The WSO and Artistic Director Daniel Meyer are pleased to announce the appointment of five new musicians. They include Anne Victoria Nasevich, violin II; Riley Zimmermann, bass; Kenneth Heinlein, tuba; Alex Daiker, horn and Adam M. Janssen, trombone.
(L-R) Alex Daiker, Adam M. Janssen, Anne Victoria Nasevich
Alex Daiker is a freelancer in the Pittsburgh area and currently a master’s student at Carnegie Mellon University. Born in Cincinnati, Alex started playing horn because of John Williams’ film music. Through the guidance of his High School teacher Karen Schneider, he was accepted to New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music in 2022. While in Boston, he studied primarily with James Sommerville, the former principal of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, he moved to Pittsburgh to study with William Caballero at Carnegie Mellon. Since moving to Pittsburgh, he has been active in the freelance scene, playing regularly with the Erie Philharmonic and the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. In addition, He spent several recent summers playing with premier pre-professional orchestras including the National Repertory Orchestra and the Chautauqua Music Festival Symphony Orchestra.
Adam M. Janssen is a musician, composer, and educator native to Pittsburgh, PA. Mr. Janssen is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University where he studied Music Performance (Trombone, Violin), Music Education, and Business Administration. Mr. Janssen completed his graduate studies at Boston University, where he completed a Master of Music in Music Education degree with an in emphasis in Composition/Arranging and Urban Music Education.
He maintains an active freelance performing schedule, and has performed with the Altoona, Washington, Westmoreland, and Butler, Youngstown, and Akron Symphony Orchestras. As an avid Violinist and Violist, he performs chamber music with Radiant Strings and other event ensembles. He also performs with a number of jazz/pop/rock ensembles.
As a composer, Mr. Janssen writes and arranges extensively for orchestra as well as string, brass, and vocal chamber music. His most recent release is Long Way Down, a collection of original songs that blends the genres of classical, jazz, pop, and rock.
Mr. Janssen currently teaches Instrumental Music at Shady Side Academy and is also the Adjunct Professor of Brass Studies at Washington & Jefferson College. He aspires to encourage, educate, and inspire a future generation of music appreciation.
Anne Victoria Nasevich began learning violin at the age of nine with Fritz and Leah Valenches in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She will continue her studies under the tutelage of Charles and Rachel Stegeman in the graduate program in performance at Duquesne University. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she won positions with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater Orchestra. In addition, she has played with the Pittsburgh Opera, Erie Philharmonic, and Butler County Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys playing in chamber string ensembles to promote classical music to people of all ages, but most especially the youth.
