Sponsors
Message from the President
The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra’s 28th season offers plenty to anticipate—including three Main Stage performances, two Holiday Family Pops! concerts, and the return of our Family Matinees chamber music series. We are especially thrilled to open the season on September 20 with Itzhak Perlman, celebrating the debut of our Guest Artist Series which is made possible by the Performing Guest Artist Fund, established in January 2025 through the generosity of Dr. Clinton Frederick Miller II and Laurel Miller.
This year also brings exciting growth. We are expanding our Main Stage series with a performance at York Community Auditorium and introducing a new chamber music series at Christ Church Episcopal in Exeter, NH—two important steps in bringing the PSO’s music to even more communities across the Seacoast.
Last season set a high-water mark for artistry, with ambitious and unforgettable performances under the baton of Music Director John Page. Beyond the stage, the generosity of our supporters enabled us to expand our educational programming—from small ensemble school visits to the return of our Explore + Learn concert at The Music Hall, part of its School Day Series.
Our smaller ensembles, including the Principal Winds and Portsmouth Brass Quintet, continue to play a vital role in this work. We were proud that the Principal Winds were recognized this June by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts for their artistry and commitment to education.
Each season, the PSO relies on the collective support of our corporate sponsors, individual donors, foundations, community partners, and of course, you—our audience. Your commitment makes it possible for us to keep high-quality performances accessible across the Seacoast, even as costs rise.
Whether this is your first concert or you are a longtime subscriber, welcome. On behalf of everyone at the PSO, thank you for being part of our community and for helping us ensure that the music endures.
David Young
President of the Board of Directors
Message from the Music Director
The 2025-2026 season promises to be one to remember, beginning in September with a special event with The Music Hall featuring legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Our October Main Stage concert, featuring two Austrian composers who were both considered masters of harmony, will be performed for the first time in two locations—in Portsmouth, NH and in York, ME. We’ll return again to both these stages in December for two afternoon performances of our Family Holiday Pops! concerts.
In March, local pianist Mike Effenberger will be joining us for a performance of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” The program also features Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1 and Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst for String Orchestra. These historically marginalized composers bring long-overdue representation and cultural relevance to the classical concert stage, creating opportunities for audiences of all backgrounds to see themselves reflected in our programs.
And then finally, bringing the Main Stage season to a fittingly dramatic conclusion in June, are two works by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky that embrace the spectrum of human experience. This will also be our chance to celebrate the talented winner of the 2026 Young Artist competition.
As you plan your time with us this season, I encourage you to join me in The Music Hall for the Inside the Music pre-performance talks, which are meant to heighten the experience and make the musical program more accessible for both life-long and new classical music lovers.
Our work to entertain, educate, and encourage the musicians and audiences of today and tomorrow will continue next season through our small ensemble performances at local schools, and with our Explore + Learn concert that is part of The Music Hall’s School Day series.
In addition, you can find our chamber ensembles performing around the Seacoast and we will be partnering with the Portsmouth Public Library to host our Family Matinees series.
I look forward to making musical memories together,
John Page
Music Director
Program Listing
| Christmas Festival Overture | Leroy Anderson |
| Hanukkah Festival Overture | Lucas Richman |
Selections from The Nutcracker | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky |
| Bugler’s Holiday | Leroy Anderson |
—Intermission— | |
| ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas with Monte Bohanan | Bill Holcomb |
| Christmas at the Movies | Bob Krogstad |
| Radetzky March | Johann Strauss |
| A Holly and Jolly Sing-Along! | James M. Stephenson |
| Sleigh Ride | Leroy Anderson |
Musicians
Violin I
- Nicole Wendl
Concertmaster - Onur Dilisen
Assoc. Concertmaster - Jill Good
- Paul Pinard
- Rachel Swanson
- Lorna Ellis
- Eya Setsu
- Ashley Freeman
- Jessica Helie
- Travis Laughlin
- Aspen Barker
- Jackie Bensen
Violin II
- Susan Streiff*
- Megan Fedor**
- Lauren Alter
- Susan Holcomb
- Kristin Sullivan
- Jeffrey Sullivan
- Todd Hamelin
- Eden Harriman
- Diana Bourns
Viola
- Karen McConomy*
- Ken Allen**
- Jan Heirtzler
- Mary Gallant
- Carly Rockenhauser
- Eric Salas
- Maggie Chutter
- Thalia Dain
- Craig Peverly
Cello
- Gary Hodges*
- John Acosta**
- Marshunda Smith
- Priscilla Chew
- Fay Rubin
- Lauren Wool
- Kari Jukka-Pekka Vainio
- Melissa Ambrose
- Molly Hutchinson
- Chloe Jaarsma
Double Bass
- Moisés Carrasco*
- Joe Annicchiarico
- Carrie Young
- Joel Johnson
- Jason Noah Summerfield
Flute
- Aubrie Dionne*
- Erin Dubois
- Bri Mercier
Piccolo
- Erin Dubois
Oboe
- Sarah Krebs*
- Jill Hoffmann
English Horn
- Jill Hoffmann
Clarinet
- John Ferraro*
- Santiago Baena Florez
- Katrina Veno
Bass Clarinet
- Katrina Veno
Bassoon
- Melissa Grady*
- Rebecca Whittier
Alto Saxophone
- Katrina Veno
Horn
- Orlando Pandolfi*
- Kathleen Keen
- Hannah Messenger
- Melissa Vainio
Trumpet
- Adam Gallant*
- Mark Zielinski
- David Shepherd
- Katherine Cabaup
Trombone
- Brandon Newbould*
- Katie Schraeder
Bass Trombone
- Phil Hyman
Tuba
- Crystal Metric*
Timpani
- Steve Cirillo*
Percussion
- Timur Rubinshteyn*
- Alyssa Ostrowski
- Spencer Wiles
- Michael Shun
Harp
- Sorana Scarlat
Keyboard
- Blake Leister
Perform with the PSO
The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra seeks classical musicians in the community to audition for a place in the orchestra.
We invite all musicians, from professionals and educators to devoted amateurs and highly accomplished students, to audition for a place in the orchestra. We are actively seeking experienced string players.
Artist Biography
Photo Credit: Sydney Bilodeau Photography
Monte Bohanan is a familiar face and voice on The Music Hall stage, and has been a special guest narrator at several of the PSO’s past performances, including Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony and Copland’s Lincoln Portrait.
He has also been the host of TEDx Portsmouth and CreativeMornings PKX. Off stage, Bohanan currently serves as the Director of Communications & Community Engagement for the City of Portsmouth.
He previously spent 22 years at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH, the last ten years as the Director of Marketing & Communications, where he oversaw daily operations of events, institutional marketing, and PR and made regular appearances on stage as master of ceremonies.
Keep the music playing!
When you support the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, you are helping musicians take the stage while also enriching the Seacoast’s cultural life, bringing high-quality, affordable classical music to your neighbors, and inspiring the next generation of music lovers—ensuring that the music endures.
Thank you for being part of the PSO community of supporters and for helping us to keep the music alive on the Seacoast!
Up Next
Donorssince 2023
- Martha Fuller Clark
- Jameson & Priscilla French
- Clinton F. Miller, MD
- Donna Saunders & Michael Chubrich
- The Allayne & Douglas Wick Foundation
- Fay Rubin
- Jeffrey & Penelope Gilbert
- Jessica McKeon
- Jude Blake & Mike Bailey
- Lou & Kris Beaudette
- Bangor Savings Bank Foundation
- Barbara Sweet
- David & Sarah Young
- Katherine Wells Wheeler
- Karen Furtado & Mary Sargent
- Linda Connell
- Mike Schwartz & Sharyn Potter
- Mrs. Roger M. Doering
Albert Lantinen Barbara Henry & Nancy Winkley Barbara Sweet Craig & Shirley Peverly Diana Bourns Ellen G Saas Judith Blake Kate & David Murray
Karen McDonnell & Sam SmootLodowick Crofoot Lorraine T. Keazer Lucinda Spaney Margot Doering
M. Christine Dwyer
Michael Huxtable
Paul LanzoniQHT Inc. Robert & Cyndi Bear Steve Cirillo William Mathers William Quirk & Jean Berube
Anonymous A Caring Community
Anthony McManusBarbara & Robert Schultz Bruce Briggs & Katherine Kramer-Briggs
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce JohnsonCatherine Anderson Chuck and Demy Doleac Christopher & Stefanie Daly Edward & Janet Caylor Elizabeth Connell Nielsen Fred & Barbara Engelbach Jeanne & Derek Stern Kevin Bergesen & Laura Horton
Lawrence & Linda Ardito Lorraine Raleigh Mulhern & Scott, PLLC
Patrick Carey & Christopher Sturr
Priscilla BellairsSherrill Nixon Thomas Harford William Ceruzzi
Anonymous
Albert LantinenAndrea Sullivan
Anthony CoddingBrian Fitzgerald Bruce Valley Carol Seely Cynthia & Michael Harvell David & Marion Ellis
David Pope
Diane SchaeferElaine & Steven Molleur Elissa Margolin Elizabeth Gilbert Gary Hodges Jan & David Heirtzler John & Eimer Page John & Maureen Convery Joseph Stieglitz
Joyce & Donald MarchandJudith Howard & David Meikle Kathleen Tutone Kathy Rockwood Keith Lauder Leslie K Mast Lydia & Scott Meade Lynn DiElsi Michael & Glicka Kaplan
Michael Thiel
Orlando PandolfiThe New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Prince/Bergh Family Fund Rachel & Nate Swanson Richard Mechaber
Rick StantonRinda Madden Sally Crawford & Peter Wells
Sarah VealeStephen Chinosi Terrie Harman Wayne Shirley
Wendy Keyes
Adam & Mary Gallant
Alan H Bennett MD
Alan CalhounAlex Lanzoni Ann H Tarlton Anne Saer Anthony Codding Aubrie Dionne Bess4Sahara Black Birch Braden Ferrari
Brian GibbBridget Stearns Caroline & Nathanael Piper Carolyn Vinica Charles Bickford
Chris & Mimi BrettCliff Mommsen Cynthia Ryherd David A. Taylor Dianna Ferreira Don & Mary Jo Briselden Edwin Charle Elaine X Fuller Eric James Salas Erin Dubois Evelyn Laux Frances Ann Houlihan Frances Bechtold Frank Manter Fred Siegfried Gail Drobnyk Gary McGath Geraldine Gerbereux Glenda & Ed Fischer Helen Gettelman Helen Taft Ivor Freeman James Rosenfield Jane Page
John & Susan Herney
Judith ParksBilodeau Jo Ann B. Price Jo Ellen Thomas Joan Pratt
Joel E. JohnsonJohn & Susan Herney Joseph Kenick, Jr Judith N Moyer Kari Jukka-Pekka Vainio
Kathleen D RockwoodKathryn Ellis
Kathryn ThrallKeith Lauder
Kenneth FuldKristin Sullivan La Belle Chocolat
Larry Drake
Lauren JacobyLinda Cunningham Lindsey Humes Lynn & John Pincomb Mara Witzling & Peter Cass Maria & Richard Meyer
Marjorie Smith
Martha CaswellMartha E Stone Martha Thyng Marvin Fry
Marvin & Cynthia LeRoyMary Lou McElwain Matthew Dowd
Maureen NolanMelissa Ambrose Melissa Grady Michael & Glicka Kaplan Monte Bohanan Mr & Mrs Richard F Topping Mrs. Louise Hirshberg Nancy Zadravec Patricia Nicolino
Paul & Linda Hamlen
Paul Pelletier
Peggy Vagts & Mark MillerPeter Bowman
Philip DunphyPhilip R Hepburn OTTO Richard Meyer
Rick StantonRobert Westerberg Roy William Helsel
Russell GrazierSandra Quinlan
Seth A Hurd
Simon BasnerSusan Brett Susan Moniz Susanne Veal Suzanne Foley The McElroy Family Foundation Virginia MacDonald Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous
Anonymous
Board of Directors
- David Young, President
- Fay Rubin, Vice President
- James Mulhern, Treasurer
- Jan Heirtzler, Secretary
- Melissa Grady
- Paul Lanzoni
- Eric Salas
- Donna Saunders
- Rachel Swanson
Staff & Volunteers
- Erin Dubois, General Manager
- Aubrie Dionne, Director of Outreach
- Adam Gallant, Musician Coordinator
- Caroline Amport Piper, Director of Communications
- Jan Heirtzler, Librarian
- Graphic Details, Graphic Design
- Paul Lanzoni, Development Committee Chair
- Rachel Swanson, Marketing Committee Chair
- James Mulhern, Nomination and Governance Committee Chair
- Eric Salas, Orchestra Committee Chair
