The 2026-27 Ohio Valley Symphony season is almost upon us. Mark your calendars now and get your season tickets so you can experience the magic of music at every single one.

We are celebrating America’s 250th Birthday on September 12 with a season opener of all-American music ranging from Leonard Bernstein to Aaron Copland and George Gershwin led by Maestro Peter Stafford Wilson. Our soloist, Maalik Glover, is performing the Concerto for Violin by African-American composer Florence Price whose magnificent early 20th century musical scores were found just a few years ago in an old trunk in an abandoned house about to be demolished!

Download the new OVS Season Brochure here!

Internationally noted conductor François López-Ferrer will be back on the Ariel Opera House stage as he leads the OVS through a Happy Halloween concert on October 31. Who knew Bela Bartok wrote a quirky piece titled Dances of Transylvania? Violinist Grace Park is featured on Ravel’s Tzigane and Sarasate’s fiendishly difficult Zigeunerweisen. Brahms’ glorious Symphony No. 1 finishes out the second half. What costume will you wear?

Maestro Steven Huang’s annual Christmas Show on December 5 is a perennial favorite of audiences young and old with carols and songs both new and familiar. Tickets sell out fast so be sure to get yours soon. December is also our annual Maestro for a Moment competition when community members vie for the chance to conduct the OVS in Sleigh Ride. Every dollar is a vote for your favorite candidate and helps support The Ohio Valley Symphony with your tax deductible donation.

On March 13 things get a bit brassy for the Bugler’s Holiday concert when the OVS will be joined by Dave Zeng performing Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto. Maestro Scott Woodard takes us to Ireland with Hamilton Harty’s Irish Symphony for a bit-of-the-green.

For Gershwin’s Greatest the stunning Michael Chertock is back showing us just how good he really is by conducting AND performing George Gershwin’s Concerto in F on April 17. Rounding out the year of celebrating America’s greatest, the OVS will also feature Gershwin’s perennial favorite An American in Paris and the music of jazz great Duke Ellington.

Every concert ticket includes a 6:45 p.m. Pre-concert Chat on the 3rd floor with the Maestro and soloist of the evening as well as a Post Concert Reception for you to meet the artists.  Subscribers can print the form below and mail to the Ariel Opera House or call the box office. Purchase your season subscription now so you won’t miss a single one!

Our 2026-27 Season Brochure will be available soon for download! 

In these times of uncertainty, concert dates and location may be subject to change. Please watch the website for the latest news.

The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Cultural & Performing Arts Centre and The Ohio Valley Symphony are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, Federal Tax ID# 31-1273779

Peter Stafford Wilson
Peter Stafford Wilson is Music Director of Ohio’s Springfield Symphony Orchestra. holds the post of Music Director of the Westerville Symphony, and was named Principal Conductor of Tulsa Ballet.  With the SSO he has brought international attention to programs and a new multi-media, multi discipline production of Gustav Holst’s The Planets.  Mr. Wilson was Assistant and Associate Conductor of The Columbus Symphony Orchestra for 28 seasons.  He has had enormous community reaction and has been recognized as “Best Music Director” and “Best in the ‘Bus 2015” for his work in Columbus. He also served as Music Director of the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra, which he has regularly led in local and regional concerts.

Mr. Wilson studied at the University of Cincinnati’s College- Conservatory of Music, the Aspen Music School, Eastern Music Festival (on whose faculty he subsequently served), Pierre Monteux School, Boris Goldovsky Summer Opera Institute, and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.  He has worked with Canton Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and The Cleveland Orchestra and has guest conducted numerous orchestras across the country and world.  No stranger to the lyric theater, Mr. Wilson has held the positions of Principal Conductor of South Carolina’s Opera Charleston, Music Director of the Ohio Light Opera and conducted many operatic performances.

Mr. Wilson and his wife Barbara Karam Wilson reside in Westerville, Ohio.  When not conducting, he enjoys traveling, golf and reading.  He is also a wine enthusiast and an avid gourmet cook.

Maalik Glover, Violin
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Maalik Glover is an active orchestral musician and private teacher. He was appointed to the Columbus Symphony violin section in 2024 after completing one season at the New World Symphony.  He has received recognition at competitions such as winning Omega Psi Phi’s 2015 Talent Hunt as well as the 2021 CCM Violin Competition.

Maalik has studied the violin since the age of 11.  His first significant accomplishment was his acceptance into the Talent Development Program, an initiative launched by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra that targets gifted African-American and Latino music students to further develop their future careers as accomplished classical musicians.  This has perpetuated his unyielding advocacy of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music.  Since then, he has held multiple private studios including his own with the Columbus Symphony Academy.

During his graduate studies, Maalik held a two-year fellowship with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.  He is a three-time fellowship recipient of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and a two-time fellowship recipient of Spoleto Festival USA where he served as concertmaster.

In 2019, Maalik graduated summa cum laude from Columbus State University’s Schwob School of Music.  He later obtained his Master’s at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music in 2022 upon completion of the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship.  In his spare time, Maalik loves exploring, traveling to new cities, as well as composing film and video game music.

Performance credits include the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (Columbus, OH), Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (Cincinnati, OH), and Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra (Chautauqua, NY).

Repertoire

François López-Ferrer
Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer has carved an impressive path in the world of classical music. Recipient of the prestigious 2024 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, his international career has been marked by leading esteemed orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica G.

Rossini at the Rossini Opera Festival, Houston Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Utah Symphony, Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Opéra de Lausanne, George Enescu Philharmonic, Verbier Festival Orchestra, and Opéra National de Paris.
He has collaborated with renowned soloists such as Pekka Kuusisto, Boris Giltburg, Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, Karen Gomyo, Paul Huang, Geneva Lewis, Clara-Jumi Kang, and Pepe Romero. Critics have been enthusiastic: Bachtrack praised López-Ferrer’s “richly expressive sound, always rendered with clarity and precision,” while Beckmesser magazine described him as an “elegant and authoritative” figure whose gestures “are contagious, commanding the listener’s attention.” SF Classical Voice highlighted López-Ferrer’s “attentiveness as a conductor, moving briskly across the sections of the orchestra to ensure that practically every note from every musician played its role in the design.”

Upcoming engagements include debuts at the Teatro Real in a production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, and with the Symphonieorchester der Volksoper Wien, Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao, Biel Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, and Opera San Antonio leading Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, as well as returns to the Basque National Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Symphony San Jose, and the Orchestre Internationale de Genève.

López-Ferrer’s journey began as Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and its May Festival. In 2022, he led the CSO in the U.S. premiere of Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto, featuring Nicola Benedetti. He was a 2021-22 Dudamel Fellow with the LA Phil and was a featured conductor in the Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview with the Louisiana Philharmonic. Earlier in his career, he served as Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile as well as Resident Conductor of the Opéra de Paris Académie.

Winner of the inaugural 2015 Neeme Järvi Prize at the Menuhin Gstaad Festival and a former member of the Deutsche Dirigentenforum, his educational background includes a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne and a bachelor’s in composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Born in Switzerland and raised in the United States, François López-Ferrer combines Cuban and Spanish heritage.

Grace Park, Violin
Grace Park is a violinist celebrated for her artistry, passion, and virtuosity. Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle as “fresh, different and exhilarating” and by Strings Magazine for her “intensely wrought and burnished” sound, she captivates audiences worldwide. A winner of the Naumburg International Violin Competition, Ms. Park is recognized as both a compelling soloist and a devoted chamber musician.

Recent highlights include solo appearances with the Colorado Music Festival, the Bard Music Festival under the baton of Leon Botstein, the New York Youth Symphony at Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, and the Prague Philharmonia at the Rudolfinum’s Dvořák Hall. She has also given recital debuts at the Krannert Center, Beethoven Minnesota Festival, and Carnegie Hall.

Ms. Park has since made notable international and U.S. debuts including performances at Seoul Arts Center with Les Musiciens du Louvre conducted by Marc Minkowski, and with the Sarasota Orchestra under Peter Oundjian and the Orlando Philharmonic led by Eric Jacobsen. Her chamber music collaborations include regular appearances the Seattle Chamber Music Society, Camerata Pacifica and Savannah Music Festival.

Her debut solo album, recorded with the Prague Philharmonia and music director Emmanuel Villaume, features concertos and solo works by Mozart and Dvořák and was released in 2025.

A devoted and passionate educator, Ms. Park is an alumna of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect and has given masterclasses and coached at institutions including the Conservatorio de Música de Cartagena, Mannes School of Music, University of North Carolina, University of Mississippi, Washington and Lee University, and Skidmore College. She currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Violin at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University alongside an annual visiting residency at the North Dakota State University.

A native of Los Angeles, California, Ms. Park began studying violin at the age of five and trained at the Colburn School of Music before continuing her studies at the Colburn Conservatory and New England Conservatory, where she earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. Her principal teachers include Donald Weilerstein, Miriam Fried, Sylvia Rosenberg, and Robert Lipsett. She resides in New York City.

Ms. Park performs on a 1717 Giuseppe Filius Andrea Guarneri violin, generously on loan from an anonymous sponsor.

Repertoire

Steven Huang, conductor
Maestro Steven Huang is thrilled to return to Southeastern Ohio to the podium of The Ohio Valley Symphony, a Christmas tradition since 2018.

Mr. Huang has conducted orchestras and operas across the country and around the world. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Huang served as Music Director of the Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard University, where he received his undergraduate degree. While at Harvard, Mr. Huang also directed the Lowell House Opera (the oldest continuously running opera company in New England). Recently, he successfully concluded a sixteen-year appointment as Associate Professor and Director of Orchestras at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he brought the program to new achievements, including earning competitive accolades and awards, through over 200 performances that included symphonic concerts, opera, musical theater, and Halloween pops.

Widely respected as a music educator and conducting pedagogue, Mr. Huang is the founder and director of International Conducting Masterclasses, Inc., which has trained scores of conductors over the last two decades. He is currently working on a book about conducting.

Mr. Huang has collaborated with orchestras including California, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Ohio, Haiti, Moldova, and Romania. He has held the position of Music Director of the University of Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Central Illinois Youth Symphony, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players of Chicago, and the Bradley University Orchestra. He has served as guest conductor with multiple appearances with Brasov Philharmonic, Romania, and the National Philharmonic of Moldova. In America, he has guest conducted professional ensembles such as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Shore Symphony in Illinois, and the Four Seasons Symphony in California.

Currently Mr. Huang serves as Music Director and Conductor of the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra in New York, Music Director of the Yale Medical School Orchestra, Music Director of the Norwalk Youth Concert Orchestra, as well as a board member of BLUME Haiti, which supports music education in Haiti.

Repertoire

On March 13 things get a bit brassy for the Bugler’s Holiday concert when the OVS will be joined by Dave Zeng performing Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto.  Maestro Scott Woodard takes us to Ireland with Hamilton Harty’s Irish Symphony for a bit-of-the-green.

Scott E. Woodard
Dr. Scott E. Woodard was born in Huntington, WV and is proud to be a life-long West Virginian.  He is the Music Director of the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra in Hamilton, Ohio, the Founding Music Director of the West Virginia State Philharmonic Orchestra of Charleston, WV, the Principal Guest Conductor of the Rimini Chamber Orchestra in Rimini, Italy, and the former Cover Conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. His primary teachers were Dr. Leonid Korchmar of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Music and the Mariinsky Theatre and Dr. Oleg Proskuryna. Scott is the recipient of First Prizes at the International Conductor’s Workshop Competition (Macon, GA) and the International Academy of Advanced Conducting (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation).

A product of the public schools in Cabell County, Scott picked up the trumpet in the sixth-grade band.  He is a proud Son of Marshall, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. During those MU years, Scott began his study of orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Dr. Paul Balshaw.  In 2014, he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University, where his dissertation explored the importance of the Leningrad School of conducting and its founder Ilya Musin.

Scott lives in Scott Depot with his wife Nafi, a family physician, and their son, Gabriel, a trumpet player just like his dad, and a new baby daughter, Gabriella!  His hobbies include playing horrible golf, and trying to figure out how to work on his vintage 1970 Volkswagen Beetle.

Dave Zeng, trumpet
Dave actively performs in the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus areas.  He is principal trumpet of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra in Ohio and the Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra.  Additionally, Dave has performed with many orchestras across the Midwest including the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, Ohio, The Bach Society of Dayton, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra.  Dave has been a finalist at the National Trumpet Competition on multiple occasions.

In addition to performing, Dave is the Manager of Personnel and Orchestra Operations for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.  Through his company, Dave Zeng Productions, Dave also specializes in professional audio/video production for performing artists.

Repertoire

For Gershwin’s Greatest the stunning Michael Chertock is back showing us just how good he really is by conducting AND performing George Gershwin’s Concerto in F on April 17.  Rounding out the year of celebrating America’s greatest, the OVS will also feature Gershwin’s perennial favorite An American in Paris and the music of jazz great Duke Ellington.

Michael Chertock
Conductor and pianist Michael Chertock has fashioned a successful career as an orchestral soloist, collaborating with conductors such as James Conlon, Jaime Laredo, and Keith Lockhart.

His orchestral appearances include solo performances with, among others, The Philadelphia Orchestra, l’Orchestre Symphonique du Montreal, the Toronto Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic, and the Dayton Philharmonic.  He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1999 with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, performing Duke Ellington’s New World A’Comin’.

In 2005, Michael performed the world premiere of Jeux Deux, a work by Todd Machover commissioned by the Boston Pops Orchestra expressly for him.  He recorded the piece in Denmark.

Michael first performed publicly at the age of 11 and by age 17, he performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 with Andrew Litton.  He has garnered numerous awards at major competitions, among them the top prize in the 1989 Joanna Hodges Int’l Piano Competition (Brahms Division) and the grand prize in the 1993 St. Charles International Piano Competition.

Michael released three CDs of his original arrangements entitled Cinematic Piano, Telarc: Palace of the Winds, Christmas at the Movies and Love At the Movies, which have been praised for their lush, original arrangements and exquisite technical facility.

Michael was soloist for The Ohio Valley Symphony’s musical journey of the greatest hits of the 1920’s performing a brand new orchestral arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue just in time for the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s masterpiece.

Michael is the conductor of the Blue Ash-Montgomery Symphony, located in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio.  When not on tour he also serves as principal keyboardist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.  In June of 2004 Mr. Chertock was appointed Assistant Professor of piano at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where he received his Master’s Degree as a student of Frank Weinstock.

Repertoire

April 25, 2026
at 7:30 p.m.

People everywhere will be celebrating America’s 250th birthday in 2026 and the OVS has commissioned Tim Berens to write a special selection celebrating the life of Harriet Tubman for a performance on April 25. Tim’s poignant arrangement of Amazing Grace that was recently featured at the grand re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral will be sung on the Ariel stage by vocalist Mandy Gaines along with other selections as part of the nation’s festivities. Be a part of the creation of another live recording for later release on American Public Television.

Be the first to hear these brand new arrangements as the concert will be recorded live by a Grammy winning recording engineer as he and his team capture it all for public television and radio broadcast. Be a part of this special occasion and purchase your tickets today!

Tim Berens, conductor and arranger
Tim has walked a unique path. While studying classical guitar at CCM, an injury forced him to stop playing guitar. During the years-long recovery, he studied computer science, took a job writing software, and soon owned a small software development company, Back Office Applications. His software is used in grocery stores around the world to this day.

Self employment allowed Tim to pursue his lifelong dream to be a musician. So far, Tim’s dream has led him through the worlds of classical guitar, jazz guitar, orchestral guitar, arranging, orchestration, composition, and conducting.

During his years as the guitarist for the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Tim played guitar, banjo, mandolin and bouzouki on concerts, recordings, television programs, and international tours. In the late 1990’s, Tim began arranging for the CPO. His arrangements enriched concerts, CDs, and television broadcasts.

Tim’s arranging caught the ears of others and he began receiving commissions from leading conductors and orchestras. His arrangements and compositions are performed hundreds of times per year by orchestras throughout the United States and abroad, in venues from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl.

In 2010, Tim returned to school to study conducting. After earning a Master Degree in Orchestral Conducting, he began conducting professionally.

Tim’s most recent project is the Berens Pops Library, a library of music for pops orchestras, which was created in response to demand from orchestras to perform his works.

Throughout his professional career Tim performed regularly at jazz clubs, releasing 4 jazz recordings on the Red Mark label under his own name along the way.

Tim’s most nerve wracking performance took place in 1975. Not even the duet he performed with Kristin Chenoweth at Carnegie Hall induced more gut-wrenching performance anxiety than when his band, Holy Terror, performed Smoke on the Water in the Van Buren Junior High School Talent Show. Holy Terror, which consisted of Tim, his neighbor PJ, and PJ’s sister, Cara, would be very impressed that today Tim is conducting symphony orchestras.

An avid chess player (E4) and an enthusiastic, but bad golfer, Tim is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and The Ohio State University.

Visit BerensPopsLibrary.com for more information.

Mandy Gaines, vocalist
Mandy Gaines is a talented, versatile vocalist and entertainer with more than 30 years of professional experience.  She entertains and delights audiences throughout the world. Her performances are viewed as refreshing, soulful and exciting.  She continues to improve and grow through her gifted interpretations of Jazz, Pop, R&B and Soul classics as well as writing and performing her original works.

Mandy began singing at an early age in school and church. She holds a B.A. from the College of Wooster in Speech/Arts. She has continued her studies through private vocal instruction and various workshops emphasizing oral interpretation, jazz improvisation, and vocal technique, theatre and broadcasting/media studies.

Mandy has performed with such Jazz greats as, Wynton Marsalis, Dany Doriz, Randy Brecker, Scott Hamilton, ElDee Young, Red Holt, Rhoda Scott, Deborah Brown, Brad Leali, Bryan Lynch, Keith Loftis, Marcus Printup, Wendall Brunious, Brian Simpson, Vincent Gardner, Wes “warm daddy” Anderson, Michael Stanton and Victor Gaskins.

Mandy was recruited by Coca-Cola Taiwan to become part of an original recording and performing group, “MIT.” With the band she toured island wide to promote their release, “We Can Be One.” She also went on to record with several Asian pop stars as well as maintaining a spot as an on-air radio personality at I.C.R.T., Taiwan’s number one American-Chinese language radio station.

In the ‘90s Mandy returned to her theatre roots and was hired as featured vocalist at “The Oldenberg Dinner Theatre Entertainment Complex” and “The Star of Cincinnati.”  After first traveling to Europe, Mandy returned to Cincinnati and was chosen to be the opening act for Herbie Hancock.  Shortly after, she was nominated “Best R&B” vocalist in Cincinnati’s annual music award show, “The Cammy’s.”  Mandy has been a back-up vocalist for Asian Artist as Harlem Yu and Emil Chou. She has performed for British and American troops at Diego Garcia, Military Base, Indian Ocean.

Upon traveling to Europe she met local musicians and began to perform regularly throughout Belgium and France in local clubs, concerts and festivals where she continues to be invited back each year to perform.  She was selected to perform in Munich, Germany and Zurich, Switzerland as a member of the “Sister City Cultural Exchange Program.” She entertained for the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium to commemorate the inaugural flight and joint venture of Delta and Sabena airlines.

Mandy has continued to perform throughout Asia and Europe.  She has been “Artist in Residence” at 5-star hotels in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, China and Hong Kong. She performed in Europe at the “April Jazz Festival” in Helsinki, Finland and “Festival International De Jazz” in St.Louis de Senegal, Africa. She also had a European release of her CD “With a Song in My Heart” and was a judge for “Sony Jazz Music Competition” in Riga, Latvia.

Mandy held music workshops in France, teaching jazz and gospel music with emphasis on interpretation, improvisation, stage performance and vocal range. She released her 2^nd CD, “Taking a Chance” In 2007.  Mandy was selected to perform at The American Embassy, Thailand, in commemoration of Black History Month in 2008.

Mandy has been featured as vocalist in the Annual Cote Ouest Big Band Music Festival in Cote, France and starred in the musical revue, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” performed in Taipei, Taiwan. That same year she performed in the Musical, “Anything Goes” as “Reno Sweeney” at the National Palace Theatre in Taipei Taiwan.  She returned to Russia in 2016 and 2017 to perform a series of Big Band concerts and Pipe Organ Gospel recitals at the American Consulate.

In 2018 Mandy was honored with induction into the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame.

Her videos can be viewed on YouTube and myspace.com/mandygainesjazzy and her CDs “Just a matter of Time” and “Faith Journey” can be purchased on I-Tunes, Amazon, and CDBaby.com.

Mandy continues to travel the world performing and recording while entertaining audiences along the way!

Repertoire

March 21, 2026
at 7:30 p.m.

Maestro Peter Stafford Wilson takes us to the British Isles for an evening of Celtic Dreams on March 21 with  an evening of music from Ireland, Scotland and England. Doreen Carwithen’s pastoral Suffolk Suite opens the program and Concertmaster Manami White performs Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending. The OVS offers up Malcolm Arnold’s Scottish Dances, Leroy Anderson’s Irish Suite and the evocative Shropshire Lad by George Butterworth.

Peter Stafford Wilson, conductor
Peter Stafford Wilson is Music Director of Ohio’s Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Concurrently, he holds the post of Music Director of the Westerville Symphony, and was named Principal Conductor of Tulsa Ballet in 2012. With the SSO he has brought international attention for Agriculture and the Arts Growing Together and American Made: Celebrating Our Manufacturing Heritage and a new multi-media, multi discipline production of Gustav Holst’s The Planets resulted in a sellout house. Mr. Wilson held the posts of Assistant and Associate Conductor of The Columbus Symphony Orchestra for 28 seasons. Mr. Wilson has had enormous community reaction and has been recognized as “Best Music Director” and “Best in the ‘Bus 2015” for his work in Columbus. He also served as Music Director of the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra, which he has regularly led in local and regional concerts.

During Mr. Wilson’s 25 year tenure, the SSO has more than doubled its public offerings and seen its budget and community financial support grow more than 500%. Mr. Wilson has led over 100 performances with BalletMet Columbus.

A native of North Carolina, Mr. Wilson studied at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, where his primary mentor was the late Thomas Schippers. During his years at CCM, he became a leading exponent of contemporary music, often collaborating with faculty and student composers, including the Conservatory’s Visiting Professor of Composition, Lukas Foss. He also studied at the Aspen Music School, where he studied with Dennis Russell Davies, Eastern Music Festival (on whose faculty he subsequently served), Pierre Monteux School, Boris Goldovsky Summer Opera Institute and Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, where he was associated with Franco Ferrara. He has work with Canton Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and The Cleveland Orchestra and has guest conducted the orchestras of Bozeman, Charlotte, Chautauqua, Dallas, Detroit, Erie, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Roanoke, Seattle, Syracuse, Tucson, Tulsa, West Virginia, Wheeling and Youngstown. He also led the Independence Day Concert with Peter Nero’s Philly Pops Orchestra and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic’s highly popular “Awesome Classics” series, as well as programs with Orquesta Filarmónica de Montevideo and Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra in China. No stranger to the lyric theater, Mr. Wilson has held the positions of Principal Conductor of South Carolina’s Opera Charleston and Music Director of the Ohio Light Opera and conducted performances at Spoleto Festival USA, Young Artists Opera Theater, College Light Opera, Canton Lyric Opera and Otterbein College Opera Theatre.

Mr. Wilson and his wife, Barbara Karam Wilson, Director of Corporate Tax for the White Castle System, reside in Westerville, Ohio. When not conducting, he enjoys traveling, golf and reading. He is also a wine enthusiast and an avid gourmet cook. Wilson and his wife also serve as staff for their two rescue kitties, Murphy and Smidgen.

Manami White, violin
Manami White has performed both nationally and internationally with orchestras, chamber ensembles, and in numerous recital settings. The Ohio Valley Symphony concertmaster also serves as concertmaster of the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, principal second violinist and personnel manager of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and is a founding member and associate artistic director of Collegium Cincinnati. In addition to performing, Manami is a member of the faculty at Xavier University.

Repertoire

The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Cultural & Performing Arts Centre and The Ohio Valley Symphony are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, Federal Tax ID# 31-1273779

Congratulations to Cindy Sexton, Executive Director of French Art Colony, the 2025 Maestro for a Moment! The Maestro for a Moment Fundraiser is one of the highlights of The Ohio Valley Symphony’s season for both audience and orchestra! Each season’s three candidates vie for the opportunity to conduct the orchestra during the The Christmas Show in a rousing rendition of Sleigh Ride! Thank you to this year’s candidates are Gallia Co. Prosecutor Jason Holdren; Peoples Bank Branch Manager Chris Nida; and French Art Colony Executive Director Cindy Sexton for making this year’s fundraiser a success.

Click “Read More” to learn more about our candidates!

Maestra Cindy Sexton, Exec. Director, French Art Colony

Cynthia (Cindy) Sexton, a native of Gallia County, effectively converted her creative passion into a prosperous career. As a thriving business owner for over four decades, she acquired an impressive array of credentials, including a PHD in the Helix haircutting system, a master’s degree in hair coloring , and an American and International board certification as a hair color specialist. Sexton also showcased her expertise as a performing hair color artist for Redken 5th Avenue, sharing her knowledge with salon professionals across the nation.

With a proven track record of dedication, performing in numerous plays, serving as a volunteer for the French Art Colony for over 20 years and as board chair for six years, Sexton’s appointment as Executive Director for the French Art Colony three years ago was a natural progression. Her unwavering ethics and genuine zeal for the arts made her an exceptional fit for the FAC, where she can harmoniously combine her fervor and profession once again. Sexton has headed fund raising events, organized physical improvements projects, scheduled exhibits and much more.

Sexton served on many boards through the years and enjoys giving back to her community. She was the MC for the Prom Fashion Show at the Ariel Opera House and has been a volunteer usher for numerous events. She served on the Gallipolis River Recreation Festival Queen Pageant committee, chairperson of the Emancipation and Bicentennial Queen pageants, traveled the tri-state area judging pageants, was a former Rotary member and is an active member of the Fellowship of Faith Church. In her free time, she enjoys riding Harley motorcycles with her husband and playing Texas Hold’em. She and her husband Richard have two married daughters and one granddaughter who loves the arts as much as her grandmother. She is pursuing a degree in musical theater and volunteers at the FAC. Grace could be the one to watch in the future as Maestro for the Moment.

Maestra Jason Holdren, Gallia County Prosecutor

Jason Holdren is the Prosecuting Attorney for Gallia County, Ohio. Holdren was elected in 2016 and took office in January of 2017. Holdren was reelected in 2020 and again in 2024. As prosecuting attorney, Holdren has worked closely with local law enforcement to combat the drug epidemic by holding traffickers accountable and providing rehabilitation options to those addicted. Holdren serves on the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association Legislative and Executive Committees, Ohio Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on Victim Services funding, Gallia County Community Improvement Corporation, and the Ariel Board of Directors as Vice President. Additionally, Holdren is an active member of the Gallia County HOPE Coalition and serves as a community mentor for local high school students. Holdren prioritizes working closely with local youth and school officials, always striving to support and strengthen the future of Gallia County.

Prior to being elected, Holdren served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Gallia and Vinton Counties as well as maintaining a private law practice. He is a graduate of Ohio Valley Christian School and went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Marshall University. Holdren received his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and is admitted to practice law in Ohio and West Virginia.

When not serving the community, Holdren enjoys spending time with his wife and children on their family farm in Crown City. Holdren is truly honored and appreciative of the position that the people of Gallia County have entrusted him.

Candidate Chris Nida, Branch Manager, Peoples Bank

My name is Chris Nida. I am 39 years old, and I am the branch manager at the local Peoples Bank of Gallipolis Ohio. I was born and raised in Gallia County and have been with Peoples Bank for 7 years. I am a River Valley Raider and University of Rio Grande Red Storm Alumni.

I am happily married to Beth Nida and have been for 15 years. I am a father to 3 beautiful children: Ella, Titus, and Tucker. I am proud to be apart of this community and I look forward to being a part of the upcoming Ariel Opera House event. I would appreciate your donations to help the Ariel Opera House as well as my chances of being your favorite maestro for one night.

Maestro Steven Huang’s annual Christmas Show on December 6 is a perennial favorite of audiences young and old with carols and songs both new and familiar. Tickets sell out fast so be sure to get yours soon. December is also our annual Maestro for a Moment FUNdraiser when community members vie for the chance to conduct the OVS in Sleigh Ride. Every dollar is a vote for your favorite candidate and helps support The Ohio Valley Symphony with your tax deductible donation.

Steven Huang, conductor
Maestro Steven Huang is thrilled to return to Southeastern Ohio to the podium of The Ohio Valley Symphony, a Christmas tradition since 2018.

Mr. Huang has conducted orchestras and operas across the country and around the world. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Huang served as Music Director of the Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard University, where he received his undergraduate degree. While at Harvard, Mr. Huang also directed the Lowell House Opera (the oldest continuously running opera company in New England). Recently, he successfully concluded a sixteen-year appointment as Associate Professor and Director of Orchestras at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he brought the program to new achievements, including earning competitive accolades and awards, through over 200 performances that included symphonic concerts, opera, musical theater, and Halloween pops.

Widely respected as a music educator and conducting pedagogue, Mr. Huang is the founder and director of International Conducting Masterclasses, Inc., which has trained scores of conductors over the last two decades. He is currently working on a book about conducting.

Mr. Huang has collaborated with orchestras including California, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Ohio, Haiti, Moldova, and Romania. He has held the position of Music Director of the University of Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Central Illinois Youth Symphony, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players of Chicago, and the Bradley University Orchestra. He has served as guest conductor with multiple appearances with Brasov Philharmonic, Romania, and the National Philharmonic of Moldova. In America, he has guest conducted professional ensembles such as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Shore Symphony in Illinois, and the Four Seasons Symphony in California.

Currently Mr. Huang serves as Music Director and Conductor of the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra in New York, Music Director of the Yale Medical School Orchestra, Music Director of the Norwalk Youth Concert Orchestra, as well as a board member of BLUME Haiti, which supports music education in Haiti.

Repertoire

Join us Nov. 1 for All Hallows’ Eve when Matthew Troy leads us in a musical celebration of All Saints Day with Wendel’s Ride of the Headless Horseman, Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette and Khachaturian’s Masquerade Suite and Borodin’s Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances as part of an evening of musical tricks and treats. Pianist Michael Chertock returns for Liszt’s Totentanz.

Matthew Troy, conductor
Matthew Troy was named Music Director and Conductor of the Western Piedmont Symphony (NC) in 2019. During this time, he has raised the profi le of the orchestra, increased the scope of the youth orchestra, created a vibrant pops series, increased the budget and sponsorships, formed new strategic partnerships, increased musician wages, and led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. Troy is a conductor with a mission to make classical music accessible to everyone and to program concerts that are meaningful, relevant, and artistically exceptional. He has conducted orchestras across the country, including the Sarasota Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Portland Symphony, Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Northern Lights Chamber Orchestra (AK), Oklahoma Virtuosi, University of North Carolina School of the Arts Symphony, Salisbury Symphony, and others.

Formerly, he served as the Associate Conductor with the Winston-Salem Symphony. From 2015 to 2020, Troy held the position of music director and conductor of the Piedmont Wind Symphony, where he transformed the ensemble into one of the leading professional wind ensembles in the country. Troy also served on the conducting staff of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic from 2010 to 2023, where he led over 200 performances with the orchestra on the Discovery Family Series, educational concerts, Carnegie Hall’s Link Up concerts, subscription concerts on the Classics and Pops Series and led many other outreach efforts.

Troy has collaborated with many internationally renowned composers and classical artists, such as Jennifer Koh, Midori, Tai Murray, Joe Lulloff , Kelly Hall-Tompkins, Jeff ery Biegel, Bryan Wallick, Wu Man, Anthony Dean Griff ey, Sidney Outlaw, Peter Boyer, Jerod Tate, Quinn Mason, Dan Perttu and pops artists such as Ben Folds, Boyz II Men, Pink Martini, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Doreen Ketchens, Judy Collins, Texas Tenors, Eileen Ivers, The Wailers, and others. As an educator, Troy has taught conducting on the faculties of Wake Forest University, UNC School of the Arts, UNC- Greensboro, and Cannon Music Camp.

Maestro Troy is known for innovative programming and partnerships, deep community involvement, and support for music education. He has long been an advocate for under-represented composers and new music including world premieres and new commissions. He is recognized for creating an instant rapport with both orchestras and audiences, and for his unique ability to make classical music engaging and relevant to today’s audiences. Troy has pushed boundaries through a number of fi lm and music projects. In April 2018, he created a program called Music Without Borders, which focused on the ongoing refugee crisis both locally and abroad. This concert included music and partnerships for many countries aff ected by these issues, including a partnership with World Relief and local interfaith groups. Troy has performed countless clinics supporting local music teachers, and created and funded outreach programs into local prison systems.

Troy is a passionate advocate for orchestral music and music education. As a viola/violin faculty member at the Music Academy of North Carolina, he received awards for excellence in teaching. Troy is a frequent conductor/clinician and has led numerous All-State and All-County clinics throughout the United States. Intermittently from 2015 – 2021, Troy served as conductor of the Cannon Music Camp, where he also played viola in the faculty string ensemble. One of Troy’s most creative projects at the Winston-Salem Symphony was an educational program that partnered the orchestra with a San Francisco-based nonprofi t organization called the African Library Project. This program, created in conjunction with the educational concert series and a corresponding short story competition, used music to focus on the importance of literacy both locally and abroad. Through this program, Troy raised over 50,000 books to start 50 new libraries for schools in Botswana, while allowing three students in Winston-Salem the opportunity to receive new instruments and music lessons. This program garnered national attention, and Troy was invited to lead a presentation on the project at the League of American Orchestras national conference.

Troy is an accomplished violist and has performed as assistant principal violist with Utah Festival Opera, and performed with Winston-Salem Symphony, Piedmont Opera, Piedmont Chamber Singers, Salem Bach Festival, and stays active with his string quartet. In addition, Troy has served as a judge for the Rosen-Schaff el Competition, the Charlotte Symphony’s Concerto Competition, UNC School of the Arts Concerto Competition, and the Peter Perret Youth Talent Search with the Winston-Salem Symphony.

Troy maintains an active guest conducting schedule and has previously competed in the Jordanian International Conducting Competition. Troy completed his master’s degree in orchestral conducting as a student of Maestro Robert Gutter and has studied at the prestigious Pierre Monteux School under Maestro Michael Jinbo and with renowned conducting pedagogues Maestro Gerard Schwarz and Maestro Kenneth Kiesler at the Conductors Retreat at Medomak. In addition to his conducting engagements, Troy keeps a very active schedule as a public speaker and is a member of the League of American Orchestras, and the Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Music Society, and he serves on the board of directors for Greensboro Opera. In his free time, he enjoys reading, studying new music, and traveling.

Michael Chertock, piano
Conductor and pianist Michael Chertock has fashioned a successful career as an orchestral soloist, collaborating with conductors such as James Conlon, Jaime Laredo, and Keith Lockhart.

His orchestral appearances include solo performances with, among others, The Philadelphia Orchestra, l’Orchestre Symphonique du Montreal, the Toronto Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic, the Dayton Philharmonic, and The Ohio Valley Symphony. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1999 with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, performing Duke Ellington’s New World A’Comin’.

Michael first performed publicly at the age of 11 and by age 17, he performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 with Andrew Litton. He has garnered numerous awards at major competitions, among them the top prize in the 1989 Joanna Hodges Int’l Piano Competition (Brahms Division) and the grand prize in the 1993 St. Charles International Piano Competition.

In 2005, Michael performed the world premiere of Jeux Deux, a work by Todd Machover commissioned by the Boston Pops Orchestra expressly for him. He recorded the piece in Denmark.

Michael released three CDs of his original arrangements entitled Cinematic Piano, Telarc: Palace of the Winds, Christmas at the Movies and Love At the Movies, which have been praised for their lush, original arrangements and exquisite technical facility.

In 2023 Michael was soloist for The Ohio Valley Symphony’s “American Rhapsody”, a musical journey of the greatest hits of the 1920’s when he performed a brand new orchestral arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue just in time for the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s masterpiece, available on CD and DVD.

Michael is the conductor of the Blue Ash-Montgomery Symphony, located in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio. When not on tour he also serves as principal keyboardist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In June of 2004 Mr. Chertock was appointed Assistant Professor of piano at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where he received his Master’s Degree as a student of Frank Weinstock.

Repertoire

The 2024-25 Ohio Valley Symphony season is almost upon us. Mark your calendars now and get your season tickets so you can experience the magic of music at every single one.

Internationally noted conductor, François López-Ferrer will be back on the Ariel Opera House stage as he leads the OVS through Double Delight on September 13 with Cincinnati Symphony’s principal cellist, Ilya Finkleshteyn  performing Brahms Double Concerto for violin and cello along with his violinist wife Evin Blomberg also a member of the CSO. The OVS will also perform Shostakovich’s cheeky and charming Symphony No. 9.

Join us Nov. 1 for All Hallows’ Eve when Matthew Troy leads us in a musical celebration of All Saints Day with Wendel’s Ride of the Headless Horseman, Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette and Khachaturian’s Masquerade Suite and Borodin’s Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances as part of an evening of musical tricks and treats. Pianist Michael Chertock returns for Liszt’s Totentanz.

Maestro Steven Huang’s annual Christmas Show on December 6 is a perennial favorite of audiences young and old with carols and songs both new and familiar. Tickets sell out fast so be sure to get yours soon. December is also our annual Maestro for a Moment FUNdraiser when community members vie for the chance to conduct the OVS in Sleigh Ride. Every dollar is a vote for your favorite candidate and helps support The Ohio Valley Symphony with your tax deductible donation.

Maestro Peter Stafford Wilson takes us to the British Isles for an evening of Celtic Dreams on March 21 with  an evening of music from Ireland, Scotland and England. Doreen Carwithen’s pastoral Suffolk Suite opens the program and Concertmaster Manami White performs Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending. The OVS offers up Malcolm Arnold’s Scottish Dances, Leroy Anderson’s Irish Suite and the evocative Shropshire Lad by George Butterworth.

People everywhere will be celebrating America’s 250th birthday in 2026 and the OVS has commissioned Tim Berens to write a special selection celebrating the life of Harriet Tubman for a performance on April 25. Tim’s poignant arrangement of Amazing Grace that was recently featured at the grand re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral will be sung on the Ariel stage by vocalist Mandy Gaines along with other selections as part of the nation’s festivities. Be a part of the creation of another live recording for later release on American Public Television.

Every concert ticket includes a 6:45 p.m. Pre-concert Chat on the 3rd floor with the Maestro and soloist of the evening as well as a Post Concert Reception for you to meet the artists.  Subscribers can print the form below and mail to the Ariel Opera House or call the box office. Purchase your season subscription now so you won’t miss a single one!

Our 2025-26 Season Brochure will be available soon for download! 

In these times of uncertainty, concert dates and location may be subject to change. Please watch the website for the latest news.

The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Cultural & Performing Arts Centre and The Ohio Valley Symphony are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, Federal Tax ID# 31-1273779

Max Bruch’s Concerto for Clarinet and Viola will feature two OVS members, Laura Sabo on clarinet and Bernard Di Gregorio on viola, in Romantic Spring. Maestro Scott Woodward leads the orchestra in African-American composer William Grant Still’s Woodnotes, Howard Hansen’s Symphony No. 2, the “Romantic,” and other selections.

Dr. Scott E. Woodard, conductor
Dr. Scott E. Woodard was born in Huntington, WV and is proud to be a life-long West Virginian. He is the Music Director of the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra in Hamilton, Ohio, the Founding Music Director of the West Virginia State Philharmonic Orchestra of Charleston, WV, the Principal Guest Conductor of the Rimini Chamber Orchestra in Rimini, Italy, and the former Cover Conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. His primary teachers were Dr. Leonid Korchmar of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Music and the Mariinsky Theatre and Dr. Oleg Proskuryna. Scott is the recipient of First Prizes at the International Conductor’s Workshop Competition (Macon, GA) and the International Academy of Advanced Conducting (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation).

A product of the public schools in Cabell County, Scott picked up the trumpet in the sixth-grade band. He is a proud Son of Marshall, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. During those MU years, Scott began his study of orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Dr. Paul Balshaw. In 2014, he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University, where his dissertation explored the importance of the Leningrad School of conducting and its founder Ilya Musin.

Scott lives in Scott Depot with his wife Nafi, a family physician, and their son, Gabriel, a trumpet player just like his dad, and a new baby daughter, Gabriella! His hobbies include playing horrible golf, and trying to figure out how to work on his vintage 1970 Volkswagen Beetle.

Laura Sabo, clarinet
Laura Sabo is a Cincinnati based clarinetist and bass clarinetist. She plays principle clarinet with The Ohio Valley Symphony, Queen City Opera, and Butler Philharmonic. Laura is a regular member of the Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing often with regional groups such as West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also the clarinetist for School House Symphony, a group of six professional musicians that perform educational concerts in the greater Cincinnati area.

Laura received her BM from The Ohio State University, met MM from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and her DMA from CCM/UC. Her teachers include James Pyne, Franklin Cohen and Linnea Nereim of the Cleveland Orchestra, Ron de Kant, Steve Cohen, and Ron Aufmann of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Laura is a founding member of the woodwind quintet Wayside Winds, and has been a featured soloist with concert:nova. She loves performing and teaching music, being outside, and animals, especially her two cats.

Bernard Di Gregorio, viola
Bernard Di Gregorio holds the position of Principal Viola of the West Virginia Symphony. He also performs with the Ohio Valley Symphony and the River Cities Symphony and has been the violist of the Montclaire String Quartet.

During the summer months he is the Principal Viola with the New Hampshire Music Festival where he also participates in chamber music programs. Mr. Di Gregorio has also been Principal Viola with the Roanoke (VA) Symphony for over 20 seasons before resigning, has been a member of the Alabama Symphony and also performs occasionally in the viola section of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He has studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Longy School of Music where his principal instructor was George Neikrug.

Mr. Di Gregorio has appeared as soloist with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra on occasion and more recently with the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra in Hamilton, OH.

Although very busy as an orchestral/chamber musician and teacher he also performed with several chamber duos including DUO VIANNO, a viola and piano duet, and the DI GREGORIO/ALVES DUO with guitarist Dr. Júlio Ribeiro Alves, giving performances throughout the Ohio Valley and West Virginia areas. Duo Vianno has used concert performances as fund raisers for community programs such as the West Virginia Youth Orchestra and the KUPC Hospitality Dinner to help feed those in need.

As a composer he has had his Symphony for String Orchestra performed by the Seneca Chamber Orchestra in Charleston, WV and Scenes From the Old Country- Four Pictures for Cello and Piano composed for and performed by his wife and cellist, Andrea, at the New Hampshire Music Festival. At the behest of the Montclaire String Quartet has also arranged his Love Letters, Seven Miniatures for Piano for string quartet and was performed by Montclaire.

As well as a busy performer, Mr. Di Gregorio is also an Artist-in-Residence with the West Virginia Symphony/ Kanawha County Schools String Program through which he teaches string classes to beginning string students in grade four through eighth grade ensembles and is active as a coach for the West Virginia Youth Symphony program.

Internationally noted conductor, François López-Ferrer will be back on the Ariel Opera House stage as he leads the OVS through Double Delight on September 13 with Cincinnati Symphony’s principal cellist, Ilya Finkleshteyn  performing Brahms Double Concerto for violin and cello along with his violinist wife Evin Blomberg also a member of the CSO. The OVS will also perform Shostakovich’s cheeky and charming Symphony No. 9.

François López-Ferrer, conductor
Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer currently serves as Resident Conductor of the Académie of the Opéra de Paris. Former Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and May Festival, and a 2021-22’ Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, López-Ferrer stepped in for Louis Langrée with the CSO in January of 2022 for the US premiere of Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto with Nicola Benedetti to great critical acclaim.

López-Ferrer has made brilliant debuts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orquesta Nacional de España, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Opéra de Lausanne, Orquesta deValencia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, and Pasadena Symphony, and was featured in the 2022 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview with Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. He previously served as Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile and Principal Conductor of the Ballet Nacional Chileno.

Upcoming highlights include debuts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and Tucson Symphony, as well as return engagements to the Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Pasadena Symphony, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, and Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile.

An inaugural apprentice of the Verbier Festival’s 2018 Conductor Mentorship Program, López-Ferrer made a last-minute critically-acclaimed debut with the Verbier Festival Orchestra jumping in for Iván Fischer in a shared program with Sir Simon Rattle and Gábor Takács-Nagy. He was recipient of a Career Assistance Award from the Solti Foundation U.S., winner of the inaugural 2015 Neeme Järvi Prize awarded at the Menuhin-Gstaad Festival, and a previous member of the Deutsche Dirigentenforum.

López-Ferrer holds a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne and a bachelor’s in Composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Evin Blomberg, violin
Praised for her “virtuoso technique” and “commanding musical presence”, violinist Evin Blomberg has performed on stages around the world. Recently, Evin received the Bronze Award at the 2022 Singapore International Music Competition, and was a Laureate at the 2021 International Chicago Violin Competition. She has also previously won prizes in competitions including 4th Prize at the International Irving M. Klein String Competition in 2016, 2nd Prize at the Schmidbauer International Competition in 2013, 1st Prize at the Korea Times Competition in the United States in 2007, and was also a competitor at the 8th International Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna, Austria.

At the age of 15, Evin Blomberg was accepted into the studio of Robert Lipsett at The Colburn School Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, where she received both a Bachelor of Music degree and Artist Diploma. Evin then went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music in New York as a student of Pinchas Zukerman, and received a Master of Music degree in the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program. In addition to her music education, Evin has received certifications from The Wharton School Online (Leadership and Management Certificate Program) and The YWCA Rising Star Leadership Program (Board and Equity Leader Certification).

In 2021, Evin received a Next Up Alumni Recital Series Grant from The Colburn School to record, edit, and produce a digital recital in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Available on YouTube, the recital (titled “Solo”) is an example of Evin’s passion for performance. The following year, Evin received a second Next Up Alumni Grant together with cellist Natalie Helm. Evin and Natalie formed the duo “DuoSkope” following their years together at The Colburn School, and the grant allowed for them to join forces again and present a recital on campus in Thayer Hall. Prior to the pandemic, Evin has performed recitals throughout Southern California, New York, and Florida, and was featured in performances hosted by the American Fine Arts Festival in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and solo performances around the Bay Area by the Steinway Society and Insight Chamber Players.

Before joining the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Evin was based in London, England, where she performed in the violin sections of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra. While working in London, Evin went on several performance tours, including London Philharmonic tours to Taiwan, China, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States, and also participated in the Glyndebourne Opera Festival and recording sessions at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.

Evin plays on a 1772 Joseph Gagliano violin.

Ilya Finkelshteyn, cello
Ilya Finkelshteyn was praised by the Washington Post as a “complete master of his instrument,” and has performed throughout the United State, Canada, Europe and Japan. He has appeared as soloist with the Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit, Mostly Mozart and many other world class orchestras, including the National Repertory Orchestra. He is a prize winner of numerous competitions including the Concertino Praga, Russian Cello Competition, the WAMSO International Competition, Aspen Concerto Competition, and Chautauqua Concerto Competition.

As a winner of the Juilliard Concerto Competition, Ilya was a soloist with the Juilliard Orchestra on its tours to France and Bermuda.

Currently Ilya is principal cellist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and prior to that he was principal cellist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Cello at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He started his education at the Special Music School at the St. Petersburg Conservatory before immigrating to the United States where he studied at the University of Minnesota and the Julliard School.

Ilya plays a cello by Domenico Montagnana circa 1730 courtesy of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.  He actively maintains a YouTube channel which includes performance videos of his own musical adaptations, @IlyaFinkelshteyn.

Repertoire

Daring Dances will move you with a selection of dazzling dance music under the baton of conductor Michael Chertock leading the OVS through Ravel’s La Valse and Bolero. Even more dazzling, Michael will also be the piano soloist on Leroy Anderson’s Piano Concerto. Talk about multi-tasking! This concert is sponsored In Memory of Clare E. Gettles.

Michael Chertock, conductor & pianist
Conductor and pianist Michael Chertock has fashioned a successful career as an orchestral soloist, collaborating with conductors such as James Conlon, Jaime Laredo, and Keith Lockhart.

His orchestral appearances include solo performances with, among others, The Philadelphia Orchestra, l’Orchestre Symphonique du Montreal, the Toronto Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic, the Dayton Philharmonic, and The Ohio Valley Symphony. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1999 with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, performing Duke Ellington’s New World A’Comin’.

Michael first performed publicly at the age of 11 and by age 17, he performed the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 with Andrew Litton. He has garnered numerous awards at major competitions, among them the top prize in the 1989 Joanna Hodges Int’l Piano Competition (Brahms Division) and the grand prize in the 1993 St. Charles International Piano Competition.

In 2005, Michael performed the world premiere of Jeux Deux, a work by Todd Machover commissioned by the Boston Pops Orchestra expressly for him. He recorded the piece in Denmark.

Michael released three CDs of his original arrangements entitled Cinematic Piano, Telarc: Palace of the Winds, Christmas at the Movies and Love At the Movies, which have been praised for their lush, original arrangements and exquisite technical facility.

In 2023 Michael was soloist for The Ohio Valley Symphony’s “American Rhapsody”, a musical journey of the greatest hits of the 1920’s when he performed a brand new orchestral arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue just in time for the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s masterpiece, available on CD and DVD.

Michael is the conductor of the Blue Ash-Montgomery Symphony, located in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio. When not on tour he also serves as principal keyboardist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In June of 2004 Mr. Chertock was appointed Assistant Professor of piano at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, where he received his Master’s Degree as a student of Frank Weinstock.

Congratulations to our 2024 Maestra for a Moment Teresa Ford!
And thank you to all of our candidates and patrons for your support!

The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Cultural & Performing Arts Centre and The Ohio Valley Symphony are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, Federal Tax ID# 31-1273779

Learn more about our candidates by clicking “Read More”

The Ohio Valley Symphony’s annual Maestro for a Moment Fundraiser is one of the highlights of the season for both audience and orchestra! Each season three candidates vie for the opportunity to conduct the orchestra during the The Christmas Show on December 7th 2024, in a rousing rendition of Sleigh Ride! Thank you to this year’s candidates are attorney Teresa Ford; Rivers Health CFO Russell Henchey; and local businessman Arun Sharma.

Maestra Teresa Ford, Attorney at Law

2024’s Maestra for a Moment TERESA FORD, a native of Gallipolis, graduated from Gallia Academy in 1981.  A French horn student of Rodney Tolliver’s and a piano student of her mother’s, the legendary teacher Marion Ford, Teresa pursued a career in music beginning at The Ohio State University under the tutelage of James Jones.  A ten year symphonic career followed upon her receipt of a Bachelor’s of Music Degree in French Horn Performance and a degree in law thereafter.  Teresa has been a practicing lawyer for 32 years, but has never lost her love of the arts, most specifically symphonic music.

Teresa’s mother, Marion, was instrumental in bringing the Ariel Theater to life.  A fifty year resident of Gallipolis, Mrs. Ford taught hundreds of piano students throughout her time in the French City.  Her fierce commitment to music education resulted in many arts initiatives in Gallia County including the touring Community Concerts series and the Ariel.  Her love of music was instilled in Teresa at an early age and she supported every musical endeavor that her head strong daughter wished to pursue (along with the horn, Teresa was a jazz singer for nearly 25 years; not exactly what her Julliard trained mother had in mind).  Teresa credits her mother’s talent, brilliance and unmatched intellect with the long and fulfilling musical career that Teresa enjoyed.

While Teresa studied conducting for one quarter with the renowned conductor Craig Kirchoff (she claims to have gotten an A, but as of press time this assertion cannot be confirmed), she doesn’t remember a thing about it! Her goal of being chosen as the Maestro for a Moment is to raise as much money as she can to support the Ariel Theater’s important and singular work in Gallia County.  It would make her mother proud and it would be one of the most important things she has ever accomplished in her careers as both a musician and an attorney. 

Candidate Russell Henchey, CFO Rivers Health

Russell Henchey, CPA, loves his community.  He’s a familiar face at various community events and functions where he’s on hand to help with raffles, golf outings, festivals, or sporting events where he volunteers when he isn’t working. Russell is Chief Financial Officer at Rivers Health.

If you’ve ever met Russell, you know he loves to have fun!  You may also notice that he doesn’t have a musical bone in his body.  His wife Jenny (who does have musical bones) is already working with him so he can be the best Maestro for a Moment The Ohio Valley Symphony and audience at the historic Ariel Opera House has ever seen!  (Well, at least since the last Maestro for a Moment competition).

What Russell lacks in rhythm, he makes up for in heart.  His fun loving nature is contagious, along with his generosity – which is why Russell is competing for donations to the OVS to receive the honor of being named the 2024 Maestro for a Moment.

Candidate Arun Sharma, Gallipolis Businessman

I’m Arun Sharma, and I’ve proudly called Gallipolis home for over a decade.  Throughout my life, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the Ariel Opera House several times, each experience leaving me in awe of its presence and the magic it brings to our community.

From the first time I stepped into the beautifully restored building, I was captivated by its rich history and stunning architecture.  The moment I took my seat and the lights dimmed, I felt a palpable excitement in the air.  Whether it was a breathtaking orchestral concert by The Ohio Valley Symphony or an engaging theater production, each performance reminded me of the incredible talent we have right here in Gallipolis.

I may not have a formal background in music, but my appreciation for the arts has grown immensely through these visits.  The Ariel is more than just a venue; it’s a place where stories come to life, and the shared experience of live performance fosters a sense of community that is truly special.

I’m also happily married and have two young children.  Recently, my eldest started taking piano classes at the theater, which has been a wonderful way for our family to connect with the arts in a more personal way.  Watching them explore their creativity and develop a love for music fills me with joy.

When I’m not enjoying performances at the Ariel or supporting my children’s musical journey, I love exploring the beautiful trails around Gallipolis and trying new recipes in my kitchen.  The moments spent at the Ariel Opera House resonate deeply with me, inspiring my love for creativity and connection.  I’m grateful to have such a vibrant cultural gem in our town, one that continues to unite and inspire us all.

The Ohio Valley Symphony’s annual Christmas Show is a perennial favorite to set the tone for the holiday season. Always on the first Saturday in December, Maestro Steven Huang selects an enticing blend of musical holiday treats. Also featured is our annual fundraiser Maestro for a Moment when you’ll want to join in the fun and donate for your chosen candidate. Subscribers, be sure to purchase extra subscriber-discounted tickets for friends and family with your season subscriptions, this concert sells out early!

Steven Huang, conductor
Maestro Steven Huang is thrilled to return to Southeastern Ohio to the podium of The Ohio Valley Symphony, a Christmas tradition since 2018.

Mr. Huang has conducted orchestras and operas across the country and around the world. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Huang served as Music Director of the Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard University, where he received his undergraduate degree. While at Harvard, Mr. Huang also directed the Lowell House Opera (the oldest continuously running opera company in New England). Recently, he successfully concluded a sixteen-year appointment as Associate Professor and Director of Orchestras at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he brought the program to new achievements, including earning competitive accolades and awards, through over 200 performances that included symphonic concerts, opera, musical theater, and Halloween pops.

Widely respected as a music educator and conducting pedagogue, Mr. Huang is the founder and director of International Conducting Masterclasses, Inc., which has trained scores of conductors over the last two decades. He is currently working on a book about conducting.

Mr. Huang has collaborated with orchestras including California, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Ohio, Haiti, Moldova, and Romania. He has held the position of Music Director of the University of Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Central Illinois Youth Symphony, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players of Chicago, and the Bradley University Orchestra. He has served as guest conductor with multiple appearances with Brasov Philharmonic, Romania, and the National Philharmonic of Moldova. In America, he has guest conducted professional ensembles such as the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Shore Symphony in Illinois, and the Four Seasons Symphony in California.

Currently Mr. Huang serves as Music Director and Conductor of the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra in New York, Music Director of the Yale Medical School Orchestra, Music Director of the Norwalk Youth Concert Orchestra, as well as a board member of BLUME Haiti, which supports music education in Haiti.

Repertoire

West Virginia native and Cincinnati Symphony violinist Charles Morey will perform the Suite for Violin and Orchestra by African-American composer William Grant Still.  The OVS will play Brahms Symphony No. 2, Op. 73 under the direction of Maestro Scott E. Woodard.  What could be better!

Dr. Scott E. Woodard, conductor
Maestro Dr. Scott E. Woodard was born in Huntington, WV and is proud to be a life-long West Virginian. He is the Music Director of the Butler Philharmonic Orchestra in Hamilton, Ohio, the Founding Music Director of the West Virginia State Philharmonic Orchestra of Charleston, WV, the Principal Guest Conductor of the Rimini Chamber Orchestra in Rimini, Italy, and the former Cover Conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. His primary teachers were Dr. Leonid Korchmar of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory of Music and the Mariinsky Theatre and Dr. Oleg Proskuryna. Scott is the recipient of First Prizes at the International Conductor’s Workshop Competition (Macon, GA) and the International Academy of Advanced Conducting (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation).

A product of the public schools in Cabell County, Scott picked up the trumpet in the sixth-grade band. He is a proud Son of Marshall, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees. During those MU years, Scott began his study of orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Dr. Paul Balshaw. In 2014, he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University, where his dissertation explored the importance of the Leningrad School of conducting and its founder Ilya Musin.

Scott lives in Scott Depot with his wife Nafi, a family physician, and their son, Gabriel, a trumpet player just like his dad, and a new baby daughter, Gabriella! His hobbies include playing horrible golf, and trying to figure out how to work on his vintage 1970 Volkswagen Beetle.

Charles Morey, violin
Charles Morey was born in Fayetteville, West Virginia and began playing the violin at the age of two. Leading a diverse musical life as violinist, composer, arranger, teacher, and YouTube artist, he has concertized extensively throughout the USA, Europe, and Asia. As soloist he has appeared with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, International Baroque Soloists, Lexington Bach Festival Orchestra, and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Charles has performed as concertmaster with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and many others. Highlights of his career as a composer include a Kennedy Center performance of his work, Images for violin and piano, a premiere of Circles by students from Cleveland School of the Arts, and touring performances of his own set of variations on the tune Wondrous Love with the WV Symphony Orchestra. Recent honors include the premiere of A Day at a Time by Caroline Shaw and premiere recording of Toft Serenade by Augusta Read Thomas.

Mr. Morey received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He was chosen to study orchestral leadership at the Music Academy of the West under the San Diego Symphony. He has served as Acting Associate Concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and is currently playing in the first violin section and performs regularly with the Cleveland Orchestra.

Find Charles on YouTube @charlesmoreyviolin

Repertoire

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better The Ohio Valley Symphony’s 35^th Season will present five concerts with five scintillating soloists and five fascinating guest conductors – well, six if you count our annual “Maestro for a Moment” winner!

Coming to us straight from the Hollywood Bowl, François López-Ferrer returns to the podium for a Fabulously French program on September 7th featuring the Cincinnati Symphony’s principal clarinetist Christopher Pell. Chris is performing the seldom heard and absolutely delightful Clarinet Concerto by Jean Francaix and the orchestra presents Ravel’s Ma Mere L’Oye (Mother Goose Suite) along with other selections.

The Enchantress Carline Waugh joins conductor Peter Stafford-Wilson on October 12th for a marvelous evening of vocal music by George Gershwin, Victor Herbert and Gian Carlo Menotti. Carline’s enchanting voice will beguile you in this evening of song.

The Ohio Valley Symphony’s annual Christmas Show is a perennial favorite to set the tone for the holiday season. On December 7th Maestro Steven Huang selects an enticing blend of musical holiday treats.  Also featured is our annual fundraiser Maestro for a Moment when you’ll want to join in the fun and donate for your chosen candidate. Subscribers, be sure to purchase tickets for friends and family with your subscriptions, this concert sells out early!

Daring Dances on March 15th will move you with a selection of dazzling dance music under the baton of conductor Michael Chertock leading the OVS through Ravel’s La Valse and Bolero. Even more dazzling, Michael will also be the piano soloist on Leroy Anderson’s Piano Concerto. Talk about multi-tasking! This concert is sponsored In Memory of Clare E. Gettles.

Max Bruch’s Concerto for Clarinet and Viola will feature two OVS members, Laura Sabo on clarinet and Bernard Di Gregorio on viola, in Romantic Spring on April 26th. Maestro Scott Woodward leads the orchestra in African-American composer William Grant Still’s Woodnotes, Howard Hansen’s Symphony No. 2, the “Romantic,” and other selections.

Every concert ticket includes a 6:45 p.m. Pre-concert Chat on the 3rd floor with the Maestro and soloist of the evening as well as a Post Concert Reception for you to meet the artists.  Purchase your season subscription now so you won’t miss a single one!

Download our 2024-25 Season Brochure will be available soon! 

In these times of uncertainty, concert dates and location may be subject to change. Please watch the website for the latest news.

The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Cultural & Performing Arts Centre and The Ohio Valley Symphony are 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, Federal Tax ID# 31-1273779

Coming to us straight from the Hollywood Bowl, François López-Ferrer returns to the podium for a Fabulously French program featuring the Cincinnati Symphony’s principal clarinetist Christopher Pell. Chris is performing the seldom heard and absolutely delightful Clarinet Concerto by Jean Francaix and the orchestra presents Ravel’s Ma Mere L’Oye (Mother Goose Suite) along with other selections.

François López-Ferrer, conductor
Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer currently serves as Resident Conductor of the Académie of the Opéra de Paris. Former Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and May Festival, and a 2021-22’ Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, López-Ferrer stepped in for Louis Langrée with the CSO in January of 2022 for the US premiere of Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto with Nicola Benedetti to great critical acclaim.

This season López-Ferrer has made brilliant debuts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orquesta Nacional de España, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Opéra de Lausanne, Orquesta deValencia, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, and Pasadena Symphony, and was featured in the 2022 Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview with Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. He previously served as Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile and Principal Conductor of the Ballet Nacional Chileno.

Upcoming highlights include debuts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and Tucson Symphony, as well as return engagements to the Orquesta Sinfónica Radio Televisión Española, Pasadena Symphony, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, and Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile.

An inaugural apprentice of the Verbier Festival’s 2018 Conductor Mentorship Program, López-Ferrer made a last-minute critically-acclaimed debut with the Verbier Festival Orchestra jumping in for Iván Fischer in a shared program with Sir Simon Rattle and Gábor Takács-Nagy. He was recipient of a Career Assistance Award from the Solti Foundation U.S., winner of the inaugural 2015 Neeme Järvi Prize awarded at the Menuhin-Gstaad Festival, and a previous member of the Deutsche Dirigentenforum.

López-Ferrer holds a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne and a bachelor’s in Composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Christoper Pell, clarinet
Christopher Pell is the Principal Clarinetist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Second Clarinetist of The Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, and the former Principal Clarinetist of The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Christopher has performed with The Toronto Symphony, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Knights, The Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería (Mexico City), The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, The Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, and The American Ballet Theatre. He appeared as a soloist with The Cincinnati Symphony, The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, The U.S. Army Band at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fischer Hall, and The Long Island Sound Symphony. He has also won first prize in the Vandoren Emerging Artists Competition.

As a chamber musician, Christopher often performs with the Linton Chamber Music Series and has performed with Concert Nova, the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, Twickenham Fest, Lyrica Baroque, The Orlando Chamber Soloists, the Luzerne Chamber Music Festival, NOLA 360, and the Lake George Music Festival. Also, he has givenrecitals and masterclasses at The University of Miami (OH) and the University of South Carolina. Christopher teaches at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music, has taught at the Interlochen Arts Camp and the University of New Orleans. Christopher graduated from The Juilliard School in 2013 and has twice been a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. Christopher is a performing artist for Yamaha and Vandoren and is also a board member for Lyrica Baroque.