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Musicians of Beau Son Strings & Ensembles
Emily Rockers Bowman - Owner & Violinist
Emily is a native St. Louisan. She has been playing violin (classically and professionally trained) for over 30 years, has a BM & MM in Music Performance, and has over 20 years experience playing and helping plan music for weddings, catholic services, and other events.
She attended St. Margaret of Scotland School in the Shaw Neighborhood of St. Louis, MO where she started a Suzuki Violin Program in 2013. The program initially began with only 27 students and grew to over 140 students, ranging in ages 3-14. She also enjoyed teaching General Music to Middle School Students in 6th-8th grades where the focus changed to learning about Music History, Music Theory, and performance on instruments including keyboards, glockenspiels, hand bells, and guitars.
And if you're a native St. Louisan and wondering where she went to high school...
Nerinx Hall in Webster Groves!
Emily has played in many of the known groups & ensembles in the St. Louis area such as the Landolfi String Quartet and Rosewood Ensemble. Emily LOVES working with clients in the St. Louis area and customizing music for their events. She knew she wanted to work with clients on a more intimate basis and was often asked by other ensembles for musician recommendations so she knew she had all of the best musicians in St. Louis as her friends and colleagues.
Beau Son Strings was originally created as a private violin studio and ensemble group. After having their third child, Emily decided to stop teaching for a while and focus on family and growing the ensemble side of her business.
In January of 2023, Emily officially made the move to focus solely on her family and business and Beau Son Strings & Ensembles was 're-born' and here to stay!
We are currently booking new events every week that go well into 2025!
Fun Fact: The name 'Beau Son' means Beautiful Sounds in French
and is in honor of her son, Beau.
Emily has performed around the St. Louis area with prestigious groups including the Bach Society of St. Louis, Salem-St. Louis Chamber Orchestra, Winter Opera of St. Louis, Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, and many more.
While Emily is classically trained, she enjoys playing/performing other genres of music including Musicals, Pop, Rock, Country, Indie, and Liturgical music. She has had the great opportunity to perform with famous musicians/groups including
Black Eyed Peas, New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christine Brewer, Josh Groban, Michael W. Smith, and Amy Grant.
In addition to running her ever growing and successful Music Ensemble business, Emily also teaches General Music part time to students at St. Justin Martyr School. When not working, she can be found at home with her husband, two kiddos, and two pups! She loves spending time with her family, finding fun events around the St. Louis area to attend, and just going on family walks.
Jessica Platt - Violinist
Jessica Platt is an internationally accomplished violinist whose performances transcend borders, genres, and generations. From the concert halls of Europe to stages across the United States, her artistry speaks a language both timeless and modern—merging classical tradition with a contemporary edge.
Jessica’s path to the violin began in a musical household, but it wasn’t until she lost the ability to play—after a year-long recovery from nerve damage caused by a water-skiing accident—that she truly discovered how deeply music lived within her. “That year of silence,” she reflects, “taught me to never take a single note for granted.” Since then, every performance has been both a celebration and a testament to her enduring love for the instrument.
Holding undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Violin Performance from Boston University and Ball State University—alongside a minor in Vocal Performance—Jessica combines technical mastery with heartfelt expression. Her international career includes a performance for the Chancellor of Austria and a featured appearance at the Graz Opera House. She currently serves as concertmaster of the Gateway Festival Orchestra and the Town and Country Symphony Orchestra, and has held that role with the Saint Louis Philharmonic, Edwardsville Symphony, University City Symphony, and the Fabulous Fox Theater Orchestra.
Jessica is a musical chameleon, equally at home in a rock arena, opera pit, or chamber hall. She has collaborated with icons like Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Frank Sinatra Jr., and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and has performed with esteemed ensembles such as the Kingsbury Ensemble, St. Louis Municipal Opera Theater, Union Avenue Opera, and the St. Louis Bach Society.
She is especially known for her ability to reimagine modern music through a classical lens—playing in the style popularized by Bridgerton, where pop meets period drama. Audiences are captivated by her arrangements that bring fresh emotional resonance to familiar songs.
A standout memory in her career remains her Thanksgiving performance at Carnegie Hall under the baton of the legendary Robert Shaw—an experience she calls “unforgettable, humbling, and deeply inspiring.”
When she’s not on stage, Jessica recharges through hiking, yoga, tennis, CrossFit, and canoeing—bringing that same energy and joy into every note she plays.
Abbey Hayden - Pianist
Abbey is an active educator and performer in the greater St Louis area. Her most recent studies culminated in a Master’s of Music in Piano Performance (as well as a Certificate in Piano Pedagogy) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She now serves as a staff pianist at her alma mater, Greenville University, and in Ladue School District.
Abbey holds two decades of experience playing and singing in Catholic weddings, and spent 2015-2022 serving as a Catholic music minister. She currently works as the Music Director at Kirkwood United Church of Christ. Abbey is also an active member of the Music Teachers National Association, for both the St. Louis and Gateway Arch chapters.
Tara Santiago Anello - Cellist
Tara Santiago Anello is a teacher and freelancer in St. Louis. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in music from New England Conservatory, where she studied with Natasha Brofsky and Cleveland Quartet cellist, Paul Katz.
Originally from Wisconsin she has performed as a guest soloist with the Milwaukee, Fox Valley and Sheboygan Symphonies. Prior to moving to St. Louis she was a member of the Florida Grand Opera.
She now teaches cello at Webster University’s Community Music School and performs and records regularly with the singer Erin Bode.
Orin Johnson - Pianist & Organist
Orin Johnson (b. 1973) is Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in the Shaw neighborhood of St. Louis, a post he has held since 2022. From 2012 to 2022 he was Director of Music Ministries at Sts. Joachim and Ann Parish in St. Charles, Missouri. From 1998 to 2012, he was Coordinator of Music and Liturgy at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, Illinois.
Originally from Tyler, Minnesota, Orin received his B.A. in Music and Folklore & Mythology from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his M.A. in Music Performance, with Choral Conducting emphasis, from Radford University in Radford, Virginia, and his M.A. in Theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri.
He is an active composer and musical artist, with pieces published with ECS, Choristers Guild, OCP, GIA, SL, and others. As half of Oddwalk Ministries, with Shannon Cerneka, he travels the country leading prayer, giving concerts, offering workshops and retreats, and more. He has resources on prayer and liturgy published with Twenty-third Publications, GIA Quarterly, Liguori, NPM Pastoral Music, and Liturgical Press.
Orin is also an accompanist and music director at Congregation Shaare Emeth in Creve Coeur, Missouri. He is an Assistant Director of and a singer with the St. Louis Chamber Chorus. He is active with Catholic youth summer camps such as Youth Sing Praise (for which he has co-written a full two-act musical) and One Bread, One Cup, and at various other churches and schools in the St. Louis area as a musician and director. He resides in St. Louis with his wife Erin.
Visit him on the web:
orinjohnson.com
facebook.com/orinj
instagram.com/orinjohnson
threads.net/@orinjohnson
x.com/orinjohnson
soundcloud.com/orinjohnson
YouTube: bit.ly/orinjohnsonyoutube
Victoria Voumard - Violist & Violinist
Victoria Voumard is an active freelance musician in St. Louis. She plays viola with Beau Son Strings & Ensemble, Union Avenue Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, St. Louis Chamber Soloists, and Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis.
She has performed in orchestras with headliners Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Josh Groban, Peter Cetera, Mannheim Steamroller, Frank Sinatra Jr., Clay Aiken, Barry Manilow, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Warren Haynes, Idina Menzel, Rod Stewart, 2Cellos, Michael Buble, The Who, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Eagles, Beach Boys, Final Fantasy Orchestra and the musical Hamilton at the Fabulous Fox.
Fiona Brickey - Violinist
A native of St. Louis, Fiona holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis as well as a Master’s degree and Performer’s Certificate from Northern Illinois University.
Fiona has served as a tenured musician with both the Wichita Symphony and Peoria Symphony orchestras. With these groups, she has performed with artists such as Anne Akiko Meyers, Kristin Chenoweth and Victor Wooten.
Currently a freelance musician in St. Louis, she regularly performs with the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, Union Avenue Opera and STAGES St. Louis.
David Brinker - Flutist, Pianist, & Singer
David Brinker is a flutist, pianist, and singer. He plays regularly for church and synagogue services around the St. Louis region and nationally as well as for weddings and other private functions.
He performs with BandTogether, a community concert band, and is active as a music arranger, editor and engraver.
Beyond his musical activities, David is Director of the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA), Saint Louis University, the world’s first museum exploring the spiritual and religious dimensions in contemporary art.
Jake Brookman - Cellist
Jake Brookman started playing the cello when he was 9 years old and quickly cultivated his passion for making music. In addition to school orchestras, Jake played with the CASA Young People's Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra serving as Principal Cellist for both ensembles. While still in high school he won solo performance opportunities from competing in the young artist concerto competitions of the CASA Young People's Orchestra, Alton Symphony Orchestra and the Brentwood Symphony Orchestra. Jake then went on to study music performance at the Mannes College of Music in New York City, NY with a scholarship.
In late 1992 shortly after his return to Saint Louis, MO he performed with The Suede Chain (a rock band based in Champaign, IL) which would be the first of many bands that Jake has been involved with throughout the years.
In 2018 he was introduced to busking (street performance) and since then has expanded his solo repertoire with backing tracks to over 11 hours of music that includes popular melodies from the last couple hundred years highlighting Jake's appreciation and understanding of multiple genres of music.
Jake regularly collaborates, performs and records with local and regional creative professionals.
Currently Performs with: HämmerString, The Metropolitan Orchestra of Saint Louis, Mr. Blue Sky, Pop! Pop! Pop!, Salt of the Earth, The University City Symphony Orchestra
Manuela Topalbegovic - Violinist
Manuela Topalbegovic, native of Rousse, Bulgaria, began her violin studies at the age of five. She emigrated to the States in 1995 with her family.
Manuela holds a Bachelor of Music from Webster University, where she received the Buder scholarship for gifted students and she studied with Yuly Iliashov. She holds a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she was awarded the graduate string quartet assistantship for three years.
Her teachers there include Benny Kim and Gregory Sandomirsky. Manuela is an active chamber music and orchestral performer in the Saint Louis area. She performs regularly with Union Avenue opera, Bach Society of St. Louis, Kingsbury Ensemble, Winter Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Salem Chamber orchestra and many others, Manuela is the second violinist of the Perseid string quartet. She has also given numerous solo recitals with her good friend and pianist Diana Umali.
In addition to performing Manuela is also an active and experienced pedagogue. She holds teaching positions at Washington University in Saint Louis, The Community Music School of Webster University, Webster Groves Elementary Schools Strings Program and maintains a private studio at home.
Stephen Luehrman - Violist
Stephen Luehrman, a violist based in St. Louis, Missouri, holds degrees from the University of Missouri- St. Louis (B.M.) and East Carolina University (M.M.).
Stephen enjoys playing a wide variety of music and has played with artists such as Weird Al Yankovic and the Eagles, as well as the Arianna String Quartet and the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival.
He is a regular member of the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis and performs each summer with Union Avenue Opera. Stephen is delighted to regularly perform with Beau Son Strings!
Dawn Weber - Trumpet
Dawn Weber is known as one of the top performers and trumpeters in the St. Louis area. Her wide diversity of styles has made her a unique musician in the scene. She got her start when she left her home of Waukon, Iowa at the age of 16 to study music at the North Carolina School of the Arts. This is also when she started playing professionally in both the jazz and classical genres. After graduating high school from North Carolina School of the Arts she attended the Cleveland Institute of Music where she received her undergraduate degree in trumpet performance. There she trained intensely in the classical genre but also studied jazz and worked in the rock and Latin scene in Cleveland.
After graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Dawn moved to the city of St. Louis. Not long after moving to St. Louis she began to sub with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and was selected as 1 out 5 trumpet players worldwide to compete in the Ellsworth Smith International Trumpet Competition. While she was competing and performing classically she started to play with a popular St. Louis group called Vargas Swing who she toured with for 2 years. This is where Dawn got her start as a singer/songwriter and front personality. While performing and teaching in the St. Louis area Dawn added a Masters in Jazz Performance to her resume from Southern Illinois University.
She has since released 10 albums as the main songwriter for various projects she is involved with in the genres of swing, jazz, funk, groove, and electronica. Dawn still currently free-lances classically, subs with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and performs with the classical groups Arch City Brass and Gateway Brass. She also performs with and leads the projects Dawn Weber & Company, The Electro Funk Assembly, The Boogaloo Crew, and Swunk. She performs all over nationally and internationally.
Colleen Stumbo - Harpist
Colleen Stumbo is a harpist and music therapist based in St. Louis, MO. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy from Maryville University in 2017 and went on to complete a Master of Music in Harp Performance at Webster University in 2021. During her graduate studies, Colleen was honored as the winner of Webster’s Concerto Competition, performing Mozart’s Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra.
Colleen is the principal harpist for the St. Louis Philharmonic and has performed with a wide array of esteemed ensembles including the St. Louis Symphony, Union Avenue Opera, Winter Opera, the St. Louis Bach Society, Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, among many others. A versatile and in-demand performer, she has brought her artistry to over 100 wedding ceremonies and events.
Colleen Stumbo is a classically trained harpist with a passion for blending tradition and modernity through music. Whether performing a classical piece or a pop hit, Colleen creates a rich, engaging atmosphere that resonates with a wide range of audiences. Colleen loves to share her unique interpretations of contemporary favorites of artists like Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Elton John, and more.
Outside of her musical pursuits, Colleen finds joy in teaching & practicing yoga, gardening, and spending time outdoors with her husband, young son, and their dog, Hercules.
Mikaila Seo - Violist/Violinist
Mikaila Seo (viola, violin) received her Master of Music Performance degree in 2012 from Roosevelt University in Chicago, after earning her Bachelor of Music Performance degree from Boston Conservatory in 2009.
She has studied with Lawrence Neuman, Sally Chisholm, and Rictor Noren. Mikaila has completed Suzuki violin teacher training with Dr. Laurie Scott, Nancy Lokken, Nancy Jackson, Ann Montzka-Smelser, Alice Joy Lewis, and Terry Durbin, Suzuki viola teacher training with William Preucil, Sr, and Suzuki Early Childhood Education training with Sharon Jones and Danette Warren Schuh.
In the summer, Mikaila directs the SIUE String Development Camp. Prior to teaching in Edwardsville, Mikaila lived in Austin, Texas, and studied Suzuki Pedagogy with Dr. Laurie Scott. During her time in Austin, she served as the Assistant Director of the String Project at the University of Texas at Austin, was a violin and viola instructor at Southwestern University, maintained a full private studio, Seo String Studio, alongside her husband Jun, a cellist, and served as the Director of the Young Artist Division at Texas Strings Camp.
In addition to teaching and performing, Mikaila enjoys cooking, reading, playing with her three daughters, and taking her dog, Lulu, on long walks.
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