DR. JASON ALTIERI, CONDUCTOR Dr. Jason Altieri is the current Music Director of the Atlanta Pops Orchestra and Associate Conductor for the Reno Philharmonic. Dr. Altieri is also a strong advocate for young musicians through his position as Director of Orchestras at the University of Nevada and with guest conducting engagements with youth orchestras all over the United States. In addition, Jason enjoys regular conducting engagements with the Hollywood Film Orchestra, an ensemble which he has led on several tours throughout the United States, China, and Japan since 2006. His extensive touring has seen him conducting in most of the major performance venues in the United States and Asia including The People’s Hall in Beijing, China and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan. In addition to his extensive touring and as a result of his tireless work with young musicians, Dr. Altieri was invited as a guest conductor for the Los Angeles Orchestra Festival held in Walt Disney Hall on June 24th, 2011. He also served as the orchestra director for the International Double Reed Society Conference in July of 2012 as well as guest conductor for the Santa Fe Symphony in December of 2014. In addition to his orchestral work, Jason is also an accomplished conductor of opera as well. He was engaged by London’s Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company to lead them on three North American tours. He was also the Associate Music Director for the Ohio Light Opera Company in the summer of 2006 where he conducted six productions and over 40 performances during their 29th season. As a result of his work with the OLO, Jason Altieri has released two recordings on Albany Records. In 2002 Dr. Altieri was chosen to study with Valery Vatchev of the National Bulgarian Opera, which led to guest conducting engagements of La Traviata, Il Trovatore and Rigoletto in the Czech Republic. He has also worked on the faculties of the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Sewanee Summer Music Center. A native of Georgia, Jason Altieri grew up in a musical family with both parents being members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. High School was completed at the Dekalb Center for the Performing Arts and his education continued at the University of Georgia where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. While pursuing advanced degrees in conducting from Michigan State University, Jason not only served as Assistant Conductor for the Orchestra Program but was also the conductor of the Opera Theatre Program and was fortunate to have additional studies with Neeme Jarvi of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Gustav Meier of the Peabody Conservatory. Dr. Altieri currently resides in Reno, Nevada.

Reno Phil Youth Orchestras The Reno Phil’s three Youth Orchestras (RPYO) provide a high level orchestral experience for woodwind, brass, percussion, and string players in grades 4-12. Founded in 1995, the Youth Symphony Orchestra (YSO) is northern Nevada’s premier youth orchestra, consisting of the area’s most advanced players. In 1999, the Youth Concert Orchestra (YCO) was formed to provide developing musicians with a well-balanced symphonic experience. Both orchestras are conducted by Dr. Jason Altieri. In 2009, a third youth orchestra was established in partnership with Washoe County School District. The Youth Strings Symphonia (YSS), conducted by Reno Phil assistant concertmaster Carol Laube, is a strings-only ensemble that serves many string players in grades 4-8. In the 2015-2016 Season, the RPYO consist of 240 members from Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Gardnerville, Fallon, Fernley, Incline Village, Carnelian Bay, Kings Beach, South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Tahoe City, Tahoe Vista, and Tahoma. For more information visit www.renophil.com/rpyo

"Military Wives Choir Sing in New York in support of MWCF"

The original Military Wives Choir was formed in the UK in 2010 as part of choirmaster Gareth Malone's BBC TV series The Choir, where Gareth brought together a group of military wives to sing and support each other through the difficult times when their spouses were away on deployment in 2010.

The Military Wives Choir won the hearts of the UK and there followed the enormous success of the choir's UK No. 1 single Wherever You Are. The single raised over £700,000 which was donated to military charities. It was then that the Military Wives Choirs Foundation (MWCF) was established in 2012 by a small group of military wives, to set up a charitable network to support women in the British Military community and to bring themc loser together through singing.

The growth of the Military Wives Choirs Foundation has been rapid and there are now 75 choirs - wherever our British forces are based! 125 of these ladies are attending from 26 choirs across the network.

They are thrilled to be reuniting with Royal Composer, Professor Paul Mealor. Letters to and from loved ones, inspired Paul to write Wherever You Are. Paul also went on to write In My Dreams for the Military Wives Choirs, which we performed at the 2012 Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

As singers in a Military Wives Choir we frequently help other charities to raise much needed funds year round and give support to people in very difficult and stressful situations, helping many worthy causes. 

Being a member of a Military Wives Choir provides us with all sorts of support and frienship and we think that a musical challenge to sing on the stage of Carnegie Hall will be a rewarding experience for our ladies. 

We're very honoured to be able to spread the word across the pond about the support Military Wives Choirs bring, as well as to be proud ambassadors for the British military community.