Detroit, (June 28, 2023) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and Music Director Jader Bignamini are pleased to announce the appointment of four new orchestra musicians: Peter Hatch and Vincent Luciano as Section Basses, Austin Williams as Second Trumpet, and violist Harper Randolph as one of the DSO’s two African American Orchestra Fellows following successful auditions.
“Orchestra auditions are highly competitive and require a great deal of work behind the scenes,” said DSO General Manager Kathryn Ginsburg. “The exquisite artistry of our candidates paired with Jader’s leadership—and the dedication of our orchestra operations team and audition committees—ensured we found the right musicians for these roles. We are thrilled to welcome Peter, Vincent, Austin, and Harper to Detroit.
Hatch is a former member of the bass sections of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Grant Park Music Festival; Luciano most recently served as the Principal Bass of the Louisville Orchestra during the 2022–2023 season; and Williams comes to Detroit following service as Acting Second Trumpet in the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2019 to 2023. Randolph recently completed a Specialist in Music degree from University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and holds a Bachelor and Master of Music from New York University. She succeeds current fellows Jaquain Sloan (bassoon) and Shantanique Moore (flute), whose fellowships draw to a close at the end of the 2022–2023 season. Randolph’s brother, Cole Randolph, also held the fellowship from 2020 to 2021 and is now a regular member of the DSO cello section following a successful audition in 2021.
With support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the DSO inaugurated its African American Orchestra Fellowship in 1990, which is designed to enhance the career development of African American musicians. Previous fellows have gone on to land full-time roles at prominent orchestras around the world. Current DSO musicians who have held the fellowship include Kenneth Thompkins (Principal Trombone) and Cole Randolph (cello).
As the DSO welcomes new faces, the organization also acknowledges the significant contributions of musicians who have retired following the 2022-2023 season: Stephen Anderson (Assistant Principal Trumpet for 31 years) Shanda Lowery-Sachs (Viola for 21 years), and Karl Pituch (Principal Horn for 23 years). In the 2022–2023 season, the DSO also celebrated the granting of tenure to two musicians by Bignamini: Cole Randolph (cello) and Adam Rainey (trombone).
About Peter Hatch
Peter Hatch is a former member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Grant Park Music Festival bass sections. He began his musical education through the public school system in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. While studying privately with Lyric Opera of Chicago bassist Andrew Anderson, Hatch served as the Co-Principal Bassist of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. By age 15, Hatch had traveled to Germany, France, Belgium, and Spain with the Blue Lake International Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Later, he was named Principal Bass of the Illinois All-State Honors Orchestra for two consecutive years. Exploring interests in other musical genres, he also held the bass position in the top Illinois All-State Jazz Band a year later.
Hatch received his Bachelor of Music from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he studied with Timothy Pitts. During this time, he performed with the Houston Symphony and San Antonio Symphony on numerous occasions as a substitute musician. A champion of diverse repertoire, he has performed in outdoor concerts, movie film scores, pops concerts, fiestas for Hispanic Heritage Month, and the Houston Symphony opening night gala. Upon graduation, Hatch was awarded the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts, an award “recognizing outstanding performance and promise in an undergraduate at Rice in architecture, art/art history, or music.”
Hatch holds a Master of Music from The Juilliard School as a proud recipient of the Kovner Fellowship. In addition to performing with the Kansas City Symphony, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Grant Park Music Festival, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, he has performed alongside his teachers Harold Robinson and Rex Surany in the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera. He is also a winner of the ISB Orchestra Competition, which gave him the opportunity to perform Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Minnesota Orchestra.
About Vincent Luciano
Vincent Luciano has most recently served as the Principal Bassist of the Louisville Orchestra during the 2022–2023 season. He has performed with a variety of orchestras including the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Princeton Symphony, and Symphony in C. Luciano has served as a fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival, the National Repertory Orchestra, Music Academy of the West, and the New York String Orchestra Seminar. A passionate music educator, Luciano enjoys teaching and coaching students of all ages. He has taught group bass classes through “Play on Philly,” and private bass lessons at Cairn University and the Temple University Community Music Scholars Program. Originally from Philadelphia, Luciano began playing the bass at age 12 and attended The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. He received his bachelor's degree from Temple University as a student of Joseph Conyers, and his master’s degree from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Al Laszlo and Rex Surany.
About Austin Williams
Austin Williams, a native of Acworth, Georgia, holds a Bachelor of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Master of Music from Rice University, where he studied trumpet with Michael Sachs, Barbara Butler, and Charles Geyer, respectively. Williams has been featured as a guest soloist with ensembles including the Hilton Head Symphony (performing Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major) and the Case Western Reserve University Circle Wind Ensemble (performing Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major). Williams attended the Aspen Music Festival and School for two summers, where he was a recipient of a New Horizons Fellowship; and the New York String Orchestra Seminar, where he served as principal trumpet. Additionally, he attended the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Massachusetts as a trumpet fellow. Williams has held one-year positions as Principal Trumpet in the Charlotte Symphony and as Associate Principal Trumpet in the Charlotte Symphony. Most recently, he held the position of Acting Second Trumpet in the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2019 to 2023. In addition to his orchestral positions, Williams has been invited to play as a guest substitute musician with orchestras including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, among others. Williams enjoys sharing his passion for music through teaching students of all ages and skill levels. Aside from trumpet, he enjoys playing guitar, fishing, and golf.
About Harper Randolph
Harper Randolph first encountered the viola at age five through the DC Youth Orchestra Program in her hometown of Washington, DC. She has since garnered numerous awards and recognition in competitions including Third Prize in the 2022 Sphinx Competition and First Prize in the 2019 NYU Concerto Competition. Randolph has performed at acclaimed venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the White House, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Palffy Palace in Prague, Czech Republic. Randolph recently completed a Specialist in Music degree from University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and holds a Bachelor and Master of Music from New York University. Randolph’s teachers include Stephanie Baer, Karen Ritscher, and DSO violist Caroline Coade.
About the African American Orchestra Fellowship
The DSO inaugurated its African American Orchestra Fellowship in 1990 and is proud to be a leader in celebrating the contributions of African American composers, nurturing the talents of young African American classical musicians, and increasing access and opportunity for African Americans within classical music.
The African American Orchestra Fellowship is designed to enhance the career development of African American musicians. Fellows perform in the orchestra, work closely with coaches and mentors, participate in mock auditions, and represent the DSO in the community. Previous fellows have gone on to land full-time roles at prominent orchestras around the world.
The African American Orchestra Fellowship is supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In 2018, the DSO was pleased to announce the expansion of the program from one Fellow position to two positions, thanks to the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
About the DSO
The acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra is known for trailblazing performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and a deep connection to its city. As a community-supported orchestra, generous giving by individuals and institutions at all levels drives the continued success and growth of the organization. In January 2020, Italian conductor Jader Bignamini was named the DSO’s next music director to commence with the 2020-2021 season. Celebrated conductor, arranger, and trumpeter Jeff Tyzik is the orchestra’s Principal Pops Conductor, while Oscar-nominated trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard holds the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair.
Making its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, the DSO offers a performance schedule that features Classical, PNC Pops, Paradise Jazz, and Young People’s Family Concert series. One of the world’s most acoustically perfect concert halls, Orchestra Hall celebrated its centennial in 2019-2020. In addition, the DSO presents the William Davidson Neighborhood Concert Series in eight metro area venues, as well as a robust schedule of eclectic multi-genre performances in its mid-size venue The Cube, constructed and curated with support from Peter D. & Julie F. Cummings.
A dedication to broadcast innovation began in 1922, when the DSO became the first orchestra in the world to present a live radio broadcast of a concert and continues today with the groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series of free webcasts, which also reaches tens of thousands of children with the Classroom Edition expansion. With growing attendance and unwavering philanthropic support from the people of Detroit, the DSO actively pursues a mission to embrace and inspire individuals, families, and communities through unsurpassed musical experiences.