Get to Know Sarasota Orchestra’s Great Escapes Conductors

July 12, 2024—Whether they’re sharing artistic insights, heartwarming personal anecdotes, or laugh-out-loud witticisms, our conductors’ interaction with the audience is one of the most cherished parts of Sarasota Orchestra’s Great Escapes concerts! Meet the brilliant cast of guest conductors who curate and lead the programs of our 2024-2025 Great Escapes season.

Stuart Chafetz conducts
Great Escapes: Merry and Bright
(Great Escapes debut!)
December 11-15, 2024

Stuart’s home orchestras:
Columbus Symphony – Principal Pops Conductor
Marin Symphony – Principal Pops Conductor
Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra – Principal Pops Conductor

Celebrated for his dynamic and engaging podium presence, Stuart Chafetz is increasingly in demand with orchestras across the continent. He’s collaborated with renowned artists such as Ben Folds, Natalie Merchant, Marvin Hamlisch, Jefferson Starship, and Jon Kimura Parker. As Principal timpanist of the Honolulu Symphony for 20 years, Stuart would also conduct the annual Nutcracker performances with Ballet Hawaii and principals from the American Ballet Theatre.

Christopher Confessore conducts
Great Escapes: G.O.A.T.s
May 7-10, 2025

Chris’ home orchestras:
Brevard Symphony Orchestra – Music Director and Principal Conductor
Alabama Symphony Orchestra – Resident Conductor and Principal POPS Conductor

Heralded as a sensitive and inspiring collaborator, Christopher Confessore has accompanied distinguished artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, and Lang Lang. As a Pops conductor, he has appeared with a diverse group of superstars, including Art Garfunkel, Roberta Flack, Judy Collins, the Indigo Girls, and Charlie Daniels. He regularly appears as a conductor for two of Disney World’s most elaborate productions: The Candlelight Processional at EPCOT and The Music of Pixar: A Symphony of Characters at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Tamara Dworetz conducts
Great Escapes: A Musical Comedy
(Sarasota Orchestra debut!)
March 12-16, 2025

Tamara’s home orchestra:
Georgia Philharmonic, Music Director

In 2022, Tamara Dworetz was selected as one of 14 candidates from an international pool in the La Maestra Competition for women conductors. She was the only U.S.-born conductor selected and earned a spot as one of six semifinalists. A devoted educator, Tamara is the newly-appointed Georgia State University Director of Orchestral Studies and Charles Thomas Wurm Distinguished Professor in instrumental music. Tamara and her husband, Stephen, live in Brookhaven, GA, with their puppy and two guinea pigs. When she’s not conducting, she enjoys going to the dog park, drinking her favorite craft and Belgian beers, and watching dark comedies.

Michelle Merrill conducts
Great Escapes: Crazy for You
February 12-16, 2025

Michelle’s home orchestras:
Winston-Salem Symphony – Music Director
Coastal Symphony of Georgia – Music Director

A passionate and dynamic artist, Michelle Merrill has been inspiring audiences throughout the country with her sharply detailed and vibrant performances. She is a recipient of a 2016 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, as well as the prestigious 2013 Ansbacher Conducting Fellowship, awarded by members of the Vienna Philharmonic and the American Austrian Foundation. Michelle loves cooking, running, hiking, and spending time outdoors with her husband, Steve (Principal percussionist of the Jacksonville Symphony), and their two sons, Davis and Emmett.

Evan Roider conducts
Great Escapes: TV Tunes and Treasures
(Great Escapes debut!)
January 15-19, 2025

Evan’s home orchestra:
Wicked national tour – Music Director and Conductor

Equally at home on the symphonic stage and in the orchestra pit, Evan Roider is quickly becoming known as a conductor of great versatility. He has led productions of A Chorus Line, Into the Woods, and The Wizard of Oz, among others. He was Assistant Conductor for Candide at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and John Lithgow; at Barrington Stage, he was the Associate Music Director for a critically acclaimed production of The Pirates of Penzance, which The New York Times hailed as “exhilarating.”

Matthew Troy conducts
Great Escapes: Reel Intrigue
(Sarasota Orchestra debut!)
October 16-19, 2024

Matthew’s home orchestras:
Piedmont Wind Symphony – Artistic Director and Conductor
Oklahoma City Philharmonic – Education Conductor

Matthew Troy became nationally recognized for his ability to innovate and inspire while Associate Conductor with the Winston-Salem Symphony from 2008 to 2014. He’s a tireless advocate for music education with numerous awards for his teaching and programming. Matthew earned a bachelor’s degree in music as a violist at the University of North Carolina (Greensboro), where he also completed a master’s degree in orchestral conducting. In his free time, Matthew enjoys reading, studying new music, traveling, and singing.

New Format This Season!

Thursday Great Escapes concerts are now “fun-sized”! The six performances at 7:30 p.m. in Holley Hall will run approximately 65 to 70 minutes without intermission.

Great Escapes are among our patrons’ favorite Holley Hall experiences, and performances are known to sell out! Secure your seat today with a Great Escapes subscription.

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