A native of Detroit, Michigan, Damon Gupton held the post of Assistant Conductor of the Kansas City Symphony from 2006-2008. Gupton received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Michigan. He studied conducting with David Zinman and Murry Sidlin at the Aspen Music Festival and with Leonard Slatkin at the National Conducting Institute in Washington, D.C. He served as American Conducting Fellow of the Houston Symphony for the 2004-2005 season, and has made conducting appearances with the Cleveland Orchestra (as part of a Blossom program with David Zinman), the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, The San Diego Symphony, The San Antonio Symphony, the Princeton Symphony, the Toledo Symphony, the Monte Carlo Philharmonic, the NHK Orchestra of Tokyo, the Orquesta Filarmonica de UNAM, the New York University Orchestras, the Kinhaven Music School Orchestra, The Vermont Music Festival Orchestra, the Brass Band of Battle Creek, The Michigan Youth Arts Festival Honors Orchestra and the SPHINX Symphony as part of the 12th Annual Sphinx Competition. He led the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra on a national tour, culminating in performances at Carnegie Hall and a well-reviewed recording available at White Pine Music. He is a winner of the Third International Eduardo Mata Conducting Competition, held in Mexico City. Musical collaborations include work with Marcus Miller, Kenn Hicks, Kathleen Battle, and Jamie Cullum.

An accomplished actor, Gupton graduated from The Drama Division of the Juilliard School in New York. He has had roles in television, film, and on stage, including the Broadway production of Bruce Norris’ Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning Clybourne Park, Superior Donuts (The Geffen), Christina Anderson’s Inked Baby (Playwrights Horizons), Meg’s New Friend (The Production Company), Wendy Wasserstein’s An American Daughter(Arena Stage), True History and Real Adventures (The Vineyard Theatre), and Treason (Perry Street Theatre). He starred opposite Tony award-winner Phylicia Rashad in the world premiere of Tracey Scott Wilson’s The Story at New York’s Public Theater. He also performed the title role of Academy Award-winner Eric Simonson’s Carter’s Way at Kansas City Repertory Theater. Mr. Gupton was featured in title role in the critically acclaimed Heart of America Shakespeare Festival production of Othello. He received an AUDELCO nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Clybourne Park.

Awards include the Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize and The Aspen Conducting Prize. Mr.Gupton is the inaugural recipient of the Emerging Artist Award from the University of Michigan School of Music and Alumni Society. He was named a Presidential Professor by the University of Michigan in January 2009.

I began performing as a regular member of the Long Beach Symphony in 1971 while attending Long Beach State University. At CSULB I was awarded The Long Beach Dramatic Allied Arts Guild Fellowship and attended both the Yale University Summer Arts Program and the Aspen Institute on scholarship. I graduated cum laude in 1974 having earned a Bachelor of Music degree in performance.

Separate from my tenure with the Long Beach Symphony I have had a business career largely in the music products industry. This career includes having been President of the Rico Reed Company and Boosey & Hawkes Musical Instruments. Additionally, I was a management partner of The Music Group Ltd, a London based international manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments and accessories. During my tenure with The Music Group I lived in Europe for a little over a year. In 1992 I earned a MBA degree from Pepperdine University.

In January 2006 I acquired Hamilton Stands Incorporated, located near Dayton, Ohio. Hamilton is one of the best known brands of sheet music and instrument stands having started business in 1883 in Hamilton, Ohio.

I will continue to perform with the Long Beach Symphony while residing in Ohio. Additionally, since moving to Ohio I have begun to perform as an ‘extra’ with the Dayton Philharmonic.

Lynda Sue began to play on occasion in the percussion section of the Long Beach Symphony during the season of 1957 on “mallets” whilst a junior at Wilson High School. Nick Furjanick was then concurrently Concertmaster of the Long Beach Symphony and the Wilson High School Band and Orchestra director.

Rocco Leggett, Personnel Manager, first engaged her as percussionist in the Long Beach Symphony. She continued in the percussion section through 1962 whilst at the same time obtained both Music Performance and also Sociology Bachelor degrees. Lynda Sue continued to perform as percussionist 1963 through 1967 while she obtained her M.M. from U.S.C. in opera. During this time she performed as a regular member of the Long Beach Municipal Band as both xylophone and soprano soloist. She subsequently studied and performed opera as a soprano at the Zurich Opernstudio and Opernhaus. She returned to the states to play “mallets” for the Ice Capades and the Ice Follies in Long Beach, Los Angeles, and New York City.

In the East Coast she performed with the New Jersey Symphony under Conductor Henry Lewis and both played in the orchestra pit as well as sang on stage at Radio City Music Hall (two different shows). She also performed as well as conducted a season of summer stock in upstate New York and performed as “drummer”, actress, and singer in the Michael Cacoyannis version of Lysistrata with Melina Mercouri at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. It was in New York that she met her husband-to-be and together they sang the High Holidays with Jan Peerce as Cantor at the Chicago Lyric Opera House.

Returning to California in 1975 with husband John Guarnieri and three daughters, Maestro Bolet selected her as Principal Percussion of the Long Beach Symphony. The first contract in 1973 contained the language which stated that after performing for three full years, a performer with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra would attain “Full Member Status”.

Lynda Sue has served as Principal Percussion since 1975 to the present day. She served on the orchestra committee for three terms, on the LB Union Board – Local 353 two terms, participated on the Music committee, and served on the Long Beach Symphony (as an elected member from the Orchestra). She served on the Donor Advocacy Committee. In her career she has maintained the professional dual role of both soprano and percussionist. She was commissioned to create “Percussion Paints Pictures” a program which is performed for all of the Elementary Schools in Long Beach. She has been a featured speaker at the Pre-concert lectures during the Falletta years. She has created and facilitated three different programs for donors given preceding the regular pre-concert lectures.

Tenured in 1993

Gary Long is Principal Timpanist of the Long Beach Symphony, Principal Timpanist of the Mainly Mozart Festival (San Diego), and Principal Percussionist of the San Bernardino Symphony. He is also on the teaching staff of California State University, San Bernardino as Lecturer in Percussion.

Gary has performed the Philip Glass Fantasy for Two Timpanist with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The San Francisco Ballet, and The Long Beach Symphony. He has freelanced in Southern California orchestras such as The Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, Pasadena Pops, Pacific Symphony, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Symphony in the Glen, and Redlands Bowl Orchestra presentations. Gary teaches private percussion lessons and is frequently heard in chamber music concerts throughout San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Orange counties. In 1987 and 1988 Mr. Long was Principal Timpanist of the Nova Filarmonia Portuguesa, a chamber orchestra based in Lisbon, Portugal.

He received his musical training at the Juilliard School in New York City where he studied with Roland Kohloff and Buster Bailey, of the New York Philharmonic, receiving his Master of Music degree. He earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Oregon in 1985 and was a student of Charles Dowd.

Gary resides in Redlands with his cellist wife Becky, who teaches elementary music in the Redland’s School District, and his two aspiring musician daughters: Madeline and Hannah. He looks forward to future days when he’ll be able to continue to perform, but also spend more time pursuing his other interests: Percussion Instrument Refurbishing, golfing, gardening, woodworking, and collecting as many percussion instruments as he can fit into his garage!

Tenured in 1998

“A player of astonishing flamboyance” (Los Angeles Times) and “impressive dash” (Orange County Register), Doug Tornquist has been a part of Southern California’s freelance musical world since 1987, including serving as Principal Tuba for Long Beach Symphony.

He grew up on a farm in the San Joaquin Valley, and came to Los Angeles for his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Southern California where he studied with Jim Self and Tommy Johnson. He earned his Master’s degree from Wichita State University, where he played with the WSU faculty brass quintet, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and toured with the St. Louis Symphony under the baton of Leonard Slatkin.

Doug returned to Los Angeles in 1987 to earn his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from USC and soon became a busy freelance performer, playing everywhere from amusement parks to the ballet, opera and symphony (sometimes on the same day!). He has played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Opera, Pacific Symphony, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony and all the regional orchestras in Southern California and under the batons of Erich Leinsdorf, Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta, Esa Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Witold Lutoslawski and Valerie Gergiev. He has recorded with Diana Krall, Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban, Randy Newman, Meat Loaf, and Beck, among others. The first time he was invited to play on a film score was in 1989 for Edward Scissorhands. Since then he’s played on the soundtracks of over 400 films, TV shows and video games. He was the voice of Wreck it Ralph and played on John Williams’ two most recent scores Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Big Friendly Giant.

Among his more notable recordings are the GRAMMY® winning premiere recording of the Penderecki Credo (with the Oregon Bach Festival), two discs with Quintadillac, a German brass quintet, and the song from John Lithgow’s childrens’ book I’m a Manatee which features him as a soloist. He recently released a solo CD, Feels Like Far, and produced a CD of holiday brass music, Fiat Lux. He teaches at the University of Southern California, California Institute of the Arts, and the Colburn School.

Tornquist will be playing the instrument he was awarded as a prize winner at the 1997 International Tuba and Euphonium Competition in Riva del Garda, Italy. This season marks the beginning of his twentieth season with the Long Beach Symphony.

Photo credit: Joe Meyer

Tenured in 1982.

Alvin Veeh began studying the trombone with Clifton Plog at the age of 10, and he became a student of Byron Peebles at age 14. During his years in junior high and high school, Al won numerous competitions and was involved in many local honor bands and orchestras. He also spent several summers at Interlochen and ISOMATA. After graduating from high school, Alvin attended the University of Southern California and studied with Robert Marsteller, Lewis Van Haney, Jeffrey Reynolds and Terry Cravens. He graduated from USC in 1979 and received the Robert Marsteller Award for Outstanding Brass Player.

Alvin is a member of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony and the Los Angeles Master Chorale Orchestra. He also performs regularly with the Pacific, Pasadena and Santa Barbara Symphonies, as well as with the Pasadena Pops and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Alvin has served on the faculty at Cal State Fullerton and Cal Arts. You can hear Al on solo recordings Variations on “St. Bone” and Partita on “Hammering” by William Schmidt. He is also active in the film and recording industry working with many of the top composers in Los Angeles.

Tenured in 2003.

Principal trombonist Alex Iles enjoys performing in a wide variety of musical settings as an active member of the musically diverse Southern California freelance performing and recording community.

In October, 2002 Alex was appointed principal trombonist of the Long Beach Symphony. He has also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pasadena Symphony, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and The LA Chamber Orchestra.

Alex toured for two years as lead and solo jazz trombonist with Maynard Ferguson and then toured for a year with The Woody Herman Orchestra. Today, Alex performs regularly with many of the top big bands and jazz groups in the Los Angeles area, including Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and The Tom Kubis Big Band.

He has performed on The Motion Picture Academy Awards, The Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, The People’s Choice Awards and hundreds of television series and motion picture soundtracks including “Avatar”, “Toy Story 3”, “Pirates of the Carribean 1,2, and 3”, “The Incredibles”, “Up”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, “LOST”, and “Dancing with the Stars”. He has also performed and recorded with Ray Charles, Barbra Streisand, Joe Cocker, Harry Connick Jr., Josh Grobin, Prince, Fallout Boy and Earth Wind and Fire.

Alex has been a faculty trombone and instructor in trombone, jazz and chamber music at the California Institute of the Arts, Azusa Pacific College and California State University, Northridge. He has appeared as a recitalist, guest soloist, and clinician at schools, universities and music festivals around the world including Indiana University, Texas Christian University and The Hong Kong Trombone Association. He has also appeared twice as soloist/faculty member of the International Trombone Festival.

Tenured in 2001

Marissa Benedict has been a freelance trumpet player in the Los Angeles area for 33 years. As well as playing in The Long Beach Symphony, she is also principal trumpet in The Pasadena Symphony and the Pasadena Pops Orchestra. She plays with such groups as The Los Angeles Opera, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra and The Long Beach Municipal Band. She can be heard on nearly 100 motion picture recordings and to name a few; Indiana Jones IV, Avatar, Sucker Punch, War of the Worlds and The Terminal. While staying busy with her music career she and her husband Mike just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and have raised three children. Katelyn has just graduated from Eastman School of Music in French horn performance, Andrew is in his 3rd year as a Nutrition major at Chico State and their youngest Cori is a junior in high school.

Leslie Lashinsky plays lots of low notes. She has been a member of the Long Beach Symphony since 1980. Her other orchestral credits include the L.A. Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, L.A. Opera, Bolshoi, ABT and Joffrey Ballets, Glendale and Pacific Symphonies, L.A. Chamber and Hollywood Bowl Orchestras, and many theatrical productions., She has played bassoon and contrabassoon on many soundtracks, including Jurassic Park, The Lion King, The Matrix, The Chronicles of Narnia, Spiderman 3 and Enchanted, as well as chamber music recordings. Leslie has toured the world with Zubin Mehta, Leonard Bernstein and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Her original music and multimedia works have been included in Lincoln Center’s “Serious Fun Festival,” The Los Angeles Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and New Music Across America. Leslie holds an M.F.A. from The California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) and a B.A. from Middlebury College. She has taught at Art Center College of Design and is currently on the faculty of Pepperdine University. Leslie teaches privately and coaches musicians preparing for auditions.

Tenured in 1999

Judith Farmer enjoys a rich and varied career as a chamber musician, orchestra musician, soloist and teacher. She received her education at Indiana University and at the Hochschule fuer Musik in Vienna. From 1984-1996 she was principal bassoonist of the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra, performed and toured regularly with the Camerata Academica Salzburg under Sandor Vegh and with numerous chamber music ensembles in Vienna. Ms. Farmer has appeared as a soloist in the U.S. and in Europe, including the Salzburg Festival, and has participated in chamber music festivals in Prussia Cove (UK), Martha’s Vineyard (MA), Salem (NY), La Jolla (CA), Oaxaca (Mexico), Beverly Hills (CA) and Garth Newel (VA). For the 1995-96 season she held the position of visiting professor at the Hochschule fuer Musik in Graz, Austria. She has also taught at the International Mozart Academy in Prague, the Chautauqua Music Festival and the Henry Mancini Institute.

In 1996 Ms. Farmer moved to Los Angeles and since then has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic – including as guest associate principal in spring of 2009 – as well as for over 100 major motion pictures. She is currently principal bassoonist of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, a member of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and the Long Beach Symphony.

Judith Farmer teaches bassoon at the University of Southern California. She is an avid chamber musician, who enjoys collaborating with composers on new works and has had a number of works written and dedicated to her. Her recordings as a soloist and chamber musician are available on Albany, Ex-House and Orfeo Records.

Critics have described bassoonist Judith Farmer’s playing as “impeccable” (American Record Guide), “masterly” (Fanfare Magazine) and “brilliant” (Kronenzeitung, Austria). Barnaby Rayfield also noted in the July/August 2011 issue of Fanfare Magazine: ” … the playing on [composer Gernot Wolfgang’s CD Short Stories] is uniformly excellent, especially from Judith Farmer on bassoon, finding expressive extremes of that instrument I didn’t think possible.”