The San Diego Symphony has announced the appointment of CHRISTOPHER SMITH as principal trumpet and QIANWEN SHEN as associate principal second violin. In addition, AI NIHARA and KENNETH LIAO have joined the violin section, and AMY TAYLOR has been appointed as third flute/piccolo. They will take their posts starting this summer.
Prior to joining the San Diego Symphony as principal trumpet, Christopher Smith served as fourth/utility trumpet with l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal for eleven years and spent eight years in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, where he performed for the president and other heads of state at the White House. He has also served as associate principal trumpet with the Seattle Symphony, acting principal trumpet with the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and second trumpet with the Des Moines Metro Opera.
Qianwen Shen was previously concertmaster of New England Conservatory Philharmonic Orchestra, New England Conservatory Chamber Orchestra, Mannes School of Music, and New World Symphony. She was a fellow of Tanglewood Music Center in 2016, and has appeared in ensemble and solo performances at Carnegie Hall, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall of Singapore, Hong Kong Arts Center, National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, and Shanghai. Shen has made solo appearances with Colorado’s National Repertory Orchestra, CIM Orchestra, and Argentina’s Orquesta Sinfonica Uncuyo.
Posted April 19, 2019
