Immaculata Symphony

Tubist Tyler Schwirian began musical training at age nine on piano, studying with Janice Bishop, and started tuba at age thirteen at the request of his school’s band director. Mr. Schwirian’s solo career has brought him to different parts of the country, most notably to the 2009 Leonard Falcone Young Artist Tuba Competition in Michigan, where he won the silver medal, and to the 2008 ITEC Young Artist Tuba Competition in Ohio, where he was a finalist.

As an orchestral musician, Mr. Schwirian has performed as principal tuba in many orchestras including the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic among others. He has also been acting principal of the York Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Schwirian has spent his summers studying at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and Orchestral Musicians in Hancock, Maine, the Rafael Mendez Summer Institute in Denver, Colorado, and the Rodney Mack Big Brass Quintet Seminar held at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A native of Collegeville, PA, Mr. Schwirian is a 2009 graduate of the Spring-Ford Area Senior High School where he was a proud member of the award winning Golden Ram Marching Band. He is currently a pupil of Craig Knox, principal tuba of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, at Carnegie Mellon University where he is pursuing a music performance degree. He is also a former student of Matthew K. Brown.

STEPHEN CAMPITELLI, Pianist

Pianist Stephen Campitelli’s passionate and precise musicality has made him a renowned local artist of remarkable versatility. In demand as a concerto soloist, recitalist, and accompanist, he has regularly appeared with orchestras including the Immaculata, Delaware County and Main Line Symphonies. In his long association with the Immaculata Symphony, he has performed several concertos to great acclaim, including the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 and the Beethoven Emperor Concerto. He has also frequently performed piano and keyboard parts as a member of the orchestra and has often been featured in Immaculata Symphony chamber music concerts.

In his numerous solo recitals in the area, Mr. Campitelli has featured traditional and contemporary works, including premieres by Joseph Nocella and Immaculata Symphony Director Emeritus Roman Pawlowski.

Mr. Campitelli is the organist at the West Chester United Methodist Church and can be heard in weekly church service broadcasts on WCHE-AM (1520). He is the rehearsal accompanist and concert organist for the Main Line Ecumenical Choir and the West Chester Ecumenical Choir. Mr. Campitelli was also featured as accompanist with virtuoso violin prodigy Ann Fontanella on her CD recording of works by Bach, Bruch, and Schubert. In addition, Stephen was featured along with his wife Stephanie, a cellist, in an article in 2008 entitled “Homegrown Talent” in Main Line Ticket Magazine.

Mr. Campitelli received his Master of Music from the Boyer College of Music, Temple University, and his teachers have included Harvey Wedeen, Steven Smith, and Annette Freeze. He is a past first prize winner for Pennsylvania in the National Music Teachers Association's Collegiate Artist Competition.

Mr. Campitelli is a piano faculty member at Immaculata University, where he teaches piano classes and lessons and serves as the main accompanist for student recitals and events. Mr. Campitelli also maintains a private piano studio. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Immaculata Symphony, West Chester Ecumenical Choir, and Main Line Ecumenical Choir.

ZACHARY POWELL, Boy Soprano

A sixth-grader at the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, Zachary Powell is delighted to be making his orchestral debut with the Immaculata Symphony this season. Previously he has sung solos in Calvary Lutheran Church's (West Chester) choir such as “Jonah” in Oh, Jonah!, “Ham” in Don't Rock the Ark and in the annual Christmas Pageants. In 2009, Zachary was the youngest member of the cast in East High School's production of Oliver! playing one of Fagin's Gang, and last year spent one season in the Kennett Symphony Children's Choir.

Besides studying piano, guitar, drums and violin, Zachary attends The Center for Performing and Fine Arts where last year he played the role of Symonek in the haunting play Korczak's Children. Zachary's other interests include martial arts; he will achieve black belt within the year and Scouting; he will graduate from Webelos to Boy Scouts also this year. He enjoys playing video games with his brother, gardening with his mom and fixing and building “stuff” with his dad. Although he comes from a family of professional musicians, Zachary is working on becoming a visual artist, primarily a sculptor.

RICH MROSKY, Narrator

Narrator Rich Mrosky has been heard across the US as the voice behind numerous promotions on multimedia retailer QVC and on a variety of corporate videos. He has done voiceover work for more than 15 years, bringing words to life with his warmth and subtlety. Rich launched his voiceover career while attending the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts, and then at Juniata College, where he was an on-air personality at several different radio stations in Central Pennsylvania, performing a combination of live radio and voiceover work.

Rich has enjoyed setting his Baritone voice to music as well, singing with choirs and musical ensembles and also as a soloist. He has performed in venues all over the United States and Europe, including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Academy of Music, Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, The Sheldonian Theatre, Yorkminster Cathedral and King’s College Chapel at Cambridge University. He sang Bach’s Mass in B Minor at London’s Royal Albert Hall with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem as part of the BBC Proms Classical Music Festival. His voice can also be heard on numerous recordings with renowned music publishing companies such as Belwin Mills, Shawnee Press, Alfred Music and Warner Bros. Music.

Rich performs with the Brandywine Singers in West Chester, where he is also Vice President of the Board of Directors. He is a graduate of Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA, and is currently Director of On-Air Talent for QVC.

BARBARA HARRIS KOVACS, Soprano

For the past fifteen years, Barbara Harris Kovacs has enjoyed a thriving performance, teaching, and conducting career. Audiences have praised her musicality, her dramatic interpretation, energy and versatility. As a soprano soloist, Ms. Kovacs has performed at the Wien Theater in Connecticut, the Gates Family Recital Hall in West Chester, and for numerous recitals, concerts, and events throughout the Northeast. She has studied with Dr. Thomas Houser, International Master Teacher of Singing; Dr. Betty Jones of the New York City Opera; Mr. Perry Price; and Dr. Jane Wyss. Ms. Kovacs won honors at the regional National Teachers of Singing competition in Stratford, CT, and has sung in several opera and musical theater productions, including “Amahl and the Night Visitors” and “Pirates of Penzance.”

Ms. Kovacs currently maintains a private voice and piano studio, as well as serving as the choral conductor/director for several choirs within Chester County, having studied advanced Choral Conducting with Dr. David DeVenney. She has taught as an adjunct professor of Voice at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut; she has also taught voice at the Westtown School in West Chester, PA, and at West Chester University. Though she is a formally trained vocalist and pianist, Barbara enjoys performing several different styles of music, including jazz, rock, and blues. Ms. Kovacs has sung jazz with the legendary Les Paul at the Iridium Theater in NYC, and has performed at The Bitter End in NYC. Barbara was the featured vocal coach on MTV’s “Viva La Bam,” and is currently the jazz vocalist for the swing band, Big G and the Cool Cats. She has served as Director of Music for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Redding, CT, as Choral Director at the Unitarian Fellowship in West Chester, PA, and continues to sing and conduct for several churches in CT and PA, as well as play piano, organ, and guitar.

Ms. Kovacs is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of West Chester University, having earned a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance in December 2008; she is also a Summa Cum Laude alumnus of Western Connecticut State University, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music Performance and in Communications. She has composed, recorded, performed, taught and conducted various styles of music throughout the Northeast, and is a current member of NATS and MTNA. Ms. Kovacs resides in the Chester County countryside with her husband and baby daughter.

DONNA BOHN, Percussionist

Dr. Donna Bohn is Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Immaculata University, Malvern, PA. Since her arrival in July 2010, her teaching duties have included basic conducting, music history, aural skills, percussion methods, and music appreciation. Previously she was Associate Professor of Music and Fine Arts Division Chair at Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, MI (2006-2010), and a tenured Associate Professor of Music at Quincy University, Quincy, IL (1994-2006), where she was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award. She received a Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of Alabama in 1994, M.M. from Wichita State University, and B.S. from the University of Alabama.

Dr. Bohn is currently principal percussionist/timpanist with the Immaculata Symphony, and plays drumset at Christ Community Church in West Chester, PA. Previous performance experience include percussionist with the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band, Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Kansas City Percussion Quartet, and timpanist for the Holland (MI) Symphony, Quincy Symphony Orchestra and Muddy River Opera Company. She was a member of the Percussion Faculty at Interlochen Arts Camp for twelve summers. She is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, serving as Illinois Chapter President from 1999-2001, and has worked on the Society’s College Pedagogy Committee. She is also a member of the College Music Society and Institutional Representative for the National Association of Schools of Music. Currently, she has two percussion works published by C. Alan Publications, Walk in the Park for young percussion ensemble, and Celebration Suite for solo marimba.

RALPH SORRENTINO, Percussionist

Ralph Sorrentino is currently active as a performer and educator in the Philadelphia area. Mr. Sorrentino serves as a substitute percussionist with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has performed with the Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Mann Music Center, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Mr. Sorrentino joined the Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra as a section percussionist in January 2008, he was named Principal Percussionist of Symphony in C (formerly the Haddonfield Symphony) in September 2004, and he currently serves as Principal Percussionist of the Bay-Atlantic Symphony. Ralph has also performed with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, the New World, Delaware, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Kennett and Reading Symphonies, Orchestra 2001, the Ocean City Pops, Opera Delaware and the Westminster Brass. His recordings can be heard on the Ondine, Telarc and Bridge record labels.

Ralph Sorrentino is a founding member of Electrum Duo, a flute and percussion duo with flutist Sophia Anastasia. Electrum Duo has performed recitals throughout the northeast, including a November 2008 New York City debut recital at Bargemusic which was critically acclaimed by The New York Times.

Mr. Sorrentino has served as an adjunct faculty member at Immaculata University since January 2003, where he founded and conducts the Immaculata University Percussion Ensemble. Ralph is also an Assistant Professor at West Chester University.

Ralph Sorrentino earned an M.M. in Orchestral Performance from Temple University, as well as a B.M. in Music Performance and a B.S. in Music Education from West Chester University.