Dallas Symphony Orchestra Announces New Musicians for the2026/27 Concert Season
DALLAS, TX (August 10, 2026) – The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is pleased to announce the appointment of six new musicians to the orchestra roster for the 2026/27 concert season: Yong Ha Jung (Section Viola), Pedro Mendez (Section Viola), Kelly Avila (Interim Section Viola), Reese Farnell (Assistant Principal/Utility Horn), Forrest Albano (Interim Utility Trumpet) and Melissa Robason (Principal Librarian, Jessie D. & E. B. Godsey Chair). All musicians begin their new roles on September 1, 2026.
“I am delighted to welcome these talented musicians to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra this season,” said Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship). “Each brings exceptional artistry and dedication, and I look forward to the talent, passion and musical excellence they will contribute to our performances.”
The DSO welcomes Yong Ha Jung to the viola section this season. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Yong Ha moved to Dallas at the age of nine, when he began his studies with Ronald Houston. He has since won numerous competitions including the Lynn Harrell Concerto Competition, Schmidbauer Young Artists Competition and Collin County Young Artists Competition, and he has performed with the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra, the Juilliard Orchestra and the Verbier Festival Orchestra, as well as several chamber music festivals. Yong Ha attended the Juilliard School from 2018 to 2024 where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, studying under Roger Tapping and Carol Rodland.
Pedro Mendez also joins the DSO’s viola section this season after previously performing with the orchestra for two years as part of the DSO’s fellowship program. Originally from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Mendez began studying violin at an early age through Venezuela’s renowned El Sistema program. He continued his musical education at the Conservatorio Vicente Emilio Sojo before moving to the United States in 2019. Mendez earned his bachelor’s degree in viola performance from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, where he studied with Roland and Almita Vamos and Li-Kuo Chang. Prior to winning his DSO audition, he served as a member of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his performing career, Mendez maintains a lifelong commitment to music education and is a dedicated teacher, both through his private studio and the DSO’s Young Strings program.
The DSO welcomes Kelly Avila as an interim member of the viola section for this season. Originally from Norton Shores, Michigan, she recently earned her master’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University where she studied with Ivo van der Werff, with additional instruction from Joan DerHovsepian. During her final year at Rice, she served as Assistant Principal Viola with the Houston Ballet Orchestra. She earned a bachelor’s degree at the Colburn School where she studied with Paul Coletti, Yura Lee and Tatjana Masurenko. During her studies she participated in festival programs including Shostakovich Festival Leipzig, Tanglewood Music Center and Aspen Music Festival.
Reese Farnell joins the DSO’s horn section this year as Assistant Principal/Utility Horn. As a Fort Worth native, Farnell grew up attending DSO concerts and is “overjoyed to officially become a member of the horn section.” Recently, he served as Third Horn in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for the 2025/26 season, following a year as an interim member of the DSO’s horn section. Farnell has performed as the Guest Principal Horn with Symphony S.O.N.G. in Seoul, Korea, and as guest Associate Principal Horn with the Atlanta and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras. Farnell holds degrees from the University of Texas and Yale University. His teachers include Patrick Hughes and William Purvis.
The DSO welcomes Forrest Albano to the trumpet section this season as Interim Utility Trumpet. Albano also currently serves as Principal Trumpet of The Dallas Opera and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Beyond the classical stage, he has traveled the country playing lead trumpet and collaborating with musicians from The Tonight Show, American Idol, and The Voice. In addition to his performance career, Albano has made significant contributions as an educator, maintaining an active private studio and guiding students to the highest chairs in their local orchestras, and to opportunities like the Interlochen Center of the Arts. Albano holds degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington and Southern Methodist University, where he studied with Rick Bogard and DSO Assistant Principal Kevin Finamore (Ryan Anthony Chair), respectively.
Finally, the DSO welcomes Melissa Robason as Principal Librarian. Robason succeeds Karen Schnackenberg, who served in the role since 1990. Robason first joined the DSO library in 2004 as a summer intern, while she studied music and English at Texas Christian University, before joining the library full time as Assistant Librarian in 2008. Robason has also worked in the music libraries of the Aspen Music Festival and School and the Metropolitan Opera. Prior to winning the audition for Principal Librarian, she held the role of Orchestra Librarian at the DSO since 2024. In her free time, Robason is an avid reader and enjoys spending time with her husband and three boys at their home in DFW.
Photos of the DSO’s newest musicians can be found here, and interviews are available upon request.
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ABOUT THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director Fabio Luisi (Louise W. & Edmund J. Kahn Music Directorship), presents more than 100 concerts each year at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, one of the world’s finest concert halls. Tracing its origins to a concert with 40 musicians conducted by Hans Kreissig in 1900, the DSO has become the most prominent performing arts organization in the Southwest and is a cornerstone of the 118-acre Dallas Arts District, the largest urban arts district in the nation. Through its acclaimed recordings and international touring, the DSO shares its artistry with audiences around the globe, extending its impact beyond Dallas.
The DSO is committed to its mission of inspiring and changing lives through musical excellence and serves more than 200,000 adults and children each year through performances, educational programs and community initiatives. The DSO’s education programs plant the seed for musical study and appreciation as well as success in academics and social development. The Young Strings and Kim Noltemy Young Musicians provide access to free music lessons and instruments for hundreds of students each year, and the Cecil and Ida Green Youth Concerts welcome more than 10,000 Dallas-area students to the Meyerson each season. For nearly three decades, the DSO has presented classical music to thousands through the annual summer Parks Concerts Series. DSO Cares offers performances in hospitals, senior living facilities and in partnership with other service organizations across North Texas, bringing the healing power of music to those who need it most.
The DSO is supported, in part, by funds from the Office of Arts & Culture, City of Dallas. For more information, visit dallassymphony.org or follow @dallassymphony on social media.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Chelsey Norris | Director of Communications
813.362.5251
c.norris@dalsym.com