Will Haapaniemi is a violinist born in Los Angeles with Finnish ancestry. He joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2014 alongside his wife and violinist Heidi Han. Haapaniemi wanted to be a violinist from the time he was 2 years old, when he saw Itzhak Perlman play on Sesame Street. Many other interests competed with practice time—some of his favorites being the martial art Capoeira, dance, and training for his glider pilot license.

Much is owed to Haapaniemi’s master violin teachers, Yoko Takebe and Michael Gilbert of the New York Philharmonic while Haapaniemi attended Manhattan School of Music. In high school, Haapaniemi was fortunate to study with Mark Kaplan, and fondly remembers lessons with Ruggiero Ricci in his home in Palm Springs. Also of great influence was Will’s cousin Paul Roby of the Philadelphia Orchestra; and his aunt Linda Grace, whose tireless support encouraged him to be the musician he is today. Plus, without the phenomenal support of Haapaniemi’s parents, none of this would have been possible.

Haapaniemi is active as a soloist and chamber musician, occasionally throwing viola into the mix. An avid outdoorsman, he hikes at every opportunity, and pays homage to his Finnish heritage by skiing during the winter.

Korean violinist Heidi Han first picked up a violin at the age of 5. Born and raised in Korea, she continued her studies with JaeKwang Song while attending Yewon School of Arts. When Han was 13, her family moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada, and she continued her studies with Robert Davidovici. While in Canada, she served Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra as a concertmaster and won first prize of the Kiwanis Competition, Burnaby Clef Concerto Competition, and the Young Artists of British Columbia Competition.

Han received both her bachelors and graduate performance diploma from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, earning the Peabody Merit Scholarship for both programs. During her time at Peabody, Han studied with Victor Danchenko and was the concertmaster for the Peabody Concert Orchestra. While pursuing her degrees, she won the first prize in the Marbury Competition and was awarded the Josef Kaspar Award. She was also invited to join the Keshet Eilon International Violin Mastercourse in Israel to study with Shlomo Mintz.

Currently, Han plays with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a second violinist and lives in Detroit, Michigan where she enjoys making great music with her colleagues and husband, DSO violinist Will Haapaniemi.

Violinist Sujin Lim was born in Seoul, South Korea where she began her musical studies at age 5. She joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as section violinist in 2017.

Lim is a prizewinner in numerous national and international violin competitions, including the Lodolfo Lipizer International Violin Competition (Italy), Torun International Violin Competition (Poland), Indianapolis Matinee Musical Scholarship Competition, Indiana University Sibelius Concerto Competition (United States), Joongang Music Competition, and Ewha Kyunghyang Competition (Korea).

Lim has appeared in recital and as a soloist throughout Korea, Europe, and the United States with the Romania Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bacau, the Torun Symphony Orchestra, the Yeonsae University, and the Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, she is member of the EM trio in Korea and performed in such chamber recitals as Yagi studion, Jungdong Hall, KNUA hall, and Kumho Art Hall. Lim has also served as Principal Concertmaster in the Evansville philharmonic, the Indiana University Symphony, the KNUA Symphony, and the Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra.

Currently Assistant Principal Violist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, James VanValkenburg came to orchestral playing after a satisfying career in chamber music. As a founding member of the International String Quartet, he toured the world with concerts in Europe, the Far East, South America, as well as the US. The quartet won several notable prizes, including the Munich Competition, East & West Artists of New York, and was the first winner of the Premier Grand Prix at the International Chamber Music Competition of Evian, France.

Since joining the DSO in 1986, VanValkenburg has participated in several summer festivals including Lockenhaus, Newport, Strings in the Mountains, as well as the American String Project in Seattle in 2011. He served as Principal Violist of the Bellingham, WA music festival in 2012 and 2013 and of the Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra in 2014. In 2016 he was soloist with the University of Michigan Band, an ensemble his father played in over 60 years earlier.

A graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and Indiana University School of Music, he has enjoyed chamber music collaborations with many of his favorite musicians, among them Menahem Pressler, Gidon Kremer, Mischa Maisky, David Shifrin, and Isaac Stern. Recent recordings include a violin, viola duet of William Bolcom, Piano Quartets of Franz Waxman and the Stravinsky Septet, on Koch, and the Beethoven Septet on Philips.

VanValkenburg is in demand as a soloist and chamber musician, becoming the first violist to be a permanent member of Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings in 2004, and appeared as soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2005, 2013, and 2014. He performs on a rare viola by Antonio Ungarini of Fabriano, Italy, made in 1740.

VanValkenburg has been happily married to his wife Farah since 1986. They have two sons. Their son Noah is working as a manager for a large firm in Philadelphia, and their son Eliot is a data analyst for a tech company in Boston. VanValkenburg spends much of his free time training for Ironman Triathlons and has started and completed five, including Ironman Hawaii in 2004.

Jeremy Crosmer is a remarkable young artist—both as a cellist and a composer. He completed multiple graduate degrees from the University of Michigan in cello, composition and theory pedagogy, and received his DMA in 2012 at age 24. From 2012 to 2017 he served as the Assistant Principal cellist in the Grand Rapids Symphony, and joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in May of 2017.

Crosmer is the composer and arranger for the GRS Music for Health Initiative, which pairs symphonic musicians with music therapists to bring classical music to hospitals. In March of 2017, the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital launched a music channel that runs continuously, using four hours of meditative music composed by Crosmer and performed by musicians of the GRS.

Crosmer is a founding member of the modern music ensemble Latitude 49. He is also a current member of the band ESME—a duo that aims to broaden the education of classical music by bringing crossovers and mashups of pop and classical music to schools throughout Michigan. ESME released its first CD in December of 2016.

In April of 2013 Crosmer toured London with the Grand Valley State University Chamber Orchestra, performing the Boccherini G Major Concerto, No. 7. He performed the Vivaldi Double Concerto with Alicia Eppinga and the GRS in March of 2016. While still in school, Crosmer was awarded the prestigious Theodore Presser Graduate Music Award to publish, record and perform his Crosmer-Popper duets. He recorded the duets with Julie Albers, and both sheet music and CD recordings are available online.

Crosmer has taught music theory, pre-calculus, and cello at universities across Michigan. He draws mazes, writes science fiction, and plays good old country fiddle in his spare time.

Brandon Mason joined the double bass section of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in the Fall of 2020 after five seasons as a member of the Kansas City Symphony. Prior to this appointment, he has performed on Orchestra Hall’s stage as a substitute in the DSO and joined the orchestra on their 2017 tour of Japan and China. In February of 2020, Mason served as guest Assistant Principal Bass of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is also a recently added member of the Grand Teton Music Festival, playing his first concerts with the orchestra in the summer of 2019.

Originally from Arlington, Texas, Mason began his life with the double bass in fifth grade orchestra class at his nearby public elementary school.

Mason earned his Bachelor of Music from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts under the guidance of Edwin Barker. After graduation, he went to Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music where he obtained a Master of Music while studying and working closely with Paul Ellison.

As a student, Mason was an active freelancer—playing regularly with the Houston Symphony, the Boston Philharmonic, Musiqa Houston, Discovery Ensemble, and more. Additionally, he spent summers at the Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, and the Spoleto Music Festival.

Mason plays a modern American instrument made in 2011 by Joseph Grubaugh and Sigrun Seifert and uses a bow made by Emile A. Ouchard.