Festival will be livestreamed

Thirty-six students representing Archdiocesan Secondary Schools and private Catholic High Schools throughout the five-county region have been selected to participate in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s 2021 All Catholic String Orchestra Concert.

This year’s concert, is under the direction of guest conductor, Mr. Joseph Lovecchio and will be hosted by Mr. Gary Zimmaro, President of Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster (Bucks County).

Saturday, March 6, 2021
6:30 p.m.
Archbishop Wood High School Auditorium

To view the livestream of the 2021 All Catholic String Orchestra Concert, please click here. 

Social distancing and COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed. 

The students will perform pieces that have been selected from: Brandenburg Concerto, No. 3, Mvt. 1, Bach arr. Isaac; Crossbow Overture, Lennie Niehaus; Ancient Aires and Dances (Balletto), Respighi arr. Brubaker; Egyptian Legacy, Soon Hee Newbold; An Irish Party in Third Class, arr. Gaelic Storm; and Over the Rainbow arr. Phillips.

Students from Archdiocesan Secondary Schools including Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Archbishop Ryan High School in Northeast Philadelphia; Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster (Bucks County); Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls in the Tacony section of Philadelphia; John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School in Center City, Philadelphia; Lansdale Catholic High School in Lansdale (Montgomery County); Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County); and Roman Catholic High School for Boys in Center City, Philadelphia will participate.

Students from private Catholic High Schools including The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova (Delaware County); Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem (Bucks County); Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School in North Philadelphia; Merion Mercy Academy in Merion Station (Montgomery County); Nazareth Academy High School in Northeast Philadelphia; Villa Joseph Marie High School in Holland (Bucks County); and Villa Marie Academy High School in Malvern (Chester County) will also participate.

Background Information on Mr. Joseph Lovecchio, Guest Conductor:

Mr. Joseph Lovecchio has been the Music Director / Conductor of the WSO since 1995. Prior to that he played principal trumpet and served as the Associate Conductor. Under his baton the orchestra performs the finest orchestral literature and annually features guest soloists of national and international renown. Some of the recent soloists who have performed under his baton include “America’s Violinist – Jenny Oaks Baker”; Broadway stars, Ciaran Sheehan, Sarah Pfisterer, Gay Willis, and Kimilee Bryant; trumpet virtuoso Allen Vizutti; tuba virtuoso Velvet Brown, Philadelphia Orchestra musicians William and Gloria dePasquale, and legendary performers Eily Patterson and Louis Brown from Ireland.

He has earned much recognition for his work as a music educator including being named one of America’s top music educators by the education division of Conn Selmer Corporation, being nominated and chosen for Who’s Who of America’s Teachers on 8 different occasions by 8 different students, and included in 20 editions of Marquis’ Who’s Who in America for contributions in the Arts and Education.

Currently he is a resident of Warminster, Pa., and was recently honored by the Warminster Township Board of Supervisors for his many contributions to the cultural and educational life of the community.

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Editor’s Note:

The All-Catholic Chorus will perform on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills (Bucks County) and the All-Catholic Concert Band will hold its performance on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County). Both performances will be livestreamed.

Contact:

Meredith Wilson
Media and Events Specialist
215-587-3747