Getting to Know TCO’s New Musicians

Eagle-eyed Cleveland Orchestra audience members might have spotted some new faces onstage at Severance this season. In recent months, four musicians have joined the ensemble: Second Violin Gawon Kim, Bass Brandon Mason, Assistant Principal Bassoon Catherine Van Handel (Sandra L. Haslinger Chair), and Assistant Principal Timpani/Percussion Peter Nichols (Mr. and Mrs. Richard K. Smucker Chair). We sat down with them to hear more about their musical journeys and Cleveland experiences so far.

Do you all remember the first time you heard The Cleveland Orchestra perform? 

Gawon Kim: My mom used to play classical music on the radio when I was little, and I remember hearing The Cleveland Orchestra on there, conducted by George Szell. 

Catherine Van Handel: I also grew up listening to The Cleveland Orchestra’s recordings, especially the Beethoven symphonies with Szell. The first time I heard the Orchestra live was at Blossom — I sat in the Pavilion taking it all in, and it was just such an incredible experience. 

Peter Nichols: The first time I heard the Orchestra was through the Brahms cycle DVDs with Franz Welser-Möst. My percussion teacher in high school showed me those recordings, and I immediately noticed how special the sound was, particularly the timpani. 

Brandon Mason: When you listen to recordings or hear the Orchestra live, it sounds so effortless — like the sound never touches the ground and everybody’s instincts are in line. The first time I saw the Orchestra was in 2023, playing Mahler’s Seventh Symphony at Severance. I just remember the clarity of the performance being surreal. All these details of the score that I’d never noticed before were rising to the top, and it gave me chills.

Tell us a little bit about your background and training. What led you to where you are now? 

Gawon: My mom and aunt are both musicians, so music was always around me when I was growing up in Korea. I think it was in 2005 that they gave me a violin for Christmas, and that was my first experience playing music. From Korea, I moved to the US to study at the Curtis Institute of Music before I eventually auditioned here. 

Peter: My first instrument was the electric bass. My brother and I would play bass and guitar together, and then we both took up the cello and would play duets. When I first heard the West Virginia Symphony and my teacher, Scott Christian, play timpani, I knew immediately that I wanted to do that. 

Cleveland has a very rich timpani tradition, so I followed in my teacher’s footsteps and went to the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with both Mark Damoulakis and Paul Yancich. For grad school, I went to the University of Michigan, where I studied with Jeremy Epp and Thomas Sherwood, who plays percussion here. From there, I played principal timpani with the Toledo Symphony for two years before winning this position.

Catherine: I started on piano when I was 4 and picked up cello when I was 5, but didn’t find the bassoon until high school. The band teacher said I looked like a bassoon player, so I looked it up in the encyclopedia and found a recording of the “grandfather” theme from Peter and the Wolf. It was then that I fell in love with the bassoon. 

I studied at Juilliard Pre-College with Marc Goldberg and at the Curtis Institute of Music with Daniel Matsu-kawa. I’ve been working in the industry since 2015, specifically in the Toronto and Milwaukee symphonies. Now, I’m so excited to be here in Cleveland. 

Brandon: Growing up, I was always surrounded by classical music. Whether it was Looney Tunes, my grandma playing the classical radio station, or my mom teaching flute lessons, it was always there. In fifth grade, I chose the bass because my brothers already played violin and cello. But it felt like the bass chose me in a way. I didn’t expect this to be my career, but I stayed fascinated with it, and still am. It’s brought me to a lot of amazing places, and I can’t believe it brought me here.

You all sit in very different parts of the Orchestra. What is it like playing in this group? 

Peter: As a percussionist and timpanist, I’m always playing in the back. In some orchestras, you have to anticipate more, but here it feels like you’re playing chamber music. You can easily connect with everyone else and fit your sound into the ensemble. 

Gawon: As a violinist, we rotate seats, so I can either sit in the middle of the section or in the back, where I can see all the musicians playing together. I love sharing this music with so many great colleagues. 

Catherine: I personally think that I have the best seat in the house. I get to sit right in the middle and absorb the entire orchestra from where I am. There are no words to describe the feeling when we’re all making music together. I don’t have to overthink; I can just jump on the train and go with everybody. It’s inspiring to make music at such a high level of artistry. 

Brandon: Like Catherine says, it doesn’t feel like you’re trying to play with something that’s perfect and you can’t mess it up — it just feels like you’re along for the ride. Hearing so many amazing colleagues of mine on stage every day is both humbling and inspiring. I feel like I’ve already grown as a musician in my short time here, which is exciting at this point in my career.

What have been the highlights of this season for each of you? 

Peter: A highlight for me this season was performing Prokofiev’s Seventh Symphony and Brahms’s Second Piano Concerto with Daniil Trifonov. I’m a huge fan of both pieces, and they were a real joy to play. In May, I’m looking forward to Prokofiev’s “Classical” Symphony and the excerpts from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung. 

Brandon: The most memorable performance for me so far was Mozart’s “Jupiter” Symphony at Carnegie Hall and on tour. Playing Mozart really exemplifies everything that is strong about this Orchestra. I’m also looking forward to Britten’s War Requiem in April. That piece doesn’t get played that often, but it is so profound and always feels timely in some way — it reminds us of the darkness of war and helps us appreciate peace. 

Catherine: I truly enjoyed the concerts in January, especially playing at Carnegie Hall with Franz. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season, especially Beethoven’s Fidelio, because Franz is such a master at opera. 

Gawon: I agree, playing opera with Franz is always inspiring. He knows the music extremely well and connects beautifully with the singers. I’m so excited to play Fidelio with him as well.

Moving to Cleveland, what has been one of your favorite things that you’ve discovered to do, to see, or to eat?  

Gawon: I like going to the Cleveland Museum of Art; it’s one of my favorite places to relax. I also love the fall colors. 

Peter: Something I really love about Cleveland is how close it is to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I go hiking there as much as I can. I’m living in Shaker Heights and have also been enjoying walking through such a historic neighborhood. 

Catherine: I live in Shaker Heights as well, close to the Van Aken District, and I’ve been enjoying just walking around there, getting coffee or food. There’s lots to explore. I particularly love flowers and gardening, and we are so fortunate to have such an amazing Botanical Garden in University Circle. 

Brandon: The first time I came to Cleveland was to play in the Orchestra as a substitute, and my mom and grandma came as well, because my grandma grew up in Fairview Park. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Cleveland through that lens. Any time I’m near Fairview Park, it feels like I’m closer to this part of my grandma’s life. I live in Ohio City and love walking to West Side Market and looking around, buying some produce, or just getting coffee.