Philadelphia Orchestra Honors Long-term and Retiring Musicians

In Monday’s (5/3) Musical America, Sarah Shay writes, “In a special ceremony during the June 1 concert in Verizon Hall, the Philadelphia Orchestra honored nine of its musicians for their contributions to the organization. Violist Marvin Moon, a member of the orchestra since 2007, received the C. Hartman Kuhn Award … The selection was made by Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Four of the evening’s honorees—cellist Robert Cafaro, violist Judy Geist, horn player Shelley Showers, and storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston—are retiring after more than 130 years of collective service. Cafaro joined the Philadelphians in 1985 after stints with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony…. Judy Geist joined in 1983, the first woman violist in the ensemble’s history…. Before arriving in 1997, Shelley Showers was acting principal horn of the Cleveland Orchestra and had also played with the symphony orchestras of New Jersey, Utah, and Cincinnati…. Charlotte Blake Alston … has served as host and narrator for the orchestra’s School and Family concerts since 1991 and the ‘Sound All Around’ concert series for young children since 1994. The June 1 ceremony also recognized four musicians who have played with the orchestra for 25 years.”