John Thiessen
Executive Director

Steven Lehning
Operations Manager & Assistant to the Music Director

Katherine McKee
Director of Patron Services

Quinn Associates
Development Consultants

NEQA/Communications
Publicists

Lisa May
Box Office

Heli Roiha
Bookkeeper

J. Jeff Badger
Irene Gallardo
Kristen Jones
Leontyne Mbele-Mbong
Patron Services

Philip Daley
Jeremy Jee
Nicholas Rastegar
Stage & House Managers

E.J. Chavez
Stage Crew

John Thiessen
Executive Director
Phone: (415) 621-7900 extension 204

JOHN THIESSEN has been known to our audiences for more than fifteen years. As one of the world's most sought-after Baroque trumpeters, he has appeared as soloist and principal player with early music ensembles throughout the U.S. and Canada, including Tafelmusik, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Boston Early Music Festival, and Boston Baroque. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and King's College, University of London, John studied the baroque trumpet in the UK with support from the Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council. Since returning to North America, he has maintained a busy performing schedule, and has taught baroque music seminars at Oberlin College and the Longy School. John was recently appointed adjunct faculty for Carnegie Hall's Academy Program and regularly presents master classes throughout the US and Canada. His recording credits include over fifty commercial releases for Sony Classical Vivarte, Telarc, EMI, BMG, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, London Decca, Analekta, CBC, Denon, Delos, and American Bach Soloists labels. Coming to ABS with a distinguished list of artistic accomplishments and experiences, John also brings a wealth of practical expertise and knowledge of the myriad demands placed upon the leader of an important arts organization. He recognizes the opportunities and challenges to participate fully in our community, uphold ABS' high artistic standards, and champion the cause of the arts within a culture of constantly shifting paradigms.

Steven Lehning
Operations Manager & Assistant to the Music Director
Phone: (415) 621-7900 extension 201

STEVEN LEHNING's broad range of experience in both the administrative and artistic sides of arts management began in New York City where he was employed by the distinguished firm of Broude Brothers Limited and was responsible for the assembly of new publications and their distribution to universities and libraries nationwide. There he also gained experience with high-quality facsimile editions of works from the Baroque. After moving to the Bay Area in 1990, he worked in sales for Whole Earth, was a manager of the classical department of Berkeley's Tower Records, and was Vice-President of Customer Relations for the United Way of the Bay Area, where he worked with a team that was responsible for initiating the United Way's first customer service department. He is well-known to ABS audiences as a remarkable and versatile musician who is equally at home with violas da gamba, violone, violone grosso and historical keyboards. The founder of STYLVS PHANTASTICVS, he has worked with many of the luminaries of the "Early Music" world, including Jeffrey Thomas, John Butt, Andrew Parrott, and Ton Koopman. Mr. Lehning has performed throughout the US and in Europe, appearing with ensembles inclujding American Bach Soloists, Taverner Consort, and Philharmonia Baroque, to name a few. He has performed at the acclaimed Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, as well as the Early Music Festivals in Boston and Berkeley. In the fall of 2003 he began his doctoral studies in musicology at the University of California at Davis.

Katherine McKee
Director of Patron Services
Phone: (415) 621-7900 extension 202

After 16 years of choral singing with American Bach Soloists, Katherine McKee served as Acting General Manager of American Bach Soloists during the first half of 2008. Since the appointment of John Thiessen as Executive Director, Katherine took the position of Director of Patron Services. With an extensive and impressive background as a singer, conductor, and teacher of music, Katherine frequently found herself handling the managerial aspects of concerts.  While living in Boston, Massachusetts she was an administrative assistant and concert manager for the Boston Chamber Music Society.  At the same time she was personnel manager and librarian of the Jamaica Plain Symphony, a community orchestra that was on its way to professional status.  In New York City she conducted and managed a chamber choir that specialized in newly composed works, and also served as librarian for the Gregg Smith Singers, one of America's premier professional vocal chamber ensembles. Since moving to San Francisco she has managed a recital series and worked for the San Francisco Boys Chorus, San Francisco Renaissance Voices, and the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.