ISO Music Director Mario Venzago said, in a statement released today, "Zachary is an incredibly talented musician who will bring new energy and vitality to our orchestra ... This important role is one of guidance for our strings as well as critical communication with the other principal musicians."

Twelve violinists performed as guest concertmasters during a 15-month search, headed by a committee including Venzago, principal pops conductor Jack Everly, ISO president and CEO Simon Crookall and the principal string musicians.

De Pue, 27 years old and a native of Bowling Green, Ohio, has been a violinist in the Philadelphia Orchestra since 2002. He graduated that same year from Curtis, where he served as concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra in the 2000-2001 season. His teachers have included Jaime Laredo, Ida Kavafian and William Preucil. He is a founding member of the genre-blending ensemble Time for Three, with fellow members Nicolas Kendall (violin) and Ranaan Meyer (double bass).

De Pue comes from a highly musical family: his father is a composer and professor emeritus of music composition at Bowling Green State University, his brother Jason is also a Curtis alumnus and plays in the Philadelphia Orchestra, brother Wallace is a violinist in the doctoral program at the University of Texas, and brother Alex is a champion country fiddler and a member of the band Fiddler's Three.