Alumni Stories
Chris Combest
About Chris
He is a tenured professor of Music at Middle Tennessee State University, and enjoys an active performing career in Nashville and abroad. Previously, he has taught at several universities and served as Principal Tuba with the Louisville Orchestra. As a performer, he has worked with renowned groups like the Nashville Symphony, the San Antonio Symphony, and Dallas Wind Symphony and collaborated with artists like John Williams and the Canadian Brass. He has many great memories of his time in the CKYO and is thankful for the experience!
CKYO Memory
"Back in '92 at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, my first whirlwind trip to Chicago was short but unforgettable—Mahler 1, Shostakovich 5, and endless laughter with my CKYO crew. Music, memories, and the magic of first adventures!"
Brett Evans
About Brett
Professional Trombonist and College Instructor.
CKYO Memory
"Being a member of the Symphony Orchestra for three years was my first symphonic experience. Working further with Steve Moore was a highlight as well. Working with Jon Richardson in the Jazz Arts Foundation’s Area Youth Jazz Ensemble for its first three years of existence led me to my undergraduate trombone professor at Eastern Illinois University."
Samantha Clark
About Samantha
She has a viola performance degree from Converse College and CCM. She has performed with professional orchestras in North and South Carolina and currently holds the position of principal viola with the Summerville Orchestra. Additionally, she plays with the North Charleston Pops. She teaches over 200 students strings in Charleston County schools and initiated a non-profit strings kids program for underprivileged children. She has also performed with Jackie Evancho, Michael Buble, Sarah Brightman, Chris Mann, TSO, and Two Cellos.
CKYO Memory
"Our trip to Italy, the senior concert, winning the concerto competition."
Andy Du
About Andy
He attended Vanderbilt University from 2019 to 2023 and graduated with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, with minors in Engineering Management and Digital Fabrication. Since then, he has been working full-time for Northrop Grumman in Dulles, VA as a Systems Engineer supporting and developing NASA’s Lunar Gateway, a space station that will orbit the moon in the next decade as part of the Artemis program. He is also currently pursuing a MS in Space Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
CKYO Memory
"I had great experiences in CKYO! As a pianist, most of my musical experiences growing up were as a solo performer. CKYO provided me with the amazing opportunity to make music with a group of my talented peers, and it introduced me to challenges that I did not face as a solo performer. My favorite memory is the Pirates of the Caribbean Medley we did!"
Rachel Dickinson
About Rachel
She attended Centre College and earned her Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Computer Science and minors in Mathematics and Music. She performed in the Centre Symphony Orchestra for all four years of her undergraduate studies, serving as Assistant Concertmaster for her first two years and Concertmaster for her final two years. Now, she is attending the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to earn her Master of Computer Science degree.
CKYO Memory
"I met some of my best friends in CKYO during my years in the program. I am especially grateful to CKYO for allowing me to meet one of my closest friends, Mary-Katherine Schmidt. We used to love trading snacks during rehearsal breaks, and we have remained close friends ever since, even up until my recent wedding, where Mary-Katherine stood beside me as a bridesmaid. I will be forever grateful to CKYO for the wonderful friends I made within the program."
Emily Tolliver
About Emily
She went on to study music performance at a university in the UK but changed her major halfway through to journalism. She played in orchestra all throughout college and did many gigs along the way. She has worked in nonprofits for over 15 years, with much of that time spent in animal welfare, and now works in environmental advocacy.
CKYO Memory
"I remember a lot of silly quotes from Mr. Briggs, and the time spent with the viola section. We were all quite close, and I miss those hours practicing together!"
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Chris Dooley
About Chris
He currently is a freelance violinist in the Savannah Georgia area. He mostly plays weddings and special events and is currently running this website https://www.affordableviolinist.com/.
CKYO Memory
"We went on a tour through the Frankfort KY state capital and ending in East Lansing Michigan in their state capital. We played Capriccio Italien Tchaikovsky in the rotunda of the capital buildings and I think the trumpet fanfare is still echoing today."
Logan Liu
About Logan
He is currently participating in the Furman University Symphony Orchestra.
CKYO Memory
"Getting food before performances with peers."
Toby Rasmussen
About Toby
Since leaving CKYO in 2018, there’s been a lot of change. In 2020, after graduating high school he moved to Denmark to start his bachelor’s degree in percussion at the Royal Danish Academy of Music (DKDM) in Copenhagen, and have just started the last year of his master’s degree at the same place. During his time here he's done countless projects with the conservatory’s symphony orchestra, both playing timpani and percussion, and have subbed professionally as well. He's also done a lot of chamber projects both inside and outside of the conservatory with fellow students/friends and have created a duo with a good friend of his. He plans to continue his studies in Germany after graduating from DKDM, since his professional career is still pretty much in the beginning stages, and he would like to continue his development as an orchestral musician considering he is 22 years old, and would like to explore even more new places.
CKYO Memory
"Honestly, every memory from CKYO is positive, however my favorite memory was playing Scheherazade, that was a fantastic project. Also when me and Laika were allowed to play a duo piece during the intermission of one of the concerts, that was pretty fun to work on."
Olivia Zastro
About Olivia
She moved to Chicago and is currently working in commercial real estate while playing in a community orchestra and seeing plenty of classical concerts!
CKYO Memory
"I met some lifelong friends in CKYO, and am currently married to a fellow CKYO alum! Having experience playing in an orchestral setting allowed me to excel in music at the collegiate level and taught me professionalism and responsibility from a young age."
Tobias cox
About Tobias
He obtained a degree in Biochemistry at University of Michigan, and then went on to medical school at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he is currently studying.
CKYO Memory
"I loved the friends I made at CKYO and how much fun we had each week!"
John Walter Johnson
About John
He has a bachelors degree and masters degree in music education. He's been the director of bands at Boyd County High School for the last 19 years.
CKYO Memory
"I was always impressed with the high quality musicians and people involved with the organization."
Colin Teague
About Colin
He earned his BM in music education and was accepted into a Teaching Assistantship at FSU, where he teaches tuba and participates in the University Wind Orchestra and University Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he will be subbing for the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra in October.
CKYO Memory
"Having the opportunity to sit in with the repertory orchestra to fill their tuba position when it was empty on concerts and having students enjoy having Tuba in their ensemble for the first time."
Amber Knight
About Amber
She is currently studying Music at the University of Kentucky.
CKYO Memory
"I just remember many fun rehearsals with my friends!"
Alexis Cerise
About Alexis
She majored in bassoon performance at UK and is now a 2nd-year Masters student at The Juilliard School. At school, she is a Morse Teaching Artist Fellow, through which she works in music classrooms across the city and assists teachers in music education. She is also the bassoon fellow for the Music Advancement Program, which is dedicated to providing a pre-college type of music education to students of traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in classical music.
CKYO Memory
"Getting to play with WindSync in Lexington’s Chamber Music Festival was one of my favorite experiences! This was the first time getting to do something so “professional”, and it was so much fun getting to make music at such a high level. I ran into their bassoonist, Kara, recently at an event in the city, and she remembered playing with me! CKYO was my first taste of what it was like to make music at a high level, and it played a significant role in my decision to pursue music professionally. I wouldn’t be living my dream of being a musician in NYC without this incredible program!"
Megan Iranpour
About Megan
Due in part to CKYO, she went on to double major in French and music. She played in the UK Symphony Orchestra at the University of Kentucky, as well as the University of Kentucky wind ensemble and marching band. She got her degree in oboe performance and French language and literature, and even was the narrator for the UK Symphony Orchestra performance of Debussy, which they are playing again this season many years later. She went on to get her masters in education and after several years of teaching French, she has returned to music and is now an elementary music teacher in Scott County.
CKYO Memory
"I will always treasure the time that I spent under the direction of Steve Moore. I have especially fond memories of the two international trips that I took with CKYO. These trips gave me the opportunity to play my instrument in France, England, and Italy. I also have very strong memories of the Concerto competition that I won, as a nostalgic reminder that at one point in my life, I was capable of memorizing 10 minutes of music. Finally, I have a soft spot in my heart for our senior concert, at which we wore our prom dresses and tuxedos and played the farewell symphony, for which my peers elected me their conductor."
Noel Chase
About Noel
He joined the US Navy from 2019-2023 and is attending school for nursing!
CKYO Memory
"There were so many fond memories. I always enjoyed practices and then the performances. Weirdest but fondest memories included giving a hub cap to the director before Marcello."
Anne Parlanti Leaumont
About Anne
Throughout her career, she dedicated herself to special education, serving as a Special Education teacher from 1988 to 1998, and then as a Special Education Diagnostician from 1998 to 2015. Following her retirement in 2015, she continues to make a difference by working as a Babysitter/Nanny while also being an adopter of retired racing greyhounds.
CKYO Memory
"Concerts at the Opera House."
Ellen Danford
About Ellen
She graduated from Ohio State with a masters in environmental science and is living and researching in Chile this year with a Fulbright grant!
CKYO Memory
"I loved getting to play Dvorak's 9th, that was one of my favorite concerts I've ever played! CKYO was my only opportunity to play in an orchestra in high school and I am so grateful I got to experience that side of music, it was a dream."
Carolyn Osborne
About Carolyn
She got a degree in Music Education at UK. Professionally, she is a teacher in Adult Education (for people who need their high school degree). Musically, she ran an after school fiddle group at a local high school and that highlight was playing on the Louise Mandrell show when they went to Tennessee. She also started a School of Bluegrass that provided free instruments to students of all ages.
CKYO Memory
"Lots and lots of fond memories. Youth Orchestra camp. Looking up to all the seniors when I started and then becoming a senior myself. I am still friends with fellow members of CKYSO. Concerts we played at Memorial Hall and the opera house, trips we took, such as to Ft Knox and to Pikeville. Stuffing 15 kids in a Greyhound Bus restroom. Larry Harris and Joe Baber, who were mentors to me. When I got in, I bought a sweatshirt, of course, and on picture day in ninth grade all my school club pictures were of me in the sweatshirt. I was so proud to be part of the orchestra; it was one of the most joyous things I did in my teens."
Joe Tackett
About Joe
He's currently serving as President of the West Virginia Symphony.
CKYO Memory
"We always called it "psycho."
Joseph McGrannahan
About Joe
B.A. - Music/ Clarinet B.S. - Marketing he played professionally since he was 12, performing in various groups; Classical, Jazz, Soul, Rock, he also play all saxophones. Started a business in 1983, Ageless Center (MedSpa & medical Weight Loss) and sold in 2013. Ageless has maintained the three Kentucky locations and several of the Southeast locations. At the same time, he formed a 10 piece Variety Group, "Joey and the Cruisers" that performed in 10 states, the 2009 Obama Inauguration in DC, over 300 weddings and many other functions and venues in 30 years. He currently plays in The Positive Movement Soul Band, sub for The Mercy Men, Java Soul and playing clarinet in Cerora Winds Ensemble and two other Classical groups.
CKYO Memory
"I stll have many friends from my years in CKYO that I actively stay in touch with through social media and perform with locally. The summer camps (Cathedral Domain, UL Shelby Campus) and many orchestra trips in my four years have produced memories that I cherish and always will. In four years of All State, All Regional, Seven Years of College, and visiting conductors I'll always put Dr. Joseph Ceo as my favorite Maestro of all time. He inspired and motivated me more than any other conductor and always seem to bring out the best in me and the other musicians. He also named me Joey Mac that has stuck with me since 1967!"
Stefanie Cash
About Stefanie
She is the Director of Music Education at Berry College. She has degrees from Morehead State, University of Kentucky, and a PhD from Florida State University. She taught middle school chorus and general music for three years in Winchester. She moved to London, England to work with Kurdish refugees from Eastern Turkey for two years, including leading a Turksh choir. She taught high school chorus in Metro-Atlanta for 7 years. She has been teaching college for 14 years. She still plays, often for churches and accompanying choirs.
CKYO Memory
"Getting to know one of my dear friends, Kim Herschee. Playing wonderful music - Beethoven’s 5th symphony a favorite.: