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Alan Cook
Flute, Co-Artistic Director
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Abigail Bracken
Oboe, Director of Operations
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Sophia Bracken
Clarinet, Executive Director
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Jenna Stokes
Horn, Co-Artistic Director
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David Michael
Bassoon, Co-Artistic Director
Alan Cook, flute
Flutist and multi-instrumentalist Alan Cook (he/him) is a sought after performer, educator, and young musician on the rise. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, he holds Master of Music degrees in Multiple Winds Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Amy Porter, Chad Burrow, Dan Gilbert, and Andrew Bishop. He received his Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville under the tutelage of Dr. Maria Fernanda Castillo.
Alan is a co-artistic director and the flutist of OUT Ensemble, a dynamic new wind quintet of all LGBTQ+ musicians that performs and commissions the music of queer composers. He is an Artist-in-Residence at Flute Specialists, a nationally-recognized flute dealer based in Clawson, Michigan. Alan has performed with many ensembles, including the Marble City Opera, the Brevard Philharmonic, and The Encore Theatre.
An award-winning flutist, Alan won the Concerto Competition at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville and earned first prize at the 2026 Southeast Michigan Flute Association Young Artist Competition. Additionally, he won masterclass competitions with the Texas Flute Society and the Atlanta Flute Club, and he is a finalist for the 2026 National Flute Association Orchestral Audition & Masterclass Competition.
A well-traveled musician, Alan has performed internationally across three continents, as well as in historic venues such as Hill Auditorium and Carnegie Hall. Currently based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he regularly performs in orchestral and chamber groups and as a woodwind doubler in a number of musical theatre productions across the state.
Abigail Bracken, oboe
Oboist Abigail Bracken (she/her) developed a love of music alongside her sister Sophia, a clarinetist. She is dedicated to expanding the repertoire of clarinet and oboe duets. In addition to performing many lesser-known works together, Abigail has taken matters into her own hands, composing and arranging music for this duo. Currently, she is published with Songburd Music and TrevCo Music.
Bracken has a passion for performing music that innovates the tradition of classical training and draws people together. As a soloist, she performed with the Jacobs School of Music (JSoM) University Orchestra on Reena Esmail’s RE|Member for live and pre-recorded solo oboe, a production that united the orchestra with the school’s audio-visual team in creating the final live performance. She is an avid arranger of various genres, from Broadway standards to string quartets, allowing audiences to hear recognizable works through a fresh lens that are as equally popular in community centers as they are on the concert stage.
Praised by her mentors and peers for her leadership, Bracken participated in the JSoM oboe studio’s mentorship program for reed-making and teaching courses on instrument adjustment. As a freelancer in southeast Michigan, she has performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Dearborn Symphony, the Michigan Philharmonic, the Battle Creek Symphony, and the Flint Symphony Orchestra.
Bracken received her Bachelor of Music from Indiana University in May 2024, where she studied with Linda Strommen. She studied with Dr. Nancy King at the University of Michigan for her graduate studies, earning her master’s degrees in Oboe Performance and Chamber Music Performance in December 2025.
Sophia Bracken, clarinet
Clarinetist Sophia Bracken (she/her) is committed to making classical music accessible to communities across the country. As executive director of OUT Ensemble, she works to elevate the voices of LGBTQ+ composers and create a welcoming space for queer voices in classical music. The group’s annual Pride Concert Series presents music by LGBTQ+ composers in venues ranging from concert halls to art galleries.
Praised by Sandra Chappell of the U.S. Naval Academy Band as being “expressive with lovely tone,” Bracken won the first prize of the Sidney Forrest Clarinet Competition and the Treasure Coast Symphony Concerto Competition performing Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsodie. She holds the position of principal clarinet with the Dearborn Symphony, having previously served as the third and bass clarinetist with the Old Bay New Music Ensemble. As part of her ongoing community work, Bracken has performed solo and chamber music recitals in museums, churches, and art galleries, integrating classical music into everyday spaces to reach new audiences. In her role as the Institutional Giving Manager at ArtOps, Bracken works to bring arts projects to fruition in southeast Michigan.
In 2026, Bracken received her Master of Music in clarinet and chamber music performance at the University of Michigan studying with Chad Burrow and Daniel Gilbert. She received her Bachelor of Music and Business of Music Minor from the Peabody Conservatory in May 2024, where she studied with Alexander Fiterstein. When not making music, Bracken enjoys visiting secondhand bookstores to find new authors and hiking in national parks.
Jenna Stokes, horn
Jenna Stokes (she/her) is a freelance horn player and teacher in southeastern Michigan. An avid orchestral and chamber musician, Jenna has performed with ensembles such as the Kansas City Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony, and the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. Her notable performances include playing Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier opera as principal horn of the Chautauqua Institute and accompanying Wynton Marsalis. In 2024, during a joint residency with the University Musical Society and Orchestra of the Americas, Jenna premiered Kayhan Kalhor’s Venus in the Mirror featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma. During her travels, Jenna has performed in masterclasses for renowned musicians such as Sarah Willis, Andrew Bain, Rachel Childers, and Abel Pereira.
For the past two years, Jenna has served as an assistant for the Ann Arbor Symphony Learning and Community program. She believes that instrumental music should be accessible to everyone, and her work with the Ann Arbor Symphony’s Learning and Community program achieves this with its instrument drive and various free performances in Washtenaw County.
Jenna completed a Master of Music degree at the University of Michigan and undergraduate studies (Bachelor of Music) at the New England Conservatory of Music. While at NEC, she was a nominee of the prestigious Pi Kappa Lambda honor society. Her primary teachers include Adam Unsworth, Michael Winter, and Richard Sebring.
Jenna is originally from Kansas and roots for the Kansas City Current NWSL team and the Kansas City Chiefs. In her free time, Jenna enjoys reading, trying new flavors of tea, and playing video games.
David Michael, bassoon
David Michael (he/they) is the bassoonist and a co-artistic director of OUT Ensemble. Originally from Pontiac, MI, David is a passionate educator as well as performer. They currently work as a public school teacher and private lessons tutor in Ann Arbor.
David’s notable appearances include performing at the Orford Musique Academie-Festival’s Winds Workshop and the 2025 Kappa Kappa Psi & Tau Beta Sigma National Intercollegiate Band. As an alumni member of Tau Beta Sigma national honorary band sorority, David currently serves on the organization’s committee for Music Education and Musicianship.
An advocate for social justice, David has worked to develop both a diverse curriculum in the classroom and vibrant concert programs in the recital hall. He has enjoyed uplifting the voices of queer composers alongside his quintet-mates in OUT Ensemble, an all-LGBTQ+ chamber group that performs and commissions the works of queer composers. In programming his performances, David champions the music of Black and Latiné composers in his artistry. As former teacher for the Crescendo Detroit Pathways Program, David taught a variety of musical skills to dozens of students from elementary to high school age. They had the pleasure to perform for their students again as a guest artist through OUT Ensemble’s engagement and outreach during the 2025-2026 season.
David earned his bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Michigan in 2025, studying bassoon with Dr. Jeffrey Lyman. He enjoys reading, yoga and fitness, and taking care of many plants!