Verbier Festival Orchestra success stories
Since the orchestras were founded, more than 770 musicians aged between 17 and 29, coming from 61 different countries, have taken part and performed with the most talented conductors and soloists in the world. Today the Verbier Festival Orchestra is widely recognised as one of the best youth orchestras in the world. After completing their training with the VFO a number of musicians have been engaged by the world’s best orchestras.
They include:
Alex Hanna - VFO '06, '07, '08 - Principal bass - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Ju Yeong Moon - VFO '11 - First Principal, First Violin - Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra
Jennifer Christen - VFO ’10, ‘11 - Principal oboe - Indianapolis Symphony
Inaki Ducun - VFO ’10, ‘11 - Solo trombone - Komische Oper Berlin
Sheryl Hwangbo - VFO ’10, ‘11 - Violin - Detroit Symphony
Vîcente Castello Sansaloni - VFO '10, '11 - Solo oboe chair - Orquestra Sinfonica de Madrid 2011.
Marc Daniel van Biemen - VFO ’10, ’11 - First Violin - Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 2011.
Sam Blair - VFO ’09, ‘10, ‘11 - Contrabassoon - Kennedy Center for the Arts/Washington National Opera Orchestra
Sangah Nah - VFO ’08, ’09, '10, VFCO '11 – Flute solo - Orchestre de Colonne 2011.
Lulu Fuller – UBS VFO ‘03, ‘04, ’05, UBS VFCO ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, VFCO ‘09, ‘10 – Violin player - Philharmonia Orchestra London 2011.
Asuka Yano - UBS VFO ‘07, ’08; VFO ’09; VFCO ’08 – Violin player - San Francisco Opera 2011.
Jacob Nissly – UBS VFO ‘08, VFO ’09 - Principal Percussionist - Cleveland Orchestra 2011.
Matteo de Luca – UBS VFO '07, ‘08, VFO ’09 – Solo Trombone – Orchestre de la Suisse Romande 2010.
Vanessa Fralick - VFO ‘10 – Trombone Assistant - St. Louis Symphony 2010.
Anna Burden - VFO ‘10 – Cello player - St. Louis Symphony 2010.
Andreas Ottensammer – VFO ’09 - Principal Clarinet - Berliner Philharmoniker 2010.
Rebekah Newman - VFO ‘09, ‘10, Viola player - Minnesota Orchestra 2010.
Lena Zeliszewska - UBS VFO ‘07, ‘08 / VFO ‘09 – First Violin Assistant - City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 2010.
Anton Jivaev - UBS VFO '00; UBS VFCO '05 - '08; VFCO '09 - '10 - First Viola - Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra 2010.
Michael Israelievitch – UBS VFO ’04 - ’07 - Principal Timpani and Percussion - Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra 2009.
John Whitener - UBS VFO '05-'08; VFO, '09 – Principal Tuba - Royal Scottish National Orchestra 2009.
Shachar Israel - UBS VFO '08; VFO '09 - First trombone assistant - Cleveland Orchestra 2009.
Anne-Sophie Basset - UBS VFO '07, '08; VFCO '09 – Cello – WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln 2009.
Michael Fuller - UBS VFO '01-'05, UBS VFCO '06-'08 – Double Bass - Philharmonia Orchestra, London 2009.
Stephan Koncz - UBS VFO '04, '05 ; UBS VFCO '06-'08 ; VFCO '09 – Cello - Berliner Philharmoniker 2009.
Christoph Koncz - UBS VFO '04, '05 ; UBS VFCO '06-'08 ; VFCO '09 – Principal second Violin – Wiener Staatsoper 2008.
Dorothea Noack - UBS VFO '00, '01 - Associate Principal Cellist Metropolitan Opera 2002.
