YC2 Faculty

Our Artistic Staff is comprised of talented and dedicated members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, as well as other local teaching professionals. 

JEREMY BLACK, Violin, joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's first violin section in 2002, and became Principal Second Violin of the orchestra at the start of the 2017-18 season. Black enjoys performing not only at concert halls around the world but also with his colleagues in Pittsburgh area hospitals and schools. In the summer months, he performs as Concertmaster of the Grant Park Orchestra in Chicago, a position he has held since 2005. He began his orchestral career in 2000 as a first violinist in the Grant Park Orchestra in Chicago and a frequent substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. An avid fan of chamber music, he has served as Concertmaster of the University of Pittsburgh's Music on the Edge Chamber Orchestra since 2002, and has performed in recital throughout the Pittsburgh region, including Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne Universities, Chatham College, West Liberty State College, and the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. 

Mr. Black is the longstanding coach of PYSO’s Montgomery Fellowship Quartet. The MFQ winning group for 2021-22 is the Azure Quartet. Previous years, Mr. Black coached the Cygnus Quartet (2019-20), the Vivo Quartet (2018-19), the Amadeus Quartet (2017-18), the Imperial Quartet (2016-17), the Penn Quartet (2015-16), and many more.

IRENE CHENG, Violin,Irene Cheng joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's first violin section at the beginning of the 2009-2010 season. She won her first job with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra while pursuing her undergraduate studies. She has since held the positions of Principal Second violin, then Assistant Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Orchestra of Lisbon in Portugal for two years before moving onto the first violin section of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra in Spain. She also spent two years as an Assistant Principal First Violin in the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ms. Cheng has also performed with the Seattle Symphony, New Haven Symphony, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestras. Most recently, she spent the last six years as the Associate Concertmaster of the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra and holds the position of Concertmaster of the Camarata di Sant'Antonio in Buffalo, New York.

Ms. Cheng has performed numerous solo recitals and chamber concerts in Western Europe, the East and West coasts of the United States, and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has performed as soloist with the Camarata di Sant'Antonio, Seattle Philharmonic, Bellevue Philharmonic, Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Central Washington University Orchestra, and the Pacific Lutheran University Orchestra. She has been the winner of the Seattle Young Artist Competition, the Washington State Concerto Competition, and the McGraw Hill Young Artists Showcase--which featured her on WQXR in New York City.

Originally from the Seattle area, Ms. Cheng received her Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music and her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington. While at Yale, she studied with Sidney Harth, and chamber music with the okyo String Quartet and Claude Frank. She also spent many years studying with Marjorie Kransberg-Talvi, Ilkka Talvi, and Erich Eichhorn. Ms. Cheng attended several summers at the Aspen and Waterloo Music Festivals.

Ms. Cheng has coached many YC2 groups including the Matto Quartet in 2016-17; the Leo Quartet 2017-18; and the Hoppledom Quintet and Strings of Steel in 2018-19. In 2019-20, Ms. Cheng helped prepare the Corvidae Quartet for their MFQ competition, and is a frequent sub coach.

MICHAEL DEBRUYN, Cello, joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during the 2013-2014 season. Prior to joining the Pittsburgh Symphony, DeBruyn was principal cellist of the Louisville Orchestra. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. DeBruyn grew up in Nashville, Tenn., and began studying the cello at the age of four. His former teachers include Dr. Felix Wang, Dr. Tanya Carey, Richard Aaron and Desmond Hoebig. His summer engagements have included the Meadowmount School of Music, the Sarasota Music Festival, the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival and the Aspen Music Festival. As a chamber musician, DeBruyn has worked closely with members of the Arianna, Pacifica, Cavani and Cleveland Quartets. In 1998, he received an honorable mention in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition as a member of the Blakemore Quartet. DeBruyn and his wife, Francesca Tortorello, have been performing together as a professional duo since 2004.

Mr. DeBruyn has been coaching for YC2 since the beginning of the program. In 2015-16, he coached the Fox Quartet, Middle C Quartet, and Pendulum Quintet; in 2016-17 the Crispy Cyan Cellos and the Fidelio Quartet; the Artemis Quartet in 2018-19; and co-coached the piano and strings group called the Finestra Quintet.

JULIA DENNIS, trombone, is a professional freelance trombonist in the Pittsburgh area. She received a Bachelor of Music in Trombone Performance from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, OH and a Master of Music in Trombone Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Julia has been a substitute trombonist with several regional orchestras including the Erie Philharmonic, Youngstown Symphony, and Akron Symphony, as well as a substitute with the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Along with performing, she has an interest in teaching lessons and coaching small group brass ensembles. Her goals for students is to have a well-rounded musical education including instrumental technique, music theory, and music appreciation.     

When not performing, attending a performance, or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her husband, David, who is also a musician, and their two cats, Sebastian and Gizmo.  

JACK HOWELL, Bass Clarinet, a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, served as principal clarinetist of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, performing with the Santa Fe Opera and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival as well before joining the Pittsburgh Symphony for two one-year stints in 1996-1998.  After spending the following season as associate principal clarinet of the New Zealand Symphony, he returned to Pittsburgh, where he married Principal Piccolo Rhian Kenny and embarked on the raising of a family and the pursuit of a freelance career.  He served as principal clarinet of the Wheeling (WV) Symphony and second clarinet of the Pittsburgh Ballet and Opera Orchestras, and generally traveled far and wide as an orchestral and chamber musician. In 2015, his career came full circle when he won the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's principal bass clarinet position.

He has been a member of the Duquesne University music faculty since 1996, teaching clarinet and chamber music. He is the author of The Lovely Reed, a how-to book on making split bamboo fly fishing rods.

Mr. Howell joined the YC2 team in 2018, coaching the Point Trio and guest conducting the Kookaburra Quartet. In 2019-20, he is co-coach of the talented Sixth Avenue Trio.

RHIAN KENNY, Piccolo, joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1990 as Principal Piccolo.  She is active in the PSO's education and outreach programs speaking often to groups throughout the Pittsburgh region. Kenny was born in Benghazi, Libya and grew up in Calgary, Canada which is where she began her flute studies at the age of 9.  She continued her studies with Timothy Hutchins at McGill University in Montréal where she received a Bachelor's Degree in Music.  Throughout her studies, she won many competitions, including the Concours de l'Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières (1989), Concours de l'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (1988), and the Concours de l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec (1987).
           
Rhian has no spare time because outside of the PSO, she enjoys running and a little yoga to keep her sanity. After that, she coaches softball, is president of her daughter's school PTG, and chauffeur to her three daughters. She also teaches at Duquesne University, and privately.

Ms. Kenny has coached for YC2 since 2016, working with the Incalzando Quartet in 2016-17; Wapango Quintet in 2017-18; the Kookaburra Quartet in 2018-19; and co-coached the Sixth Avenue Trio.

MICHAEL LIPMAN, Cello. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra cellist Michael Lipman is recognized and respected for his versatility as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and teacher. He has received critically acclaimed reviews for his performances with the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Project and for his Pittsburgh recital debut as winner of the Y Music Society's Passamaneck Award. As a soloist Lipman has appeared with numerous orchestras, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra. As an educator, Lipman has taught and coached at Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne Universities, as well as Chatham University and California University of Pennsylvania.

Lipman is an alumnus of the Alexander Schneider's New York String Orchestra and Cleveland Chamber Music Seminar, and as performed at the festivals of Aspen, Grand Tetons and Blossom. Lipman was a founding member of the Dalihapa Ensemble, whose core members performed many important works of the 20th century. Before joining the PSO, Lipman was the principal cellist of the Aspen Chamber Symphony and associate principal of the New Haven Symphony. Lipman has recorded chamber works of Ezra Laderman with members of the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Project which was released on Albany Records.

Lipman is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and his teachers include Ronald Leonard, Paul Katz, Leonard Rose and Paul Olefsky. His cello is the work of Tomasso Balestrieri, Mantua, Italy, 1760. Lipman resides in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh with his wife Shirli Nikolsburg, a piano teacher and child development specialist, and daughter Talia.

Mr. Lipman joined the YC2 faculty in 2016, coaching the Pesaro Quartet. For three seasons, he coached of the Mercurial Quartet.

KATHLEEN MELUCCI, Cello, is the Principal Cello of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra as well as an active freelancer with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and many other local orchestras. She has a very active teaching studio with students who have achieved much success over the years. She is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music. Originally from Pittsburgh, she also is an alumna of Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras as well as the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony and is thrilled to be working with the next generation of TRYPO and PYSO members.

Ms. Melucci is a founding coach of YC2, a member of the advisory team, and coach-chaperone of our YC2 at Chautauqua Music Camp. During the 2016-17 season, she coached the Paganini Quartet and Destino Trio. In 2017-18 she coached the MetroGnomes and the Barefoot Quartet. Last season she worked with the Lark Quartet, Converse Quartet/Taylor Trio, and Turtlehead Quartet. In recent seasons, Ms. Melucci has coached groups including Pizzicato Players, Three Rivers Cello Trio, Braidy Quartet, Lunar Quartet, the Antarctic Quartet, Spitacio Quartet, Quintessential Quintet, Skyline Quintet, and Corvidae Quartet.

DENNIS O’BOYLE, violin.

Dennis O'Boyle joined the second violin section of the Pittsburgh Symphony in the fall of 2000 under Music Director Mariss Jansons, and attained the position of Fourth Chair in 2003. In 2011 he was formally appointed Assistant Principal Second Violin after serving the previous three years as acting Assistant Principal.

Before arriving in Pittsburgh, Mr. O'Boyle spent three years in Florida as a fellow in Miami Beach's New World Symphony and subsequently as Principal Second Violin of the Florida Orchestra, Tampa Bay.

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, Mr. O'Boyle has been active in the musical life of the city, participating in many and varied chamber music performances around town. Recent notable appearances include performances of Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" with Attack Theatre of Pittsburgh, annual appearances in the Chamber Music Concert of the Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival, and frequent performances in the Chatham University Chamber Music Series. Mr. O'Boyle also teaches privately and coaches chamber music and sectionals with the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra. In addition, during the summer he is a member of the prestigious Grand Teton Music Festival in Wyoming.

From a musical family, Dennis began studying the violin at the age of three with his mother and grew up surrounded by the sounds of string playing from her numerous students as well as his four sisters, who all went on to become professional musicians. Mr. O'Boyle spent his early childhood in Lincoln, Nebraska, but later the family spent five years in Peru and Chile, which was formative in cultivating his continuing passion for world travel.

Mr. O'Boyle holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, as a student of Oswald Lehnert. He earned his Master of Music Degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Ik Hwan Bae. Mr. O'Boyle performs on a violin made by Gioffredo Cappa in 1690. 

Mr. O’Boyle has coached YC2 groups since 2015, including three years with the Amadeus Quartet and Amadeus Quintet in 2015-16, 2016-17, and he prepared Amadeus for their MFQ competition win. In 2019-20 season, Mr. O’Boyle is coaching the Concordia Quartet.

CHARLIE POWERS, Cello. Charlie Powers’ playing has been described by The Washington Post as “poised, elegant, supple of phrasing and mellow of tone.” He joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra cello section during the 2013-2014 season. He previously served as assistant principal of “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra in Washington, D.C., and performed regularly at the White House, the State Department, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the vice president’s residence.

Since making his solo debut at age 17, Powers has appeared with orchestras throughout the United States and abroad. Notable performances include Samuel Barber’s Cello Concerto with the U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra and Brahms’ Double Concerto with the Kaohsiung City Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan. A proponent of new music, Powers has recently performed works for cello and orchestra by Aulis Sallinen and Jennifer Higdon. Powers is a founding member of two critically acclaimed chamber ensembles, the Teiber String Trio and The Phillips Camerata. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Ricardo Morales and Peter Wiley. He received the Karl Zeise Memorial Cello Award at Tanglewood, where he served as principal cellist of the Tanglewood Music Center orchestra under James Levine. Other festival appearances include Banff, Heifetz, Aria, Icicle Creek and the 2000 World Cello Congress.

A native of Tacoma, Wash., Powers began his cello studies at age three with Jeannette Chapman. He graduated with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he was a Piatigorsky Scholarship recipient and studied with Colin Carr. Other influential teachers include John Michel, Richard Aaron, David Wells and Michael Mermagen. Powers resides in Pittsburgh’s Strip District neighborhood with his wife, soprano Anastasia Robinson, a yellow Lab named Maizey, and two Russian Blue cats, Mischa and Dmitri. Away from his cello, Powers enjoys golf, baseball and exploring Pittsburgh.

Mr. Powers joined the YC2 faculty in 2017, coaching the September Quintet and Monongahela Quartet; and in the 2018-19 season he coached the Finestra Quintet and Tiger Lily Quintet. In 2019-20, he is coaching the Ligneus Quartet.

JAMES RODGERS, contra bassoon,

James Rodgers has been the Principal Contrabassoonist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since September of 2001. Formerly, he was the Principal Bassoonist with the Jacksonville Symphony, Associate Principal Bassoonist with the Florida Orchestra, Second Bassoonist with the Houston Symphony, and Contrabassoonist with the Colorado Symphony. Summer activities have included the Grand Tetons Music Festival, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Colorado Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute and Tanglewood Music Center. He studied bassoon with Norman Herzberg at the University of Southern California, and with Benjamin Kamins at the Rice University Shepherd School of Music. He also studied bassoon with Andrew Radford, and contrabassoon with Gregg Henegar

A founding member of the Pittsburgh Reed Trio, Jim has performed to critical acclaim. Their many and varied concerts have been heard locally, nationally and abroad. Jim also enjoys opportunities for study and performance on his Heckelphone, a rare double-reed instrument. As a pioneer of electric/acoustic bassoon and contrabassoon development, Jim is ever creatively exploring the possibilities of his instruments' capabilities, both in sound and genre.

Jim serves on the faculty of the Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music. He has also served on the faculty of Seton Hill University, Florida Southern College and Clearwater Christian College. In addition to a home studio, Jim is the woodwind coach for the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra.

In past seasons, Jim has been the coach of the 2016-17 V Quintet, 2017-18 Atonic Quintet, and 2021-22 Steel City Troubadours

KARISSA SHIVONE, Cello,  joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during the 2016-2017 season. She comes to Pennsylvania most recently from Southern California, where she performed regularly with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a substitute cellist under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel, Semyon Bychkov, Leonard Slatkin and John Williams. Originally from Seattle, her interest in an orchestra career was sparked at age 17 during her time as a substitute cellist with the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera.

Shivone made her solo debut at age 15 performing with Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony as a winner of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Audition. Subsequently, she appeared as soloist with both the Colburn Orchestra at Zipper Hall and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and with the Philharmonia Northwest at Kane Hall. She has also performed recitals throughout the Pacific Northwest and greater Los Angeles areas. Shivone has distinguished herself in numerous solo competitions including the Seattle Young Artist Music Festival Concerto Competition, Coeur d’Alene National Concerto Competition, Mondavi Young Artists National Competition, and the Philadelphia International Concerto Competition. She performed on the live KING 5 television program “New Day Northwest,” as well as interactive performances on KING FM 98.1 Northwest Focus Live.

An avid chamber musician, she won the Silver Medal at the 2015 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition as the former cellist of the Calla Quartet. The same year, Calla performed at the Perlman Music Program’s Chamber Music Workshop and Mimir Chamber Music Festival in Melbourne, Australia and Fort Worth, Texas. She has performed alongside artists including Joseph Silverstein, Alessio Bax, Martin Chalifour, Alexander Kerr, Donald Weilerstein and Barbara Westphal at the Sarasota Music Festival, Mimir Chamber Music Festival, Perlman Music Program and Heifetz International Music Institute.

Shivone holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Colburn Conservatory of Music where she studied with Mr. Ronald Leonard. She began her studies at age seven with Leslie Marckx, and she has worked with many renowned cellists including Steven Isserlis, Efe Baltacigil, Raymond Davis, Meeka Quan-diLorenzo, Johannes Moser, Desmond Hoebig and Richard Aaron. Her chamber music coaches at the Colburn Conservatory have included Arnold Steinhardt, Martin Beaver, Clive Greensmith, Peter Lloyd and Paul Coletti.

Mrs. Shivone joined the YC2 faculty in 2016, coaching the Helios quartet that year. For the past three seasons, she has coached the Cygnus Quartet; helped prepare them to become PYSO’s 2019-20 Montgomery Fellowship Quartet!

FRANCESCA TORTORELLO, D.M.A., piano, is an accomplished classical musician and performs with a variety of instrumentalists and singers. She frequently collaborates with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony, and has also worked with members of Cleveland Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A dedicated teacher and coach, she has maintained an active piano teaching studio for the past fifteen years.

Dr. Tortorello also serves as Resident Music Director for Pittsburgh Musical Theater. Recent productions include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evil Dead the Musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Newsies. She also teaches multiple classes for the pre-college program at the Richard E. Rauh conservatory.

Dr. Tortorello began piano lessons at the age of four in her hometown of Mount Kisco, NY. She holds a Bachelors degree in Piano Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied with Antonio Pompa-Baldi. Her true passion, however, has always been chamber music and she received a Masters degree and Professional Studies certificate in Collaborative Piano from CIM, studying with Virginia Weckstrom. She also holds a Doctorate in Collaborative Piano and Coaching at the University of Minnesota and studied with Timothy Lovelace.

Francesca and her husband, Pittsburgh Symphony cellist Michael DeBruyn, have been performing as a professional duo since 2004.

During the 2019-20 year, Ms. Tortorello is co-coaching the Finestra Quintet, a piano quintet of members from PYSO.

KATIE WICKESBERG, Violin, has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Wheeling Symphony, as well as the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. She completed undergraduate studies at Butler University, and received a Master's Degree in Music Performance from Rice University. She currently maintains a private studio in the Pittsburgh area.

Ms. Wickesberg is a founding coach of the YC2 program, a member of the advisory team, and has coached many groups since 2015. In 2015 she coached the Onyx Quartet. During our 2016-17 season, she coached the C-Squared Quartet, New World Quartet, SEEA Quartet, and Corvus Quartet. In 2017-18, she coached the Dominica Quintet, Qabalastic Quartet, Chordis Quartet, Fidelis Trio, and Quartet 222. During the 2019-20 season, Ms. Wickesberg is coaching the Tintin Quintet, Marble Trio, Spring Quartet, and Intentional Chaos Quartet.In the 2020-2021 season her groups included the Tintin Quintet, UpBeat Quartet, Casia Quartet, and Goldenrod Quartet. In the 2021-22, Ms. Wickesberg coached the Four-Tailed Strings, Saturn Quartet, and No Fret Quintet.

We have been privileged to work with so many wonderful music educators in the Pittsburgh area. Some of our past faculty include:

KATE BLACK, violin - coach of the 2016-17 Habanero Quintet

MAX BLAIR, oboe - coach of the 2018-19 Wild Ginger Quintet

BETSY HESTON, double bass - coach of the 2015-16 Contra Quartet

MARTA KRECHKOVSKY, violin - coach of the 2015-16 Argent Trio, and 2016-17 Matto Quartet

ROBERT LAUVER, horn - coach of the 2018-19 Monaloh Brass

JENNIFER ORCHARD, violin - coach of the 2016-17 Capriccio Quartet and Steel Blue Quartet

AUBREY PLOESCH, flute - coach of the 2015-16 VOC Trio

ALYSSA PYSOLA, flute - coach of the 2015-16 Ventus Quartet, and the 2017-18 Silver Bridges Quartet and Azalea Quartet

KAYLYN SHEARER, oboe - coach of the 2019-20 Yinz Winds and a flute-oboe trio Floboe.

JENNIFER STEELE, flute - coach of the 2016-17 Onyx Trio and Three Rivers Trio

STEPHANIE TRETICK, viola - coach of the 2017-18 Galaxy Quartet, 2018 YC2 at Chautauqua Music Camp, and 2018-19, Orange Accents Quintet

JOHN SEBASTIAN VERA, trombone - co-coach of the 2019-20 Trombone Quartet

ANDREW WICKESBERG, viola - coach of the 2015-16 Aurora Quartet, and 2016-17 Indigo Quartet

MORGAN WYNN, trombone - coach of the 2019-20 Trombone Quartet, Pineapple Trio, Snazzy Sliderz, and Summer 2020 Bendy Brass, and Pyrite Trio.