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As Music Director of the Erie Philharmonic and Artistic Director of the Westmoreland Symphony and Cleveland’s BlueWater Chamber Orchestra, Daniel Meyer has reinvigorated orchestras with his innovative programs, engaging presence and keen musical intellect.  Recently named new Music Director of the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra, Meyer took the helm of this historic summer music festival in July 2019.  In addition to working with world-renowned soloists such as Marc-André Hamelin, Sharon Isbin, Gil Shaham, Jeremy Denk, Daniil Trifonov, Midori, Edgar Meyer and Emanuel Ax, Meyer’s passion for connecting with audiences has led him to develop strong ties with audiences though frequent radio and television appearances, newspaper interviews, music talks, appearances in local schools, and speaking from the concert stage.

Meyer recently recorded the music of Hanson, Diamond, and Daugherty for the Bavarian Radio with the Bamberger Symphoniker.  In his role as Director of Orchestral Activities at Duquesne University, he continues a recording project of the concertos of Lynn Purse and collaborates with pianist David Allen Wehr and bass-baritone Guenko Guechev.  Recent guest appearances include the Detroit Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Portland Symphony, Symphony Silicon Valley, Württembergische Philharmonie, Staatsorchester Darmstadt, and the Nuremberg Symphony in Germany. 

In support of his longtime dedication to music education and community involvement, Meyer created Beethoven 4/4, a four-year project focusing on the life and works of the great composer with the Erie Philharmonic.  He also conducts new commissions with the Philharmonic this season including works by Michael Torke, Vivian Fung, and Zhou Tian.  As part of his highly-acclaimed tenure as Music Director of the Asheville Symphony, Meyer created the Asheville Amadeus Festival, featuring sold-out weeks of film, lectures, community events, and concerts centered around the music of Mozart and pianist Emmanuel Ax in 2015 and violinist Midori in 2017.  His critically acclaimed European debut took place with the Staatstheater Stuttgart Orchestra and violinist Thomas Zehetmaier, and he returned to Germany soon after for concerts with the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, and to Austria with the Tonkünstler Orchestra in Vienna and the Wiener Jeunesse Orchestra.

Summer festival appearances have included the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom, the Aspen and Grand Teton Music Festivals, the Chautauqua Festival, Brevard Music Center, and Lakeside Chautauqua. ​Upon the invitation of Mariss Jansons, Meyer was named Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony and Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, where he served until 2009. He worked closely with Manfred Honeck, Mariss Jansons, Sir Andrew Davis, and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, led the Pittsburgh Symphony on tour, and conducted performances with Pinchas Zukerman, Sarah Chang, and Marvin Hamlisch.  He also led the world premiere of Richard Danielpour’s Pastime, a co-commission of the Pittsburgh and Atlanta Symphonies and the Brooklyn Philharmonic.

As Music Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, Meyer led the PYSO on their first ever tour to China and an international tour to Vienna, Prague, Leipzig and Budapest in programs including the world premieres of David Stock's Clarinet Concerto with soloist Richard Stoltzman, and John Harbison’s Mary Lou: Four Symphonic Memories of Mary Lou Williams.  A native of Cleveland, Mr. Meyer Studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, and is a graduate of Denison University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He composed and conducted works for ensembles at both schools, including a Stabat Mater for soprano, chorus and orchestra. At Boston University, Mr. Meyer received the Orchestral Conducting Honors Award and was awarded the prestigious Aspen Conducting Prize from David Zinman.  He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Edinboro University in 2016.

Ashley Brown originated the title role in “Mary Poppins” on Broadway for which she received Outer Critics, Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actress.  Ms. Brown also starred as Mary Poppins in the national tour of Mary Poppins where she garnered a Garland award for “Best Performance in a Musical”. Ms. Brown’s other Broadway credits include Belle in "The Beauty and The Beast", and she has starred in the national tour of Disney's "On The Record".  Ms. Brown most recently starred as Mother Abbess in multiple Tony award winner Director Jack O’Brien’s new production of “The Sound of Music”.  Ms. Brown returned to critical acclaim starring in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of “Oklahoma”.   She previously played Magnolia opposite Nathan Gunn in Francesca Zembello’s “Showboat” at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Ms. Brown has performed with virtually all of the top orchestras in North America including the Boston Pops, the New York Philharmonic, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at Disney Hall, The Pittsburgh Symphony, the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall (five times), Fort Worth Symphony, the Cincinnati Pops, Philadelphia Orchestra (two times), the Milwaukee Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony (three times), Seattle Symphony, the Houston Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Jacksonville (two times) and the Philly Pops. She has also performed with the BBC orchestra opposite Josh Groban.   Ms. Brown made her solo concert debut at The Kennedy Center as part of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series, and has appeared in New York City at prestigious venues including Feinstein’s at the Regency and Birdland.  Other projects include star turns in “The Golden Apple” at City Center Encores, “Hello Dolly” at The Goodspeed Opera House, “Sound of Music” at the St. Louis MUNY which garnered her a Kevin Kline award, “Limelight” at the La Jolla Playhouse,  and her own PBS special called “Ashley Brown: Call Me Irresponsible” which received a PBS Telly Award.  Other television credits include NBC’s “The Sound of Music”.  Ms. Brown is the voice of Disneyland celebrating its 60th anniversary singing the newly penned Richard Sherman song, “A Kiss Goodnight”.  Ms. Brown’s album of Broadway and American Songbook standards, “Speak Low” and her newly recorded Christmas EP “The Secret of Christmas” are  available on Ghostlight/Warner Brothers.  Ashley is a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

Christopher is an award-winning actor and singer, who has performed in venues around the world.  Most recently he received critical acclaim for playing Daddy Warbucks (Annie) with Sally Struthers and for reprising his powerful performance of Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha).  Over the years he had the pleasure of performing with George Hearn, Edde Mekka, Roddy McDowell, Carol Lawrence, John Raitt, Debbie Boone and Rosemary Clooney. Additional theatrical credits include; Georges (La Cage aux Folles), Frollo (Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame), Sweeney Todd (Sweeny Todd), Javert (Les Miserables), Emile (South Pacific), Captain von Trapp (Sound of Music), Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls), Fred/Petruchio (Kiss Me Kate), Jekyll/Hyde (Jekyll and Hyde), Beast (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Frank Butler (Annie Get Your Gun), Juan Peron (Evita), Phantom (Phantom of the Opera), and Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf (Into The Woods).  Concert engagements; Pittsburgh Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, Bangor Symphony, Pasadena Pops, and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the National Theatre and Concert Hall Taiwan. Christopher tours the country as the baritone for the legendary 1940’s singing group – The Pied Pipers.  In 2001, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame along with the Bee Gees and The Eagles. Christopher’s solo CD - Curtain Call is available on iTunes and CDBaby.com.  www.christophersanders.net

Audiences and critics alike have praised The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh’s programming, saying, “EXCEPTIONAL and MEMORABLE… I’m still talking about it,” “One of the finest music events I have ever attended,” and “the Mendelssohn never ceases to amaze me… This city should be proud of its choir” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). 

Critically acclaimed as one of the finest choruses in the country, MCP is the “voice of the greater Pittsburgh region” — whether premiering a choral work composed by Stewart Copeland of The Police at a rock venue, or performing Mozart with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Unlike other professional arts organizations, MCP is proudly comprised of mostly amateur singers with professional-caliber talent, whose day jobs vary from postal clerk to physician to casino card dealer. MCP singers give generously of their talent, passion, and commitment to share the magic of live music with the widest possible audience, within Heinz Hall and throughout the community. 

For more than a century, MCP has proudly partnered with the PSO as its “chorus of choice,” bringing the joys of symphonic choral music to tens of thousands of people each year. MCP has performed under the batons of world-renowned conductors, including Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Michael Tilson Thomas, Claudio Abbado, Mstislav Rostropovich, Leonard Slatkin, Charles Dutoit, André Previn, Sir Neville Marriner, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Helmuth Rilling, Ingo Metzmacher, Richard Hickox, Zdenek Mácal, and Manfred Honeck.

MCP embraces its long legacy of performances, recordings, and commissions that reimagine choral music for today’s audiences and bring bold, unique programming to the Pittsburgh region, such as the recent world premieres of Satan’s Fall by the Police’s Stewart Copeland and The Times They Are A-Changin’ by composer and conductor Steve Hackman. Under the leadership of its new Robert Page Music Director Daniel Singer, MCP looks forward to continuing its tradition of excellence while seeking innovative ways to encourage broader community participation in MCP as singers and as members of the audience. 

MCP fosters the next generation of choral singers and audience members through its educational program, the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh (JMCP). Founded in 1986, JMCP is the region’s premier high school choral training and performance program. Annually, JMCP attracts singers from more than a dozen school districts, providing youth with a challenging musical environment in which to develop their skills and encouraging them to be lifelong participants in the arts.

Three Rivers Ringers is Pittsburgh’s premier community handbell ensemble.

The vision of Three Rivers Ringers (TRR) is to be at the forefront of the handbell art form through distinctive musical performance and educational experiences.

Three Rivers Ringers was founded in 2010 by five handbell musicians with the goal of achieving musical excellence, performing challenging repertoire, and pushing the boundaries of the handbell art form. Today, TRR is a significant contributor to the arts culture in Western Pennsylvania, performing both private and public concerts 10-15 times per year in winter and spring.

As part of its educational mission, TRR offers read and ring sessions for beginning and intermediate ringers that includes massed ringing, classes, and workshops. Three Rivers Ringers also offers on-site workshops and mentoring for handbell ensembles and directors.

TRR released its fourth album, Earth Shall Ring, in 2019, filled with holiday music from around the world.

TRR recently appointed Sarah Boice Stecker, the ensemble's longtime Associate Conductor, as the new Artistic Director. Linda Boice, who served as Artistic Director previously is now Associate Conductor, and both Sarah and Linda enjoy ringing behind the table when not conducting the group.

Three Rivers Ringers performs on a 7-octave set of Schulmerich handbells, 3-octave set of Whitechapel handbells, 5-octave set of Schulmerich handchimes, 1-octave set of Malmark bass chimes and 2-octave set of Schulmerich Silver Melody Bells. TRR holds open auditions for all positions biannually.

For more information on Three Rivers Ringers and upcoming performances, visit https://www.threeriversringers.org/.

Now celebrating their 25th Anniversary Season, Attack Theatre fuses modern dance, original live music, and interdisciplinary arts to create “wickedly entertaining stage productions” (Pittsburgh City Paper). Under the artistic direction of co-founders Peter Kope and Michele de la Reza, the company has performed and toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia including for the Avignon Festival (France), the 7th Next Wave Dance Festival (Japan), Indonesia Arts Festival, Monaco Danses Forum, the Spoleto Festival and the Broadway production of Squonk. Known for their "audacious athleticism" (Dance Magazine), Attack Theatre has created more than 150 original works in theatrical and non-traditional settings. A sought after collaborator, the company has brought dance and movement to partnerships with theater companies, museums, and more than a dozen operas, including Carmen, Rigoletto, Eugene Onegin, Aida, Turandot and Samson and Dalila. Attack Theatre has had the honor of performing with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in a number of engagements, including the reimagining of Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat with Pinchus Zuckerman. With a core belief that movement is an essential part of living and learning, Attack Theatre conducts creative learning and wellness programs in school and community settings throughout the region, reaching more than 9,000 students, teachers, and community members annually.www.attacktheatre.com

Kristen Smith is a sophomore BFA Musical Theatre Major at Point Park University and is originally from Valley Stream, NY. Previously, she has portrayed “Deloris Van Cartier” in Sister Act as well as “Millie” in Thoroughly Modern Millie. She has also acted in Off-Broadway productions such as Summer Rock: A New Musical as “Dia” and A Christmas Carol as “Belle”. Kristen is so excited about this opportunity to perform with the symphony.

Jenniellen Withers is a sophomore BFA Musical Theatre major and dance minor in the honors program at Point Park University. She is very excited and honored to be performing in the Holiday Pops Concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra! She would like to thank her wonderful advisors at Point Park and her family for all their support (especially Mom)! @jenniellenwithers

Austin Schulte is a sophomore BFA Musical Theatre student at Point Park University. He is originally from California where he studied theatre and dance at the Academy for the Performing Arts. He has done many musicals, but this is his first time performing with a Symphony Orchestra! He is so excited to be a part of such an amazing show.