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Contact: Katie English, 267-974-1250
PYO’s Tune Up Philly Announces Teaching Artists
Nine local, professional musicians instruct in the Phila after-school classical music education program.
Philadelphia, PA – October 24, 2011 (Download PDF). Maestro Louis Scaglione, President and Music Director of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization (PYO), today announced nine Tune Up Philly Teaching Artists for the 2011/2012 school year. PYO’s Tune Up Philly at the People For People Charter School at Broad St. and Fairmount Ave. in Philadelphia is designed to nurture urban, economically disadvantaged children through weekday, out-of-school hours, classical musical instruction.
“The PYO organization Board of Trustees and I am proud to announce the Teaching Artists for the second year of PYO’s Tune Up Philly,” said Maestro Louis Scaglione. “Our new Director Delia Raab-Synder and Assistant Director and Site Coordinate Paul Smith have assembled a fantastic team of talented and accomplished musicians to educate and improve the lives of the students involved in Tune Up Philly.”
Tune Up Philly commenced in September 2010; its second year began October 3, 2011. Instructed by nine local, professional musicians, the students in Tune Up Philly train five days a week during the school year, with concentrations in woodwind, brass, strings, choral and general music education. The program holds quarterly concerts, which are free and open to the public.
The following are PYO’s Tune Up Philly Teaching Artists for the 2011/2012 school year:
- Steven Bradshaw, tenor, is a core member of The Crossing, The Bach Collegium of Philadelphia, St. Marks Church, Choral Arts Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Singers, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Laughing Bird, and the Washington Project. Mr. Bradshaw has appeared as a soloist with many of the region's top ensembles including Tempesta di Mare, Piffaro, Lyric Fest, Bang on a Can, International Contemporary Ensemble, Toby Twining Music, and the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra.
- Elysa DiMauro returns for her second year as a French Horn instructor. She has played with the Beloit-Janesville Symphony Orchestra, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and the Madison Symphony Orchestra; she also held the position of third horn with the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra. Ms. DiMauro is the Operations Manager for the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization, in addition to playing second horn with the Philadelphia Wind Symphony and teaching private lessons. She is an alumnae of PYO’s Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra. Ms. DiMauro received her Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University in 2007 and a Master of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Jassamine Harris plays the violin and was trained under Vladimir Tsypin of the New York Philharmonic Symphony; Helen Kwalwasser, String Dean of Temple University; Dmitri Levine of the Philadelphia Orchestra; and William de Pasquale, former Co-Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. She teaches and performs regularly with various chamber groups and orchestras. Ms. Harris earned her Music Education degree at National ChiaYi University with full scholarship offered by Taiwan Government in 2000 and a Masters of Music degree in Violin Performance from Temple University.
- Agnes Marchione is a clarinetist. Her extensive orchestral playing includes groups such as The Philadelphia Orchestra, Delaware Symphony, Iris Chamber Orchestra, and The Knights Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Marchione has attended numerous festivals that include Sunflower Music Festival, Bellingham Festival of Music, Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, and Tanglewood Music Festival. Her training includes undergraduate studies at the Curtis Instiute of Music with Donald Montanaro and graduate studies with Yehuda Gilad at University of Southern California.
- Jason Stein is a trombonist, teacher and has been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago since 2009. He is on faculty with the El Sistema based Chicago YOURS Project and maintains his own private studio with more than 20 students. Mr. Stein has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Branford Marsalis in the Philadelphia Big Brass Ensemble. He received his Bachelor of Music from Boston University and completed his Master of Music degree at Northwestern University.
- Frances Tate is an active teacher and performer in the Philadelphia and Baltimore areas. She is currently second flutist with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, piccolo with the Lancaster Symphony, and coprincipal flute with the Endless Mountains Music Festival. In addition she has performed with the Baltimore Symphony, Philly Pops, Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, and the Delaware, Annapolis, Knoxville and Richmond Symphonies. In 2002 she was second place winner in the National Flute Association's Piccolo Artist Competition. Ms. Tate has a Bachelor's Degree from University of Michigan and a Master's from the Peabody Conservatory.
- Andrea Weber, cellist, returns for her second year with PYO’s Tune Up Philly. After receiving her Master’s Degree in Cello Performance from Temple University, Ms. Weber has also worked with PYO’s Musicopia String Orchestra and PRYSM Young Artists Orchestra. Ms. Weber is also a teaching artist for Symphony in C’s educational outreach program, Symphony and Strings. She has performed with the Lancaster Symphony, Symphony in C, and is a founding member of the Elysium String Quartet.
- Mandy Wolman, violinist, has been a part of several world premieres by New York-based composers Michael Beharie and Steven Long at the Issue Project Room in Brooklyn, NY. She soloed with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony premiering works by Philadelphia-based composer, Andrea Clearfield and has performed chamber music recitals in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, performing with the early music groups Tempesta di Mare and Vox Amadeus. Ms. Wolman is also a private instructor.
- Daniel Wright, trumpeter, brass teacher, and clinician received a Bachelors Degree in music performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Daniel regularly performs at a variety of venues in Greater-Philadelphia area. Currently he is the leader of "The Swagg Quartet", he is a member of the "Don't Call Me Francis" band, and he can also be heard playing in the pit orchestra for venues such as The Arden or The Forrest Theatre. As well as running his own Private Studio in Bristol PA, Daniel teaches at a number of music programs in the region.
About the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra: Founded in 1939, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization is one of the nation’s oldest community music education and youth orchestra performance programs for gifted and talented students from the Tri-State region. Lead by Maestro Louis Scaglione, the organization’s flagship ensemble, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), provides the most talented students with advanced orchestral training and performance opportunities throughout the concert season. PYO’s companion ensembles include the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO), formed in 1996; Bravo Brass, added to the program in 2003; Philadelphia Region Youth String Music (PRYSM) created in 2007; and the Musicopia String Orchestra partnership, which began in 2008. Young musicians from ages six through 21 are selected by competition audition and have represented the United States on five continents. The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization offers classical musical performances to the Greater Philadelphia region each year and supports musical education to children from Philadelphia’s more vulnerable neighborhoods through its newest after-school program launched in 2010, Tune Up Philly.
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