The people behind the music

Symphony Spotlights

Your neighbors, your teachers, your friends — one story at a time.

Our musicians aren’t a faraway orchestra. They’re your neighbors — teachers, students, retirees, and professionals who rehearse on their own time and play for the love of it.

In our Symphony Spotlights, we introduce you to the people behind the music, one story at a time. Get to know them. Cheer them on. And listen a little closer the next time you’re in the audience.

Ken Harvey-Principal Trombone

Meet our Principal Trombone, 26 seasons strong! Ken is an elementary music teacher by day — and he has the best analogy for learning an instrument we’ve ever heard:
“It’s not microwavable. It’s like a prime steak that takes practice to learn — but once you start making music at a high level, it’s like you’re a slowly cooked, tasty steak.” 🥩🎶

Lorraine Plunkett – Violin

Meet a violinist who’s spent her career on both sides of the music stand! Lorraine picked violin in 5th grade for the best reason — she did NOT want to follow her older siblings into band. 😄 It happened to be the very first year Conroe ISD offered orchestra.

Today she’s the orchestra director at Stockton Junior High, celebrating her 21st year of teaching — and 7 seasons with the CSO. 🎶
On what she loves about the symphony:
“Music has the ability to connect people without words, and when you get to do that with an entire symphony, it’s a powerful thing.” 💙

Liz Graf – French Horn

Meet one of the newest members of our horn section! Liz joined the CSO this season and has already found her people: “I love the music we play, I love the CSO audience, and I love the brass section!” 🎶

She switched from trumpet to French horn the summer before her senior year of high school and never looked back — which is exactly why her advice for anyone thinking about learning an instrument rings true:

“It’s never too late to start playing an instrument.” 💙

Her favorite CSO memory so far? Her very first concert — the Disney program — watching it all come together after a morning of rehearsal. ✨

Joy Howell-Principal Second Violin

Meet our Principal Second Violin — celebrating 26 seasons with the CSO — and her one-of-a-kind instrument: the Yellow Rose Violin. 🌹

Built for Joy by her husband in 2000, it features a hand-painted yellow rose on the back, rosewood fittings, tiny sculpted roses on the pegs, and her name printed on the back. There’s not another like it in the world.

David Cervantes-French Horn

🎺 Symphony Spotlight: David Cervantes 🎺

Meet one of our French hornists — and the story of how he got the instrument is the best kind of accidental.
In 10th grade, a band director begged the class for a French horn volunteer. Two minutes of dead silence went by… until David felt bad for the guy and raised his hand. Three seasons with the CSO later, it’s safe to say it stuck. 😄

Madilene Loosier-Principal Viola

Meet Madilene Loosier, Principal Viola — 29 seasons strong, and one of the most remarkable people in our orchestra.

At age 10, she chose the viola because the cute boy holding one had no line — then played “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the spot. 43 years later, she’s still playing. 🎶

Debbie Andrew-Bassoon

Meet our co-principal bassoonist, 14 seasons strong — and her origin story might be our favorite yet.

When her junior high band needed a bassoon, her director asked if she’d like to play it. Debbie’s answer? “Yes — what is it?” 😄 She taught herself in the choir room, one note at a time.

Today she plays on a 103-year-old bassoon 🎼

Joel Meder-Violin

Fifteen seasons in the first violin section — and it all started when a six-year-old picked up a violin and never put it down.

Joel’s first music teacher was his own dad, who taught him everything from violin to trumpet to guitar. When we asked what he’d say to his father now, his answer stopped us in our tracks:

“To my dad I would say simply — I love you.” 💛