Faculty BIOS

Geoffrey Robson, Artistic Director

Named winner of the 2017 Respighi Prize in Conducting by the Chamber Orchestra of New York, Geoffrey Robson has emerged as a force of artistic leadership throughout the United States and the state of Arkansas.

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra has named Maestro Robson as its sixth Music Director after a four-year nationwide search. Prior to his recent appointment, his tenure as the Arkansas Symphony’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor was a significant success. His dynamic leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in national and state-wide visibility for the organization. The orchestra’s Bedtime with Bach online concert series received nationwide acclaim and was featured by the Washington Post and the Kelly Clarkson Show.

Over the past three years, he has played an integral role in the planning, development, and design of the new ASO Stella Boyle Smith Music Center, which is scheduled to open during his tenure as Music Director. His influential leadership helped secure funding and community support for the orchestra’s 11.7 million dollar project.

During his tenure with the ASO, Robson has conducted critically acclaimed and sold-out masterworks, pops, chamber, and educational concerts throughout the state. His innovative programming has brought new audiences into the hall and made all feel welcome, and has inspired and energized the orchestra. Robson envisions his role in the community as a connector, bringing the community closer together and making it more inclusive.

In 2021, he conducted and served as executive producer for the recording of Florence Price’s Concerto in One Movement with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, featuring pianist Karen Walwyn. This was the orchestra’s first commercial release in over 20 years. He has conducted numerous ballet and opera productions including The Nutcracker, La Bohème, and Madama Butterfly with the Plano (Texas) and Waterbury (Connecticut) symphonies and Opera in the Rock (Little Rock). As a founding member of The Chelsea Symphony (New York), he conducted numerous sold-out performances and served as artistic advisor, ensuring the growth and success of the organization.

A champion of new music, he collaborates with and explores the music of renowned living composers. In 2016, he conducted the San Juan (Colorado) Symphony in the world-premiere of James Stephenson's Concerto for Hope with celebrated trumpeter Ryan Anthony. He served as arranger, conductor, and violinist for the world-premiere of Billy Blythe, a one-act opera based on the life of the young Bill Clinton, by Bonnie Montgomery. He conducted the premiere of Into the Beautiful North by Joe Brent, performed by the 9 Horses trio, as well as the premiere of Richard III, A Crown of Roses, A Crown of Thorns, an opera by Karen Griebling. In 2021 and 2022, he secured co-commissions of new works by Tania León and James Lee III, which were performed by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

An active violinist, Robson is an avid chamber musician and regularly collaborates with musicians across the country. He also serves as Artistic Director of the Faulkner Chamber Music Festival. In this role, he curates a summer concert series and serves as director of the chamber music camp for students.

He served as concertmaster of the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and as Assistant Concertmaster of the Waterbury Symphony. He is also recognized for his skill and versatility as a fiddle player and has established himself as a highly sought-after studio musician. He writes and performs string and orchestral arrangements for recording artists to assist them in achieving their goals in the studio. His arrangements have also been featured on numerous Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performances.

Robson studied orchestral conducting at the Mannes College of Music in New York City under the tutelage of David Hayes and holds violin performance degrees from Yale University and the Michigan State University Honors College. Primary violin teachers include Erick Friedman, Dmitri Berlinsky, James Krehbiel, and I-fu Wang.

He studied conducting at Yale University with Lawrence Leighton Smith, Edward Cumming, and Shinik Hahm. Other notable teachers include John Farrer, Neil Thomson, Joana Carneiro, Dirk Brossé, Salvatore Di Vittorio, and Larry Rachleff.

Katherine Williamson, violin

Katherine Williamson joined the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in 2013 and assumed the Assistant Concertmaster post in the fall of 2019. Williamson started her tenure with the Orchestra as an Arts Partner with the Rockefeller String Quartet. With the quartet, she was able to work throughout the state, performing classical music for countless school children, playing in the oncology ward of the Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and presenting numerous recitals to a variety of audiences across the state of Arkansas. In addition to her work with the Arkansas Symphony, she also frequently serves as Principal Second Violin of the Conway Symphony Orchestra.

Katherine has played as a semifinalist with the New World Symphony, been an associate member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, and an extra with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. A native of Saint Paul, Minnesota, she still maintains musical connections to her home state as a freelance violinist with the Minnesota Orchestra and, until 2019, as a section violinist for the Mill City Summer Opera. Director of the ASO’s String Academy since the summer of 2019, Williamson is deeply passionate about music education and public service. She studied violin pedagogy with Dr. Brenda Brenner at Indiana University and with Ms. Christie Felsing at the Suzuki Institute at Ithaca College.

In addition to instructing violin lessons, Ms. Williamson is very dedicated to bringing chamber music to the young musicians of Central Arkansas. Since 2017, she has been on the violin faculty for the Faulkner Chamber Music Festival and, since 2018, has served on the Chamber Music Society of Little Rock Board. Williamson also served on the ASO’s Player’s Committee as President for two years from 2016 - 2018 and was named “Classical Innovator” by the Arkansas Times in 2018.

Williamson earned a Bachelor of Music with Distinction from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in 2012. She currently resides in downtown Little Rock with her rescue dog, Bernie the beagle.

Jeremy Crosmer, cello

A Central Arkansas native, Jeremy Crosmer is a remarkable young artist — both as a cellist and a composer. Between 2012 and 2017, he served as the Assistant Principal cellist in the Grand Rapids Symphony and joined the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2017. Jeremy is a founding member of the modern music ensemble Latitude 49. He is also a current member of the band ESME, a duo that broadens the education of classical music by bringing crossovers and mashups of pop and classical music to schools throughout Michigan. ESME released its first CD in 2016.

Jeremy completed graduate degrees from the University of Michigan in cello, composition and theory pedagogy, and received his D.M.A. in 2012 at age 24. While still in school, Jeremy was awarded the prestigious Theodore Presser Graduate Music Award to publish, record and perform his Crosmer-Popper duets. He recorded the duets with Julie Albers; both sheet music and CD recordings are available online.

Jeremy has taught music theory, pre-calculus and cello at universities across Michigan. He draws mazes, writes science fiction and plays good old country fiddle in his spare time. www.jeremycrosmer.com

Dr. Lauren Pokorzynski, violin

Dr. Lauren Pokorzynski is a chamber musician, orchestral musician and educator. In 2023, Lauren was appointed as violinist of the Quapaw Quartet in Little Rock, AR. She will also serve as Section Violin of the Arkansas Symphony for the 23-24 season. Lauren most recently served as Guest Concertmaster for the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra in 2023 as well as Principal Second Violinist at the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra from 2019-2023. Lauren has also served as Concertmaster for the University Symphony Orchestra at Texas Tech University from 2016-2019, under the baton of both David Becker and Philip Mann. She is also currently Associate Concertmaster of the Lubbock Chamber Orchestra and is involved in both Chamber Music Amarillo in Amarillo, TX and the West Texas Symphony in Midland, TX, serving as Principal Second and Associate Concertmaster, respectively. In March 2020, Lauren soloed with the Texas Tech New Music Ensemble “NOW” at their inaugural performance. In January 2018, Lauren won the concerto competition at Texas Tech University and performed the Korngold Violin Concerto with the University Symphony Orchestra in the Fall of 2018. She also soloed with the Benzie Symphony Orchestra of Michigan in July 2018 playing Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3. In January of 2018, Lauren co-founded the Lubbock chapter of Classical Revolution, bringing high-quality chamber music to an underserved community in an engaging and intimate setting.

In Lubbock, Texas, Lauren worked extensively with Amusement Park recording studios as a featured soloist on several albums and documentaries, and has premiered and recorded new music collaborations such as an active touring ballet entitled “Click”. Most notably, Lauren was recorded as Concertmaster for the Stephenson Trumpet Concerto, performing with soloist Andrew Stetson and the University Symphony Orchestra at Texas Tech University, recording under the MSR Classics label.

In 2021, Lauren performed with the L. Mattson Chamber Collective for their summer series in Allenspark, CO. Also in Colorado, Lauren served two seasons as the Administrative Assistant at the Lake City String Academy in Lake City, CO. Lauren was also a founding member of the Ethos String Quartet at the University of Colorado at Boulder. With this group, she performed the premier of String Quartet No. 1 by composer Daniel Cox on the new music series “Pendulum”. The Ethos Quartet later performed this piece as the opening act and pre-concert talk for the Grammy Award winning Kronos Quartet in 2015. The Ethos Quartet performed in Boulder, Colorado and surrounding areas, including a sold-out showcase in Aspen, Colorado. Lauren also had the opportunity to perform chamber music around Florence, Italy and neighboring cities with the cellist from the Ethos String Quartet.

While living in Michigan, Lauren won the Grand Traverse Musicale scholarship for four consecutive years, as well as being honored with the Concertmaster position at the Michigan Youth Arts festival her senior year of high school. She also participated in the Michigan Youth Arts concerto competitions and the Michigan All-State Orchestra. Lauren performed with the Bel Canto String Ensemble, soloing with the Benzie Symphony Orchestra in 2010. In High School, Lauren studied with Paul Sonner and Annie Chalex Boyle of the Interlochen Arts Academy, and participated in the Traverse Youth Symphony Orchestra as the Concertmaster for many of her High School years. Lauren also worked as an intern for Chamber Music North of Traverse City, MI, greatly increasing her passion for chamber music. Besides working as an intern, Lauren began teaching young children in her early teens, and has been certified in the Suzuki Method by William Starr. She now maintains a growing private studio in Lubbock, TX.

Lauren has participated in master classes with artists such as Rachel Barton-Pine, Andres Cardenas, Paul Kantor, the Takács Quartet and the Kronos Quartet. Lauren graduated with high honors from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Violin Performance, studying with Lina Bahn. She recently obtained her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Texas Tech University in December 2022 studying with Annie Chalex Boyle. Her dissertation titled, “A Holistic Approach to Reframing Tension in Violin Performance” has already helped many violinists begin to unveil the truth about tension in their playing. Lauren is currently continuing to expand her knowledge of music and musicianship as a dedicated teacher and performer.

Will Preece, cello

Will Preece joined the Grand Rapids Symphony in 2011. Originally from Urbana, Illinois, he studied at Michigan State University, where he earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in cello performance.

Before joining the Grand Rapids Symphony, he was a member of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and most recently was principal cellist of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.

Will is also one of the founders of the Faulkner Chamber Music Festival. He and his wife, violinist Jo Preece, live in Heritage Hill, Grand Rapids, with their two children and dogs.

Joo Yun Preece, violin

Joo Yun Harrington Preece (Jo) has been a member of the Grand Rapids Symphony (GRS) since the 2017-18 season. Born in Busan, South Korea, Jo began her violin studies at age 5. After immigrating to Dansville, Michigan, at age 10, she continued her musical studies by attending the Meadowmount School of Music, Interlochen Arts Academy, Chautauqua Music Festival, and National Repertory Orchestra.

Jo earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in violin performance from Michigan State University. She studied violin with I-Fu Wang and Dmitri Berlinsky, and chamber music with Natalia Khoma. It was during her chamber music studies that Jo met her future husband, Will. After earning their graduate degrees, Jo and Will ventured south, landing in LIttle Rock as the violinist and Personnel Manager for the Arkansas Symphony. During their time in AR, she founded the Faulkner Chamber Music Festival, which she ran from 2007-2017. Her interest in performance and arts management continued during their time in Chicago when Jo started a chamber music program at the Civic Orchestra, taught at the Merit School of Music, and served as the coordinator of the Music Institute of Chicago’s prestigious Academy programs, all the while continuing to make music. During the Grand Rapids Symphony’s 2018-19 season, Jo was the interim Director of Education, and most recently named the Arts Coordinator of the Music for Health program through the GRS.

Jo has many hobbies and interests including; native plant gardening, making fiber arts, and studying neuroscience. Her passion for learning is highlighted most by observing life through the eyes of their 2 children, Mina and Hugo.

Tim MacDuff, viola

Tim MacDuff joined the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and its flagship string quartet, the Quapaw Quartet, in 2019. Originally from upstate New York, Tim began his musical studies with support from his public school teachers. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Crane School of Music and a Master of Music degree from Rice University studying with James Dunham. Tim completed a Doctorate in Musical Arts at the University of Maryland.

Tim performed with the National Repertory Orchestra, National Orchestral Institute, Round Top and Lake George festival orchestras. In 2017, MacDuff was awarded top prize in the University of Maryland's Concerto Competition and performed Ernest Bloch's Suite 1919 with the orchestra. He has also appeared as soloist with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante. As a chamber musician, Tim has performed across the D.C. area. He regularly appears on the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra's River Rhapsodies chamber series at the Clinton Library in Little Rock. MacDuff has coached student chamber groups at Manitou Springs Chamber Music Festival, Faulkner Chamber Music Festival, Crane Youth Music Camp and the University of Maryland. In addition to joining the U of A faculty, MacDuff teaches students of the Arkansas Symphony's Sturgis Academy and Youth Orchestras.

Ryan Mooney, viola

Ryan Mooney started the violin at the age of four with his aunt, Margaret Pressley. He then switched to viola at age 15 and went on to study with Ian Swenson and Jodi Levitz at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has attended such music festivals as Roundtop and Tanglewood where he had the pleasure of performing with the Mark Morris Dance Troup at Jacob’s Pillow. Ryan was also a fellow of the Carnegie Hall exchange program where he performed with his quartet in Carnegie Hall and on a Central Asian tour.

He has a large studio of violin and viola students, and teaches at the Community School of the Arts at University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Ryan has also served as FCMF faculty for more than a decade. He is married to Cathi Whaley and has two children.