MUSICIANS

Doug Levine has composed scores for the musicals Shakespeare Street (book & lyrics, Lynne Conner; premiered 2001, Playhouse Junior) and Colorfast (book & lyrics, Kellee Van Aken; premiered 2004, Pittsburgh International Children's Theater Festival). The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette honored his onstage piano, percussion and sound effects performance for City Theatre's Sacco and Vanzetti'A Vaudeville as 'Best of 1999'theatrical music and sound.' He has written original music and/or created arrangements for many theater and dance companies, including Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, timespace, Attack Theatre, Gateway to the Arts, Shakespeare in the Schools, Pitt Repertory Theatre, The Playhouse Repertory Company, Renaissance City Women's Choir, Kevin Maloney Dance Theater and Pittsburgh Musical Theater.

James Ferla teaches at Carnegie Mellon University and the Univeristy of Pittsburgh. Mr. Ferla is director of DEAR FRIENDS Ensemble, a vocal/instrumental group specializing in 19th century folk and parlor music. A two-time Pittsburgh Concert Society winner, he has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Quartetto Latinamericano. Interesting recent projects include performing and recording with Cynthia Koleda DeAlmeida, principal oboe with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and a seven performance March 2001 tour in Italy accompanying a vocal ensemble.

I was born in Bulgaria on the 13th of January, 1983 to a family of self-taught wedding musicians. As my father is also an accordionist, I was inspired by the sounds of the accordion since early childhood. At eighteen months old, I "played" my little accordion alongside my father at weddings – go to the photo gallery for proof! When I was seven I started taking formal accordion lessons with the nationally recognized pedagogue Nadejda Nicheva in Kazanluk, Bulgaria. Later on I studied with Dr. Peter Marinov at the National Music Academy, the internationally recognized accordion artist Hristina Danova, and Nedelcho Dimitrov, a laureate of national and international accordion festivals and competitions. Looking back I consider this to be a period of great musical growth and inspiration for me.

John Marcinizyn holds a Ph.D. in composition and theory from the University of Pittsburgh. His compositions include a guitar concerto, string quartet, orchestral music and pieces for solo guitar and guitar with mixed ensemble which have received numerous performances. Mr. Marcinizyn also performs frequently with the Ferla-Marcinizyn Guitar Duo, Sweet and Low Jazz Trio, mezzo-soprano Daphne Alderson, and as a soloist. He teaches guitar at Carnegie Mellon University, guitar and composition at Seton Hill University, and teaches the music portion of the class 'The Arts and Human Experience' through the art history department at Duquesne University.

Jeffrey Mangone is currently the Principal Bassist of the PittsburghOpera Orchestra, thePittsburgh Ballet Orchestra, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. the Civic Light Opera Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble. In addition to his jazz group, 'Catch 22', Mr. Mangone has recorded with, among others, Richard Stoltzman, Oppie Bellas, and Daphne Alderson. Jeff Mangone has given the world premieres of bass concertos by Lou Coyner and Gerald Brophy. Both pieces were written specifically for him. He is also very proud to have performed Gunther Schuller's 'Double Concerto' with the composer conducting. Mr. Mangone is currently Professor of double bass and electric bass at Duquesne University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Slippery Rock. His students have gone on to careers in symphony orchestras, jazz bands, and recording studios throughout the United States.