Did you know that Central City Opera employs 43 talented instrumental musicians every year? For our 2025 season, we had the exciting opportunity to offer seven new orchestra positions.
This spring, following our outreach to the American Federation of Musicians Union, we heard from over 500 musicians from across the nation. We invited 95 artists to audition with us in person, many of whom traveled from out of state.
Central City Opera is absolutely delighted to introduce the seven remarkable musicians (and two other fantastic new members) who will be joining us as core members of the orchestra! We cannot wait for you to hear the incredible music they’ll make, and we are thrilled to have them as part of our orchestra family.
Let’s Meet Our New Members
Brendon Sill, principal bassoon
Brendon Sill joined the Central City Opera as Principal Bassoon in the 2025 season, and has performed with orchestras such as The Cleveland Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and The Florida Orchestra. He has also played in the National Repertory Orchestra, Strings Music Festival and Sunriver Music Festival. Prior to his appointment to Central City Opera, Brendon was Second/Assistant Principal Bassoon with the Colorado Symphony for the 2024/2025 season and a bassoon fellow with The New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. There he worked closely with artists such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Stéphane Denève, Yo-Yo Ma, Emmanuel Ax and Jennifer Higdon. Brendon holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music (2020) and the University of South Florida (2018). When not performing, Brendon enjoys teaching young aspiring bassoonists, improving his skills as a home chef and baker, painting with oil, kayaking and horseback riding.
Eli Hilborn, asst. principal double bass
Michigan native Eli Hilborn began playing the double bass at age seven and has gone on to perform with acclaimed ensembles including Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Houston Symphony, and The Fort Worth Symphony. He was appointed Assistant Principal Bass of the Central City Opera orchestra in 2025 and has performed under esteemed conductors such as Fabio Luisi, Cristian Măcelaru and Leonard Slatkin. Eli is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and previously earned his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. Eli also attended the Domaine Forget de Charlevoix Festival in Québec, where he performed alongside legendary bassist François Rabbath. He received an Honorable Mention in the 2020 Double Bass Lab Orchestral Competition (Junior Division) and has participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists including Paul Ellison, David Allen Moore, Nina DeCesare, Scott Dixon, Brandon Mason, Ali Yazdanfar and Andrew Raciti.
Elizabeth Derham, principal second violin
Elizabeth Derham returned to the musical world in June 2024 after a temporary profession with The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, Tennessee. During her time with the sisters, she taught elementary school and played in St. Cecilia’s chamber orchestra. Before entering the convent in 2017, she led a musical life as both a violinist and soprano, performing in locations as diverse as St. Patrick’s cathedral and Terminal 5. An enthusiastic performer of new music, Elizabeth often works with living composers. She completed a major recording project called Seven Responses with International Contemporary Ensemble and The Crossing in 2015. Between new music engagements, Elizabeth has traveled to Boston to play with Grammy-nominated ensemble A Far Cry chamber orchestra, and, when back at home, she manages her own string quartet, Canite. Elizabeth completed her MM in violin performance at Juilliard. She is excited to perform with CCO.
Erin Patterson, section cello
Denver based cellist, Erin Patterson, enjoys a multi-faceted career teaching and performing across Colorado’s Front Range. She is a member of Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Central City Opera, Boulder Chamber Orchestra and the Denver-based Sphere Ensemble. Erin regularly performs with Opera Colorado, Colorado Ballet and the Colorado Bach Ensemble. Additionally, she has appeared as a soloist with The Huntsville Symphony, The UBC Chamber Orchestra and The CCM Conducting Orchestra and most recently with The Boulder Symphony. A dedicated teacher, Erin is trained in the world-renowned Suzuki method and maintains an active studio in Lafayette, CO. She is passionate about making music accessible to diverse communities. Erin holds degrees in cello performance from the University of Cincinnati College - Conservatory of Music and McGill University. When she’s not working, Erin enjoys reading, baking, and spending time outside with her husband, Paul, and two rescue dogs, Lilo and Otis.
Hilary Gamble-Villareal, section viola
Hilary Gamble-Villareal has been hailed as a rising star performer, touring as a chamber musician and soloist throughout the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. She is currently playing with The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and The Atlanta Opera and was recently Acting Principal Viola with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. She is also the founder and Artistic Director at SilverString Artists. Ms. Gamble is passionate about bringing music education to underserved communities and has teamed up as a Global Leader with Orchestra of the Americas (Campamento Sinfonico Juvenil, Honduras), Sound Impact (Sinem Costa Rica) and Foundación Pradier (Chaco, Buenos Aires Argentina). Ms. Gamble earned her Bachelor of Music Summa Cum Laude from Geneva College, two graduate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University as a full scholarship recipient and studied as a Temerty Fellow at Toronto’s Glenn Gould School. In her free time, Ms. Gamble enjoys traveling the world, hosting dinner parties, and hiking with her husband and baby.
John Freeman, trumpet
I’m a San Francisco Bay Area musician and split my playing among 7 or 8 part–time orchestral jobs and subbing with several others, which keeps me quite busy. I have been subbing regularly with the Central City Opera orchestra since 2014. I’m also the trumpet teacher at San Jose State University, where I teach a trumpet studio of 12-15 music majors. In my free time, I love mountain biking and road cycling. I absolutely love coming to Colorado in the summer.
Joseph Monticello, flute 2
Flutist Joseph Monticello’s playing has been praised by both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal as “graceful” and for being as “exciting as the singers.” Equally at home on both modern and historical flutes, Joseph enjoys a multi-faceted career as principal flutist of Boston Baroque and as assistant principal flutist with the Florida Grand Opera and Palm Beach Symphony orchestras. Joseph’s playing has been featured on several commercially released albums, including Nu Deco Ensemble’s Paint the Roses with Larkin Poe, which spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Classical, Classical Crossover and Blues charts. Additional credits include jazz vocalist Roxana Amed’s 2025 rock-fusion album Todos Los Fuegos on Sony Music Latin, the 2022 Disney film Rosaline, and Janitsch: Trio Sonatas by The Berlin Friday Academy. Joseph is also a licensed performer of the Yamatogaku style of shamisen, the traditional Japanese three-stringed lute. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School, Oberlin Conservatory and Interlochen Arts Academy.
Nick Davies, clarinet/bass clarinet
Nick Davies is Bass/Utility Clarinet of the Colorado Symphony and 2nd/Bass Clarinet of Central City Opera. Previously, Nick was Principal Clarinet of the Great Falls Symphony and the Chinook Winds. He has performed with orchestras including Los Angeles Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Louisville Orchestra, and frequently performs as guest principal with the Bozeman Symphony. As a soloist, Nick has performed Frank Ticheli’s Clarinet Concerto alongside the composer. Honors include taking First Place in the Pasadena Showcase Competition and Third Place in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Nick has a strong interest in contemporary music and has held past fellowships with Ensemble Modern’s Klangspuren Schwaz, Aspen Contemporary Ensemble and Spoleto Festival USA. Nick is also the artistic director and founder of the Rossini Club, a chamber music organization based in Nantucket, Massachusetts. He holds degrees from Rice University and the University of Southern California.
Zachary Ragent, section violin
Zachary (SM/MM, University of Michigan; BM, UC Santa Cruz) is a violinist and educator based in Denver, Colorado. Mr. Ragent currently serves as associate concertmaster of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, principal second of Opera Colorado and principal second of the Boulder Philharmonic. He spends his summers performing with the Central City Opera Orchestra (CO) and the Peninsula Music festival (WI). Complementing his performing career, Mr. Ragent is also lead teacher at West Denver Suzuki Strings in Wheat Ridge and has taught for el Sistema based programs in both California and Michigan. When not playing the violin, Mr. Ragent enjoys cooking, reading, running, and most anything related to the outdoors, especially backpacking and hiking.
Photo credit: John Christopher Studio