Four new musicians have been named to the roster of Tennessee’s Knoxville Symphony Orchestra for 2013-14: PHILLIP CHASE HAWKINS, principal trumpet; AARON APAZA, principal bassoon; SEAN DONOVAN, fourth horn; and GRAY FERRIS, second horn.

Phillip Chase Hawkins previously held the second trumpet post in the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and before that in the Lexington (Ky.) Philharmonic Orchestra. He teaches trumpet at the University of Kentucky and at Centre College in Danville, Ky. Hawkins holds a Doctor of Music degree from the University of Kentucky; master’s degrees from both the Eastman School of Music and Manhattan School of Music; and a bachelor’s degree from Eastman.

Aaron Apaza, principal bassoon, goes to Knoxville from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, where he was acting assistant principal bassoon. He has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and New York City’s Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Apaza is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and holds a master’s degree from the Yale University School of Music.

Sean Donovan, fourth horn, holds master’s and bachelor’s degree in horn performance from the University of Missouri and Middle Tennessee State University, respectively, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music Theory degree from the University of Missouri.

Gray Ferris, whose appointment as second horn is for one year, resides in Tucson and plays with the Sierra Vista (Ariz.) Symphony Orchestra and as substitute horn in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in horn performance from the University of Arizona-Tucson.

Posted September 10, 2013