PYSO: Kudos

KUDOS
Highlighting the accomplishments of current and former members
last update: January, 2012

Hannah Che (pianist and PSO violinist), Kemper Edwards (violin) and Mark Thomas Debski (oboe) were chosen as winners of the Pittsburgh Concert Society 2012 Young Artists auditions and will be presented in concert on March 11 and onMarch 18 at 2:00 PM at Kresge Recital Hall, Carnegie Mellon University. Kemper will also be performing a soloist with the Eedgewood Symphony playing Lalo Synphonie Espagnole on May 12 at 7:30 PM. Inori Sakai (violin) won the MTNA (Music Teacher National Association) state level competition as well as the Eastern Division (12 states) competition in January 2012. Dustin Cramer (flute) was chosen by Maestro Leonard Slatkin as the winner of PYSO's 2011 Conducting Competition. Hanna Kim (percussion) placed 2nd at the 2011 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Modern Snare Drum Competition, Division II that was held during June 3-5, 2011. PYSO is proud of all their players and congratulates those who were selected to perform in the PMEA District 1 Honors Strings: Violin: Jad & Leila Hilal, Tara Lee, Joey Zou, Alena Smigla, Nolan Ardolino, Nicole Lennartz, Jessica Mattson, Margaret Hu, Kelsey Broker, Therese West, Hannah Song - Viola: Olivia Hilal, Alexis Trbovich - Cello: Loleta Lee (Principal), Robert Kaufman, Kevin Zhu, Tim Simpson - Bass: James McCullough (Principal) - And Honors Band: Flute: Justin Brown-Gnarra, Rebecca Silverstein - Oboe: Mark Thomas Debski, Spencer Kun - Clarinet: Zihan Su -Bassoon: Adam Sniezek - Horn: Ken Klabnik, Rachel E. Silverstein - Trumpet: Jacob Pallo - and Tuba: Noah Shulman. Margot Cumming (horn), a senior at Morgantown (WV) High School, serves as the 2011-2012 Field Commander for the MHS Red and Blue Band. The marching band is over 250 students strong and was recently selected to march in the 2012 Tournament of Roses Paraded in Pasadena, California. The Red and Blue band also performed at the 2009 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Kristen Miller (horn) was awarded college scholarships from the MENSA Education & Research Foundation and the National Network of Digital Schools and also attended Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College for Music and The Advanced Chamber Music Seminar. Ken Klabnik (horn), played with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in their Side-by-Side this past June 2011, and in April 2011 he played in the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) in Baltimore MD. Nicole Lennartz (violin) participated in the McKeesport Symphony Orchestra’s 2011 side-by-side as well as numerous solo and group recitals with Pittsburgh Music Academy, and Pittsburgh CAPA High School since 1999. Gabrielle Faetini (violin) & Nicole Lennartz placed 3rd in the McKeesport Young Artists Competition in 2011 and performed with the orchestra in February of 2011. Andrew Dotterer (oboe) also plays oboe in the Carnegie Mellon University Orchestra. Adam Sniezek (bassoon) was a member of the Moon Area High School (MAHS) Marching Band which concluded its 2011 Competition Season by being crowned the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association (PIMBA) class 4A (AAAA) Champions for the second consecutive year. Tim Simpson (cello) won First Place in the February 2011 Westmoreland Symphony Young Artist Solo Competition. He has also participated in 2011 Honors Orchestra and 2011 Honors Jazz Band. Grace Stokan (viola) along with her work with the Montgomery Quartet, Grace joined the newly formed "Cambiando Quartet" at CMU, coached by Monique Mead. Samuel Harris (bass) performed live with PYSO bassist Ava Lintz on the SLB radio show on Saturday, November 12 and also performed the album "Heaven in a Night Club" with pianist William Edgar and singer Ruth Naomi Floyd at the University of Pittsburgh in October 2011.

Kirk Muspratt is the Music Director and Conductor of the New Philharmonic Orchestra and DuPage Opera Theatre at Illinois’s College of DuPage. Andreas Delfs is the new Music Director of the Honolulu Symphony. Mischa Semanitzky is recently retired from Music in the Mountains (Durango, CO). Edward Cumming is the Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Daniel Meyer is the Music Director of the Ashville (NC) and Erie (PA) orchestras, as well as the recently appointed Artistic Director of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra.

TJ Wible (flute) recently received 1st Prize in the 2011 Alexander & Buono International Flute Competition in NYC and will be giving his winner's performance in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on October 23, 2011. Rachael Stutzman (clarinet) holds the 2nd clarinet position with the West Virginia Symphony. Brandon Schantz (percussion 2004-06) was appointed to a one-year position with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Michael DePasquale (cello 2006-08) participated in the National Orchestra Institute in Maryland and then attended the Zephry Chamber Music Festival in Italy. Robert Kotcher (violin 2003-08) was a semifinalist in the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic's composition contest. His orchestral piece, "Broken Records", will be performed by the orchestra on the 13th and 20th of February in Washington DC and Virginia. On a similar "note", the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic will be performing another one of Mr. Kotcher’s pieces in the spring 2011 at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. In March 2010 TJ Wible (flute 2002-2005) won the 3rd Prize in the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition and gave his NY recital debut in April at the Yamaha Piano Salon. In April he was a prizewinner in the Pittsburgh Concert Society's Major Auditions and gave his winner's recital at CMU's Kresge Hall in September. In August he travelled to Anaheim, CA to compete in the National Flute Association's Piccolo Artist Competition and won the 2nd Prize. In October he competed in the Alexander & Buono International Flute Competition in NYC and was named the 2nd Prize winner. His flute duo "Duo21.5" also competed in the competition and also received the 2nd Prize. He will give his winners recitals in the Spring of 2011 in NYC. Aaron Boyd (violin 1991-96) was the subject of a recent article and blog in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Aaron is currently the concertmaster of the Tuscon Symphony Orchestra and will be auditioning for a position with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. TJ Wible (flute) tied for 1st place in the concerto competition at The Boston Conservatory and gave a performance of Griffes Poem in February at the Berger Center for the Performing Arts in Boston. He graduated from New England Conservatory last May with a B.M. and was lucky enough to receive a full-scholarship from The Boston Conservatory to pursue his M.M. studies. He was also a prize winner in the Doriot Anthony Dwyer Flute Competition, held by The Boston Woodwind Society. Jamison Ignatius (horn 2008-09)is attending Eastman School of Music for horn performance. Heidi Van Hoesen Gorton (harp 1998-2004) ) won first prize in the American Harp Society young artists' competition held in Salt Lake City, UT in June 2009. Kevin Halenda (trumpet 2007-08) was named principal trumpet of the Princeton University Orchestra. Lindsay Goodman (flute 1997-99) recently won the principal flute audition for the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. PYSO alum 1997 - 1999 Jessica Prus (flute) won the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic's 3rd flute/piccolo position in September of 2007 and continues to hold that position today. Brittany Lockman (oboe 2004-07) graduated in May, 2008, from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Performance. Chuck Jacks (Bass Trombone 1991-99) is currently working on a cruise ship for Royal Caribbean International, assigned to "Liberty of the Seas" which is the largest cruise ship in the world. He plays trombone in the pit orchestra and also the jazz band. Chuck calls this is a dream job. "I spend a lot of my free time walking along beaches from all over the Caribbean. We are back in Miami every Saturday, too."...WVU music student Ruth Miltenberger (flute 2004-06) of Morgantown recently won first place and a $1,000 prize at the Chicago Flute Club's 2007 Solo Artist Competition. Robert Mellin played double-bass with the PYSO from 1966-68, studying at the time with Anthony Bianco. After leaving Pennsylvania, he was principal bassist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra from 1982 to 1984. He later became a registered architect in Canada and is currently professor at the School of Architecture, McGill University in Montreal. Dr. Albie Micklich (bassoon 1989-90) was named Associate Professor of Bassoon at Arizona State University in the fall of 2006. He is currently Co-Principal Bassoon with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, and also performs with the Ocotillo Winds. Evan Hertrick (bassoon) has been named the Pittsburgh Jazz Society/Mellon Jazz Scholarship recipient for 2007. The Juilliard School has announced the appointment of several prominent artists to its faculty, effective with the 2007-08 academic year, including Pedro Diaz, oboe. On May 5, 2007, forty alumni spanning all 60 years of PYSO came back and joined the current members for an alumni side-by-side concert: Helen Andrascik, Joe Liu, Dalena Klavin, Martha Kukich-Steen, Zsolt Zavodszky, Jonathan Gribe, Esther Hwang, Virginia Mills, Michael Cresanta, Frances DeBroff, Samantha Duffy, Mary Persin, Lucia Soltis, Bill Tackett, Laura Evans, Lisa Kellerman, Bridget Meacham, Sarah Morris, Dennis R. Persin, Nadia Tuma, Melanie Samson Tuttle, Felix Cohen, Don Evans, S. Hartley Johnston, Lawrence Tamburri, Lucy Scandrett, Barbara O'Brien, Patty Zawadski, Rita Brockway, Matthew Litterini, Bonnie McDonald, Jack Scandrett, Bernard Baiden, Susan McKinney, Michael Zeglinski, Robert Fleischman, Georgina Gutierrez, James Wright, Gary Ryan, and Vincent Guentner. Following the concert, alumni and friends attended a reception at Six Penn restaurant.

Joseph Merchant was a winner of a Blackwood Theater Organ Society scholarship competition and he also participated in the NMEC All East Orchestra held in Baltimore, MD.

Brian D'Orazio (violin) was a member of the 2011 PMEA All-State Orchestra , that performed on April 16, 2011 in Lancaster, PA. He was also selected to play in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Side by Side Concert on April 29, 2011 at Heinz Hall.

Eleanor Lee (cello) was a winner in the Blackwood Scholarship audition. She will play on a winners' recital on May 15th at Ingomar Methodist Church and will receive a scholarship for her continued study.

PYSO is proud of all their players and congratulates those who were selected to perform in the (PMEA) District 1 Orchestra at Fox Chapel in January:

Violin: Brian D'Orazio, Jad Hilal (Principal) & Arjun Kar
Viola: Angela-Maureen Nagem (Principal)
Cello: Sergei Adelman, Zachary Flaus, Joy Hou, Loleta Lee (Principal), Lucas Song, Samantha Westrick
Bass: James McCullough
Flute: Rebecca Silverstein
Oboe: Mark Debski
Horn: Brooke Boehmer, Eileen Kane & Rachel Silverstein
Trumpet: Jonathan Xu

And to the PYSO musicians chosen to participate in the NMEC All East Orchestra in Baltimore, Maryland in March: Drew Percy (Violin), Salem Hilal (Cello), James McCullough (Bass - and who made 4th chair), and Andrew Dotterer (Oboe).

Drew Percy also was selected concertmaster in District 2,3 and 5 orchestra. Drew also won the McKeesport Symphony Young Artist Competition and will play with the McKeesport Symphony this coming May.

Jad, Leila, Olivia and Salem Hilal of The Hilal String Quartet performed at Fiddlesticks in January at Heinz Hall and were invited to perform at The Irma Freeman Art Gallery and the Concert Series at Saint James in Sewickley. They also participated a String Quartet Masterclass and an Orchestra Masterclass with Maestro Noseda as part of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Tchaikovsky Festival.

Eleanor Lee (Cello) is one of the winners in the Pittsburgh Concert Society’s 2011 Young Artist Competition. Her recital will be in March 2011 at the Kresge Auditorium at Carnegie Mellon University.She will play a Brahms sonata and Chopin’s Polonaise Brillante. Eleanor is also winner of the 2011 PYSO Concerto Competition. She will perform with PYSO at the May 1 Heinz Hall concert.

Dana Schneider (Harp) also is a winner of Pittsburgh Concert Society’s 2011 Young Artist Competition and will perform February 27 at CMU's Kresge Auditorium.

Zachary Flaus (Cello) was selected principal cello in Honors Strings. He has also been selected to participate in PMEA Regionals and District.

Samuel Harris (Bass) has been active playing both double bass and electric bass around town. He played in the band for the musical "Once on This Island," produced by the Center for Theatre Arts as well as with the CAPA Jazz Combo at the going away party for Pittsburgh Public School Superintendent, Mark Roosevelt. Sam also has played gospel music in several area churches, and plays jazz and fusion for the Center of Life (COL) music program.

Michael Kotcher (Viola) was selected as principal violist for the Jr. High District Orchestra held in Shaler this February.

Brian D'Orazio (Violin) has been selected to play in the Western Regional Orchestra Festival at Bellefonte Area High School, March 9-11, 2011. Brian is a Junior at Trinity High School where he has been Concertmaster for the past two years.

Marisa Youngs (Trumpet) is principal trumpet of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Wind Ensemble.

Lauren Abel (Flute) placed first chair for solo flute and piccolo at District Band and will be going on to Regional Band this March.

Mark Debski also participated in PMEA District 1 Senior High Band and will be participating in PMEA Western Regional Orchestra.

Hannah Piston (Harp) played America, the Beautiful with the PMEA District 5 Band at Hickory High School in Hermitage, PA on February 11 and also participated in the Pittsburgh Chapter of American Harp Society’s Music Education Auditions playing Salzedo’s Idyillic Poem and Debussy’s Reverie.

Eleanor Lee (cello) is the winner of PYSO's 2011 Concerto Competition and will perform Elgar on PYSO's May 1, 2011 concert at Heinz Hall. Inori Sakai (violin) won honorable mention for her performance of Ravel's Tzigane.

Kemper Edwards (violin) was chosed by Leonard Slatkin as the winner of PYSO's conducting competition and he will conduct his fellow musicians in Bizet's March of the Toreadors from Carmen on the February 26 Heinz Hall concert.

PYSO is proud of all their players and congratulates those who were selected to perform in the PMEA Honors Strings:
Violin: Jad Hilal (Concertmaster), Leila Hilal (Principal Second) and Tara Lee
Viola: Olivia Hilal (Assistant Principal), Alex Constantino and Michael Kotcher
Cello: Zachary Flaus (Principal)
Bass: James McCullough
And to the PYSO wind players selected to perform in the PMEA Honors Band:
Flute: Rebecca Silverstein
Oboe: Mark Debski and Spencer Kun
Clarinet: Zihan Su
Bassoon: Emily Bishop and Adam Sniezek
Horn: Brooke Boehmer, Kate Foster & Rachel Silverstein
Trumpet: Jonathan Xu

Hanna Kim (Percussion) placed third at the 2010 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Modern Snare Drum Competition, Division II that was held during June 12-13, 2010.

Madeline Docimo (Cello) participated in the 2010 Brevard Summer Music Festival and the 2009 Strings International Music Festival.

Eleanor Lee (Cello) was a winner in the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra’s Concerto Competition. She’ll play the 4 th movement of the Elgar cello concerto in their January 2011 concert. Eleanor also attended the Credo Chamber Music Program and the Quartet Program last summer.

Dana Schneider (Harp), James McCullough (Bass), Grace Callahan (Violin/Viola), Michael Kotcher (Viola), Zachary Flaus and Steven Deickmann (Cello) all participated in the summer Chamber Music Seminar run by PSO Cellist Mikhail Istomin.

James McCullough (Bass) also has been Principal Bass for the Fox Chapel High School Orchestra (FCAHS)for the past two years and he was the sole bassist for the FCAHS 16th Annual Major Works concert held this year at the Aspinwall Presbyterian Church, featuring Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater" and Rutter's "Gloria.

Hannah Piston (Harp) was the guest solo artist with the Greenville Symphony, performing the Dittersdorf Concerto for Harp and Orchestra at the Passavant Center at Thiel College this past October. The concert opened their 2010-11 season under the direction of Michael Gelfand, conductor. Her encore was “Alwa” by Estaban Benzacry. Hannah also was the featured performer at the Sharpsville Historical Society in Sharpsville, PA this past September.

Kristen Miller (Horn), Dana Schneider (Harp) and Michael Kotcher (Viola) participated in Carnegie Mellon University’s Pre-College for Music this past summer. Michael also will be performing with the Junior Mendelssohn Choir this Fall.

Sam Harris (Bass) attended Interlochen music camp this summer. He is currently a junior at CAPA and has recently enjoyed playing a lot of gospel music with several other CAPA students in neighborhoods around the city. He is also part of the Pittsburgh CAPA High School Jazz Ensemble and played the opening for the 2010 Pittsburgh All-City Marching Band Festival this past October.

Claire Niederberger (Violin) attended the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, North Carolina this past summer.

PYSO musicians will be featured guests in November/December 2010 on the Saturday Light Brigade Radio Show, which airs live on Saturday mornings: Olivia Ren, Amy Xie, Grace Stokan, Loleta Lee, Ahmer’e Blackman, Dana Schneider, Caroline Stephenson, Amy Xie, Angela-Mauren Nagem, Benjamin Spilsbury, Hannah Piston, Rebecca Silverstein, Mark Debski, Joe Grippi, Joe Merchant, Sarah Knapp, and finally Jad, Leila, Olivia and Salem Hilal.

Grace Callahan (Violin) attended Jink and Diddle Scottish Fiddle Camp and played violin with violinist Rachel Barton Pine, July 2010, was a qualifying finalist for the National Scottish Fiddle Championships, 2010 as well as a national finalist in the National Competition in Classical Voice High School Division, sponsored by Classical Singer Magazine, April 2010. Grace was also the recipient of Magnum Opus Award in Music from Oakland Catholic High School, May 2010 and a Scholarship Recipient in Violin and Classical Voice at Duquesne University, April 2010. She is currently a member of Voices of Spirit, Duquesne University, August, 2010.

Tyler Schwirian (Tuba) 2010 Pierre Monteux School in Hancock, Maine.

Jason Yoder (Percussion) was invited to the White House for a photo shoot with the First Lady Michelle Obama as part of a feature article story titled "Michelle Obama: America's Got Talent" for Harper's Bazaar's November issue.
The article features a picture of the First Lady with a group of the young performers (including Jason) who performed for the First Lady at the G-20 summit held in Pittsburgh in September 2010. Link to the article: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/magazine/feature-articles/michelle-obama-interview

Eleanor Lee (cello) is the winner of PYSO's 2011 Concerto Competition and will perform Elgar on PYSO's May 1, 2011 concert at Heinz Hall. Inori Sakai (violin) won honorable mention for her performance of Ravel's Tzigane.