Atlanta Symphony Welcomes Three New Musicians

Music Director Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra have announced the appointment of three new full-time musicians. Christopher Todd Skitch, Second Flute, and Stuart Stephenson, Principal Trumpet, joined the Orchestra at the beginning of the 2013-14 season. Violinist Anastasia Agapova will join the Orchestra in November 2013.

Canadian Flutist Christopher Todd Skitch, Second Flute, started his orchestral career with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra in 1997 after completing degrees at the University of Toronto and McGill University in Montreal, where his principal teachers were Timothy Hutchins and Nora Shulman. Mr. Skitch's distinguished career as a teacher and symphony musician includes many credits: an original member of the IRIS Orchestra with Michael Stern; Bellingham Festival of Music; Memphis Chamber Music Society; Tanglewood Music Center; Blossom Music Festival at Kent University, where he received the Maurice Sharp Award for outstanding flute applicant; Spoleto Festival USA; and the National Repertory Orchestra.

A Fairfax Station, VA, native, Principal Trumpet Stuart Stephenson began playing the trumpet at age 10. He holds a bachelor's degree from The Juilliard School and a master's degree from Northwestern University. Mr. Stephenson's notable teachers include Barbara Butler, Charlie Geyer, Chris Martin, Tom Rolfs, Tom Cupples, Adel Sanchez, Raymond Mase, and Mark Gould. Mr. Stephenson has performed at the Aspen Music Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and Tanglewood Music Center. An active educator, he maintains a private trumpet studio and is a brass coach for the Midwest Young Artists.

First Violinist Anastasia Agapova's talent has been recognized with top prizes in national and international competitions, culminating with a Jury Prize at the 2006 David Oistrakh International Violin Competition and Second Prize at the 2004 International Competition for Young Violinists. Ms. Agapova has appeared as a soloist with orchestras in Russia, Germany, England, Ireland, France, Finland, and Lithuania. A native of Russia, Ms. Agapova came to the United States in 2005 to study with Sergiu Schwartz and continued at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music. She entered the Curtis Institute of Music in 2008 and graduated in May 2013.

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