Mark Debski, Paul Hafley, Samantha Bennett, SaiSai Ding, Christian Luevano, and Alexander Heather will join the orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) has appointed six new players, all of whom will join the orchestra for the beginning of the 2025/26 season. They are Mark Debski (Interim Principal Oboe), Paul Hafley (Associate Principal and E-flat Clarinet), Samantha Bennett (interim second violin), SaiSai Ding (cello), Christian Luevano (Associate Principal Bass), and Alexander Heather (section bass).
Oboist Mark Debski has recently held positions as Principal Oboe in The Florida Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony, and he was also a fellow at the New World Symphony. In addition, he has appeared as a guest player with the Boston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, New Zealand Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and The Cleveland Orchestra.
Clarinetist Paul Hafley has served in the United States Navy Band since 2021. Prior to this, he was Principal Clarinet with the Corinth Symphony Orchestra and has appeared as a guest with the Washington National Opera, Washington Opera Society, and Sunflower Music Festival. He studied at the University of Memphis, the New England Conservatory of Music, and the University of Texas at Austin.
Violinist Samantha Bennett studied with Donald Weilerstein and Malcolm Lowe at the New England Conservatory of Music. She has previously played in the Dallas Opera Orchestra and was Principal Second Violin of the Sarasota Orchestra between 2016 and 2022.
Cellist SaiSai Ding is a recent graduate of Southern Methodist University and also attended the Curtis Institute of Music. His accolades include winning the Collin County Young Artists Competition, the Vernell Gregg Young Artist Competition, the Fort Worth Symphony Young Artist Competition, and the Schoenfeld International Competition Best Commission Prize.
Bassist Christian Luevano is currently studying at the Curtis Institute with Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer. He has received accolades or reached the finals in every major competition open to double bassists in the United States, including the Sphinx, Stulberg, and Klein Competitions.
Bassist Alexander Heather also studied with Hal Robinson and Edgar Meyer at the Curtis Institute, where he earned his master’s degree. His undergraduate study was undertaken in London at the Royal College of Music and Royal Academy of Music, and he is a graduate of Wells Cathedral School, a specialist music high school.