Roger Zahab, Director
Upcoming Programs
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 — 8 pm
Bellefield Hall Auditorium, University of Pittsburgh
Roger Zahab, director
Ludwig van Beethoven – Overture to Egmont, op. 84
conducted by Joe Pearson
Richard Strauss - Duet-Concertino
with faculty artists Rachael Stutzman Cohen, clarinet, & Linda Fisher, bassoon
Dmitri Shostakovich – Symphony no 1, op. 10
Watch the orchestra's recent performances by clicking below
October 11, 2023
LEONARD BERNSTEIN: Overture to Candide
DIRJE CHILDS: Memory, Love & Loss (2022) for brass quintet and video
W.A. MOZART: Concerto for Horn, K. 447
Megumi Barclay, horn (student soloist)
ROBERTO GERHARD: Dances from Don Quixote (1958)
December 6, 2023
ELIZABETH BROWN: Lost Waltz (1997)
EDWARD ELGAR: Concerto for Cello in E minor, Op. 85 (1919)
I. Adagio - Moderato
Final projects from the Instrumentation/Orchestration class:
- Ben 10 – opening theme: Andy Sturmer arr. Dylan LeCroy
- Walking Through Warm Rain – conducted by the composer – Alec Cassidy
- For or Against – conducted by the composer - Ethan Zajac-Woodie
- When Buildings Fell – Marie Southall
- Lovers in Sunlight (The Kiss) – Freya Norwood
PYOTR ILLYICH TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6 in B minor (“Pathetique”), Op. 74 (1893)
- Adagio – Allegro non troppo
- Allegro con grazia
- Allegro molto vivace
- Finale: Adagio lamentoso
In memory of Ben Franks-Meinert
February 21, 2024
WILLIAM GRANT STILL: Wood Notes (1948)
WITOLD LUTOSŁAWSKI: Cello Concerto (1970) — David Russell, guest soloist
April 17, 2024
Ludwig van Beethoven: Egmont Overture
Julia Perry (arr. Roger Zahab): Prelude for Strings (1946, rev.62) conducted by Naama Perel-Tzadok
Juwon Adenuga: Afehyiapa (world premiere performance)
Julia Perry: Concerto no. 2 for Piano in Two Uninterrupted Speeds (1964-69) (U.S. premiere) with Robert Frankenberry, piano
Claude Debussy: La Mer – Trois esquisses symphoniques
John Williams - Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Soundtrack Suite (Episode VII)
Giacomo Puccini – Intermezzo (from Manon Lescaut)
Recondita armonia (from Tosca, Act I)
Robert Frankenberry, tenor soloist
Kerrith Livengood – The Land Vaguely Waving (2012)
Jean Sibelius - Symphony no. 2 in D major, op. 43
Antonin Dvorak – Carneval Overture, op 92
Burkhardt Reiter - Filling Adam’s Glass (2003)
Juwon Adenuga – Àrè – The Sojourner (2023, premiere)
Seymour Barab – Quartet for B flat clarinets
Franz Schubert - Symphony no. 1 in D, D 82 – conducted by Emanuel Berrido
Ludwig Göransson – Star Wars: The Mandalorian
Emmanuel Berrido, conductor
Myroslav Skoryk – Melody (arranged for flute, oboe, clarinet and strings)
Julia Kebuladze, violin soloist
Jan Rösner - For Shakuhachi and String Orchestra (2019)
Devon Osamu Tipp, shakuhachi
Tison Street – Fantasia for six cellos (1988)
Robert Schumann - Symphony no. 3 in E flat, op. 97 “Rhenish”
Gilda Lyons – La Novia de Tola (2013)
Gustav Mahler – Adagietto (from the Fifth Symphony)
Saint-Saens - Third Concerto for Violin
Matthew Alford, violin
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Symphony no. 40 in g minor, K 550
April 20, 2022
State Anthem of Ukraine – “Ukraine has not yet perished”
Mykhailo Verbytsky, Arr. Marek Toporovsky
Circular Dancing (1995/2000, 2022 version)
Roger Zahab
Concerto in b minor for solo cello and orchestra, op. 104 (1895)
Antonin Dvořák – Alicia Loui, solo cello
Black On White (2005)
Alastair Stout, Roger Zahab, conductor
Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture (1869/70)
Pyotr Ilitch Tchaikovsky, Cullyn D. Murphy, conductor
February 23, 2022
Sibelius: Finlandia
First performance of Julia Perry’s Concerto for violin and orchestra, Cullyn D. Murphy conducting
Max Bruch: Romance, op. 85 for sola viola and orchestra, Elyssa Allen, soloist
Franz Schubert: “Unfinished” Symphony no. 8 (or 7), Roger Zahab, conducting
From Spring 2021
Alberto Nepomuceno: Batuque (from Brazilian Suite)
Judith Weir: Sinfonia Comatica
Edvard Grieg: Praeludium (from Holberg Suite)
John Cage: Living Room Music
John Cage: Amores (III)
a m | roger zahab – each solo was individually crafted for the player and placed in strange harmonic contexts to convey the idea of a city teaming with a great diversity of people coming to life.
From Fall 2020
Julia Perry: Prelude for strings
Perry wrote this for piano in 1946 and revised it in 1962. In the 1980s I found a copy of her manuscript in the American Music Center. Under the title she had written “[arrangement for string orchestra available]” but I have never been able to locate it. I made this arrangement for the University of Pittsburgh Orchestra in August 2020 in her honor.
Guillaume de Machaut (ca. 1300-1377): Veni, creator spiritus
Machaut originally wrote this isorhythmic motet for four voices perhaps around 1359. I revised my earlier arrangement this work for the University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in August 2020.
G. F. Handel – Hornpipes in F and in D, from the Water Music
The University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Instigator – Roger Zahab
Previous adventures
Dvorak: New World 1st movement
Satie: Trois gnossiennes
Mozart: Jupiter Symphony, 1st movement
Tchaikovsky: Serenade in C major for strings 1 mvt
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (arr. Kennedy)
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