Fifty-eight students representing Archdiocesan Secondary Schools and private Catholic High Schools throughout the five-county region participated in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s 2022 All Catholic Orchestra and performed in the annual concert at Lansdale Catholic High School in Lansdale (Montgomery County) on Sunday, March 20, 2022.
This year’s All Catholic Orchestra, was under the direction of guest conductor, Mr. Michael Ludwig, Music Director and Conductor of the Roxborough Orchestra, a community orchestra in Northwest Philadelphia. The concert was hosted by Mr. James Timer, Music Director at Lansdale Catholic High School.
The students performed pieces that were selected from: The Star Spangled Banner arranged by Swearingen; The Sailors Dance from The Red Poppy Gliere arranged by Errante; Peer Gynt Suite Selections (Grieg) arranged by Meyer; Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana Mascagni arranged by Bullock; The Magic of Harry Potter arranged by Michael Story; and The Star Wars Epic (John Williams) arranged by Smith.
Students from Archdiocesan Secondary Schools including Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School in South Philadelphia; Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls in the Tacony section in Philadelphia; Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County); Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills (Bucks County); Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster (Bucks County); Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown (Chester County); Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County); Lansdale Catholic High School in Lansdale (Montgomery County); Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Roman Catholic High School in Center City Philadelphia; and Archbishop Ryan High School Northeast Philadelphia participated.
Students from private Catholic High Schools including Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School in Gwynedd Valley (Montgomery County); Villa Joseph Marie High School in Holland (Bucks County); Holy Ghost Preparatory High School in Bensalem (Bucks County); St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in North Philadelphia; Nazareth Academy High School in the Northeast Philadelphia; Villa Maria Academy High School in Malvern (Chester County); Villa Joseph Marie High School in Southampton (Bucks County); and Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova (Delaware County) also participated.
Four Year awards were presented to Beatrice Aloi, Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova (Delaware County); Maureen Carpenter, Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Madeline Gaunt, Lansdale Catholic High School in Lansdale (Montgomery County); Cara Marquardt, Lansdale Catholic High School in Lansdale (Montgomery County); Maria Procaccini, Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Anna Secor, Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County); and Daniel Topley, Roman Catholic High School in Center City Philadelphia.
Background Information on Mr. Michael Ludwig
Michael Ludwig’s multi-faceted career has taken him across four continents, appearing as solo violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, KBS Symphony in Seoul, Korea, Beijing Symphony, and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, joining illustrious conductors such as Sir Georg Solti and John Williams.
Michael’s discography includes recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, and Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra.
As a conductor, Michael Ludwig has served as Music Director of the Roxborough Orchestra in Philadelphia since his appointment in 2015. His guest conducting appearances include performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, Delaware County Symphony, and Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra. He also appears regularly as a guest conductor of the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia.
Passionately committed to education, Ludwig has conducted the Skidmore College Orchestra, All Catholic High School Orchestra of Philadelphia, Luzerne Music Center String Orchestra, South Jersey Honors Orchestra, and the New Jersey All State Intermediate Orchestra.
Michael has served as Artist-in-Residence Professor of Violin at the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University and Adjunct Professor of Music (Violin) at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.
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Editor’s Note:
For more information about All Catholic Music, please visit allcatholicmusic.org/.
Contact:Meredith Wilson
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215-587-3747