Meet the Players

The Northbrook Symphony is made up of dedicated players from across the Chicago area. Get to know some of our regular performers.

Irina Fatykhova

Principal Second Violin
Joined 2010

Originally from Russia, violinist Irina Fatykhova Magill began her musical training at age seven. She graduated with distinction from Moscow State Conservatory in 2005 and received a Master of Music from the University of Tennessee in 2010.  She later pursued an Artist Certificate from DePaul University.  Her primary teachers included Igor Frolov, Mark Zelmanovich and Ilya Kaler.  An active performer, Irina participates in concerts, recitals, and masterclasses, with extensive orchestra experience including tours throughout Russia, Europe, and the USA. She has served as concertmaster for the Gnesin Chamber Orchestra and has been a dedicated member of the Northbrook Symphony for over ten years. Since 2010, she has led a thriving private studio teaching violin and piano as well as founding a flourishing music school serving students nationwide.

Luis Vivas

Second Violin
Joined 2024

Luis Eduardo Vivas was born in Maracay, Venezuala, birthplace of "El Sistema", the legendary music education system of Venezuela. He began violin studies in 2007 with Rubén Carrillo and studied further at the Academia Latinoamericana del Violín with Victor Vivas. He made his conducting debut with the Maracay Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2017. He also plays with the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra.

He obtained his first performance diploma with Trinity College London in 2021, and he received a scholarship to study with Almita Vamos at Roosevelt University in Chicago, where he is working towards his Bachelor of Music.

Dan Klingler

Principal Cello
Joined 2013

A Chicago native, Dan Klingler has a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance from DePaul University. Following his studies, Dan was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago where he served as Principal Cello and frequently performed in the orchestra's chamber music series. For nearly ten years Dan performed regularly in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's contemporary chamber music series, MusicNOW. Besides his work as a performer, he has been a faculty member at the Merit School of Music for 15 years, where he has taught hundreds of Chicago area students including through the Merit Music In the Communities partnership with Chicago Public Schools. Dan has played in the Northbrook Symphony since 2013.

Martin Nocedal

Cello
Joined 2017

Martin Nocedal is the Director of Orchestras at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. Martin received his Bachelors degree in Music Education from Northwestern University where he studied with Hans Jørgen Jensen, and his Masters in Cello Performance from the University of Michigan. He previously served as the Director of Orchestras at Maine South High School in Park Ridge and at Davenport Central High School in Davenport, Iowa. He has also been a faculty member at Midwest Young Artists Conservatory in cello and chamber music, and a lecturer in cello at St. Ambrose University in Davenport.

As an active chamber musician, Martin has performed with members of the Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestras. He was an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and is currently a cellist with the Northbrook Symphony. Martin also plays with the Oistrakh Orchestra of Chicago, with whom he recently performed at Carnegie Hall alongside pianist Thomas Nickell.

Julian Romane

Principal Double Bass
Joined 2013

Julian Pat Romane is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and received his Masters in Performance from DePaul University.  He is currently Professor of String Bass at South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois.  In addition to the Northbrook Symphony, Julian has performed with many ensembles including the Memphis Symphony, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Lake Forest Symphony, Ars Viva Symphony, and the Northwest Indiana Symphony.  He has worked with many performers including Peter Gabriel, Tony Bennett, Itzhak Perlman, and James Galway.  He is married to cellist Ingrid J Krizan. They live with their daughter in Homewood, IL.

Stephen Reichelt

Double Bass
Joined 2022

Stephen Reichelt is a Chicago-area bassist and music educator. He received his Bachelors in Music Performance on double bass from DePaul University in 2000 and a State of Illinois teaching license from Northeastern Illinois University in 2013. He holds section bass contracts with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, West Michigan Symphony and Rockford Symphony Orchestra; and won Principal Bass of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra in 2019. He was named Acting Co-Principal Bass of the Charleston Symphony in South Carolina for the 2025-26 season. Stephen proudly plays with Maestro Mina Zikri in both the Northbrook Symphony and Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago.

Grace Hong

Principal Oboe
Joined 2022

Grace Hong is an active soloist, chamber musician and orchestra player in the Chicago area. A native of Seoul, she played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on their 2008 Europe tour with Bernard Haitink; and she's also played with LA Opera, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Fifth House Ensemble, and MODE Ensemble. Grace is a dedicated educator, both on the faculty at New Music School and in her own private studio. She holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory, Roosevelt University and DePaul University under the tutelage of John De Lancie, Louis Rosenblatt, James Caldwell, Robert Walters, Jelena Dirks and Eugene Izotov. Grace lives in Chicago with her husband and daughters.

Photos by Elliot Mandel Photography.