Margarita Csonka Montanaro

Margarita Csonka Montanaro joined The Philadelphia Orchestra immediately upon graduating from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Carlos Salzedo and Marilyn Costello. A frequent chamber music performer, Mrs. Montanaro is one of the founders of the Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble and has also participated in the Marlboro Festival and the Philadelphia Orchestra Chamber Music Series, among others. Mrs. Montanaro is married to Donald Montanaro, retired associate principal clarinet of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Beginning with the Orchestra’s 1994 summer season at the Mann Center, Mrs. Montanaro assumed the position of co-principal harp. In May 1994 she received The Philadelphia Orchestra’s C. Hartman Kuhn Award given to “a musician who has shown both musical ability and enterprise of such character as to enhance the musical standards and reputation of The Philadelphia Orchestra.”

Photo: Jean Brubaker