The San Luis Obispo Symphony has added Pam Dassenko, Jessica Hoffman and Barbara Hunter-Spencer to its Board of Directors. They join Board Members: Liz Summer – president, Deanna Richards — incoming president, India D’Avignon– past president, Jeff Brady – treasurer, Fred Friedman– secretary, Ursula Fitzgerald, David Hamilton, Cindy-Marie Absey, Mary Tanner, Linda Parker Sanpei, Sandi Sigurdson, Diane Heath and Dwyne Willis. Directors Fred Friedman, Diane Heath and India D’Avignon will complete their terms at the end of June.
“We have an exceptionally strong board for this upcoming season,” said San Luis Obispo General Manager, Francie Levy. “Their experience in financial advice, banking, marketing, management of the arts, the legal profession, as entrepreneurs, engineering and as musicians gives the organization incredible intellectual property from which to draw in moving the Symphony forward in its mission.”
Pam Dassenko
Pam Dassenko, a popular dentist in San Luis Obispo, was Concertmaster for the Symphony for 29 years and recently stepped down from the position in the fall of 2015. She began the study of violin at age 7 under Miguel Szilagui in Montevideo, Uruguay. She has studied with Claire Hodgkin and most recently with Oliver Steiner at the Eastman School of Music. In the past, Pam served as a president of the Board of the Youth Symphony before it merged with the San Luis Obispo Symphony. She plans to make youth and education aspects of the organization a priority while on the Board.
Barbara Hunter-Spencer
Barbara Hunter-Spencer is an owner (with her husband Bill) of Windrose Farm and plays cello with the symphony orchestra. Barbara spent 30 years as a professional cellist in Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles. She was a sub for the LA Philharmonic and in John Williams’ orchestra. Barbara has played on records, television and film scores including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Forrest Gump, Batman, E.T. and Jurassic Park to name a few. She left LA to live and start Windrose Farm (with Bill), a highly diversified organic farm east of Paso Robles. They grow heirloom apples, veggies, raise sheep for meat and have a seasonal nursery. Barbara has also taught cello the past 25 years and currently teaches standout Youth Symphony cellists Andrew Davies and Titus Shanks. She revived her performance acumen, joining the Symphony in 2013.
Jessica Hoffman
Jessica Hoffman from Arroyo Grande, is a mechanical engineer and principal oboist with the Symphony. Her dual life all started at UCLA where she studied both engineering and music. She has performed with world-class musicians, including Yo-Yo Ma, Emmanuel Axe and Zubin Mehta. Jessica is still an active Los Angeles area musician and plays principal oboe in many Central Coast ensembles.