The Branson Briefings – Alan Abel
Jeremy Branson, associate principal percussionist, leads a discussion on the life and impact of the revered Alan Abel, reminiscing with colleagues Chris Allen, Andrew Reamer, and John Soroka
Penny Anderson Brill – Healing Others through Musical Performance
by Karissa Shivone
Penny Brill, violist with the Pittsburgh Symphony for 40 wonderful years, is energized and ready to immerse herself into her latest musical calling as she retires next year (March 2021). She has discovered first-hand the power our music has towards healing people in the community. While she has devoted herself for the past two decades to performing for people all around Pittsburgh (and beyond) with a wide spectrum of needs, retirement will allow her time to pass on her knowledge to the next generation. Penny has a great passion to share her discoveries on repertoire, programs, educational material, and so much more.
Retirement Tribute: Scott Bell – A New Chapter in China
by Lorien Benet Hart
My first weeks with the PSO were as an extra violinist on the 2001 South American tour; I knew very few people in the orchestra and relied mostly on people adopting me into their “tour family” for any socializing. Little did I know that a hole-in-the-wall tango performance in Montevideo, Uruguay would come to define my touring for the next two decades.
Retirement Tribute: Carolyn Edwards
by Alison Fujito
Violinist Carolyn Edwards and I first met in April, 1987, when we were both called to sub with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra just before joining as full-time members.
Retirement Tribute: Randolph Kelly
By Paul Silver
Randy was born and raised in Portland, Oregon.When he was 6 years old, he began to play the violin following in the footsteps of his three older sisters. But as he jokes, “when I found out how hard it was, I really didn’t want to do it anymore!”
Drawn to Pittsburgh: Bob Lauver
Robert Lauver By Craig Knox Position: 2nd Horn Joined PSO in: 2000 Previous positions: St. Louis Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Austin Symphony “I was previously in the St. Louis Symphony for 8 years, where my wife Marina and I started our family. We were very happy there, and it was a great 52-week orchestra…
Drawn to Pittsburgh: Jia Hong-Guang and Zhan Shu
From left to right: PSO violist Meng Wang, Jia Hong-Guang , PSO cellist Adam Liu, and Zhan Shu by Craig Knox PSO Assistant-Concertmaster Jia Hong-Guang, a native of Shenyang, China, left that country in 1979 to study with the famed Yehudi Menuhin. He began his orchestral career playing in the Baltimore Symphony, and was later…
