Our Players | Balcones Community Orchestra

OUR PLAYERS
then and now...

Byron Gifford - Flute

My name is Byron Gifford, and I have been a private music tutor on flute and clarinet in Austin since 2004. I currently perform with Balcones Community Orchestra and Austin Symphonic Band.
I have previously performed with Georgetown Palace Theatre players and Austin Flute Club. In Dallas I have performed with Metropolitan Winds, Bravura Winds, Oak Lawn Band, Flutes Unlimited, and often performed with the Turtle Creek Chorale.
I have also performed with community bands and orchestras in St Louis, Indianapolis, Denver, and Aurora Colorado. I received my Music Theory degree from The Ohio State University, and after graduation pursued my career in retail and wholesale clothing for 27 years.
I live in Lake Hiils, and enjoy cooking, good friends, my partner John, our Wheaten terrier Jake, and occasionally riding my BMW motorcycle. I have played with BCO since 2006, really enjoy our rehearsal/concert format, the many interesting performers with our group, and our outstanding leader, Dr. Radmer. “Always strum up!”

Ann Smith - Bass

Ann was raised in Hartford, CT and played clarinet in her early years. She began studying string bass the summer before high school with a desire to play in orchestra. She eventually took lessons at the Hartt School of Music and was a member of the Hartt Youth Orchestra. In addition to playing in the high school orchestra under a wonderful man, Clayton Shufelt (who died in December at the age of 101), she participated in regional orchestras, all-state orchestras, a tri-city orchestra and the All-Eastern Orchestra in Boston. She also attended Laurel Music Camp where Moshe Paranov directed orchestra. Ann majored in math at the University of Connecticut and played in the university orchestra. After graduation she had a career in management information systems and continued to play bass in community orchestras which included the Manchester Symphony, Farmington Valley Symphony and Hartford Music Club. After moving to Austin 15 years ago with her husband Wayne and daughter Laurie, Ann played in the Austin Civic Orchestra and has enjoyed playing with BCO the last 6 seasons. She works for the Texas State Historical Association on the Handbook of Texas Online.

John Cox, Cello

Having grown up in Austin, John Cox studied Cello and Piano from early childhood. John’s music experience spans from music festivals across the country including "Musicorda" (MA), "Cloudcroft Music Festival" (NM) and "Sewanee Music Festival" (TN) to orchestras including the Honduras National Symphony and the Honduras Opera Orchestra.

In particular, Cox is passionate about chamber music. He has participated in “Chamberre in the Rockies” (CO) and the central Texas “Haydn in the Hills”. A favorite music companion of top chamber music enthusiasts for his musicality, versatility and outstanding reading abilities, John states that “I get immense enjoyment out of playing music with nifty project oriented people. I try to encourage others to join me in chamber music fun during my free time.”

John is employed by the iconic Austin “Immortal Performances” owned by Jim Cartwright in repairing vintage Victrola’s and other players and in many other capacities there.

Karen Foster Cason - Cello

I started playing cello at age 9 in an after-school Suzuki program. I loved playing cello so much that I dreamed of having a cello-shaped home with a cello-shaped pool and bathtub. My various musical accomplishments: All Region orchestra, All state symphony, Principal cellist with Ft. Worth Youth Orchestra, Cellist with Ft. Worth YO string quartet and piano quintet, Cleveland String Quartet and a full music scholarship to North Texas State University. I also attended UT on a music scholarship, studying with Paul Olefsky.
A wrist injury temporarily ended my career, but I began playing again for fun after a five year break with Austin Baroque players, chamber music groups, and numerous weddings and churches. I played my first concert with BCO four years ago subbing at the last minute, sight-reading, the only cellist at the all-Mozart concert. I have loved it ever since!! I especially enjoy playing with the BCO string quartet. Most recent musical adventure was subbing for the cellist in a local Indi group (developed food poisoning at the last minute), playing her amped cello… in a bar… and once again… sight-reading at a performance.
I graduated summa cum laude with a BBA in CIS from Texas State University. After working in the IT field as a systems analyst/programmer for some years, I currently help my husband run his screen-printing business. My three children are grown, and I now take great delight in my grandchildren.

Catherine van Zanten - Viola and Violin

Catherine plays violin with the Balcones Community Orchestra. She has performed with the Round Rock Symphony Orchestra, the New Orleans Summer Pops, the Lake Charles Symphony, the Acadiana Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, the Baton Rouge Symphony and the Jackson, MS Symphony as well as with the Austin Civic Orchestra and Austin Philharmonic.

She studied at the Juilliard Preparatory School, at the University of Illinois, and with Franco Gulli at the Academia Chigiana in Siena, Italy. Catherine has a Bachelor of Music Degree from LSU and a Master of Music Degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette both in violin performance. She has taken Suzuki Teacher Training through Book 10 and teaches Suzuki and traditional violin in her home studio.

Bethany Wharton - Viola

Born and raised in Austin, Bethany Wharton began playing violin at the age of 8 and switched to viola a few years later. She took a break from the music world to pursue a nursing degree, eventually graduating from Texas Tech with a BSN in 2020. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Nursing.
In 2021, the call to return to music was too strong to resist and she joined ACC’s String Orchestra, where she currently plays first violin. When not performing with an orchestra, you can find her playing at various gigs around Austin with the Highland String Quartet.

Steve DuPrez - Cello

Born in California, served in the U.S. Army in Germany as a Russian linguist, assigned to West Berlin and then Augsburg.
Obtained a commission in the U.S. Army while attending college, and served as a Military Intelligence officer, with an assignment to Panama.
I used to play ice hockey until Father Time caught up with me.
Started playing cello when I was 16, and resumed playing a couple of years ago after a 24-year hiatus.
Have a married daughter who lives up in St. Paul, MN and who will make me a grandpa next March.
Have been with my partner Phillip for just over 20 years.

Michael Domjan - Viola

Michael Domjan has been a Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas since 1973. Before he got involved in psychology, he studied at Juilliard, where he learned to play the viola. After a hiatus of more than 35 years, he ventured back into music when a colleague encouraged him to join the Balcones Community Orchestra. He has gradually regained some of his musical skills and recently launched the Tertis/Pavlov Project, in which he explores connections between music and psychology in a series of short videos that are available at http://sites.utexas.edu/tertispavlovproject/

Andrea Gore, Violin

Andrea Gore grew up in Tappan, NY, just northwest of New York City. She began lessons on piano and violin at age 5 and 8, respectively, and also studied folk guitar. Andrea was an active member of several orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, and was piano accompanist for choral groups and soloists. She participated in New York State School Music Association competitions (NYSSMA; similar to UIL in Texas) on violin and piano, receiving highest honors on both instruments and being invited to play violin in the New York All-State Orchestra and the All-Eastern Orchestra. As a college student at Princeton University, where she majored in biology, Andrea played in the Princeton University Orchestra and sang in the Glee Club. She did her PhD work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she sang in the University of Wisconsin Madrigal Singers. In 1990, Andrea moved to New York City to do postdoctoral research in Molecular Endocrinology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she rose through the ranks to Associate Professor of Neuroscience. She moved to the University of Texas at Austin in 2003, and is now the Gustavus & Louise Pfeiffer Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Andrea returned to violin when she first joined the Balcones Community Orchestra in 2006, and she enjoys serving as the BCO’s principal second violinist. She also plays violin in the Balcones String Quartet, and piano in a woodwind-keyboard chamber group. Andrea lives near Lake Travis with her husband David and their two dogs, Scylla and Circe.

Devin Cornacchio, Cello

A protégé of Suzanne Valerio through high school on Long Island, Devin acted as Principal Cellist of both the NYSCAME All-County and NYSSMA Conference All-State orchestras in his junior year. He was awarded that same summer the Dean L. Harrington Memorial Scholarship by NYSSSA SOS where Philadelphia Orchestra members coached NY-based musicians at Skidmore College during their annual SPAC residency.

In addition to the privilege of studying cello with Brent Wissick at UNC Chapel Hill, Devin was honored — among three other annual recipients between approximately two hundred auditionees — in 2015 the Department of Music's premier Kenan Music Scholarship for outstanding academic and musical achievement. This program provided him not only full tuition and a stipend — which funded a summer abroad at UWC Adriatic to study with Tulio Rondón and perform chamber music in both Italy and Slovenia on IMFA's highest scholarship — but also workshops and masterclasses with internationally-renowned performers, free attendance to CPA's classical concert series, and the opportunity to combine musical studies with academic coursework at one of the nation's most prestigious research universities. Principal Cellist of the UNCSO, he was awarded the Benjamin Swalin Orchestra Award for his significant contributions in artistry and leadership thereto upon graduation whereat he obtained his B.M. as well as a B.S. in Statistics.

Kyndra Cullen - Flute

Kyndra graduated from University of the Pacific with a Bachelor’s of Music degree in Music Management with a minor in Business Administration. She and her family moved to the Austin area in 1995, continuing a career in music publishing and as a paralegal. Currently, Kyndra is a Global Financial Analyst for Apple Media Services, and is a member of Balcones Community Orchestra, Austin Symphonic Band, and Waterloo Wind Band.

Greg Shields - Violin

Greg Shields has pursued parallel interests in astronomy and music since a young age. He played in school orchestras through high school in Wichita, Kansas, and during his undergraduate studies at Stanford University, where he was a physics major. During his graduate studies at Caltech (Ph.D. in Astronomy, 1973), he studied violin at USC and played in the UCLA student orchestra under Mehli Mehta. During his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard College Observatory, he was concertmaster of the orchestra for the Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert and Sullivan Society. There he met his wife Katharine Bowden, who was singing in a production of Gondoliers. Greg joined the UT faculty in 1974 and now holds the title of The Jane and Roland Blumberg Centennial Professor in Astronomy. He served as Chairman of the Department of Astronomy from 1990 to 1994. His research interests include studies of ionized nebulae in galaxies and the nature of quasars and their black holes.

The Shields family is heavily involved in music. Katharine for many years sang in productions by the Austin Gilbert and Sullivan Society and in the Austin Lyric Opera chorus. She currently sings with Chorus Austin and the University Methodist Church choir and is involved in the Wednesday Morning Music Club. Their son Michael is a graduate student in jazz trumpet at the University of North Texas. James graduated from Juilliard in 2006, and since then has been principal clarinet of the New Mexico Symphony. He is now principal clarinet with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto.

Melissa Ruof - Violin

Melissa moved to Austin years ago from the Washington, DC/Baltimore MD area where she worked as a free-lance violinist/violist and as a teacher of violin/viola/chamber music. Ten years before coming to Austin, while living in the Sandtown neighborhood of Baltimore, she started a community art center, Jubileeartsbaltimore.org. The pull to Austin was a daughter and her family, which includes two of her adorable grandchildren. “I love playing music. With so many fun opportunities to play in orchestras and chamber groups, I’m having a great time. UT has such a terrific music school with concerts galore to enjoy, not to mention all the other art happenings around town. I’m active in the prison ministry of the Friends Meeting of Austin, and am volunteering with a grassroots lobbying organization trying to convince our Congress to create a refundable tax on carbon. Retirement turns out to be an exciting time of life!”

Marguerite Clayton - Cello

Marguerite is a retired Choral Director/General Music Teacher/Piano Teacher. Her sojourn in life has taken her from her homeland in Guyana (British Guiana) to Jamaica and the Bahamas. She has lived in the U.S. since 1985. Music has been at the core of her life from the very beginning. She began piano lessons at age 5 and cello and violin at age 13. She has taught music K-12 in varying combinations over the last 41 years and has dabbled in choral and instrumental arranging and composition. While she shies away from solo work (accompanying soloists is okay), she enjoys being a part of an orchestra or choir. Most recently she was a member of the Auburn Community Orchestra and of the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra. The Balcones Community Orchestra and Dr. Radmer, in conjunction with her 2 grandchildren, are just what the doctor ordered.

Leslie Boerger - Horn

Leslie started her studies in Music Therapy at Texas Women's University, then transferred to the University of Texas, at Austin, and graduated with a Bachelor's in Music Education. Leslie has enjoyed teaching privately for nearly 20 years. While playing in the Austin Symphonic Band, Leslie met her husband, Ron, and a tradition of performing side by side in ensembles began. Upon moving to the North Texas area in 2000, the Boergers were blessed to perform with The Metropolitan Winds, the Sherman Symphony, and to participate in the music ministry at First Christian Church, McKinney. 2008 brought the Boergers back to the Austin area and a return to the Austin Symphonic Band. Additionally Leslie plays with the Quintessential Winds Woodwind Quintet, participates in music ministry at University Christian Church, and is principal for the newly formed Symphony Viva in San Antonio. One of her biggest joys is making music with friends in the BCO.

Walter Romanko - Violin

Walter Romanko, along with his wife Corinne, is a founding member of the BCO. Back in high school, Walter was concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Fort Worth, and twice was the assistant concertmaster of the Texas All-State Symphony Orchestra (TMEA). He studied violin performance with a full scholarship at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music for one year, then changed majors and graduated from Rice with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Walter furthered his studies with an M.S. in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University. Now Walter invents and designs new products at 3M’s Electrical Markets Division, with 14 patents to his name and several more pending. In 2010 he earned the nationwide 3M Community Volunteer Award for his volunteer work as elementary school chess coach, National Engineers' Week / Discover Engineering organizer and volunteer, Junior Achievement teacher, Science Fair judge, and other volunteering activities. He currently serves on the Central Texas Discover Engineering Steering Committee. He creates the monthly Word Sudoku for the 3M Tech Forum Flier, a publication for the worldwide 3M technical community. Attached is one of his Word Sudokus with some musical, rather than scientific, themes.
Back at home, Walter has a beautiful wife and daughter who are also musical, and he enjoys wine and food with friends.

Judy Trejo - Violin and Viola

I’ve been playing violin with the Balcones Community Orchestra for over eight years. In 2006, when my husband and I first moved to Austin, I played violin with the Austin Civic Orchestra, and violin and viola in the Balcones Community Orchestra. I’ve also played with the Austin Chamber Music Center as well as St. Edwards University Orchestras. I currently play violin and viola in various string quartets, including the Cat Mountain String Quartet with two violinists from the Balcones Orchestra. Five years ago I joined Tapestry Singers, Austin’s only all-woman chorus (because Mom sang).

I I learned to play violin in public school 4th grade (because Dad played violin) in Northern California, and never stopped. At Ohio State University in 1968, I played in the Symphony Orchestra every year, and was pleased when visiting violinist/conductor Robert Gerle invited me to join his string chamber orchestra. I also enjoyed playing in a few string quartets.

In 1973 I got my degree in Music History and returned to California where I worked as a secretary, married and raised two daughters. In 1999 I returned to work as an Administrative Assistant and joined the Bay Area Peninsula Pops Orchestra. Starting a string quartet was difficult because violists were hard to find, so I learned viola and formed a quartet. In 2005 we moved to Southern California, where I enjoyed playing both violin and viola in the Los Angeles Doctors Symphony Orchestra.

For the last nine years I’ve volunteered for many ministries at University United Methodist Church. One of our daughters is still on the West Coast, while our other daughter lives in Austin.

Kristen Roberts - Violin

Kristen is new to the Austin area, having moved here for work after graduating from St. Mary’s Law School this last year. She currently works as an attorney for a private firm in Northwest Austin. She previously completed her Bachelors of Music in violin performance from the Moores School of Music, University of Houston.

Kristen spends her time playing music, exploring local bookstores and thrift shops, and enjoying the beautiful nature surrounding Austin.

John Walters - Cello

John received a degree in Music Education from the University of Texas at Austin. He studied cello under Michael Matesky and Paul Olefsky. After receiving his degree he went on to become an orchestra director in the Austin school district. His orchestras consistently received outstanding awards both locally and throughout the United States and Canada including New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Montreal. His interest chamber music and early music started while in college and has continued to this day. He was one of the founding members of the early music group the Clearlight Waits. He specializes in string instruments including cello, treble and bass viola da gamba, rebec, vielle, violin, mandolin, oud, and guitar. Now retired from teaching orchestra he teaches private cello lessons and enjoys playing with the Balconies Orchestra, the Texas Early Music Project, La Folia, the Austin Troubadours, Istanpitta, and the Austin Baroque Orchestra. His wife Eugenie Edmonds plays viola in the Austin Symphony and his daughter Sarah plays violin and is concert master of the Trinity University Orchestra.

Jen Moon, viola

Jen grew up in Sioux City, IA. She began playing viola at age 9, and was fortunate to grow up in a musical family. Both her parents were professional singers. Her dad was a music professor and choral conductor, so she had wonderful opportunities to perform many of the major choral works as an orchestra member by the time she left home for college. Her first paying job was playing in the Sioux City Symphony at age 14. She was selected for the Iowa All-State Orchestra all four years in high school and participated in regional solo and chamber music competitions. Although she majored in Biology at Grinnell College, she was an enthusiastic member of the Grinnell Symphony Orchestra and, during those wild and crazy years, took on the viola da gamba in the Collegium Musicum. While in London for a semester abroad, she enjoyed learning what the heck a quaver was as a member of the Kensington Symphony Orchestra. Jen attended Indiana University at Bloomington for her PhD work in molecular biology, during which she enjoyed playing in the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. After earning her PhD, Jen took a break from playing for about 20 years while completing her postdoctoral work in molecular biology, and starting a teaching position at the University of Texas at Austin, and starting a family. The stars aligned once again in 2021, when she serendipitously met a member of the BCO at work, and joined the BCO later that year. Jen lives in Austin with her husband, 3 kids, 2 cats, and 1 dog. She is immensely grateful to be a part of this organization and to be playing again with such a fine group of people.

Lucia Woodruff - Violin

Brought up in New York City and Princeton, N.J. Began violin in public school at age 8.
Majored in History at Swarthmore College. M.S. in Education , Bank Street College of Education, NYC. Taught pre-school and first grade in NYC and Austin
Taught children violin and viola privately for 20 years in Austin
Played Violin in the Austin Symphony Orchestra even longer than 3 decades.
On the North American Outreach Council of "ACMP, the Chamber Music Network."
My mother was practicing the piano when she went into labor with me.
Growing up we heard all kinds of music, classical, Broadway shows, jazz in bars,more.
Music teachers shaped my life.
Playing string quartets is my number one passion. Austin, anywhere. Play in a string quartet back east called the Steel Oats Band ( the " S.O.B.'s ").
Learning to play quarter notes for Arab music was a thrill. I need more lives!
I never ever expected to be paid to play , never thought I would become a card carrying
member of the AF of M! I lucked into the Austin Symphony purely by
chance looking for chamber music at UT in the '70's! ....Unbelievable. Life with my husband Paul is never dull. We have 2 grown daughters and 6 grandchildren. I now enjoy poetry thanks to him, and he enjoys playing quartets, thanks to me.

Balcones Community Orchestra

OUR PLAYERS then and now...

OUR PLAYERS
then and now...