Ryan Weber: (BA, MA): Director, piano faculty, lecturer/clinician.

Wall Street Journal praises pianist, Alexander Wu as “....having all the right ingredients for an exciting performance.” He continues to perform and collaborate extensively with international artists in the jazz, Latin, classical and film worlds. This season Mr. Wu will be appearing in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Miami , West Palm Beach, the Dominican Republic, Madrid, Rome, and the major cities throughout China. In the addition, he will be releasing his first two CD’s as a soloist in the spring which includes classical and jazz music of the Americas and the premiere recording of the complete piano works by legendary Latin-American composer, Rafael “bullumba” Landestoy. Having both earned degrees and taught at the Manhattan School of Music and City College at C.U.N.Y., Mr. Wu will launch the 2007 season with his solo debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Ryan Weber

Ryan began his professional studies at age 12 with his debut at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. His success at the Interlochen Center was eventually followed by a long tenure at the Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts in New York where he held a full scholarship for four years. Upon his completion of studies at the Harbor, Ryan first enrolled in Philosophy at Fordham University before eventually earning his Bachelor’s degree in music and Master’s degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College-CUNY. Since the onset of his professional career, he has performed in countless venues at home and abroad including Steinway Hall, CAMI Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Museum of the City of New York, The Manhattan Center, the Colden Center for the Arts, LeFrak Recital Hall, and the Wildflower Music Festival. He has also performed on television and radio including several performances for the local radio stations including 90.5 WVIA-FM. Ryan is also active in the conducting and scholarly fields where his various roles have earned him awards including the Salerno Prize for excellence in musical scholarship.  His research interests include 19th-century thought and practices including Hegelian aesthetics, transcendental philosophy, and transatlantic perception. On the educational front, Mr. Weber has maintained private studios in NY and PA for ten years and has taught at many prestigious institutions including the Harbor Conservatory, the Brooklyn Conservatory, and the Lawrence Eisman Center for Preparatory Studies in Music at Queens College, CUNY.

Mr. Liberto majored in composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston.  Since that time, he has performed professionally for over forty years.  He has maintained dual studies in woodwinds (Paul Horn) and piano (Pat Strunk).  In addition, he has completed studies at the New School for Music  In San Francisco, Mr. Liberto studied woodwinds with Grover Washington, Jr- the father of smooth Jazz.  His relocation to New York City brought continued studies in woodwinds with flutist Jayn Rosenfield and Jean-Pierre Rampal-first flutist with the American Symphony Orchestra.

Locally, he has served as Creative Director for the Himalayan Institute and has completed a documentary on the history of the region entitled, "The Glass Cottages of White Mills."  He is also a member of the Wayne Country Arts Alliance and is working on a with Dr. Louise Montello- pianist and author of "Essential Music Intelligence."

Barbara Fabri is a veteran of education for over 25 years.  Her cross-discipline studies in music and the liberal arts include a specialization in reading and cognition.  Mrs. Fabri's years of work in the classroom and at the piano present a strong and diverse pedagogical method.  She serves as a specialist in early piano and music studies at the Black Bear Conservatory of Music.

Juny Jung, (BM,MM)   "Visiting Artist"

Stephen Mayer (BM, MM)

Composer and pianist, Stephen Mayer, received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Brooklyn College, CUNY.  He also studied at Brandeis University and the University of Ghana.  At Brooklyn College he read Pindar and other ancient Greek Masters with the late poet, Vera Lachmann, and joined the circle of artists around her. Among these was the composer Tui St. George Tucker for whom he worked as assistant for seven years, and the pianist Grete Sultan with whom he studied for many years. He debuted as a pianist and composer at Carnegie Recital Hall in 1976, with subsequent recitals at Town Hall, and Merkin Hall in New York.  He presented a concert entirely of his own work at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1987.  His “First Symphony” was performed at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia in another concert of his own work   Recently, chamber works have been presented at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York. With pianist Juny Jung, he founded the Simons’ Pond Music Festival, a chamber series in Pennsylvania, which has presented over thirty concerts both in Wayne County and in major concert venues in New York such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Locally he has frequently appeared on the WJFF programs “Community Voices” and in several entire broadcasts of his work on  “Monday Afternoon Classics with Gandalf”  the National Public Radio program devoted to contemporary music. A CD, “Stephen Mayer, Chamber Music” which is forthcoming in the Fall of 2007, includes a recent “Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano”, a piano work entitled “Romance of the Letters” and his  “Sonata for Cello and Piano” (Rising Sun Sonata).  His oervre includes seven symphonies as well as choral and instrumental chamber and solo works He has written several works devoted to pedagogy including “Tom Thumb” (Schirmer Books, 1981), Sacred Songs, and the Yigdal Variations for piano and band, as well as the recent collection “The Book of Choirs” of liturgical music for use in local churches and synagogues. He has worked principally as a liturgical musician serving as Music Director at Astoria Center of Israel
since 1989, and also currently as organist at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Narrowsburg, New York. He is President of the Simons’ Pond Foundation, which sponsors the Simons’ Pond Music Festival, and curates a collection of contemporary art, as well as manuscripts of poetry and music.
 

Woodwinds Faculty (Saxophone, flute, and Clarinet)

Phil Betros

Phil began teaching private music lessons while studying music education at Wichita State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1974. His teachers include jazz saxophonist Tom Williams, Robert Luyben - principal clarinetist of the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra, Dr. James Jones - Professor of Clarinet at Wichita State University, and Barbra Meredith - flutist with the San Diego Symphony.

Mr. Betros has been clarinetist with the Dixieland band Dixie Blue’s Breakdown; saxophonist with Big Bands including The Aristocrats and The Stardust Orchestra; is an award-winning songwriter; a published poet who has actually been paid; and is an educational audio scriptwriter. Locally, he plays woodwinds in summer musical productions of the Ritz Company Playhouse in Hawley, Pennsylvania; performs woodwind repertoire, accompanied by renowned pianist Ryan Weber, at various regional events; and teaches clarinet, flute and saxophone at the Black Bear Conservatory of Music.

Ralph Liberto, (BFA, MA)

Percussion Faculty

Jason Strapec: Percussion, including drums and drum sets

Mr. Strapec holds a degree from Temple University in Jazz Performance.  In addition to his position as an educator, he has performed in numerous ensembles throughout the region and specializes in Jazz and theory.

Joe French (BA)- Percussion/Drum Set

Mr. French began working with local bands around NEPA prior to a formal education at Kutztown University. Studying under master percussionist Willis Rapp, he graduated as a double major in 1996 with both a Bachelor of Arts degree in music as well as a Bachelor of Science in telecommunications.  In addition to his performances throughout the region, Mr. French also served as Assistant Engineer for the world famous Power Station Recording Studios in New York City where he worked with lead artists including Aerosmith, Joe Jackson, Robin Ford, and Diana Ross---just to name a few.  He has also maintains a private 24 track recording studio called "The Treatment Room" that hosts sessions for various local artists throughout the region.

Voice Faculty

Alice Welker, B.S. M.S.

Mrs. Welker is an acclaimed conductor and educator who comes to the region from West Chester University.  She has served as choral director of the Wallenpaupack Area High School for many years and has also held a position at Marywood University as professor of voice studies.  Mrs.  Welker has also traveled extensively in her tenure as conductor of many regional and state choirs and festivals.

Marshall Cooper

Lirico Spinto Tenor; Marshall was born in New York City and studied voice and opera at the University of Hartford's "Hartt College of Music."  He continued his education at the American Institute of Music in Graz Austria and later was a member of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany.  While still a youngster, Mr. Cooper was a recipient of what was to be one of the last study grants awarded by the "Martha Baird Rockefeller Fund for Music."  With this grant he was able to further his studies with such notable musicians as Joan Dornemann of the Metropolitan Opera and Adib Fazah, the internationally acclaimed baritone.

Singing engagements in the United States quickly followed with other opera companies in Annapolis, Chattanooga, Eastern Opera Theater in New York City, Southern Regional Opera in Alabama, Pennsylvania Opera Festival, Connecticut Opera, Whitewater Opera, and Lake George Opera.  In Europe, Mr. Cooper has sung with the Munich's Soloist's Ensemble, The Feurstenfeldbrueck Philharmonic, the Bavarian State Opera---just to name a few.  In addition, he has been the recipient of prizes at many international vocal competitions including the "Toti dal Monte" in Treviso, The New Jersey State Opera Competition, the Baltimore Opera Competition, and the San Francisco Opera Competition.  His operatic roles include Cavaradossi, dol, Don Jose, Des Grieux, Don Carlo, Don Alvaro, Radames, and Werther.

Heather Parker, Soprano

Lyric Soprano Heather Parker inhabits the characters she portrays. But it is her warm and colorful voice, which expresses the full range human emotions and brings every word to life that makes her so sought after in the world of opera and concert. In the 2006-07 season Ms. Parker was seen in Seattle as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, as Berta with the Jacksonvile Symphony in their Il barbiere di Siviglia, as Micaela in Carmen with Granite State Opera, as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Pensacola Opera, and as Casilda in The Gondoliers with The Deer Valley Music Festival. With the Deer Valley Music Festival she also made a solo appearance singing Mozartʼs Exultate Jubilate and Vesperae Solennes De Confessore with the Utah Symphony. Other career highlights include Micaela in Carmen with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Musetta in La boheme with the Jacksonville Symphony, Adina in Lʼelisir dʼamore with Granite State Opera, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera North and Granite State Opera, Tytania in A Midsummer Nightʼs Dream with Opera North, Norina in Don Pasquale with Spokane Opera, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with the Jacksonville Symphony, Spokane Opera, and Annapolis Opera. Concert works include the soprano solos in Hadynʼs The Seasons, Handelʼs Messiah, and Mozartʼs C Minor Mass. Upcoming, the soprano returns to Granite State Opera for Despina in Cosi fan tutte.

After a successful run with the Seattle Opera Young Artist Program performing Musetta in La boheme and Pamina in an adaptation of The Magic Flute, Ms. Parker appeared on the main stage as Frasquita in Carmen and Antonia in Les Contes DʼHoffmann conducted by Dean Williamson. Ms. Parker is a three-time recipient of the Sergio Franchi Foundation award, 2nd Place Winner of the Licia Albanese-Puccini International Foundation (which resulted in her concert debut at Alice Tully Hall), and finalist of the Houston Grand Opera Ellenor McCollum Competition. She holds a Master of Music Degree and Performerʼs Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and has sung as an apprentice artist with both the Tanglewood Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival.

Violin

Robert Murphy (BS)

Robert began his violin studies as a young child on Long Island.  After an early introduction to music in school, he began studying privately which eventually lead to the Suzuki method.  Suzuki laid a solid foundation and became the springboard to meeting and studying with Irene Lawton.  At Stony Brook University, he was given the unique and privileged opportunity of studying and performing with the graduate
level orchestra as a high school student.  As high school drew to an end, Robert enrolled at New York State University at Fredonia, where he majored in audio engineering and continued violin and music studies with Charles Joseph and Margaret Cooper.  During this period, he performed with such professional ensembles as
the Erie Philharmonic and the Fredonia Chamber Players.  Post college, Robert began a career in the audio field working at the legendary Hit Factory recording studios in NYC.  During his time here, he engineered recordings for such artists as Paul Simon, Tony Bennett, Aerosmith, Itzhak Perlman, Luciano Pavarotti, Wynton Marsalis, among others.  He’s also performed violin on recordings by Edie Brickell.  All the while he
was engineering, he maintained his passion and enthusiasm for violin.  Eventually relocating to the Hudson Valley region, Robert fully immersed himself in violin performance and pedagogy.  He is currently the assistant concertmaster of the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra.  He maintains positions in the first violin
sections of the Newburgh Symphony, Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra, and the Hudson Opera Theatre Orchestra.  During summers, he is a member of the Conductor’s Institute Orchestra at Bard College.  Most recently, Robert began subbing as a member of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic under the direction of Randall Fleischer.  Robert continues to teach privately in the New York region as well as the Black Bear Conservatory. 

Cello

Wesley Tudor (BS)

Trumpet

David Glukh   "Visiting Artist"

Vanessa Meggiolaro (Trumpet)

Vanessa Meggiolaro is a recent graduate from Lawrence Conservatory in Appleton Wisconsin with a Bachelors Degree in Trumpet Performance.  Throughout high school, she participated in PMEA District Band, District Orchestra, Region V Band, All State Jazz Ensemble, All-Eastern Jazz Ensemble, Celebration of the Arts “C.O.T.A. Cat”, and Susquehanna Honors Wind Ensemble. She received the Louis Armstrong Award twice, along with the award for MENC Best Junior Competitor.
 
In the past, she has studied with the likes of; John Daniel, Fred Sturm, Jose Encarnaccion, Nick Keelan, Marty Erikson, Lee Tomboulian, Andrew Yozviak, Brent Turney, Robert Levy, Jon Faddis, Jonathan Searfoss, Laurie Frink, and is currently studying with Ken Brader III.
 
Vanessa has had the opportunity to play with and under the direction of some of today’s finest musicians including; Ken Brader, Steve Marcus, Phil Woods, Pat Turner, Fan Lei, Donald Hunsberger, Ernestine Whitman, John Daniel, Dave Liebman, Diva Jazz Orchestra, Kenny Wheeler, Samuel Adler, Benny Golson, Maria Schnieder, and Wycliffe Gordon.  She is also a recent recipient of a Downbeat award.
 
She is currently playing lead trumpet professionally with the Vincent Pettinelli Big Band and subbing for local big bands within the tri-state area.  Along with giving private lessons, Vanessa is also a clinician for local high school trumpet sections.