Toledo Symphony Orchestra Members Make Movie Debut in The Avengers

Written by Nedda Pourahmady

Last summer, four musicians from the Toledo Symphony Orchestra ventured to Cleveland for the opportunity of a lifetime.  The string quartet would make their first feature film debut in the box office hit, The Avengers.

Filmed on location at a courthouse that was transformed into a museum for the movie, the soon-to-be celebrity Toledoans spent fifteen hours on set. Violinists Merwin Siu and Jennifer Burns joined forces with Violist Tim Zeithamel and Cellist Renee Goubeaux in the epic, Marvel comic book-inspired tale.

In addition to meeting director Joss Whedon, the quartet had the chance to showcase their musical talents during a party scene in the film that was bombarded by vengeful villains. The group performed a musical piece by Schubert and were featured front and center of the set.

The masterful musicians were discovered by the Ohio casting agent for the film, who asked the group if they were interested in making an appearance in the movie. After conducting a bit of research, the quartet came to an agreement that this was an opportunity they couldn't pass up.

The film was a tremendous hit in the U.S., exceeding $207 million in sales during the first weekend alone. Despite the fact that their long work hours were shortened to a brief appearance in the movie, the talented team is still very noticeable in the scene.