Mission Statement:
To promote musical enrichment through quality performances and education to a broad-based audience in the Westmoreland region.
The WSO was founded in 1969 by several area musicians, under the leadership of Sister Miriam David Volker, S.C, Professor of Music and Music Department Chair at Seton Hill University. They desired to establish a quality college-community orchestra which would perform under the direction of an outstanding conductor. Dr. Richard Karp, a noted conductor and later General and Music Director of the Pittsburgh Opera, was identified. Area musicians and college students rehearsed in Seton Hill’s Cecilian Hall and performed the four-concert season at Greensburg Salem High School. Under Dr. Karp’s tutelage, the orchestra grew each year both in size and quality of sound, and in 1974, the orchestra presented the first of its annual outdoor summer concerts. In the same year, the Visiting Artists Program, a school ensemble program, was introduced, expanding the organization’s mission. When Dr. Karp became ill in 1975, Thomas Michalak, then Assistant Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony, took over, remaining through the 1977-78 season.
The 1978-79 season was marked by a conductor search, with the job going to Kypros Markou, then Associate Conductor of the Canton (Ohio) Symphony. In his first season (1979-80), the orchestra moved to a new hall (the then newly renovated Palace Theatre) and presented five subscription concerts. During his 31-year tenure, the quality of performance steadily improved, reaching critical acclaim. In 1981 and in collaboration with Seton Hill University, Maestro Markou founded the college-community Westmoreland Youth Symphony Orchestra and conducted the orchestra in its first years. Seton Hill has continued to serve as the WYSO home for rehearsals and performances since that time. The Young Artists competition was launched during his tenure, and the WSO Academy of Music, founded in 2005, by Executive Director, Morrie Brand, created additional music education programs for youth and adults. In 2021, the orchestra broadened its outreach by embracing the Friday Evening Music Club, a longstanding organization also committed to performance opportunities and education for area musicians.
During the 2011-2012 season when the national search for a new conductor identified two finalists, Maestro Daniel Meyer was serving as WSO’s Artistic Advisor. His job title was changed to Artistic Director mid-year when the position was offered to him. Under Maestro Meyer’s leadership, the orchestra continues to excel artistically and has embraced new initiatives for audience development.
In 2025-2026, the WSO presents its 57th anniversary season, which includes traditional classical concert programming, the decades-long continuation of the Nutcracker Ballet and the Home for the Holidays concerts, and the addition of two pops concerts, adopting the tradition originated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the early 20th century. Notably, the WSO’s Nutcracker Ballet is the only performance within a four-hour radius of Greensburg, PA that features a live orchestra, offering a rare and immersive experience for audiences in our region. The WSO can provide these quality performances and educational opportunities for the region because of the loyal support of our amazing community. We look forward to a bright future full of incredible music by providing educational and performance opportunities for professional and amateur musicians of all ages.
