Profile

Hailed by the Register-Guard as “Oregon’s own Wonder Woman of the Trumpet”, Sarah Viens is Principal Trumpet of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, Eugene Symphony, and Orchestra Next. At the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance she is Instructor of Trumpet and a member of the Oregon Brass Quintet. Sarah frequently performs with the Oregon Symphony, Oregon Ballet Theater, Seattle Symphony, and Portland Opera. She is also Second Trumpet with the Sunriver Music Festival, and often plays with the Oregon Bach Festival and Astoria Music Festivals.

Sarah has extensive experience serving in the role of principal trumpet. She previously served as Principal Trumpet with the Newport Symphony and Salem Chamber Orchestra and has performed as guest Principal Trumpet with the Seattle Symphony, Oregon Bach Festival, Britt Festival, Kaleidoscope (L.A.), Oregon Ballet Theater, Portland Opera, Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene Opera, Sunriver Music Festival, 45th Parallel, Astoria Music Festival, Yakima Symphony, Chintimini Music Festival, Portland Summerfest Opera, Corvallis Symphony, and assistant Principal Trumpet with the Oregon Symphony. Sarah has performed as principal trumpet with esteemed conductors such as John Williams, Marin Alsop, Helmuth Rilling, Giancarlo Guerrero, Carlos Kalmar, Teddy Abrahms, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.

Sarah has performed with various chamber ensembles, broadway shows, jazz ensembles, alternative, funk and rock bands. Sarah has performed with the Oregon Bach Collegium as a cornetto and recorder soloist. Sarah studied historically informed performance with members of Piffaro, The Renaissance Ensemble at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Under the Innova record label, she served as principal trumpet, producer, and manager for Kenji Bunch’s The Snow Queen, a full-length ballet co-commissioned by Orchestra Next and Eugene Ballet. Under Cantaloupe, you can hear her alongside trumpeter Joshua Silva, on the track titled Involuntary, for David Lang and Molly Barth’s album titled Thorn. She was a featured musician in Oregon Art Beat’s 2011 documentary titled “Marin Alsop returns to the Eugene Symphony”.

As co-founder of Orchestra Next- the resident orchestra with the Eugene Ballet Company, Sarah was involved with its initial concept to its full incorporation. As the Artistic Administrator, she serves as its librarian, personnel manager, operations manager, and oversees annual auditions for student members. Sarah also serves as an ex-officio board member for Orchestra Next.

Sarah holds trumpet performance degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, B.M., Temple University, M.M., and the University of Oregon, A.B.D. Sarah has studied with Michael Sachs, James Darling, Brian McWhorter, Jeffrey Curnow, David Bilger, Rick Pressley, and John Falskow. Sarah performed in masterclasses for Mark Gould, Kevin Cobb, Bernard Adelstein, Christopher Martin, David Zauder, Dale Clevenger, Wayne DuMaine, Bob Earley, Jay Friedman, Bob Sullivan, Russell Campbell, Larry Knopp, Jon Nelson, and the American Brass Quintet.

Sarah is a member of the International Guild of Symphony, Theater, Opera, and Ballet Musicians. She is a Selmer-Bach performing artist, a member of the International Trumpet Guild, and the International Women's Brass Conference.