With a career spanning four decades, Dr. Sarah Bassingthwaighte is a Canadian-American composer and flutist who loves to play, teach and create music, and focuses her work on social and climate justice. She has received accolades in each of these roles in Iceland, England, Europe, Russia, Mexico, and the United States. The London Symphony Orchestra recorded Dr. Bassingthwaighte’s Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra in 2023, and a full album is in progress for 2025. Other notable performers include members of the Scottish Royal Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, the Port Angeles Symphony, and the Beaverton Symphony, and soloists including Megan Lanz, Jill Felber, Claudia Anderson, and Steve Schermer. ..

Katie A. Berglof is a classical music journalist specializing in symphony orchestra culture and reform. She is widely known for her advocacy for accountability, musician wellbeing, and structural change in the classical music industry.

As a lifelong musician, her background spans music performance as a French horn player, music education in both private and public schools, arts administration, union representation, human resources, DEI, advocacy and community outreach & engagement. 

Katie is the chief editor and founder of the orchestra journal Harpsichords & Hot Sauce, where she amplifies urgent conversations around orchestral reform, musician health, ethics, and labor rights.

"simply first-rate" - The San Francisco Chronicle

A radiant violinist that delivers extraordinary performances imbued with imagination and insight, Denise Dillenbeck is “simply first-rate.” (San Francisco Chronicle) Celebrated for her work as a soloist, Dillenbeck offers “gripping and technically accomplished [interpretations]… at once soulful and well-reasoned,”  (The Oregonian) of both classic repertoire and breathtaking new masterworks. With her “long-lined phrases and unflagging focus,” (The Oregonian) Dillenbeck inspires and thrives in leadership roles as Concertmaster and within the region’s leading chamber ensembles. Through her board membership, volunteer work, and by modeling and mentoring empowered female roles, Dillenbeck enriches her communities with visionary thought leadership. 

Annie Chang-Center, a violist, violinist, and pianist, began her musical journey in Taiwan, performing piano for foreign dignitaries at six years old. After relocating to the U.S. at the age of thirteen, Annie thrived in a diverse international career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. Among her many accolades, Annie made her piano solo debut with the San Francisco Symphony at eighteen under the baton of Maestro Herbert Blomstedt, marking the beginning of her career as a piano soloist with major symphony orchestras, including the prestigious Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Hong Kong Philharmonic.

Erika Fiebig is a Seattle native. She was invited to perform as Principal Cellist and section leader for Cascade Symphony during the 2025-2026 season. She performed as Solo Cellist in the virtuosic musical The Last Five Years at The 5th Avenue Theater/Union Arts Center. She regularly performs as Principal Cellist for the Lake Washington Symphony Orchestra and Salish Symphony. Erika is Assistant Principal of the Ballard Civic Orchestra, and plays with orchestras across the region including Federal Way Symphony and Yakima Symphony. As an actress she is the star of Erika and the Wolf, a children’s show featuring woodwind quintet and storytelling.

Kenya Shakoor is a photographer and multi-disciplinary artist born and raised in Tacoma. Her work is a love offering; it is a contribution to the female gaze, rooted in a politic of care. City of Tacoma Council Member Jamika Scott describes Kenya’s work as photography and cinematography that “captures Black experience and existence in deep, yet soft and ethereal ways. Her work is savory and compelling and hard to ignore.”

In 2025, Kenya wrote, directed, and acted in a one-act play called Adjust Your Crown, an ode to a Maya Angelou quote. The play chronicles an unexpected moment of connection that turns into a layered conversation about everything from the cost of living to generational trauma and joy, reparations, and the current presidency.

From 2023 to 2025, Kenya served on the Tacoma Arts Commission, and in 2024, she served as Chair.

Dr. Kate MacKenzie is a bassoonist, educator, arts administrator, and advocate dedicated to fostering vibrant artistic communities. She works at the intersection of arts administration, policy, and economic development, serving on the board of the Lake Stevens Arts & Parks Foundation and the Snohomish County Arts Commission. She has played a key role in numerous arts initiatives, including founding the Lake Stevens Community Concert Band and supporting creative sector growth through the Cultural Arts Network of Snohomish County.

Oboist Bhavani Kotha was a winner of the 2019 National Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition and the National Federation of Music Clubs Carolyn Nelson Double Reed Award. She appeared as a soloist with the Seattle Festival Orchestra, North Corner Chamber Orchestra (NOCCO), and the Hart House Orchestra. Her solo engagements with the Hart House Orchestra included performing the Strauss Oboe Concerto on their European tour. Based in Seattle, WA she enjoys playing children’s concerts with Erika and the Wolf, coaching students at the Seattle Youth Symphony, and playing with orchestras all across the northwest as a guest musician. She recently performed with the Seattle Symphony as Principal Oboist.