Salvatore Princiotti, Conductor-Young Artists Philharmonic
Salvatore Princiotti, a graduate of The Julliard School, has devoted his professional life to teaching young people. He is currently celebrating his forty-fifth season as founder/music director and conductor of the Stamford Young Artists Philharmonic. His achievements as a violinist include solo appearances at Tanglewood under the batons of Leonard Bernstein and Charles Munch. Mr. Princiotti is a former conductor of the Ridgefield Symphony and has conducted the Stamford Symphony. He taught strings in the Greenwich , Darien and Westport school systems for many years, and serves as orchestral director for the Greenwich Summer Music Program. He has many private students, regularly performing and guest-conducting in the area. He is the author of The Heart of the Music.
Barbara DiFranco, Conductor-Young String Ensemble
Barbara DiFranco is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University. She has done graduate work in music at Bridgeport University and Central Connecticut State University. Ms. DiFranco, violinist, has performed with the Ridgefield Symphonette and Bridgeport Civic Orchestra. An alumna of Young Artists Philharmonic, she conducted the Young String Ensemble from 1980-1986. In 1986, she was nominated for the American Symphony Orchestra League's Helen M. Thompson Award. She has taught strings and orchestra in the Fairfield and Norwalk CT school systems, currently at Nathan Hale Middle School in Norwalk , CT.
Sharon Levin , Conductor-Young People’s and Young Artists Flute Choirs
Ms. Levin has a Master’s Degree from Manhattan School of Music and prior to that she studied in Paris, France where she earned the “Certificat de Musique de Chambre” from the Ecole Normale de Musique. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Sarah Lawrence College . Sharon Levin has won awards from Artists International in 1988, 1989 and 1991 with Karen Stern and in 1996 as a soloist. Since 1988 she was the principal flutist with the New Jersey Pops Symphony Orchestra until they dissolved in 2002. She has appeared at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, NYC in 1988, 1989, (1991 at Merkin Concert Hall), 1996, 2000 and 2002 performing solos and chamber music.
Mark Gunderman , Conductor-Young People’s Symphony
Mr. Gunderman, an experienced teacher, performer, and conductor, is also conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony’sPhilharmonia Orchestra, its intermediate-level group. In Somerset , NJ , he currently conducts and instructs the Franklin Middle School String Orchestra of 100 students, assistant conducts the Franklin High School Orchestra and organizes and conducts the award-winning Advanced Orchestra program. He also directs the district-wide Suzuki Violin program. Mr. Gunderman is a violin teacher, chamber music coach, orchestra conductor and clinician at the Waterville Valley Music Center Summer Music Camp. He is co-founder and director of the Lisbon Summer Suzuki Institute in Lisbon , Portugal , and has taught at the Suburban Community Music School/Garden State Academy of Music in New Providence , NJ / Rutherford , NJ . He was Senior Violin Teacher at Midori and Friends, organizing and teaching violin programs in New York City ’s inner city public schools, having worked with 100 students in Manhattan , Queens and Brooklyn .
Joyce DiCamillo – Young People’s and Young Artists Jazz Ensembles
Joyce DiCamillo, has led her own jazz trio for over twenty years. As pianist, Joyce has perfomed with such jazz greats as James Moody, Phil Woods, Houston Person, Nick Brignola, Marvin Stamm, Urbie Green, Arnie Lawrence, Steve Marcus, Gerry Neiwood, Bob Mintzer, Butch Miles, Andy Fusco, and Marlene verPlanck. Her trio has released five CDs. Joyce performs on the Steinway piano and is included on the prestigious International Roster of Steinway Artists. Her trio has headlined at such venues as Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival and Kennedy Center Jazz Club in Washington , DC , Southport (UK) Jazz Festival, Guinness Jazz Festival ( Cork , Ireland ), Andria ( Italy ) Jazz Festival, Syracuse Jazzfest, The Jazz Cruise, and Litchfield Jazz Festival, among others. She was featured on National Public Radio’s Piano Jazz hosted by Marian McPartland. She has toured as pianist for internationally known pop vocalist Donna Summer. A graduate of Syracuse University School of Music, Joyce holds a degree in Music Theory/Composition with Honors in Piano. A long-time classical piano instructor and jazz coach, Joyce is a member of the IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators), and a co-founder/instructor of the Young Artists Summer Jazz Workshop, having completed its 14th season. A consultant in music education, she has appeared in concert with the trio and as clinician/artist in over 100 high schools and colleges, including Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Brown University , and MIT.
