Meet the Conductor
Carol Jacobson
Carol Jacobson has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Eureka Symphony for more than a decade. Teacher and conductor of the Arcata -McKinleyville High School Orchestra and Madrigal Choir for 20 years, she has inspired numerous young people to excel. She says, “Once you have experienced the magic of exceeding your expectations, your life is never the same again.” The North Coast Journal has referred to Ms. Jacobson as a “force of nature.”
An accomplished cellist, Ms. Jacobson earned her bachelor’s degree at Humboldt State University, with further studies at the Salzburg Mozarteum, The Royal Danish Conservatory and the Netherlands Royal Conservatory in The Hague. She was a member of the Netherlands National Ballet Orchestra in Amsterdam, the Netherlands Radio Symphony, the Oslo Opera Orchestra and the Netherlands Strijkers Ensemble. Last summer she performed with Paula Thomas at the "Petit festival de Loye” in France.
She has worked with many conductors, including, Valerie Gergiev, Kent Nagano, Jaap van Zweden, Sixten Ehrling and Edo deWaart. She is currently studying conducting with Scott Seaton. She was conductor of the Humboldt State University Orchestra and directed the Humboldt Music Academy. She plays in the Resonance Ensemble with Terrie Baune and John Chernoff and is principal cellist in the North State Symphony.
Meet the Symphony
The Eureka Symphony is composed of community members — including teachers, doctors, professors, retirees, students, and more — from across the Humboldt Bay area. Each year we perform a wide range of classical compositions with appeal to all ages. We have been proud to premiere several works in the last few years and are delighted to welcome acclaimed guest soloists to join our concerts. We present at least one choral work and sometimes a theatrically narrated selection during our season.
EUREKA SYMPHONY PERSONNEL
Carol Jacobson, Music Director & Conductor
Sponsored by Pamela Ford Cavanagh & James W. West
Violin I
Terrie Baune, Concertmaster
Sponsored by Stephanie Perrett
Karen Davy, Associate Concertmaster
Lori Anderson
Maggie Czajka
Mary De Andreis
Vanessa Kibbe
Marilyn Page
Gwendolyn Post
Graham Russell
VIOLIN II
Reid Blickenstaff, Principal
Sponsored by Cliff Moon
Angela Galiotto
Laura Goff
Kathleen Lee
Emma Marquez
Mary Meza
John Nelson
Aurora Pitts
Verona Sorenson
Thomas Starkey-Owens
VIOLA
Holly MacDonell, Principal
Sponsored by Margaret Ann Augustine
Susan Fowle
Sherry Hanson
Rachel Huang
Don Morris
Kit Morris
Katie Swisher
CELLO
Garrick Woods, Principal
Sponsored by Julie Fulkerson
Jesse Alm
Mark Creaghe
Katy Hartridge
Mie Matsumoto
Emily Morris
Elizabeth Morrison
BASS
Dario Olachea, Principal
Sponsored by Karole Ely & Alexandra Stillman
William Andrews
Patricia McHaney
Bear Winkle (on leave)
FLUTE
Jill Petricca, Principal
Sponsored by Carol Scher
Angela Petricca
Kearney Vandersal
CLARINET
Gwen Gastineau-Ayoob, Principal
Sponsored by William Greenwood, in memory of John Morrison
Heather Dial
OBOE
Ellen Weiss, Principal
Sponsored by John & Nancy Van Speybroeck
Susan Sisk
HORN
Michael Robertson, Principal
Sponsored by Pamela Ford Cavanagh
Ronite Gluck, Principal (on leave)
Donald Bicknell
Anwyn Halliday
Matthew Morgan
BASSOON
Aaron Lopez, Principal
Sponsored by Mary Ann & Peter Bansen
Danny Gaon
TRUMPET
Chris Cox, Principal
Sponsored by James W. West
Adam Keele
John Petricca
ENGLISH HORN
Michael Kibbe
TROMBONE
George Epperson, Principal
Sponsored by Stephen Sottong
Phil Sams
Richard LaForge
TUBA
Fred Tempas, Principal
Sponsored by Barbara Madaras
PERCUSSION
Michael (MJ) Fabian, Principal
Sponsored by Milton J. Boyd
Courtney Abajian
KEYBOARD
John Chernoff
HARP
Candace Livolsi
Jessica Schaeffer
MUSIC LIBRARIAN
Michael Kibbe
PERSONNEL MANAGER
Vanessa Kibbe
REHEARSAL TECH
Paul Swietek
TICKET OFFICER
Silvia Mazzone-Clementi
Symphony Chorus!
If you ever dreamed about being on stage and singing in a world-class symphony chorus then it's time to make your dreams come true!
To learn more or to schedule an audition please reach out to Vanessa Kibbe at vkibbe@gmail.com.
Auditionees should be prepared to...
- Sing a major triad on any given pitch that is played for you (on the piano, usually 5 or 6 different pitches)
- Sing a minor triad on any given pitch that is played for you; sing a whole step up or down as requested on any given pitch
- Sing a half step up or down as requested on any given pitch
- Sing back a combination of 6 pitches that will be played for you (tonal memory)
- Read music and sight sing two short passages provided to you
- Sing any solo piece of choice that shows the auditionee’s voice to its advantage.