Letter from the Department
Welcome to this concert presentation by the Music Program in the Department of Performing Arts. We are delighted to have the wonderful support of great families and friends. A very special welcome goes out to our visitors from the community who may not have any affiliation to our students, and simply come to hear spectacular musical performances by these talented student musicians. We hope everyone in our audience is pleased with the musical selections; and proud of the achievement of the students involved.
The students you will hear at this performance are not music majors. They do this for their love of music and dedicate their time and energy to cultivating their passion for this art form. They are as dedicated to their studies and career pursuits as they are to this intrinsic passion they have within them. The program is fortunate to have a bounty of students with this yearning. We would not exist without them!
The Music Program and Department of Performing Arts is dedicated to providing robust opportunities in the performing arts while students are at Drexel. Our goal is to provide a positive and supportive environment for our students. It is our hope that students and audiences alike feel they are represented in the selections being performed. The human connection is most important to us all.
Thank you for attending this performance. Being here is the greatest show of support for the students, the Music Program, and the Department of Performing Arts. Thanks to the dedicated leadership of the faculty ensemble directors and staff, we are pleased to present you with the following program.
Sincerely,
Luke Abruzzo, Music Program Director Miriam Giguere, PhD, Department Head, Performing Arts
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the members of DUSO for their work, their dedication, and their collective and individual pursuit of excellence.
Sincere thanks to
Dr. Miriam Giguere (Performing Arts Department Head),
Luke Abruzzo (Music Program Director),
Lauren Tracy (Performing Arts Ensemble Associate),
Ellie Ebby (Performing Arts Department Coordinative Administrator),
Hannah Burke (Performing Arts Department Administrator), and Elisha Robinson (Performing Arts Department Graduate Assistant) for their valuable support and guidance.
About the Ensemble
The Drexel University Symphony Orchestra (DUSO) is a full symphony orchestra comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, all of whom are non-music majors. Admission is by audition. DUSO rehearses and performs works from the great lexicon of orchestral music. Recent concerts have included Sibelius Symphony No. 2; Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor"); Britten Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra; Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations; and Shostakovitch Symphony No. 5. Guest soloists have included David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra; Matthew Gallagher, principal trumpet with Philly POPS; international piano soloist Marcantonio Barone; and members of the Philly POPS performing with DUSO in a side-by-side concert of pop and movie music.
Drexel University Symphony Orchestra rehearses once a week (Wednesday, 7:00 PM – 9:50 PM) and performs one concert at the end of fall, winter, and spring terms.
About the Concert
The Drexel University Symphony Orchestra invites you to step beyond the concert hall and into the visceral world of the operatic stage. Our program explores three fundamental elements of the human experience: the wonder of Fantasy, the depth of Passion, and the driving force of Ritual.
I. Fantasy
We begin with the Overture to Mozart's The Magic Flute. This is music of the "High Fantasy" tradition—a world of enchanted instruments, trials of wisdom, and Masonic mystery. Mozart's brilliance lies in his ability to weave complex, intellectual fugues into a tapestry of pure, whimsical magic, setting the stage for a journey into the extraordinary.
II. Passion
The heart of our program turns inward to the intensity of human emotion. In Puccini's Nessun Dorma (arranged for string orchestra), we find the ultimate expression of longing and latenight resolve; the strings capture the breathtaking vulnerability of a soul awaiting the dawn. This journey continues through Bizet's Carmen Suite No. 2, where we encounter the sun-drenched, dangerous Passion of Seville. These movements—Habanera, Chanson du Toréador, and Danse Bohème—transition us from quiet intimacy to a fiery, unbridled spirit.
About the Concert
III. Ritual
We conclude with the ancient and the intoxicating: Saint-Saëns' Danse Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah. This is music of pure Ritual. Built on hypnotic Middle Eastern scales and a relentless, driving pulse, the Bacchanale depicts a wild, ceremonial celebration. It is a virtuosic display of orchestral color that demands raw energy and collective precision, bringing our evening to a thunderous, ritualistic climax.
Performed without intermission, tonight's concert is a continuous exploration of these three realms. We invite you to lose yourself in the magic, feel the weight of the Passion, and succumb to the rhythm of the Ritual.
Program
The Drexel University Symphony Orchestra
Director: Anita Pisano
Overture to ----------------
The Magic Flute, K. 620
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Carmen Suite No. 2 ----------------------
Georges Bizet
VII. Habanera
IX. Chanson du Toréador
XI. Danse Bohème “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot --(arr. Elaine Fine) Giacomo Puccini
"Danse Bacchanale" ------------from Samson and Dalilah Camille Saint-Saëns
Ensemble Members
Violin I
*Sofia Arastu
Tiffany Lin
Donovan Dolan
Anna Namur
Hailey Mak
Violin II
*Jeremy Ashley
Cina Ha
Sam Waldman
Katie Yarrish
Viola
*Emma Kallenberg
Shreya Tammana
Cello
*Esther Lee
Carter Milhollen
Nathanael Goellner
Bass
*Jerome Kim
Andre Charpentier
Flute I
Ranica Levin
Flute II
Fred Geiersbach
Oboe I
Steven Liu
Oboe II
Jillian Fetro
Clarinet I
Devin Casas
Clarinet II
Katherine Wolfe
Matt Vice
Bassoon I
Julia McDonnell
Bassoon II
Rick Barrantes Aguero
Designations
*Section Leader
Ensemble Members
Horn I (SAX)
Cole Yacono
Horn II
Anthonie Ramos
Horn III
Heidi Lucas
Horn IV
Melanie Robinson
Trumpet I
Ethan King
Trumpet II
Bianne Borden
Trombone II
Brett Sliferi
Trombone III
Andrew Cox
Tuba
Ryan Miller
Percussion
Loretta St. Andre
Esme Smith-Pohl
Alexis Reichardt
Jason Adams
Harp
Rebecca Simpson
Trombone I
Leandro Lucas
Bruce Tychinski
Designations
*Section Leader
Anita T. Pi DUSO Conductor
an
Anita T. Pisano currently serves as the Director of the Drexel University Sympho Orchestra (DUSO), where she brings a dynamic and narrative-driven approach the podium. Since taking leadership of th ensemble, Ms. Pisano has focused on expanding the orchestra’s artistic reach, curating inclusive programs that bridge th gap between symphonic tradition and operatic drama. Her work with DUSO is characterized by a commitment to musica excellence and a high-energy environme that empowers student musicians. A pillar of the Delaware music community, Ms. Pisano brings decades of experience from the Brandywine School District, where she transformed a small itinerant setup into a flourishing string program of over 200 students. Her career is marked by a proven track record of expansion and excellence, most notably by founding and directing an elite ensemble that culminated in a historic 50-member performance at Carnegie Hall. Beyond her work with the standard repertoire, Ms. Pisano is a dedicated advocate for contemporary music and for expanding the string library. She has significantly contributed to the field by commissioning several new works for string orchestra, giving her students a unique opportunity to engage in the creative process and to premiere fresh, modern compositions.ads. Through her dual roles in collegiate and public education, she remains a driving force in the musical landscapes of Philadelphia and Delaware.
Anita T. Pisano
DUSO Conductor and Music Director
Ms. Pisano’s le classroom and the stage. A staunch advocate for arts education, she has served as a Delaware State Representative for the American String Teachers Association, as Chair of the Delaware All-State Orchestra from 2009 to 2013, and now serves as the Mentor Chair for the Delaware Music Educator Association for northern Delaware.
At Drexel, Ms. Pisano continues her legacy of mentorship, spearheading modern engagement strategies and nurturing the growth of the symphony's strings, winds, and percussion. She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.), an expertise she utilizes to build student retention and foster a lifelong love of music in every performer she leads. Through her dual roles in collegiate and public education, she remains a driving force in the musical landscapes of Philadelphia and Delaware.
Drexel offers four different music minors:
Music: requires 26 credits, including work in Music Theory, History, private lessons, ensemble performance, and 9 credits of music electives.
Music Theory and Composition: aimed at people who are writing their own music or who would like to begin doing so. You will take courses in Music Theory, Arranging, Composition, and Digital Composition, and end with a portfolio of several completed pieces.
Music Performance: requires two years of private lesson studies with our artist faculty culminating in a recital. The Music Program will provide support for the recital venue and accompanist.
Jazz & African-American Music: includes course work in Jazz History, African-American Music, Jazz Theory, private study in Jazz performance, and ensemble work in several ensembles devoted to jazz.
Support Great Performance
Dance, Music, and Theatre are a vital, central part of the Drexel academia and student life. Donations support performing arts ensembles and programs, as well as the operation of our performing arts venues, including the Mandell Theater and URBN Annex Black Box Theater.
Drexel University Department of Performing Arts Staff
Department Head
Dr. Miriam Giguere
Program Directors Luke Abruzzo
Music
Nick Anselmo Theatre
Jennifer Morley Dance
Administrative Staff
Ellie Ebby Administrative Coordinator
Hannah Burke Department Administrator
Caroline Leipf
Mandell Theater Managing Director
Elisha Robinson
Performing Arts Graduate Assistant
Liv Shoup
Audience Services Coordinator
Lauren Tracy
Ensemble Production Associate
Production Staff
Paul Jerue
Theatre Production Manager/Black Box Theater Technical Director
Asaki Kuruma
Costume Shop Manager
Chris Totora
Mandell Theater Technical Director
Upcoming Performing Arts Events
GOSPEL CHOIR SPRING CONCERT
June 6, 2026 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
ALL-COLLEGE CHOIR & CHAMBER BRASS AND WINDS CONCERT
June 6, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
UNIVERSITY CHORUS & CHAMBER SINGERS SPRING CONCERT
June 7, 2026 | 3:00 PM | Main Auditorium
CONCERT BAND SPRING CONCERT
June 7, 2026 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
Learn more about our upcoming events: drexel.edu/performingarts
