Meet the Musicians of New Century Chamber Orchestra: A Bay Area Classical Music Q&A
As New Century Chamber Orchestra kicks off its 2025/26 season, we sat down with a few of our talented classical musicians to learn about them–on and off stage. From favorite season highlights to pre-concert routines, funny performance mishaps, and what they’d be doing if not performing, get a behind-the-scenes look at the Bay Area chamber orchestra bringing Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and more to life.
How Would You Describe the New Century Chamber Orchestra Season?
Evan Kahn, principal cello: Luscious, comforting, tender, new!
Dawn Harms, associate concertmaster: Exhilaratingly different. Not to be missed.
Cassandra Lynne Richburg, viola: A wise mix of interesting pieces, enlightening, intriguing.
Elizabeth Prior, viola: Exciting, not to be missed, super cool.
Anna Kruger, principal viola: Varied, interesting.
Whether you’re a first-time audience member or a seasoned concertgoer, this season promises to deliver unforgettable Bay Area classical music performances.
What Do New Century Musicians Do Outside Performing?
Our chamber orchestra musician interviews reveal a wide range of musical endeavors:
Evan: I keep a small studio of adult students, travel for solo and chamber music engagements, play as principal cello in Opera San Jose, and perform with the San Francisco Symphony.
Dawn: I’m a first violinist with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, co-concertmaster of the Oakland Symphony, teach chamber music at Stanford University, and conduct the SFCM pre-college string orchestra.
Cassandra Lynne: I do some studio work in Los Angeles, perform chamber music, candlelight shows, some occasional SF Symphony subbing, and also private teaching.
Elizabeth: I also perform with SF Opera, SF Ballet, Santa Rosa Symphony, and Marin Symphony, record at Skywalker Sound, produce small chamber concerts and Mozart plays for families, and teach adult students.
Anna: In addition to New Century, I’m the Associate Principal Viola of SF Ballet, a viola instructor at Sacramento State University, and occasionally sub with SF Opera.
How Many Hours Do New Century Musicians Practice Each Day?
Professional musicians can rehearse a wide range of time, depending upon their upcoming performance schedule.
Evan: Probably too much.
Dawn: It varies, depending on upcoming performances.
Cassandra Lynne: Depends on what’s coming up. On non-rehearsal days, at least two hours—sometimes much longer.
Elizabeth: 1–3 hours, depending on what’s next!
Anna: Anywhere from 1–8 hours, depending on the day.
What Are New Century Musicians’ Pre-Concert Rituals and Routines?
Get a behind the scenes look at how classical musicians prepare for a performance.
Evan: Show up early enough to not be stressed out, and play through the hard bits slowly.
Dawn: Warm up and go over the parts—almost right until the downbeat.
Cassandra Lynne: Be well-rested, feel centered, and do an abbreviated warm-up routine.
Elizabeth: Eat something light, hydrate, check my music, tune, and run a few hard spots.
Anna: I always enjoy a nap before a concert, and never a full belly—it distracts my brain!
What are Some Funny or Memorable Moments You’ve Experienced from the Stage?
Our musician interviews reveal the unexpected moments that make live performances unforgettable:
Evan: I once broke two C strings in the same performance.
Dawn: Nadja’s [Salerno-Sonnenberg, former New Century Music Director and Concertmaster] string broke mid-performance. As she left the stage to fix it, she announced I would entertain the audience with jokes—and amazingly, I did!
Cassandra Lynne: At a children’s concert, a person in a giant mountain costume couldn’t see and knocked over the music stand—twice! Pages flew everywhere. Hilarious chaos.
Elizabeth: My viola bow snapped in half mid-performance. It was surreal to suddenly have bow hair flapping with no sound!
Anna: I once forgot a repeat and came in completely alone, surrounded by silence (and horrified gasps from my colleagues).
What Would New Century Musicians Be If They Weren’t Professional Musicians?
When asked what careers they might pursue instead of performing:
Evan: A publicist, journalist, or foreign aid worker.
Dawn: I’ve always wanted to try stand-up comedy. It’s not too late, right?
Cassandra Lynne: Something creative—perhaps interior design or event planning.
Elizabeth: Maybe a marine biologist or anthropologist.
Anna: I was strong in math and organization as a kid. Since I grew up in a musical family, I probably would have used those skills to support or promote arts organizations.
Want to see these musicians in action? Join us for the season opener, The Four Seasons, October 30 – November 2 at venues across the San Francisco Bay Area.
