Phoenix Symphony welcomes new brass for 2006-07 season

New appointments include Principal Horn and a one-year position
with some additional shifting in the trombone section

(PHOENIX) - The Phoenix Symphony announces one new full-time musician and the appointment of two musicians to perform in one-year positions during the 2006-07 Season.

Gabriel Kovach, Principal Horn, joins The Phoenix Symphony from the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia where he is currently serving as Principal Horn. He is currently Principal Horn with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra as well as an active substitute for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. Kovach has held positions with the National Arts Center Orchestra of Canada and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. He has also performed at both the Marlboro Music Festival and Casals Festival and with the United Brass Ensemble and the Verbier Festival and Academy. Mr. Kovach holds degrees from the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music.

In other musician news, John Lofton, Bass Trombone with The Phoenix Symphony, will take a one year sabbatical and spend the 2006-07 Season performing in a one-year position with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Michael Brown, Second Trombone with The Phoenix Symphony, will fill The Phoenix Symphony's Bass Trombone position. Richard Bass has been hired in a one-year position as Second Trombone.

Philadelphia native John Lofton began studying trombone at the Settlement Music School of Philadelphia with instruction from members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. Lofton has held positions with the Honolulu Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and State Orchestra of Mexico. He has also performed with the Santa Fe Opera and in numerous brass ensembles including Brass Unlimited, Palo Verde Brass, Phoenix Symphony Brass Quintet, and Summit Brass. Mr. Lofton holds a bachelor's degree from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.

Michael Brown, Bass Trombone, fills the Bass Trombone position for the 2006-07 Season. Mr. Brown has held positions with the Oakland Symphony and the San Francisco Ballet. Mr. Brown has also performed with the Santa Fe Opera and Dayton Philharmonic. He received a bachelor's degree in music performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Richard Bass, Second Trombone, joins The Phoenix Symphony for a one-year position. Mr. Bass is currently Principal Trombone in the American Institute of Musical Studies Festival Orchestra in Graz, Austria. He has held positions with the Symphony of the West Valley and Musica Nova Symphony. He has performed with the Arizona Opera and The Phoenix Symphony, as well as local chamber ensembles including the Salt River Brass, Sonoran Brass Quintet, and Southwest Brass. He has also performed with the Monterrey Symphony in Mexico and with numerous chamber ensembles throughout Austria. Mr. Bass can be heard on recordings for Summit Records, D'Note Classics, and Toccata Classics. An Arizona native, Mr. Bass holds a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University.