During his 25-year tenure with the Naples Philharmonic, Satinsky has been lauded in his role both as a leader of the cello section and as a soloist with the orchestra. He has become a sought after performer in concert series throughout the Naples area. Big Arts (Sanibel Island) and Koreshan Art Hall Series (Estero) have featured him on multiple occasions.  In the duo setting of cello and piano, accomplished local pianists have entrusted the great repertoire to his expertise and sensitivity – musicians such as Alexandra Carlson, Bella Gutshtein, Richard Bosworth, Jodie Desalvo, William Noll and Milana Strezeva. He concertized with pianist Jeremy Denk while they were students in Indiana, and his impromptu Schumann encore with Emanuel Ax after a piano concerto performance in Naples garnered him high praise. By contrast Mr. Satinsky spent his pandemic lockdown year (2020) honing his playing by tackling the monumental etude repertoire, including recording the 40 Popper Etudes in 40 days, give or take.

Since the age of 14 he has added his unique signature musicianship to the summer festival scene in such scenic places as Boulder, CO; Teton Village, WY; Bellingham, WA; Marlboro, VT; Aspen, CO; Ernen, Switzerland; and Banff, Canada. More recently he has helped establish new chamber music festivals – one in the Low Country (in and around Beaufort, SC and Savannah, GA) and one in North Miami Beach (held in the winter).

His magnificent cello is a Christopher Dungey creation – a mere four years old – made in Grand Junction, CO.

Satinsky has expanded his range of pursuits to restaurateur, opening a local chain of popular Thai Fusion restaurants with his wife, who is a chef and nutritionist. His three sons, a 12 year old, 4 year old and 2 year old, are always fun and challenging, as he prizes his role as a father.

Flutist Blair Francis Paponiu was appointed Assistant Principal/Second Flute of the Naples Philharmonic in 2018 under Music Director Andrey Boreyko.  She performed with the New York Philharmonic as acting section flute for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons, and has performed as Guest Principal Flute with the San Francisco Symphony.  Mrs. Francis Paponiu has also performed with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The recipient of numerous awards, Mrs. Francis Paponiu recently won second prize in the 2020 National Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition.  She has been an instrumental fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, Sarasota Music Festival, and Brevard Music Center.

Mrs. Francis Paponiu holds a Professional Studies Certificate in Orchestral Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, a Master of Music degree from The University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor of Music degree from The University of South Carolina.  Her teachers include Robert Langevin, Marianne Gedigian, and Jennifer Parker-Harley.

Radu Paponiu is the associate conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and director of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Since 2017, Radu has conducted the Naples Philharmonic in more than 100 different classical, education and pops programs. Radu was also recently appointed artistic and music director of the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. As a guest conductor, Radu has appeared with the Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra and Banatul Philharmonic of Timişoara in Romania, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, California Young Artists Symphony and National Repertory Orchestra. Radu has collaborated with notable soloists such as Yefim Bronfman, Midori, Vladimir Feltsman, Robert Levin, Nancy Zhou, Stella Chen and the Ébène Quartet. Radu has served as cover conductor with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and he has assisted conductors including Andrey Boreyko, Iván Fischer, Fabio Luisi, Stéphane Denève, Hans Graf, Donald Runnicles, Cristian Măcelaru, Bernard Labadie and Ludovic Morlot. Radu has served on the conducting faculty of the Juilliard Pre-College as well as conductor for the Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard in Shanghai, China, and at the Southeast Asia Music Festival in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Radu completed his Master of Music in orchestral conducting at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Hugh Wolff. While in Boston, Radu was also conductor apprentice with the Handel and Haydn Society. In the summer of 2017, Radu was appointed assistant conductor of the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado, as well as conducting fellow for the Cabrillo Festival Workshop in California. Radu participated in the prestigious American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music Festival and School as the recipient of both the Albert Tipton Aspen Fellowship and the David A. Karetsky Memorial Fellowship. In Aspen, Radu furthered his studies under the guidance of Robert Spano, Larry Rachleff, Leonard Slatkin, Patrick Summers and Federico Cortese.

Radu began his musical studies on the violin at age 7, studying privately with Carmen Runceanu and Ștefan Gheorghiu. After coming to the United States at the invitation of the Perlman Music Program, Radu completed two degrees in violin performance under the guidance of Robert Lipsett at the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles. As a soloist and chamber musician, Radu has appeared in festivals throughout Europe and North America, collaborating with artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Clive Greensmith, Martin Beaver, Merry Peckham and Vivian Hornik Weilerstein.

Radu currently resides in Naples, Florida, with his wife, flutist Blair Francis Paponiu. In his spare time, he enjoys chamber music reading parties, fishing, biking and playing tennis.