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
The Drexel Fusion Band and Drexel Rock Ensemble would like to thank everyone in the Performing Arts office: Ellie Ebby, Hannah Burke, Elisha Robinson, Lauren Tracy, and our fearless leaders, Luke Abruzzo & Dr. Miriam Giguere.
Drexel Performing Arts would like to thank Senior Vice President for Student Success, Dr. Subir Sahu, for his continued support of Performing Arts at Drexel.
About the Ensembles
The Drexel University Fusion Band is an advanced performance ensemble exploring a variety of musical styles and genres including Funk, Reggae, Salsa, Samba, Afro-Cuban, and World Music. Improvisation is an important aspect of the ensemble experience. Audition requirements include a demonstration of proficiency on one's instrument, knowledge of scales, chords and rhythms, the ability to read music, and a demonstrated ability to improvise.
Rock Ensemble is where students have the opportunity to gain experience rehearsing, arranging, organizing, recording, and ultimately performing songs in the rock/pop/ contemporary genres. The group is recorded several times each term by the Music Industry Program’s Recording II class, and performs a concert at the end of each term. Rock Ensemble seeks dedicated vocalists, guitarists, bassists, drummers, and keyboardists of this style; accepting new participants by audition only.
The Drexel University Fusion Band
Lynn Riley, Director
Rocket Love ---------------------------------------
Dexterity ---------------------------------------------
La Fiesta ---------------------------------------------
Bluesette ---------------------------------------
Groove Merchant ----------------------------
The Drexel University Rock Ensemble
Greg Wright, Director
Feeling Good/1964 ------------
The Ocean/1972 ---------------------
Bicycle Race/1978 -----------------------------------
Dead & Bloated/1992 -------------
Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse Bonham, Jones, Page & Plant Freddie Mercury Scott Weiland & Robert DeLeo
Pink Triangle/1997 --------------------------------------
Rivers Cuomo
Ensemble Members
Lynn Riley
Ensemble Director - Alto Sax
Aleko Nicolacakis Trumpet
Alex Weidman Trombone
Oliver Jakacki Trombone
Trace CassidyTrombone
Jake Larimer Alto Sax
Jay Kannan Larimer Bari Sax
Kenneth Blake Piano
Rodrigo Galavis Guitar
Aden Dubin Bass
Finn Leggatt Bass
Olaoluwa Odenike Bass
Jett Mann Percussion
Wyatt Mitchell Drums
Carter Weiss Percussion
Liam Alcorn Percussion
Ensemble Members
Greg Wright
Ensemble Director - Guitar and Vocals
Allie Bilger Guitar & Vocals
Ben Feurstein
Guitar
Dominic Panto
Guitar
Victor Triolo
Vocals, Bass, Trombone
Alex Watson Bass
Aidan Cook Drums
Shaun Hirsch Drums & Vocals
Gabi Ruiz
Keyboards, Bass, & Vocals
Dahlia Ufberg Vocals
Greg Wright Rock Ensemble Director
Greg Wright is an instructor of guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele at Drexel University, and also coordinates recording with music industry classes. When he is not teaching, Greg performs on guitar, plectrum banjo, electric bass, mandolin & ukulele.
Greg’s undergraduate degree is from Combs College and he also teaches jazz guitar at Swarthmore College. He also coordinates all music courses at Harcum College.
Greg is the director and co-creator of Summer Music Programs, Inc., which develops skills of young musicians in professional recording, performance and rehearsal disciplines. This program received “Best of Philly” 2008 Philadelphia Magazine for best summer camp and 2007 Coolest Camps on the Main Line, Main Line Magazine.
Greg was a bandleader for SWING SHIFT, a versatile, small Big Band that performed events and concerts throughout the tri-state area from 1988 until 2008. Greg’s interest in banjo and the music of New Orleans & traditional jazz started in the 1990’s as he led the Big Easy Dixieland Band. He also currently performs Hot Jazz with Drew Nugent & The Midnight Society and is a member of the Wild Bohemians, a thirty-year Philadelphia tradition of NOLA street music.
In addition, you will find Greg strolling vintage train excursions, singing and playing banjo in West Chester and New Hope, performing holiday music. Vintage rock band, traditional/modern Celtic music, solo acoustic guitar gigs, jazz trios are all current activities that fill his schedule.
Lynn Riley Fusion Band Director
Lynn Riley is an Assistant Professor of Music in the Performing Arts Department and director of the Fusion Band. She wrote the arrangements for and produced their 8 recordings, All the Places In Between (2022), Tell Me Something Funky (2019), Tell Me Something Good (2018), Funk Out Front (2016), Black and Blue (2014), Comin’ Home Baby (2012), Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (2010) and Cold Duck Sauce, Best of Drexel Fusion Band (2008).
Lynn also directs the music program for the community-based learning practicum PRFA-100. The course pairs Drexel students with community children to teach free after-school music classes at the Dornsife Center, Drexel’s civic engagement center.
Lynn has been described more than once as "Superwoman" of the sax. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised outside of Philadelphia, Pa., she received a M.L.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Hawaii. Lynn has performed with many legendary musicians, including Grover Washington Jr., Philly Joe Jones, David Bromberg, Peter White, David Murray, Frank Wess, Shirley Scott, Charles Earland, Johnny Pacheco, as well as leading her own groups. She performed in the documentary Women to Women, Monnette Sudler’s tribute to Shirley Scott and Trudy Pitts. Lynn was the 2020 Artist in Residence at Paris Bistro Jazz Café. She recorded in the Emmy awardwinning documentary Philadelphia: The Great Experiment.
Lynn Riley Fusion Band Director
She was chosen to present her band at the Painted Bride Arts Center for their series Women Leaders in Jazz. She has opened for artists such as Najee, Spyro Gyra, Nelson Rangell, Nester Torres, Andy Narell, the Indigo Girls, Brenda K Star, the Mahotella Queens and Compai Segundo of the Buena Vista Club. She has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean. Her latest recording HEAD TO THE SKY Lynn Riley & The World-Mix (2022), Say What Lynn Riley and The World Mix (2014) and Too Cool (2009) are all available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify and at www.lynnriley.com.
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 Department Assistant
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
JAZZ ORCHESTRA & JAZZTET
December 4, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Mandell Theater
DREXEL UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
December 5, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
END-OF-TERM THEATRE SHOWCASE - FALL
December 6, 2025 | 5:00 PM | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
December 6, 2025 | 7:00 PM | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
December 6, 2025 | 8:30 PM | URBN Annex Black Box Theater
DREXEL UNIVERSITY GOSPEL CHOIR
December 6, 2025 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
ALL-COLLEGE CHOIR AND CHAMBER BRASS AND WINDS
December 6, 2025 | 7:30 PM | Main Auditorium
PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
December 7, 2025 | 1:00 PM | Creese Lobby
UNIVERSITY CHORUS AND CHAMBER SINGERS
December 7, 2025 | 3:00 PM | Great Court in Main Building
CONCERT BAND
December 7, 2025 | 7:00 PM | Mandell Theater
