Detroit Symphony Appoints Two New Players

Cornelia Sommer (Second Bassoon) and Luciano Valdes (Percussion & African American Orchestra Fellow) will join the orchestra in 2023/24

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) recently appointed two new players: Cornelia Sommer (Second Bassoon) and Luciano Valdes (Percussion). Valdes has also been appointed to one of the DSO's two African American Orchestra Fellowships. Both will begin in their new positions at the opening of the 2023/24 season.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Yale University, and Indiana University, Cornelia Sommer has studied bassoon with Frank Morelli, Kathleen McLean, William Ludwig, and Francine Peterson, and baroque bassoon with Dominic Teresi.

She recently served as Principal Bassoon of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and has been a frequent guest player with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and on period bassoon with Juilliard415.

Luciano Valdes is presently the Principal Timpanist of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra and holds a fellowship with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He is pursuing a Master of Music degree at the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music, where he is studying under Joseph Pereira and Jim Babor.

The DSO's African American Orchestra Fellowship program first began in 1990, with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Following their time in the program, Fellows are frequently to be found landing jobs in the world's best orchestras. Current DSO players Kenneth Thompkins (Principal Trombone) and Cole Randolph (cello) are both alumni of the fellowship.

"Together with Jader, I am thrilled to welcome Cornelia and Luciano to Detroit to contribute to the outstanding sound of our orchestra," said the DSO's President and CEO Erik Rönmark. "Thank you to all our candidates, the orchestra operations team, and audition committees for working to ensure we found the right musicians for these roles. We look forward to them making beautiful music together!"