Echoes from the orchestra pit

I learned long ago that being a professional musician wouldn’t be a 9 to 5 job. My hours in the concert hall vary weekly, and I spend countless hours at home preparing the music and making reeds for my instrument. I enjoy the variety.

After 30 years of playing in orchestras, what inspires me is the sheer joy and electricity of reproducing composers’ works on demand in front of a live audience. Teaching the next generation is also rewarding.

I am blessed to have had amazing teachers myself. I am also inspired by nature, travel and people who are kind.

– Kristen Sonneborn, principal bassoon, Naples Philharmonic