The Orchestra of Digital CLOC

Annika Porter (Violinist) is a violin performance major at University of Oregon and is grateful for the opportunity to participate in this way. She’s played violin for 13 years and has found pit performance to be her favorite. While having been involved in many aspects of theater and the performing arts, she has played violin in the pit for 10 shows, her favorites being Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Addams Family, Into the Woods, Newsies, and Hello, Dolly! Annika is excited to collaborate and continue in the performing arts, especially in these unique circumstances.

Robert Marsanico (Violinist) is more than excited to be returning to his second summer at CLOC as a violinist! Robert will be going into his junior year at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam for violin performance. Robert looks forward to continuing learning about light opera and musical theatre with his fellow talented musicians this summer.

Sophia Singleton (Violinist) is a 19-year old violinist from Houston, Texas. She is an incoming sophomore at St. Olaf College where she is pursuing a degree in Violin Performance. She has been playing violin for almost 15 years, and has played in several theatrical pits before. Shows she has worked on in the past include Singin’ In The Rain, Chicago, Into the Woods, La Clemenza di Tito, Ariadne auf Naxos, and several black history productions in high school. She has also worked in symphonic settings for 5 years.

Peijun Yu (Violin) is currently a doctoral student in Violin Performance at Rutgers University, and also finished her master degree in the same department. She played in Garden State Philharmonic, Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, and the string ensemble she played in won the first prize of Melbourne International String Competition.

Robert Paddock (Cellist) is a rising Junior Performance Major at The Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Robert is a native of Buffalo, N.Y. He has studied with the Principal Cellist of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Roman Mekinulov, and is currently studying with collegiate
professor Marie-Elaine Gagnon. Robert has been Principal Cellist at Crane since his sophomore year and was Principal Cellist of Crane’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. Prior to college, Robert was a member of the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra and his high school's varsity Tennis team.

Abby Singer-Miller (Bassist) is at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music studying double bass performance, and is excited to have the opportunity to continue to learn and grow as a performer. She’s studied the double bass for eight years and although she studies classically, she has found her passion playing in musical pits. Abby has performed in nine shows on double bass, and some on the bass guitar. Some of her favorites included Newsies, A Chorus Line, and the Wizard of Oz! Abby is looking forward to participating this summer, and is looking forward to collaboration even through these unprecedented times.

Nicole Peters (Flute) began her flute career at age seven. In these fourteen years, Nicole has been a part of a wide variety of ensembles including various sized bands, orchestras, klezmer groups, and pit orchestras. This will be Nicole’s second season with the College Light Opera Company, and while she was looking forward to being at the Highfield Theater this summer, she is excited for the opportunities this season will present!

Andrew J. Buckley (Clarinetist) is a classically trained clarinetist and saxophonist that creates immersive emotional experiences through the combination of contemporary classical music and mixed media art forms. Andrew is a recent graduate of Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music in Cleveland, Ohio, where he received his Bachelors degree in Music Education. This coming fall, Andrew will begin his Masters of Music in Clarinet Performance and Literature at the University of Illinois. Andrew’s most recent projects include innovative performances of the Bartok Contrasts, Berio Sequenza for Clarinet, as well as multiple world premieres as the Conducting Apprentice of the Baldwin Wallace wind ensembles. For more information please visit, www.abuckleyclarinet.com.

Alex Lemma (Bassonist) is a bassoonist and woodwind doubler who specializes in low-reed doubling. He is currently working on his Master’s Degree in Multiple Woodwind Performance at Montclair State University and previously obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Bassoon Performance from Montclair State. As a musical theater pit musician, Alex has played a wide variety of instruments on numerous shows ranging in style from Meet Me in St. Louis to Reefer Madness. Recently, he also performed in ensembles accompanying Broadway performers Sierra Boggess and Norm Lewis. This is his first summer with CLOC and he is very excited!

Sophie Manoloff (Trumpist) is a junior undergraduate at New York University, studying Trumpet Performance and Music Business. She plays lead/principal trumpet in ensembles such as Broadway Orchestra (under the direction of Ted Sperling and John Miller), NYU Symphonic Orchestra, Brass Quintet, Brass Choir, and the NY Contemporary Music Ensemble. Sophie also played in the pit for the off-Broadway productions of Cabaret and Legally Blonde in NYC. She attended Eastern Music Festival in 2018 and is excited to be returning to CLOC for her second season!

Oved Rico (Hornist) (he/him/his) is a rising junior attending the Oberlin College and Conservatory studying Horn – previously with Roland Pandolfi, former principal horn of the St. Louis Symphony and now with Jeff Scott, hornist in the Imani Winds quintet. He is also on track for a Math minor. Oved started playing horn his sophomore year of high school, switching over from flute which he had studied for 6 years prior. Some music highlights for Oved are playing with the Chelsea Symphony Orchestra and teaching abroad in Panama at a music festival for high school students. He hopes to pursue a career in chamber music and teaching.

Felicia Quinn (Hornist) is a musician from Montrose, PA. She is currently a senior at West Chester University, majoring in both Music Education and Performance. At West Chester, she has been a member of the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and various other chamber ensembles.
Through membership in the Wind Ensemble, she has been able to perform at venues such as Carnegie Hall and events such as the 2019 CBDNA conference.

Melissa Hagstedt (Trombonist) is a masters student at Carnegie Mellon University where she performs regularly with the school’s orchestra, wind ensemble, contemporary music ensemble, brass ensemble, trombone choir and her two brass quintets.  She found her love of Broadway musicals during her undergraduate studies at New York University. During her time in NYC she played with the school’s Broadway orchestra as well as many other productions in the area. 

Nicholas Urbanic (Percussionist) is a 9th semester music education and percussion performance major at Baldwin Wallace University.  Nicholas has performed all over the Greater Cleveland area as a pit musician.  Recent credits include Kinky Boots [Academic Premiere] (Percussionist, Baldwin Wallace), Wizard of Oz (Percussionist/Associate M.D., Mercury Theatre Company), and Chaplin (Percussionist, Mercury Theatre Company).  In addition to percussion, Nicholas recently completed a conducting apprenticeship with Beth Burrier, and created a virtual project with other quarantined musicians ahead of the CLOC Virtual Season.  Nicholas is ecstatic for CLOC this summer and cannot wait to begin creating connections with his fellow company members.

Meagan Prewitt (Oboe/Assist. Editor of Orchestra) is a Master's student studying at the Eastman School of Music with Richard Killmer. She is a member of the Eastman Philharmonia, Wind Ensemble, and various chamber ensembles. At Eastman, she also teaches oboe lessons to non-performance majors. She received a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from Vanderbilt University, where she studied with Jared Hauser.  She has attended the National Music Festival, Mostly Modern Festival, and Vanderbilt Music Académie.  She was also selected to go on tour to Colombia, South America and Chicago with the Vanderbilt Wind Symphony.  She freelances in Nashville and Rochester, playing with pit orchestras, opera companies, chorales, and more.