Conductors

John Wilcox Conductor - Young Peoples Orchestra John Wilcox  teaches Violin and Viola at Youngstown State University and is the Director of the Dana Chamber Orchestra. In addition to his teaching duties, he performs as a violinist with the Amici Trio and as the Concertmaster of the Warren Chamber Orchestra. For seven years, he was the Concertmaster of the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. He remains active as an adjudicator, recitalist, and private violin instructor. Joining the Youngstown State University faculty in 1979, Mr. Wilcox brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. He had studied with Richard Burgin, the former Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony, and Ruth Possett, an internationally known violinist. After earning his bachelor's degree in music from Florida State University, he secured a position as the first violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of both Antal Dorati and Mstilav Rostropovich. Later, he earned his Master of Music degree from Kent State University.

Charlotta Ross Conductor - Symphonette Charlotta Ross  received her bachelors degree as string specialist from Michigan State University and a masters degree as cellist from Carnegie Mellon University. She was a member of the North Carolina Symphony and Dallas Symphony before joining the Pittsburgh Symphony in 1968. Mrs. Ross has played with the program "Music in Maine," a Title 3 government project which enabled school age children to hear two performances a year by a string quartet. For many years, she was a member of the Pittsburgh Quartet. As only the third conductor of the Symphonette, she continues her husband's (Paul J. Ross) outstanding musical legacy. (photo: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Kate M. Black Conductor - Intrada Ms. Kate M Black  has taught at the CMU String Preparatory Program since its inception in 2003. Originally from Chicago, she holds a bachelor of music degree from DePaul University and a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. Her principal teachers have included Paul Kantor, Andrew Jennings and Mark Zinger, a colleague of David Oistrakh. Before coming to Pittsburgh, Ms. Black taught in the Dynamic Starts and Preparatory Program for Violin at the Merit School of Music in Chicago. Currently, she also maintains an active private studio sharing her experience with a wide range of violinists from beginners to adults. Ms. Black enjoys performing as well as teaching. She was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago when it performed under the direction of Daniel Barenboim in Carnegie Hall. She also performed frequently with the chamber orchestra Concertante di Chicago. Since coming to Pittsburgh, she has held the Assistant Concertmaster positions in both the Westmoreland and Youngstown Symphonies, Assistant Principal Second Violin in the West Virginia Symphony and Principal Second Violin in the Pittsburgh Live Music Chamber Orchestra. Currently, Ms. Black holds the Assistant Concertmaster position with the Wheeling Symphony and is a member of the first violin section of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra. She has also performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Sunflower Music Festival Chamber Orchestra and Grant Park Symphony Orchestra.   Updated: 4-09-2008