Lauren Cash (violin) – She began violin at the age of six, started piano several years later, and has never stopped playing music since! Lauren joined the symphony in 2006 and enjoys her current role as Principal 2nd violin. She loves passing on the joy of music to local students, teaching music both privately and at Journey Christian School. If she’s not playing music or teaching you might find her hiking, travelling, writing, or spending time with family and friends.
Tamra Davis (violin) earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in violin performance from Brigham Young University. She has had the opportunity to perform with various ensembles throughout the United States, Great Britain, and Europe. As a freelance artist, she has recorded on soundtracks, movie scores, and advertisements. She is currently an adjunct music instructor at LCC and has been a member of the Southwest Washington Symphony since 2014. Tamra enjoys homeschooling her children and being outdoors with her family.
Carol Kirkman (violin) began her love of the violin at 10 years old. It was a love that has lasted 56 years and still strong. Carol was raised in Sacramento, California and attended CSUS, receiving a BA in music. She went to Portland to earn a masters in church music from Western Seminary. Carol has three grown children and six lovely grandchildren. She became the concertmaster of Southwest Washington Symphony in 2014. Carol also plays in the Vancouver Symphony and occasionally with the Columbia Gorge Sinfonietta in Hood River. Carol is happily retired after 24 years teaching orchestra.
Gary Lindstrom (violin) joined the Symphony in 1994 at the invitation of Marion Clark (cello). Starting in 3rd grade in Burlingame, CA, he played violin through high school. He has performed with the Astoria Chamber Players, Coachella Valley Symphony, Sunnyside Chamber Orchestra, and piano trio, quartet, and quintet works along with his spouse, pianist, Ann Long. Additionally he is a member of the Columbian Choral Ensemble. His violin teachers included Matt Mandrones (Vancouver Symphony) and Jonathan Dubay (Oregon Symphony). He has a Master’s Degree from the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA and is retired from the Port of Longview. He is a past President of the symphony’s Board.
Katy Olson (violin) initially started playing the violin in 3rd grade at Catlin Elementary School and continued on through Kelso High School where she discovered she could get out of class to play for civic engagements in the community. Today she works as a librarian for the Longview School District and still enjoys getting out of work to play for the Fall Children’s Concert with the SWS. Katy loves to travel, read, and laugh with family and friends. She still slips out of any obligation she can...except for Symphony practice.
Sierra Paine (violin) - A member of the symphony since 2019, and a resident of Longview, Sierra is a student at Mark Morris High School where . Since attending Mark Morris, she plays in the band and orchestra, and competes in knowledge bowl, bowling, and golf. She has spent 9 summers playing in youth symphonies and other ensembles in Washington. Sierra enjoys being a part of the Southwest Washington Symphony because she loves to create music that can touch the lives of others.
Sandy Rountree (violin) – Born in Longview, Sandy started music in 4th grade and remembers sitting in band class, waiting for her mother’s payday so she could get a clarinet to play. Due to some miscommunication, her mother brought home a violin instead, so Sandy played the violin. She joined the symphony in 1984 and is now one of the old-timers. Retired, she enjoys doing genealogy, reading mysteries, writing stories, playing with her dog and being a part of her church’s history museum.
Genevieve Schoenecker (violin) - A member of the Symphony since 1997. Genevieve attended Washington State University where she studied violin with Alan Bodman and graduated with a BA in Music in 1987. She has also played in the Washington Idaho Symphony and the Columbia River Chamber Orchestra.
Rebecca Whitney (violin) - Rebecca joined the Symphony in 2019 while finishing her last
year of high school. Since starting violin lessons at age 8, Rebecca has enjoyed playing music in many groups and exploring different genres. In addition to making music, Rebecca also enjoys hiking, camping, painting, and creating art in other media. Rebecca lives in Kalama, Washington, and hopes to pursue a career in music.
Elizabeth Zumstein (violin) – Elizabeth enthusiastically joined the Symphony in 2016. A native of Woodland, she began learning the violin at age 11 along with her Mom and four of her sisters. In addition to teaching a handful of violin students, she works at the local machine shop and keeps the books for a landscaping company. She is grateful to God for the opportunity to create beautiful music with the Symphony.
Viola
Linda Monahan, violist, joined the symphony in 1968, a CHARTER MEMBER. Linda lives in Longview, graduated from RAL, WWU and has a master’s degree from Seattle Pacific University. She taught music in the Longview School District for 37 years. Linda also teaches private piano and string lessons. She is currently the organist at Longview Community Church. She is also a Master Gardener, loves to sew and especially likes to bake cheesecakes. She raises a vegetable garden yearly and her dahlias are her pride and joy. She has one daughter and two grandchildren. Her siblings include one brother and two sisters.
Dolphine VanZanten Mack (viola) - Dolphine studied violin as a youth, but learned the viola to fill needs in school and community orchestras. She moved to Longview just before the Symphony was founded and became a charter member. Music has had a key role in her family; all her children are accomplished musicians, contributing to their communities.
Cello
Rachel Davis (cello) - Rachel joined the Symphony in 2019 after moving from Gresham, OR. She was blessed to grow up in a family that encouraged her musical interests. Rachel began playing the cello in her school orchestra at age 10. She pursued a degree in Music Education and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Berry College in 2007. After graduating, she has performed with various groups including the Beaverton Symphony, the Willamette Falls Symphony, and the Portland Civic Orchestra. She also has recorded cello tracks and performed with several independent rock bands like Capraesque and Matthew Fountain and the Whereabouts. Currently, she teaches music at Napavine Elementary and teaches private lessons to students in Lewis and Cowlitz counties. Rachel lives with her family in Winlock, WA.
Megan Free (cello) - A member of the Symphony since 2016, Megan has been playing the cello since the age of 8. After high school Megan played recreationally while in college at the University of Oregon and while obtaining her Masters in Education at Pacific University. After moving to Coos Bay, Megan played for weddings and in local symphonies across Oregon, while advancing her education career. Megan joined the Southwest Washington Symphony after moving to Washington and having her first child as a way to meet local musicians and continue to play. Megan works in education, supporting local school districts around effective mathematics instruction.
Sue Marble (cello) - After careers in nursing and psychology, Sue returned to the cello, her first love, in 2018. She is a student of Elizabeth Byrd and joined the Symphony in Autumn of 2019. Sue, her husband and two cats are enjoying their retirement by the river in Columbia City, Oregon.
Judy Woodward, cello, joined SWWS in 2018. Although she commutes to Longview from Astoria, Oregon, on rehearsal and concert nights, Mike (cello) and Trudy Woods welcome her in their home, where Judy is wined and dined, provided her own bedroom, and the next day joins Mike in cello duets. Other musical highlights include playing in a string quartet to accompany the first Canadian youth to be Queen Elizabeth’s organist, during his homecoming recital in Nelson, B.C. Now retired from writing environmental impact statements, Judy gives private cello lessons, plays in numerous large and small ensembles, and makes fiber art.
BASS
Josef Ward (bass) - Josef Ward joined the symphony in the Winter of 2018 and currently teaches middle and high school Orchestra for the Kelso School District. Mr. Ward earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Oregon in 2017 where he studied with Tyler Abbott, a premier bassist in the Pacific Northwest, and has maintained an active performing career on both String Bass and Electric Bass. Josef performs around the Cowlitz community with the Southwest Washington Symphony, LCC Choral Orchestra, Jazz Ensembles at Kelso High School, “The Funk Junkies,” “The Dude,” and also the worship band at his church. When not playing or teaching music, Josef enjoys playing golf, fixing cars, and exploring the outdoors.