Jeff Tyzik, conductor

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. Tyzik holds The Dot and Paul Mason Principal Pops Conductor’s Podium at the Dallas Symphony
Orchestra and serves as Principal Pops Conductor of the Detroit Symphony, the Oregon Symphony and The
Florida Orchestra. This season, Tyzik will celebrate his 23rd season as Principal Pops Conductor of the Rochester
Philharmonic Orchestra.

Frequently invited as a guest conductor, Tyzik has appeared with over fifty orchestras including the Boston
Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Milwaukee Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony,
Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Malaysian
Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

In May 2007, the Harmonia Mundi label released a recording of works by Gershwin with Tyzik conducting the RPO
and acclaimed pianist Jon Nakamatsu. This recording 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.” “His concert
is the kind of thing that’s likely to give classical music a good name, perhaps even make it seem, dare I say, relevant,”
writes John Pitcher of the Gannet News Service.

As an accomplished composer and arranger, Tyzik has had his compositions recorded by the London Symphony
Orchestra, Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vancouver
Symphony and Doc Severinsen with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. He has also produced and
composed theme music for many of the major television networks, including ABC, NBC, HBO, and Cinemax, and
released six of his own albums on Capitol, Polygram and Amherst Records.

Tyzik worked closely with Doc Severinsen on many projects including orchestrating many of the great band
leader’s symphony orchestra programs. He produced a GRAMMY Award winning album, The Tonight Show
Band with Doc Severinsen, Vol. 1. Tyzik’s subsequent recordings with Severinsen garnered three more GRAMMY
nominations.

In his twenty-two years with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Tyzik has written over 200 arrangements,
orchestrations and compositions for orchestra. A consummate musician, Tyzik regularly appears as a guest
conductor in the orchestra’s classical subscription series. He has also been commissioned to compose original
works for orchestra, including a Trombone Concerto, which was funded by a grant from the National Endowment
of the Arts and subsequently performed at Carnegie Hall. Tyzik conducted the world premiere of his original
work New York Cityscapes with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 2010. Tyzik composed a Timpani
Concerto, commissioned by the RPO, and also led the RPO in the premiere of his new orchestral suite, “Images:
Musical Impressions of an Art Gallery” to rave reviews. In the 2015/16 season, Tyzik premiered his new work “Jazz
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra” on his Philharmonic Series performance with the Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra.

A native of Hyde Park, New York, Tyzik began his life in music when he first picked up a cornet at age nine. He
studied both classical and jazz throughout high school and went on to earn both his Bachelor’s and Master’s
degrees from the Eastman School of Music. While there, he studied composition/arranging with Radio City
Music Hall’s Ray Wright and jazz studies with Chuck Mangione. Tyzik subsequently toured with Mangione as lead
trumpet and worked on five Mangione recordings as a producer and performer from 1976 to 1981.
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. Tyzik has created numerous original
programs that include the greatest music from jazz, classical, Motown, Broadway, film, dance, Latin and swing.

Byron Stripling, Trumpet

A powerhouse trumpeter, gifted with a soulful voice and a charismatic onstage swagger, Byron Stripling has delighted audiences internationally. As soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart, as well as being featured soloist on the PBS television special, “Evening at Pops,” with conductors John Williams and Mr. Lockhart. Currently, Stripling serves as artistic director and conductor of the highly acclaimed, award winning Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

Since his Carnegie Hall debut with the New York Pops, Stripling has emerged as one of America’s most popular symphony pops guest artists, having performed with over 100 orchestras around the world including the Boston Pops, National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and Dallas Symphony, to name a few. He has been a featured soloist at the Hollywood Bowl and performs at jazz festivals throughout the world.

An accomplished actor and singer, Stripling was chosen, following a world wide search, to star in the lead role of the Broadway bound musical, “Satchmo.” Many will remember his featured cameo performance in the television movie, “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles,” and his critically acclaimed virtuoso trumpet and riotous comedic performance in the 42nd Street production of “From Second Avenue to Broadway.” 

Television viewers have enjoyed his work as soloist on the worldwide telecast of The Grammy Awards. Millions have heard his trumpet and voice on television commercials, TV theme songs including “20/20,” CNN, and soundtracks of favorite movies.

Stripling earned his stripes as lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Thad Jones and Frank Foster. He has also played and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, and Buck Clayton in addition to The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and The GRP All Star Big Band.

Stripling enjoys conducting Seminars and Master Classes at colleges, universities, conservatories, and high schools. His informative talks, combined with his incomparable wit and charm, make him a favorite guest speaker to groups of all ages. STRIPLING was educated at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. One of his greatest joys is to return, periodically, to Eastman and Interlochen as a special guest lecturer. 

A resident of Ohio, Stripling lives in the country with his wife, former dancer, writer and poet, Alexis and their beautiful daughters.

Photo: Greenberg Artists