Former Toronto Symphony Tutti Violinists Promoted to Associate Concertmaster

Yolanda Bruno and Clare Semes will support TSO concertmaster Jonathan Crow, while Luri Lee has also been promoted to the Assistant Principal Second Violin chair

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) recently announced that two of its tutti first violins have been promoted to the position of Associate Concertmaster. Yolanda Bruno and Clare Semes will support concertmaster Jonathan Crow, and will also step into the concertmaster's seat themselves for several concerts throughout the season.

Another tutti violinist, Luri Lee, has won the audition for the Assistant Principal Second Violin role, and will therefore also receive an internal promotion.

Yolanda Bruno was born in Ottawa and studied initially with her mother, before completing degrees at McGill University and London's Guildhall School. She has performed as a soloist all over Europe and North America and joined the TSO in 2019. Bruno was also named one of CBC's Hot Canadian Musicians Under 30.

Having grown up in Philadelphia, Clare Semes studied with Donald Weilerstein, Ronald Copes, and Laurie Smukler at The Juilliard School. She has been the concertmaster of the New World Symphony and has also served as concertmaster of the Juilliard Orchestra and the Verbier Festival Orchestra. Semes continues to perform as a member of the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland.

"This season, the artistic bar is staggeringly high," said Music Director Gustavo Gimeno. "The orchestra is on an unprecedented trajectory that runs in parallel with the pulse of Toronto — Yolanda, Clare, and Luri are exceptionally well qualified to help propel us forward as a collective."

"Their talent, passion, and hard work are abundantly evident, and it was my sincere pleasure to promote them to their new roles with greater responsibility and leadership, in which I am certain they will excel."