As the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra heads into the fall 2026 season, it is time to welcome its newest members- Ben Beumler and Aria Slade!
Ben is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, pursuing a degree in music education. His primary instruments are bassoon and contrabassoon. Aria is wrapping up as a senior at UWSP with a major in music performance and a minor in arts management, with her primary instrument being clarinet.
With their excellent musical knowledge, of course these two know what they like. Ben’s favorite classical piece is currently Samuel Barber’s colorful Second Essay, while Aria is a big fan of the bombastic String Quartet No.8 by Dmitri Shostakovich. Outside of the classical scene, Ben prefers listening to more relaxed, uplifting music like Stargazing by Myles Smith, and Aria typically rocks out to Hypnotize by System of a Down.
In Ben’s downtime, he loves relaxing in his hammock with a good book, or maybe watching his favorite movie, The Hobbit. You might find Ben cooking one of his favorite foods, spaghetti, but if he’s not in the mood for cooking, you could probably find him at The Big Garlic here in Stevens Point. On the other hand, you might find Aria crocheting or watching one of her favorite horror movies, Hereditary. She typically craves tamales on any given day, but you could also find her indulging in the delicious crepes at her favorite restaurant, Cafe Con Crema.
Both Ben and Aria have a special place in their hearts for fuzzy creatures. While Ben is particularly fond of dogs, Aria is absolutely obsessed with bunnies. On the more scaly, prehistoric side of things, Ben’s favorite dinosaur is the armored Ankylosaurus, and Aria prefers the Mosasaurus.
When it comes to favorites, Ben and Aria both have a special place in their hearts for the holiday season. Ben looks forward to feasting with his loved ones at Thanksgiving every year, while Aria can never get enough of the magic of Christmas.
On the other hand, both Ben and Aria have very specific things that they disapprove of. Ben currently has an aversion to the hospital, and Aria will probably run away from you in fear if you bring a chicken near her.
Thankfully for them, there are no hospitals or chickens involved with the CWSO. Welcome to the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra family Ben and Aria!