Salem Philharmonia Orchestra

About Salem Philharmonia Orchestra

We make live symphonic music easily accessible to the community & give community members an opportunity to play in a symphony orchestra.

Mission & Objectives

The Salem Philharmonia Orchestra provides an opportunity for musicians and audiences in Salem, Oregon and the surrounding communities to participate in affordable performances of high quality symphonic literature. 

The objectives of the Salem Philharmonia Orchestra are simple: to make live symphonic music easily accessible to the community at a low cost and to give community members an opportunity to play in a symphony orchestra.

Our History

The Salem Philharmonia orchestra, an all-volunteer, community symphony orchestra, owes its existence to the inspiration and leadership of its founding Artistic Director, Dr. Sean Paul Mills. The first rehearsal, on February 7, 2012, was the culmination of three years of planning by Dr. Sean Paul Mills, Artistic Director, and Terry Rohse, Artistic Adviser.

The Salem Philharmonia Orchestra currently produces a series of 5 concert sets per year for the benefit of members of our community. Previously, the orchestra performed for several years at Chemeketa Community College in Salem. Since fall of 2021, performances have been held at East Salem Community Center.

Artistic Director & Conductor

Jonathan DeBruyn grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon in a musical household, and was exposed to classical music from a young age. He received his BM in Violin Performance from Portland State University, studying with Carol Sindell, and completed his MM in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Oregon with Dr. David Jacobs. He was a Conducting Fellow with the Eugene Symphony for the 2018-2019 season, has guest conducted with the Beaverton Symphony and the Sunnyside Symphony, and in 2021 was named a Faber Conducting Fellow with the American Austrian Foundation. In 2022 he was named the conductor of the “Young Artists Debut!” concerto competition. In 2023 he was named the Music Director of the Sunnyside Symphony, as well as the Artistic Director of the Salem Philharmonia. He has performed as a violinist with many local orchestras, including the Portland Columbia Symphony, the Newport Symphony, and the Eugene Symphony. He has conducted as far as Canada, Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic. In his free time, he enjoys drawing, reading, and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is the son of composer Randall DeBruyn.

Jonathan Debruyn

The Musicians

Violin I
Stephanie Barth, Concertmaster
Barb Burton
Thanh Mai Dotran
Andrew Fischbacher
Cathy Heithaus
Brooke Funk
Jan Miller
Laura Owens
Kate Ratcliffe
Julie Rundquist
Dinah Smith
Albert Yen
Natalie Yen

Violin II
Sidran Olson, Principal
Georgann Cundiff
Lori Dressel
Brenna Geiger
Nancy Hall
Melanie Jones
Sarah Klein
Kim McCoy
Yulia Niece
Doreen Thorusen

Viola
Paul Schmidt, Principal
Alex Cortes
Kim Evander
Willy Kohne
David Sang-Ha Heyen
Christina Sauer

Violoncello
Deborah Ward, Principal
Cynthia Barnes
Serena Brophy
Ivan Caluya
Claire Dietz
Josh Koller
Tommi Leinonen
Becca Owen
Emma Smith

Bass
Roger Webster, Principal
Steven Corrales
Dianna Lysgaard*
Oren Sreebny

Flute & Piccolo
Carlos Velez, Principal
Michelle Brecunier
Julie Rodgers

Oboe & English horn
Jaclyn LaRue, Principal

Clarinet
Sara Truelove, Principal
JJ Pinto

Bassoon
Kerry Mammone, Principal
Hilary Port

French Horn
Derek Gustafson, Principal
Kurt Chandler
Susan Friesen
Cassidy Vela*

Trumpet
Andrew Pelto, Principal*
Sydney Hoehl*

Trombone
Brian Wilson, Principal
Brian Gingerich
Kyler McNaught
Zach Moore *

Tuba
Dale Wilhelm, Principal

Timpani
Heather Henderson, Principal
Daryl Redwine
Jason Schubothe

Percussion
Jason Schubothe

Harp
Cherie Gullerud

Opportunities for Musicians

If you are looking for a friendly orchestra that performs outstanding symphonic repertoire, we encourage you to give us a try. All members will be asked to auditions. Please contact our executive director at sfriesen@salemphil.org to inquire about openings. 

Photo Gallery

Come Hear Us Play!

We offer live concerts for residents and visitors of the Salem, Oregon area! Discover what composers and compositions are next in our line-up and  buy tickets online.