Christian Van Deven is a freelance musician who joined the Hampton Roads Philharmonic after learning about us from friends. He has studied trumpet since age 11 and obtained his Music Education degree from Old Dominion University. A horn and trumpet player, he discovered our orchestra after he was asked to play third trumpet in a concert and played the remainder of the season before taking on the permanent horn position! He says he likes performing all kinds of music! Because our orchestra plays a wide variety of music, performing with us is exciting!

Cathy Francis has lived and breathed music her entire life. The Chesapeake Public Schools music educator grew up surrounded by classical music, with her mother playing that in her home. In the third grade, she began learning about and playing music, and she has never stopped! The flute and piccolo player went on to get her Bachelor’s degree in Flute and Music Therapy, followed by a Master’s degree in Music Education and Wind Band Conducting.

Cathy got involved with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic when asked to fill in for a Flute II/Piccolo player at the last minute before a concert. That one performance led to her continuing to be involved today, where she says she enjoys playing piccolo in the orchestra the most. When asked what type of music she enjoys playing, she says a wide variety, particularly orchestral, band, jazz, chamber, and popular music.

A piano player at age six, Joanna Pearson has had a love for music from a very early age. However, it was a visit from a cellist that came and performed at her school a few years later before she found her true passion. “I fell in love with the instrument’s beautiful sound,” Joanna says. 

Invited to play with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic as a founding member, Joanna is a proud member of our cello section. She enjoys playing all types of music but says chamber music is particularly her favorite. She has also been a 911 Dispatcher for over 15 years.

The Hampton Roads Philharmonic is a group of dedicated and passionate musicians of all ages providing music to Hampton Roads. Our members perform at larger concerts and smaller chamber performances across the region throughout the year. Learn more about our organization, or find out how you can join our orchestra.

Are you interested in meeting more members of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic like Joanna Pearson? View our profiles on our Meet the Members page.

Emily Judd’s career is out of this world. Working for NASA Langley Research Center as an aerospace engineer, she designs space missions for human exploration. However, classical music brings her back to Earth as a musician with the Hampton Roads Philharmonic. A multi-talented musician, Emily started playing piano and singing in the school choir in elementary school. In 5th grade, she joined her school band on the horn and eventually learned trumpet for the jazz band in middle school. She also picked up piano along the way, all of which she currently performs for our orchestra.

When she moved to the area after college, Emily sought out community music ensembles online and came across the Hampton Roads Philharmonic. After she was able to sub with the group, she found her passion and joined when a permanent spot opened up in the horn section. We asked what sorts of music she likes performing, and Emily said she enjoys a variety of styles within the classical realm, from Renaissance dances to complete symphonies. “Many soundtracks also have awesome horn parts, so I’ve also enjoyed playing medleys from musicals and films.”

The Hampton Roads Philharmonic is a group of dedicated and passionate musicians of all ages providing music to Hampton Roads. Our members perform at larger concerts and smaller chamber performances across the region throughout the year. Learn more about our organization, or find out how you can join our orchestra.

Are you interested in meeting more members of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic like Emily Judd? View our profiles on our Meet the Members page.

Mike Marshall plays a lot of different roles for the Hampton Roads Philharmonic; in addition to serving as our past board chair and current vice chair, he helped launch the orchestra back in 2013 as one of its original members. 

Mike’s love for music started when he took up piano as a child, which later led to him playing in the school band going back to the 4th grade. He is also a retired saxophonist in the United States Air Force, where he had the opportunity to serve in four bands across 30 years. He began his career working with the Langley Air Force Band, located in Hampton. In that role, he performed protocol events for special guests and dignitaries, troop morale events, played in high schools, and public relations events performing concerts.

In our orchestra, Mike plays the bassoon, saxophone, clarinet, and flute. He enjoys playing classical, jazz, musicals, and pop. 

The Hampton Roads Philharmonic is a group of dedicated and passionate musicians of all ages providing music to Hampton Roads. Our members perform at larger concerts and smaller chamber performances across the region throughout the year. Learn more about our organization, or find out how you can join our orchestra.

Are you interested in meeting more members of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic like Mike Marshall? View our profiles on our Meet the Members page.

Mark Hendrickson had a very successful career in the United States Navy, serving the country as a Naval Flight Officer flying in an E-2C. Although his professional career took him to the armed forces, he returned to his roots in retirement and joined the Hampton Roads Philharmonic. Mark, a trombone player, also enjoys playing euphonium and cello and started his musical talent by playing in the fourth-grade band. “I still remember loving that band, although, in all honesty, I don’t think we sounded very musical,” Mark said.

Mark says he really didn’t have much time to play between college graduation and retirement, and he did not own a horn to be able to play during his own time. “When pondering how to spend my retirement, I knew I wanted to get back into music. So I scratched some money together and purchased a really fine trombone, a Bach Stradivarius. Not the same guy who made the famous violins.” Mark was surprised at how much came back to him, and he started to seek opportunities to play.

Mark found the Hampton Roads Philharmonic through a quick internet search and sent in an audition tape. A few years later, he got the call that a position was available. “There are a lot of trombone players in the area, and spots can be hard to get,” he says.

When asked what types of music he likes to play, Mark says besides classical music, he likes to play band music, folk, jazz, hymns, and Christian rock through this church band. “I love it all,” he says.

Apart from the Hampton Roads Philharmonic, he plays in other amateur music groups, with the orchestra being the only classical group he plays in. “Playing with such fine musicians under our talented conductor is a real honor.”

The Hampton Roads Philharmonic is a group of dedicated and passionate musicians of all ages providing music to Hampton Roads. Our members perform at larger concerts and smaller chamber performances across the region throughout the year. Learn more about our organization, or find out how you can join our orchestra.

Are you interested in meeting more members of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic like Mark Hendrickson? View our profiles on our Meet the Members page.

Kevin Garner found his passion for music in the 4th grade, and eventually found his way to becoming a bass player. A yoga teacher by trade, Kevin found the Hampton Roads Philharmonic when a fellow bass player was leaving and he auditioned.

When asked what type of music he likes to play the most, Kevin remarked classical and big band music.

The Hampton Roads Philharmonic is a group of dedicated and passionate musicians of all ages providing music to Hampton Roads. Our members perform at larger concerts and smaller chamber performances across the region throughout the year. Learn more about our organization, or find out how you can join our orchestra.

Are you interested in meeting more members of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic like Kevin Garner? View our profiles on our Meet the Members page.

Steve Rossman started playing tuba back in 1972 and has enjoyed it ever since. He discovered the Hampton Roads Philharmonic when he was recommended by a former trombone player and took over for another musician in 2015.

Steve enjoys playing with the brass quintet and performing jazz, concert band, and orchestra music. Daily, he cares for his grandson, Jeriah, who has Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS).

The Hampton Roads Philharmonic is a group of dedicated and passionate musicians of all ages providing music to Hampton Roads. Our members perform at larger concerts and smaller chamber performances across the region throughout the year. Learn more about our organization, or find out how you can join our orchestra.

Are you interested in meeting more members of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic like Steve Rossman? View our profiles on our Meet the Members page.

A founding member of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic, Camiel Sims has found joy in collaborating with other musicians and building relationships through the arts. A musician since 4th grade, Camiel enjoyed learning about playing the clarinet from an early age.

Camiel loves playing various genres but says that pieces from the romantic era are her favorite. She has developed a great career in higher education administration at Virginia Peninsula Community College, specifically as a dual enrollment coordinator. Outside of work and the Hampton Roads Philharmonic, she enjoys gardening, baking, and traveling to see Major League Baseball games when she’s not watching her teenage boys swim and play baseball.

The Hampton Roads Philharmonic is a group of dedicated and passionate musicians of all ages providing music to Hampton Roads. Our members perform at larger concerts and smaller chamber performances across the region throughout the year. Learn more about our organization, or find out how you can join our orchestra.

Are you interested in meeting more members of the Hampton Roads Philharmonic like Camiel Sims? View our profiles on our Meet the Members page.