The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) has recently added two new members to their team: Cornelia Sommer as the Second Bassoonist and Luciano Valdes as a Percussionist. Notably, Luciano Valdes has also been selected for one of the DSO's two African American Orchestra Fellowships. Both of them will officially start their new positions at the beginning of the 2023/24 season.
Cornelia Sommer, a graduate of prestigious institutions like The Juilliard School, Yale University, and Indiana University, has honed her bassoon skills under the guidance of renowned instructors like Frank Morelli, Kathleen McLean, William Ludwig, and Francine Peterson. Additionally, she has expertise in baroque bassoon, having studied with Dominic Teresi. Prior to joining the DSO, Cornelia served as the Principal Bassoonist with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and frequently collaborated with distinguished orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and performed on period bassoon with Juilliard415.
Luciano Valdes, who currently holds the position of Principal Timpanist in the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, has also been granted a fellowship with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree at the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music, where he is receiving instruction from Joseph Pereira and Jim Babor.
The DSO's African American Orchestra Fellowship initiative was initiated in 1990 with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Graduates of this program have a track record of securing positions in some of the world's top orchestras. Notably, two current DSO musicians, Kenneth Thompkins (Principal Trombone) and Cole Randolph (Cello), are also alumni of this fellowship program.
Erik Rönmark, the President and CEO of the DSO, expressed his excitement about welcoming Cornelia and Luciano to Detroit and emphasized their potential contributions to the orchestra's exceptional musical quality. He extended his gratitude to all the candidates, the orchestra operations team, and audition committees for their efforts in ensuring that the right musicians were chosen for these roles. The DSO eagerly anticipates the harmonious music that will result from their collaboration.
