About

Personnel

Listed by instrument, alphabetically — select a name to read their bio

Music Director

Tyler Austin

Flute

Ashley Pond
Cathy Francis
Christian Wennin
Christine Hood
Laura Jackson Loo *
Mary Nussear

Bassoon

Catherine Becker
Chris Simmons
Former submarine warfare officer turned bassoonist. Currently working on a BM in bassoon performance and working as an IB Mathematics teacher at The Hague School in Norfolk.
Michael Davenport

Oboe

Adam Rice
Jenna Eppink *

Bass Clarinet

Alan Brown
Buddy Creasy
Connor Greenleaf

Clarinet

Adrien Gaines
Education: Bachelor’s in Music Clarinet Performance with Music Education emphasis from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music & Master of Music Business and Technology certification from Berklee College of Music Performance Experience: Mr. Gaines is a decorated military musician of the United States Army Bands. SGT Gaines performed, led and conducted marching bands, concert bands, jazz ensembles, woodwind quintets, throughout the Asian-Pacific. He has performed as principal clarinetist of Beijing International Chamber Orchestra and Shanghai International Choral League, and Beijing Brass and Japan Jazz Band, as well as performing in art centers, concert halls, schools, and worldly embassies. Teaching Experience: In his educational roles he has taught music, drama, and English in Tokyo, Japan. In China, Mr. Gaines has educated International Schools in Beijing and Shanghai. Since 2001 he has continually taught as clarinet & woodwind specialist instructor of rudimentary to advanced students.
Brian Do
Hallie Watson
Holly Brubaker
Jalen Kotchka
Kati Touchstone
Lawrence McDonough
Quinn Heinrich
Rhonda Taylor ^
Rhonda is a gifted resource teacher, currently in her 27th year of teaching with Gloucester County Public Schools. She earned a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the College of William & Mary and minored in music at James Madion University. She is active in her church and is an advocate for her students, particularly those twice-exceptional students with disabilities. Rhonda has been a member of CBWE for 13 years, and began serving on the Board in 2023. She and her husband live in Gloucester
Teresa Browndorf
Yi Tang
I am a classical clarinetist and band conductor who began playing clarinet as a college student at Tsinghua University. I later became the student director of the Tsinghua University Symphonic Band, leading the ensemble to First Prize in the Wind Ensemble category at the 4th Beijing College Student Art Exhibition. I continued playing while pursuing my PhD at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, where I served as principal clarinet in the UMN University Band and Campus Orchestra for non-music majors. I also studied band conducting for three semesters and guest conducted the University Band in 2021. Outside of music, I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Business Analytics at Old Dominion University. I am excited to continue making music with the Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble and to share the joy of music-making with fellow musicians and the community.

Contrabass Clarinet

Margali Grenier

Eb Clarinet / Clarinet

Sue Wills

Alto Sax

Jeff Lilliston
Laura Cathcart
Nolan Heck

Tenor Sax

Kelly Ketchum

Trumpet

Barb Yaeger
Christian Van Deven *^
A musician and educator based out of Norfolk, Christian has been involved in clinicing, adjudicating, performing, and educating across the commonwealth for the past decade. He has been a member of the ensemble since 2017 and has served as a Board Member since 2018, as well as being involved with the Advocates for a Live Performance Venue Group in Williamsburg since 2023. Christian regularly performs with Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble, the Virginia Wind Symphony, Hampton Roads Philharmonic, Symphonicity, the Tidewater Winds, and is a co-founder of the woodwind quintet, Reed Between the Lines. He also serves as the interim Music Director & Conductor of Symphonic Artistry, as well maintaining a lesson studio and playing chamber music with friends. He is a member of the International Trumpet Guild, International Horn Society, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Colin Galvin
Isaac Guinn
Isaac is a senior at Lafayette high school, and plans to pursue trumpet performance as his major in college. He has made the All VA band and All VA Jazz multiple times, founded a youth jazz band, and plays in a variety of local ensembles. Isaac joined CBWE in spring of 2025 and plans to perform with them until he leaves for college.
Jeff Haney

Horn

Bonnie Baffer ^
Bonnie is a graduate of Virginia Tech and a registered architect in VA, who works at the Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown. She enjoys playing the horn with the Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble and the York River Symphony Orchestra. In addition to serving as the CBWE Treasurer, she is also a member of the American Institute of Architects and Virginia Master Naturalists.
Ellen Polachek *
Jordan DiCaprio ^
Jordan has been a member of the Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble in the Horn section since 2022 and a Board Member since 2023. Professionally, he leads American Real Estate Media, a leading real estate marketing service covering all of Virginia and North Carolina. Jordan also plays horn with the Virginia Wind Symphony and regularly performs with Old Dominion University's Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble.
Stephanie Turner

Trombone

Duane Stachler
Oscar Erickson
Patrick Lawson
Patrick Oudie
Sarah Dodge

Euphonium

Mark Hendrickson *

String Bass

Rebecca Brown
Sarah Parker

Tuba

Todd Brubaker

Percussion

Donovan Burns

Harp

David Boone

Legend

* Principal Player

^ Board Member