ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
LARKIN SANDERS
Executive-Artistic Director
Dr. Larkin Sanders is a native of Branson, Missouri, and currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri where she is the clarinet instructor at Washburn University, owns the Clever Clarinetist (a clarinet specialty store), is the Executive-Artistic Director of the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, and is an active performer. As a chamber music and entrepreneurship specialist, she manages and performs with Porch Music KC, the Bluestem Faculty Quintet at Washburn University, and more. In addition to a variety of chamber ensembles, she also performs with the Springfield Symphony, Topeka Symphony, and other regional orchestras. Dr. Sanders serves on several nonprofit boards such as the American Single Reed Summit (Vice President) and Charlotte House Series. Dr. Sanders is endorsed as an Artist by Henri Selmer Paris, D’Addario & Co., Silverstein Works, and Brian Corbin Clarinet Products.
Dr. Sanders completed her Doctor of Music degree in clarinet performance and a certificate in arts administration at Florida State University in 2015. At FSU, she studied clarinet with Dr. Frank Kowalsky and Dr. Deborah Bish while teaching a course in clarinet fundamentals for first-year undergraduate students. Larkin also holds a Master of Music degree from Michigan State University where she studied clarinet with Dr. Justin O’Dell and composition with Dr. Ricardo Lorenz. Previously, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas while studying clarinet with Dr. Stephanie Zelnick and Dr. Larry Maxey.
Born and raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, Patti graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Marketing. Currently she is surrounded by the Arts and is responsible for securing funding, venues, housing, and meals for the traveling musicians of TFO. Her husband, Sandy, is a drummer and professor of English, daughter, Dr. Larkin Sanders, is a free lance musician in Kansas City, and son, Hart, is an architect in Phoenix with Will Bruder Architecture. The Sanders family has resided in Branson since 1992.
PATTI SANDERS
Development Director
JARRETT BASTOW
Orchestra Manager
This is Jarrett's first year playing with and serving as Orchestra Manager with TFO!
Jarrett is a professional bassist based in Tulsa, Oklahoma who comes from Albany, New York. He is a Section Bassist for the Tulsa Symphony (TSO), Assistant Principal Bass of Springfield Symphony Orchestra MO (SSO), and Principal Bass for Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). Jarrett has performed with Signature, Bartlesville, Arkansas, Texarkana, Shreveport, and South Arkansas Symphonies, Arkansas and Lawton Philharmonic and the Tulsa Ballet and Opera.
His Suzuki Training began at Northwestern University when he took Suzuki Pedagogy with Gilda Barston in 2013. He continued his training with notable teacher trainers including (Cello) Dr. Beth Cantrell, Dr. Andrea Yun, Dr. Shu-Yi Scott, Zachary Sweet, Avi Friedlander, (Bass) Dr. Kate Jones and Virginia Dixon. Other teaching experiences include working as Bass Teaching Artist for Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Bass Coach and Orchestra Assistant from Tulsa and Bartlesville Public School District respectively, Private Bass Instructor and Chamber Coach for the bART Conservatory of Music, and Guest Artist for a bass masterclass at Brigham Young University Idaho. Currently, he is the Adjunct Bass Instructor at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith and Adjunct Instructor of Low Strings at Northwest Arkansas Community College as of 2019, and a Teaching Artist for Harmony Project Tulsa as of 2021.As an arts administrator, he got his start as Personnel Manager for SoNA. This newfound interest led him to get
his second Masters in the field. During his final year of the degree, he was Administrative Director for the Tulsa Youth Symphony where he earned the organization’s first government grant from the Oklahoma Arts Council and started their first Silent Auction. As Personnel Manager for SoNA, he is thrilled to have the honor of putting Northwest Arkansas on the map for professional orchestral musicians! His personnel management experience has contributed in partnering with the Walton Arts Center for its CineConcert Series to provide the Northwest Arkansas community a unique, theatrical and thrilling orchestral performance. As of 2021, he also serves as Personnel Manager for TSO.
Jarrett received his Bachelor and Master of Music in Double Bass Performance from Ithaca College and Northwestern University respectively. His principal teachers include Erik Johnson, Nicholas Walker, Andrew Raciti and Lauren Pierce. Jarrett is also a Master of Arts Leadership & Cultural Management from Colorado State University. His certifications include a Graduate Certificate in Change Management from Cornell University and a Certificate in Grant Proposal Writing from Fort Hays State University.
ALEXANDRA DOYLE
Marketing Director
Dr. Alexandra Doyle is the adjunct instructor of clarinet at Sinclair College, Thomas More University, and the Stivers School for the Arts. She is also the clarinet teacher for the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s after-school Q the Music program. She is a member of the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra and regularly performs with ensembles in the Cincinnati area, including the Lima Symphony Orchestra, Butler Philharmonic, and Springboro Wind Symphony. Dr. Doyle earned her graduate degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and her bachelor’s degrees from the University of Houston. She is a contributor for Oxford’s forthcoming “Handbook of Wind Music” and enjoys researching and performing the works of living composers.
ABIGAIL BROWER
Production Manager
Abigail Brower is an ensemble and solo artist currently based in Eastern Iowa. A graduate of Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, she performed regularly with university orchestras and other ensembles while maintaining an active gig schedule and competing in area instrumental competitions. During and immediately following her undergraduate degree she performed with Southern Indiana area ensembles and taught private lessons for students of all ages. She will be graduating in August 2022 with a Master of Science in Performing Arts Leadership and Management from Shenandoah University.
NATE BLITON
Recording Engineer
Nate Bliton is an active performer, composer, educator, and hobbyist and holds M.M and B.M. degrees in Music Composition from Michigan State University. He has written music for and performed in many settings, including a variety of Michigan orchestras, chamber music groups, popular music bands, theater companies, film scoring and sound design projects, and works with dancers and live improvising painters. With a special emphasis on interactive, low-budget physical electronics, his programming and electronics work has been featured in Make Magazine, as well as appeared in art installations and professional dance and theatrical productions. Nate is currently on staff in the Music and Dance department at Grand Valley State University.
STEVEN SMITH
Graphic Designer & Photographer
Steven Smith is originally from Branson, MO and currently resides in Springfield, MO where he is an adjunct instructor in the Graphic Design and Technology Department at Ozarks Technical Community College. He is also a graphic designer for a local advertising agency. Steven graduated from Drury University where he received a B.S. in Graphic Design. As a musician, Steven plays contrabass clarinet with the Missouri State University Community Band where he has been a member for the last 11 years, as well as Pinnacle Winds in Kansas City for their 2022 season. This year also makes his 11th season playing flute with the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra. In addition to being a founding member of TFO, Steven has also been the graphic designer for the orchestra over the last eight years, as well as TFO’s very own photographer, when he isn’t playing of course.
ARTISTIC ADVISORS
Joseph Peters, Music Director and Artistic Advisor
Victoria Lee, Artistic Advisor and Wind Coordinator
Daron Kirsch, Artistic Advisor and String Coordinator
Steve James, Artistic Advisor and Brass Coordinator
Jim Bartelt, Artistic Advisor and Percussion Coordinator
BOARD MEMBERS
Pete Marcellus, Board President
Patti Sanders, Director of Development, Housing and Board Treasurer
Amanda Marcellus Miles, Board
Alzora Hooker, Board
Marcia Schemper Carlock, Board
Crystal Wolfe, Board