Orchestra Member Bios

Bassoonist Michel Jolivet has performed throughout the Northwest for over 20 years. His studies began with former Seattle Symphony principal bassoonist Morgan Griffin. He then attended the University of Washington where he studied with Professor Arthur Grossman of the Soni Ventorum and with Sydney Rosenberg, Professor of Bassoon at Indiana State University. Michel contined his education at Washington State University where he received his Doctorate degree from the Veterinary College.

Michel has performed with numerous ensembles, including the Soni Ventorum, Rainier Chamber Winds, Hot Air Bassoons, and has been a featured soloist with the Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Wenatchee Symphony, Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, and Olympia Chamber Orchestra, among others. A long-time member of the International Double Reed Society, Dr. Jolivet has authored articles on the contrabassoon and sarrusophone for the Double Reed Journal. Michel performs with the Wenatchee Symphony, Philharmonia Northwest, the Royal Fireworks Band, and the Devienne Trio which also includes Philharmonia Northwest members, Sue Steil and Sara Jolivet.

Ian Newhall received his Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University. While at Western, Ian played under the direction of Alfred Reed, Robert Reynolds, Frank Battisti and Dr. Frederick Fennell.

An active musician in the Seattle area since 1998, Ian currently holds the principal trumpet position with Philharmonia Northwest, under the direction of Roupen Shakarian. He has played with many large ensembles including Tacoma Opera, Bellevue Philharmonic, Philharmonia Northwest, Lake Union Civic Orchestra, and Northwest Symphony. He has also performed in smaller chamber settings with the St. James Cathedral Brass, St. Therese Trumpets, St. Thomas Brass Quintet and many more.

Ian currently works at the St. James Cathedral music office as the Special Projects Coordinator. He lives in North Seattle with his wife Ailisa, who is a Cantor at St. James and is the choir director at Canyon Park Junior High.

Victoria Parker began studying the violin at age two-and-a-half with her mother, Sharyn Peterson. Born into a musical family, she grew up performing and touring with her family quintet. At age 14, she toured the British Isles as soloist with the Cascade Youth Symphony and shortly thereafter received First Prize in the Washington State Solo Competition. Victoria holds a B.M. from Western Michigan University and a M.M. from Manhattan School of Music, where she worked with conductors such as Sir Colin Davis, Kurt Masur, Charles Dutoit, George Manahan, Colin Metters, and Sergiu Comissiona. She has been a featured soloist with One World Symphony, Las Vegas Music Festival Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and Starry Night Chamber Orchestra, among others. Her experience as concertmaster includes Helix Orchestra, One World Symphony, Il Ponte Chamber Players, Garden State Philharmonic, North Shore Symphony, Southwest Symphony, and Philharmonia Northwest. Victoria and her husband Robert perform internationally as the Parker Duo, and are co-founders of multi-media project Helix Series in New York City. Ms. Parker is a member of the Vermont Mozart Festival Chamber Orchestra and an Artist-in-Residence at the Summer Sounds Music Festival in Port Townsend, WA. She frequently records for House of Breaking Glass and 100% Music studios. Victoria currently resides in Seattle.

A native of Prague, Czechoslovakia, Richard V. West studied French Horn at UCLA, the Music Academy of the West, and the Hochschule fuer Musik und Darstellende Kuenste, Vienna. His teachers included Arthur Frantz, Sinclair Lott, Fred Fox, and Gottfried von Freiberg. After appointments to the U.S. Navy Band and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, West left professional music to undertake a career in art history, but continued to play with such organizations as the Oakland Symphony and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. Currently director of the Frye Art Museum, West has been a member of the Philharmonia Northwest since 1997.