Nutcracker Ballet

GRAMMY award-winning conductor Lucas Richman has served as Music Director for the Bangor Symphony Orchestra since 2010 and held the position as Music Director for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra from 2003-2015. Over the course of over four decades on the podium, he has garnered an international reputation for his graceful musical leadership in a diverse field of media. In concert halls, orchestral pits and recording studios around the world, Richman earns rave reviews for his artful collaborations with artists in both the classical and commercial music arenas.

He has appeared as guest conductor with numerous orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, the Oslo Philharmonic and the Zagreb Philharmonic. In recent years, Mr. Richman has led performances with notable soloists in both the classical and pop worlds, ranging from Mstislav Rostropovich, Lang Lang, Midori and Frederica von Stade to James Taylor, Michael Jackson, Martin Short, Victor Borge and Brian Wilson. His numerous collaborations with film composers as their conductor has yielded recorded scores for such films as the Academy Award-nominated The Village (with violinist, Hilary Hahn), As Good As It Gets, Face/Off, Se7en, The Manchurian Candidate, White Noise, Madame Web and Highest 2 Lowest. Mr. Richman received a GRAMMY Award (2011) in the category of Best Classical Crossover Album for having conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Christopher Tin’s classical/world fusion album, Calling All Dawns.

Also an accomplished composer, Mr. Richman has had his music performed by over two hundred orchestras and ensembles across the United States. His Concerto for Piano: In Truth was recorded by Jeffrey Biegel and the Pittsburgh Symphony, while his Concerto No.1 for Violin: Paths to Dignity serves as the centerpiece of the Paths to Dignity Project which forges relationships between orchestras and homeless advocacy agencies across the United States. His Concerto for Violin No.2: Legacy, commissioned for the 50th anniversary of the Stulberg International String Competition, received its world premiere by the Lauren Yoon and the Kalamazoo Symphony on March 28, 2026. For more information, visit www.lucasrichman.com.

Texture Contemporary Ballet is based in Pittsburgh, and was founded in 2011 by Artistic Director Alan Obuzor. Texture Contemporary Ballet is comprised of classically trained professional ballet dancers who have danced and trained at some of the top ballet companies and schools in America. Resident and guest dancers are brought together to create and present predominantly contemporary and neo-classical work. Texture strives to inspire dancers, teachers, directors, choreographers, audience members, and artists of every kind, by presenting ballet in an innovative way. We believe it is important to break through preconceived notions that people may hold while witnessing ballet for the first time. Yet simultaneously, Texture fulfills the expectations of frequent theatergoers and those who are deeply submerged in the dance world. Therefore, Texture is both unique and inviting, while still upholding standards of technique and presentation.

Alan Obuzor was honored in 2013 by Dance Magazine by being named one of the “Top 25 to Watch”. Originally from Pittsburgh, Alan began dancing at the age of nine. Two years later he attended Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School(PBTS), where in 1998 he was a recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation Dance Honorarium.  Alan received a contract to join Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s(PBT’s)professional company at the age of 17.  During his seven years in PBT’s Company, he danced a wide array of ballets ranging from classical to neoclassical to contemporary, which included principal and soloist roles in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Symphony in C, Carmina Burana and Divertimento 15.  In that time he also worked with many world-renowned figures in dance, and was selected to originate soloist roles in new works by choreographers Dwight Rhoden, Derek Dean, Matjash Mrozewski, and Jiabin Pan.  Alan began teaching in 2002; from 2007-2012 Alan was on the faculty of PBTS as one of the primary Pre-Professional Division teachers and choreographers.  In the fall of 2012, Alan joined the teaching faculty of Pittsburgh Youth Ballet.  Alan choreographed his first work in 2002 on himself and a fellow dancer.  Since that time he has choreographed over 90 new works for Texture Contemporary Ballet, PBT, PBTS, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet Company, New Ballet Ensemble, Harvard Ballet Company, Point Park University, Dancers’ Trust, Canton Ballet, Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and various independent projects.  In 2011, Alan won first place in the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters Dance/Choreography competition. During 2014 Alan was awarded a BRAZZY Award – “Outstanding Male Dancer in Pittsburgh 2014”. In 2017 Mr. Obuzor received an “Outstanding Teacher Award” by Youth America Grand Prix. He is also the founder and Artistic Director of Texture Contemporary Ballet 2011, and Texture Ballet School 2019.