| About Us | Join Us | Childrens Chorus | Schedule | Boar's Head | Our CD | Home |
| History | Board of Directors | Staff |
Member of:
Jason Iannuzzi Named Guest Conductor
JASON IANNUZZI is director of the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian Church in Murrysville and teaches music in the South Fayette School District. He lives with his wife, Allison, and one year old son, Joshua, in South Fayette.
|
 |
Jason was recommended to Blazing Star by Dr. Robert Page, conductor emeritus of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, where Jason served from 2002 until 2006 as an assistant conductor, preparing the chorus for performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He also conducted the chorus and the River City Brass Band in a spring 2005 concert tour. He has prepared choruses for other noted conductors including Joseph Flummerfelt, Leonard Slatkin and Marvin Hamlisch.
After earning his Bachelor’s of Music degree in Music Education, summa cum laude, from Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Jason received his Master of Music degree in Conducting from Carnegie Mellon University as a student of Robert Page. He conducted the Bucks County Choral Society in Doylestown, PA, leading that choir in performances throughout Germany and the Czech Republic, served as Artistic Director and Conductor for the Westminster Conservatory Youth Chorale Chamber Singers in Princeton, NJ, and directed the Abington Choral Club of Abington, PA. He also founded Magnum Opus, a Princeton-based, semi-professional choral ensemble.
As director, conductor and coach in opera and musical theater, Jason has served Westminster Choir College’s Opera Theater and Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Music. At Carnegie Mellon, he conducted performances of Marvin Hamlisch’s Smile, Weill’s The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Yeoman of the Guard. In 2004, he prepared the pit orchestra for the Pittsburgh premiere of Michael John LaChiusa’s Wild Party presented by CMU’s world-renowned School of Drama.
Blazing Star is excited to welcome Jason to the podium for our 16th season.
Accompanist
Allison Carey begins her second year as our accompanist this season. She teaches music in the Karns City Public Schools.
Founding Artistic Director
Donald J. Rasely, graduate of the Youngstown State University, Dana School of Music, founded Blazing Star Choral Society in 1991. He has worked with community organizations to reorganize the Butler Arts Council, served as a member of the Butler Symphony board of directors, and founded Butler’s annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival. In 2004, he formed the Butler Penn Theater Community Trust to save the historic movie theater on Butler's Main Street and contribute to the city's redevelopment efforts.