bass guitar.

Audrey Patterson

Principal Trumpet

Audrey began playing the trumpet at the age of 8. She has studied in Lethbridge, Calgary, Windsor, Detroit, and Vancouver. Audrey has performed with the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Vancouver Symphony, Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Vancouver Island Symphony, Prince George and Kamloops symphonies. Music has allowed her to perform throughout Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Audrey was 24 when she won the Principal Trumpet position with the OSO in 2003, and was at the time one of the youngest principal brass players in the country. She has performed several solo and featured works with the OSO since winning her position. Her passion for performing is matched only by her love of hockey, business, her son, Braxton, and her husband, Craig.

Maestro Rosemary Thomson became Music Director of the OSO in 2007. At the end of the 2023/2024 season she assumed the title of Conductor Emeritus in recognition of her legacy. During her tenure audiences grew to unprecedented levels. She initiated and developed programs for the OSO including: Symphony Storytime, Your Symphony at the Library, the Middle School Band Clinic, and the Okanagan Symphony Youth Chorus. Rosemary founded the current iteration of the Okanagan Symphony Chorus in 2010.

With Dennis Colpitts, Rosemary brought the OSYO under the OSO umbrella. She invited thousands of students to perform with the OSO resulting in a massive expansion for the Symphony School Shows.

Rosemary became the Artistic Director of Opera Kelowna in 2020 offering main stage and studio productions, and engagement programs such as Sidewalk Serenades and Opera Under the Stars (OPUS). She is a mentor for the national Women in Musical Leadership program run by Tapestry Opera in Toronto.

Rosemary has guest conducted across the country and in Europe and is known for developing diverse and innovative audience-centred productions. A Dora nominated artist, she most recently made her debut with Vancouver Opera, Banff Centre Opera and the Canadian Opera Company.

Rosemary Thomson

Conductor Emeritus

Leonard Camplin. Conductor, violinist, oboist, b London 16 Aug 1928; d 14 Oct 2024, FTCL.

Leonard’s musical journey of 72 years, began as a Church of England choirboy and later became a violin student at the Guildhall School of Music. He graduated from the British Army, Royal Military School of Music-Kneller Hall, with majors in conducting, composition and orchestration. In 1955, he became the youngest conductor in the British Army, serving in tours of duty that took him too many parts of the world. He frequently performed as an oboe recitalist and lecturer.

In 1959, Leonard immigrated to Canada and became the Music Supervisor for the Saskatchewan Sturgis School Unit. His dedication to student musicianship led to the introduction of full music credits in Saskatchewan schools. He also played principal oboe with the Regina Symphony Orchestra.

Leonard served as Director of Music and Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Engineers Band (RCE Band) at Camp Chilliwack, in 1961. While much of the band’s time was spent on military and ceremonial functions, they also performed a wide variety of music, from popular dance music to Beethoven, Schubert, and Tschaikowsky symphonies. Under Leonard’s leadership, the band became versatile enough provide a 20-piece string orchestra, a male voice choir, a dance orchestra and chamber ensembles.

Camplin also served as Director of Music and Commanding Officer for the Naden Band and Company Commander of the Training and Standards at CF School of Music at CFB Esquimalt, and Director of Music and Commanding Officers for the Princess Patricia Light Infantry Band (PPCLI), CFB Calgary. Among military tours of duty, he was appointed Music Director of the Calgary’s Centennial celebrations (Century Calgary) and conducted the Century Calgary Symphony Orchestra.

In 1964, he became Music Director and Conductor of the Okanagan Symphony Society (OSS) and its orchestra. Under his leadership, the orchestra grew from an amateur to professional status. After retiring from the Canadian Forces in 1978, he moved to Kelowna and continued as resident conductor of the OSS. Conducting his last concert in May 1996 (32 years), he was honoured with a plaque inscribed “In appreciation, Leonard Camplin, Conductor Laureate for dedicated and inspired service as Music Director 1964 – 1995, Okanagan Symphony Society.”

With his passion for music concerts, a group of people got together to produce summer concerts, he was a founder and Music Director of the Kelowna Philharmonic Festival Society 1986 – 2006. Leonard founded with a small group of Kelowna businessmen who embraced his concept of a Canada Day July 1st free concert for Kelowna citizens with the Canada Day POPS orchestra, he was the Music Director and Conductor of the Kelowna Canada Day Concert Society 1994 – 2016.

Leonard Camplin

Conductor Laureate

OUR MUSICIANS

OSO Core Musicians

Rachel Kristenson

Concertmaster

Susan Schaffer

Assistant Concertmaster

Susan Aylard

Violin I

Cvetozar Vutev

Violin I

Martine denBok

Principal Second Violin

Narumi Higuchi

Violin II

John Suderman

Violin II

Erin Macdonald

Principal Viola

Ashley Kroecher

Viola

Sylvie Lange

Viola

To be filled

Principal Cello

Martin Krátký

Cello

Olivia Walsh

Cello

Meaghan Williams

Principal Bass

Heather Beaty

Principal Flute

Lauris Davis

Principal Oboe

To be filled

Principal Clarinet

Karmen Doucette

Principal Bassoon

To be filled

Principal Horn

Audrey Patterson

Principal Trumpet

OSO Core Musicians

Rachel Kristenson

Concertmaster

Susan Schaffer

Assistant Concertmaster

Susan Aylard

Violin I

Cvetozar Vutev

Violin I

Martine denBok

Principal Second Violin

Narumi Higuchi

Violin II

John Suderman

Violin II

Erin Macdonald

Principal Viola

Ashley Kroecher

Viola

Sylvie Lange

Viola

To be filled

Principal Cello

Martin Krátký

Cello

Olivia Walsh

Cello

Meaghan Williams

Principal Bass

Heather Beaty

Principal Flute

Lauris Davis

Principal Oboe

To be filled

Principal Clarinet

Karmen Doucette

Principal Bassoon

To be filled

Principal Horn

Audrey Patterson

Principal Trumpet

The OSO is comprised of 20 core players, joined by many other regular and freelance players as necessary for each performance. Our core players and many of our regular extras — some of whom have been with the OSO for decades — are well-known to our audiences and contribute greatly to our communities. Our musicians truly are the heart and soul of the OSO.

Our 2025/2026 roster of musicians is listed below.

Violin I

Catie Akune
Jiten Beairsto
Bennett Chiu
Victoria Gould
Lydia Hug
Vladimir Rufino
Angela Ruthven
Galen Schram
Sandra Wilmot

Violin II

Sarah Anderson
Ardeth Erikson
Carol Hur
Vincenzo Iormetti
Muireann Meiklejohn
Galen Schram
Julia Watson
Sandra Wilmot

Viola

Jim Oliver
Fahlon Palm
Susanne Zeindler

Cello

Jeff Faragher
Morna Howie
Laura McPheeters
Jennifer Moersch
Shin-Jung Nam

Bass

Rob Fahie
Lukas Peladeau
Michael Vaughan
Jeff White
Yefeng Yin

Flute

Sheila French
Anna McGuigan
Katherine Watson

Oboe

Elizabeth Eccleston
Juanita Gomes
Akane Setiawan
Zeena Zaiyouna

Clarinet

Sally Arai
Julie Begg
Liam Hockley

Bassoon

Olivia Martin (contrabassoon)
David Overgaard

French Horn

Dennis Colpitts
Eric Esdale
Margaret Fisher
Nealee Humphreys
Elizabeth Uzelac

Trumpet

Jim Howie

Trombone

Wade Dorsey, Principal
Bob Rogers
Gordon Waters

Tuba

Dave Munroe

Timpani / Percussion

Martin Fisk, Principal Percussion
Will Friesen
Katie Rife, Principal Timpani

Harp

Keyboard

Carol Colpitts
Justin Luchinsky

Conductor Emeritus

Rosemary Thomson

Conductor Laureate

Leonard Camplin

Chair Sponsors

Concertmaster Chair
John K. Whitehead & Associates

Assistant Concertmaster Chair
Greg & Wendy Adams

Violin I Third Chair
Steve Onsorge Personal Real Estate Corporation

Violin I Fourth Chair
Anonymous

Principal Violin II Chair
The Meiklejohn Family

Violin II Second Chair
Dr. Kong Khoo & Mrs. Noelle Khoo

Violin II Third Chair
Alex Fong & Cheryl McNaughton

Principal Viola Chair
Maria Correia & Peter Morgan

Viola Second Chair
Annette Toop

Viola Third Chair
Elena Tilton & Jeff Brown

Principal Cello Chair
Patricia Ryan

Cello Second Chair
Janet Parkins & Jim Boyd

Morna Howie’s Cello Chair
Les & Catherine Dawson

Principal Bass Chair
Tom & Kate Brown

Principal Flute Chair
Judy & Graham Burns, in memory of Ruth Jarrett

Principal Oboe Chair
Dr. Randall & Mrs. Lynn Fairey

Principal Clarinet Chair
Doug & Gretchen Sonju

Principal Bassoon Chair
Anonymous

Horn Second Chair
Harriet Foltinek

Principal Trumpet Chair
Dr. Randall & Mrs. Lynn Fairey

Trumpet Second Chair
Roses Stewart & David Stevens

Learn more about Chair Sponsorship