EAST METRO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Programming Committee
- Member of Programming Committee
Job Titles:
- Communications Director
- Independent Contractor
- Webmaster
- Grant Manager / Writer
Anna Salisbury is an independent contractor working in the field of video production and publicity. She has worked on behalf of East Metro Symphony Orchestra in a variety of roles since 2013. She currently serves as EMSO's Communications Director and webmaster.
Job Titles:
- Member of Various Community Orchestras
Barbara Englund joined EMSO in March of 2018. She plays a cello made by Michael Scoggins.
Barbara grew up in Ottumwa, Iowa, where she started cello at age 7 and trombone at age 9. Her family moved to Edina, MN and she participated in Band and Orchestra in that excellent school system. She has a Bachelor of Science Music Education degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Barbara has been a member of various Community Orchestras including Mankato Symphony, Des Moines Community Orchestra, Minnetonka Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis and St.Paul Civic Orchestra. She joined EMSO in 2017, after retiring from teaching.
She taught Band, Strings and Classroom Music in the Minneapolis Public School for 32 years and also taught Band at The Academy of Holy Angels. Her first teaching job was in Des Moines, Iowa. She and her husband, EMSO violinst David Englund, job shared a teaching position (Strings) in the Des Moines Public Schools.
Fun Fact: Barbara was a bill collector for a porta potty company for 3 years when she could not find a teaching job.
Barbara and her husband moved to Hudson in 2002 and commuted to Northeast Minneapolis for 14 years. Nowadays, Barbara loves retirement and playing in various musical groups.
Caitlin Race joined EMSO in 2019. She plays an Elkhart H-Series Conn 8D French Horn.
Caitlin grew up in Eagan, MN and currently lives in Minneapolis with her rescue mutt, Carmel. She works as a research engineer at 3M.
Her hobbies include biking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, reading, and doing puzzles. EMSO is a great way for her to keep playing music and be part of the orchestra community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Programming Committee
- Member of Programming Committee
- Music Director & Conductor
Dave Englund joined EMSO in the spring of 2018. His violin was made in Germany in 1758. Age doesn't make a violin good, but Dave appreciates how the centuries of playing contribute to the beautiful, mellow voice if the violin.
Dave worked as a Minneapolis. Public Schools music teacher for 31 years, until retiring in 2015. Most of that time, he taught strings and orchestra.
Outside of music, his hobbies are vegetable gardening and taking care of three dogs and one cat (one of those dogs and the cat are blind!). Dave's wife, Barbara, is also a retired Minneapolis music teacher, and plays the cello for EMSO.
Dave says "To play in an orchestra is to experience great art in a direct personal way. I thank EMSO for giving me this experience."
Hannah Drake joined EMSO in fall 2022. She plays a 2007 Venus Penti Concert Harp.
Hannah is originally from Charleston, IL and started playing harp in her childhood. During her undergraduate studies in chemistry at Western Illinois University, she played and toured with the WIU orchestra, played for the WIU opera, and accompanied for recitals. After completing her graduate studies in chemistry at Texas A&M, she moved to the Twin Cities and is currently a Senior Product Developer at 3M.
When not harping, Hannah spends her free time adventure baking, community volunteering, enjoying outdoor activities, and flying airplanes.
Job Titles:
- Operations Manager
- Board Member at Large
Jake Dalbec joined EMSO in 2012. He is the principal percussionist for EMSO.
Jake primarily plays timpani along with several rhythm and auxiliary percussion instruments. He works as a senior geologist and project manager in the environmental consulting industry.
He grew up in Silver Lake, MN and currently lives in St. Louis Park, MN.
He enjoys traveling, golfing, fishing, backpacking, downhill skiing and playing a variety of sports in addition to music.
Jake is currently serving on the EMSO Board of Directors as well as as the Operations Manager for EMSO. The role entails arranging the safe transport and availability of orchestral equipment, instruments and sound equipment to rehearsal spaces and concert venues as necessary.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Programming Committee
- President
- Member of Programming Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Programming Committee
- Personnel Manager
- Member of Programming Committee
Jeanette Mallery joined EMSO in 2017. She plays a Caprice Deluxe Cleveland violin, 2003.
Jeanette works as a paraprofessional at Liberty Ridge Elementary. She has also been an instructor for the Color Guard at East Ridge High School since 2013.
She grew up in Woodbury, MN and currently lives in St. Paul.
She spent five years (2010-2015) with the University of Minnesota Marching Band.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Programming Committee
- Member of Programming Committee
Joyce Laidlaw joined the 3M Symphony Orchestra in 1973 and continues to perform with EMSO. She is the principal clarinetist for the orchestra. Her instrument is a Buffet R-13 clarinet.
Joyce is a retired hospital laboratory scientist. She grew up in Fergus Falls, MN and now lives in St Paul.
Her favorite hobbies are genealogy, volunteering, and music. She is a retired member of the 451st Army Band with 34 years of service. She is also in the Bethel Philharmonic Orchestra, and is the handbell director at her church. She is also involved in singing in the choir and assists with the worship team.
Job Titles:
- Librarian
- Member of the Programming Committee
- Member of Programming Committee
Kyle Bryson joined EMSO in the winter of 2017. He plays Zildjian cymbals along with many other percussion instruments.
He currently works in Product Development at 3M. He grew up in Pennsylvania and now resides in St. Paul, MN.
His favorite hobby is jazz music.
He is currently serving as EMSO's Librarian.
Kyle Johnson joined EMSO in 2018, during the orchestra's 10th anniversary, which also coincided with Kyle's 10-year anniversary of playing the viola.
He joined EMSO because he was going to a college that didn't have an orchestra and he wanted to keep playing. He will be graduating from college in December 2020 with a AA in Supply Chain and Logistics.
Kyle was born and raised in the small riverside community of Afton, MN, and still resided there today.
Aside from playing the viola, Kyle is interested in the railroad industry, a motorsports/cars, and scuba diving.
Makayla Lakeman started playing the violin in 6th grade, and continued playing in numerous orchestras through college. She joined EMSO in 2019 to continue playing after graduation.
Makayla graduated with a Masters in Architecture from NDSU and is currently working at an Architecture firm in St. Paul. She grew up in Blaine, MN and since starting work
Job Titles:
- Member of the Programming Committee
- Member of Programming Committee
Marsha Pearson plays a Conn 88H instrument.
She is a retired music educator. She grew up in River Falls, WI and continues to reside there.
Robin Radke joined EMSO in 2022 after a 34 year hiatus from playing the viola. Robin is delighted to be making music again and is enjoying relearning old skills.
Robin grew up in suburban St. Louis, MO, but has called Woodbury, MN home for 25 years. When she isn't playing, Robin is a corporate attorney and spends her time crocheting or keeping up with her husband and her teenagers' busy lives.
Robin Waller joined EMSO in 2021, after a 13 year hiatus from playing percussion music. She was thrilled that EMSO graciously let her jump right back in to performing.
She is a Microsoft Dynamics consultant and lives in St. Louis Park, MN.
Her hobbies include tennis, pickleball, golf, xc skiing, volleyball, traveling, and trivia
Robin says she can't go one day without music, and is so thankful to be able to make music with the orchestra!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Programming Committee
- Member of Programming Committee
Ron Larson has been a member of EMSO for over 10 years. He plays a German viola from the 1800s.
Native to Minnesota, Ron was raised in Minneapolis. He currently resides in Stillwater, enjoying his time after a career with 3M, where he initially joined with EMSO.
With his freedom that comes with retirement, Ron loves to travel, ride BMW vehicles, make wine, play and listen to chamber music (he also plays on a 1954 Dahl violin!). You can always catch him at a Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) concert.