Grammy Award-winner Jeff Tyzik is one of America’s most innovative and sought-after pops conductors. Tyzik is recognized for his brilliant arrangements, original programming, and engaging rapport with audiences of all ages. In addition to his role as Principal Pops Conductor of the DSO, Tyzik holds The Dot and Paul Mason Principal Pops Conductor’s Podium at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and also serves as principal pops conductor of the Oregon Symphony, Florida Orchestra, and Rochester Philharmonic – a post he has held for 23 seasons. 

Frequently invited as a guest conductor, Tyzik has appeared with the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Milwaukee Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. In May 2007, the Harmonia Mundi label released his recording of works by Gershwin with pianist Jon Nakamatsu and the RPO, which stayed in the Top 10 on the Billboard classical chart for over three months. Alex Ross of the New Yorker called it “one of the snappiest Gershwin discs in years.” 

Committed to performing music of all genres, Tyzik has collaborated with such diverse artists as Megan Hilty, Chris Botti, Matthew Morrison, Wynonna Judd, Tony Bennett, Art Garfunkel, Dawn Upshaw, Marilyn Horne, Arturo Sandoval, The Chieftains, Mark O’Connor, Doc Severinsen, and John Pizzarelli. He has created numerous original programs that include the greatest music from jazz and classical to Motown, Broadway, film, dance, Latin, and swing. Tyzik holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music. For more information, visit jefftyzik.com. 

Kelly Levesque is a singer-songwriter from New York who began her career in the studio at the age of 3 with her musician-father recording her first notes. Kelly has performed as a soloist on leading international stages such as Royal Albert Hall, The Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center, Budokan, Staples Center, The White House, and Madison Square Garden. Kelly has also shared the stage with such esteemed artists as Sting, Jamie Foxx, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Josh Groban, Michael Bolton, Smokey Robinson, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and many more.

Kelly’s soaring vocal range, beautiful tone, and stunning stage presence have provided her with an international recording and performing career since she signed her first major recording deal with Reprise/Warner Brothers Records. Kelly has had 2 top 5 Billboard Classical Crossover Albums, one with her group Three Graces and the second with Diane Warren’s duet group Due Voci.

Kelly has been honored to perform for International Royalty, four US Presidents and His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

Kelly believes in creating “Music With Meaning” as part of the philanthropic initiative with her music. Kelly wrote a song called Never Forever to raise awareness and money for Domestic Violence victims- it was released with the support of the Miss America Organization and Safe Horizon with their #PuttheNailinit campaign. I Won’t Let You Down is a song Kelly wrote and gifted to the KNOWAutism Foundation to benefit children and families who are affected by Autism.

Kelly is featured on several film and television soundtracks, including America’s Sweethearts starring Julia Roberts, and the title song on the new Inspector Gadget series. Kelly is also a featured vocalist on numerous National TV and radio commercials.

“Singing is what I love to do and I always remember at each performance, this could be somebody’s first or last show, so I give everything I have and leave it all on the stage!”

“In one performance, California-born, New York-based vocalist Shayna Steele unleashed enough voltage to light up the West End.” - London Jazz News

There's no need to sugar coat it, since her impressive credits speak for themselves. Her colleagues praise her ability, her dedication and drive to perfecting her craft as a professional singer and knockout performer. On stage and in the studio, New York City based vocalist and songwriter Shayna Steele proves she is a vocal force to be reckoned with.

At the age of 15, Shayna’s appearance on Ed McMahon’s Star Search was her first experience performing in front of a nationally televised audience. After losing by a 1/2 star, Shayna returned to her hometown of Biloxi, Mississippi to finish high school and pursue a music degree before exposing herself to the cutthroat "reality" of the business. "I was embarrassed and defeated. I wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl in a hole."

A completely unexpected call in 2005 would drop her squarely in the middle of genre she had absolutely no experience with: Electronica. Hearing that Moby "needed a screamer" for a track off his new album Hotel, a mutual friend recommended Steele, resulting in the disc's second single "Raining Again". Two years later, she was back, laying down vocals for "Extreme Ways (2007)" - Moby's theme song to The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne- and in early 2008, "Disco Lies", the first single off Moby's 2008 release Last Night. The song reached #1 on the US Billboard Dance charts and went on to be featured in J.J. Abram's summer blockbuster Cloverfield and the movie The Backup Plan starring Jennifer Lopez. Her voice has remained high in demand with vocals on Hairspray (movie soundtrack), 2012's The Bourne Legacy, Sex and the City 2, NBC's Smash, 2008 Summer Olympic highlights on BBC, The Shanghai Restoration Project and HBO's "The Sopranos". In December, Shayna reprised her role with the “Dynamites” in NBC’s Hairspray Live.

After appearing on Broadway in Rent, Jesus Christ Superstar and the original cast of Hairspray, Steele started writing music with partner David Cook in 2002. The two quickly developed a creative synergy, collaborating on Steele's eponymous debut EP in 2004. Though self-released, the album's breakout soul-funk single "High Yella" achieved the attention she needed to raise her solo profile. She and/or her band have since shared the stage with luminaries Ledisi, opening for George Clinton and the Sugar Hill Gang, a featured singer with Bjorkestra, The Latvian Radio Big Band and Grammy winning conducter/composer/trumpeter Dave Douglas, featured with 2 x Grammy winner Snarky Puppy in 2014 at the Nice Jazz Festival, the Estival Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival, Java Jazz Festival and the Singapore Jazz Festival. Shayna is has worked as a sideman with Lizz Wright, Bette Midler, Natasha Bedingfield, John Legend, Matthew Morrison, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Rihanna and Kelly Clarkson.

It was the release of Shayna's first full-length album I'll Be Anything co-written with Cook that put Shayna on the map as a legitimate solo artist. She was soon sought after by clubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, New York City, Milan, Rome and Zurich, welcoming her to packed rooms and a dedicated fan base. Shayna and the band have toured and continue to tour extensively throughout Europe, Africa and North America. In 2013, Shayna's original song "Gone Under" was recorded live for DVD on Snarky Puppy's Family Dinner, Volume 1, where the band received a Grammy Award in 2014 for their performance of "Something" with Lalah Hathaway.

Shayna continues to work non-stop in music out of their home teaching privately, teaching masterclasses worldwide, recording, writing and creating in addition to being one of the most high in demand and sought after vocalists. She has had the honor to perform with the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Symphony Orchestra and most recently with Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra.

Shayna released her second full-length album, RISE on Ropeadope Records in 2015 to rave reviews from both critics and fans alike and reached #4 on the U.S. iTunes jazz charts. Shayna is currently in the studio finishing up her 3rd solo album with producer David Cook (Taylor Swift, Kesha, Thomas Rhett, Shoshana Bean) which is set to release in March 2018.

Brie Cassil is a singer, actress, and composer and has traveled all over the world for her art. She has led Musical Theatre Workshops in Brazil, as well as opened for Adler (original drummer for Guns & Roses band) with her original band, Rebel. Brie has had the pleasure of singing in several different genres of music in her career. She has sung everything from Opera to Rock. In the world of theater, she has been seen in many productions such as Beauty and The Beast (Belle), Urinetown (Little Sally), RENT (Mimi), The Marvelous Wonderettes (Suzy), and the new rock musical Chix 6 (Blast). Brie is excited and honored to be performing on multiple productions with symphony orchestras where she gets to sing the music of some of her biggest artistic influences.