top of page

About Us

Since its first concert in 2002, Allegro Orchestra Lancaster has brought joyful music to the Lancaster community. Inspired by the vision of founder and Artistic Director Dr. Brian Norcross, Allegro Orchestra Lancaster embodies the classic definition of music by Catherine Drinker Bowen "as a conversation between friends". Most of Allegro's immensely talented professional players are from Lancaster County. Their love of great music, and of playing together, shows in every performance.

Artistic Leadership

Artistic Leadership

A Brian-headshot-1426.jpg

Dr. Brian Norcross
Artistic Director

Dr. Brian Norcross is the founding Artistic Director and Conductor of Allegro Orchestra Lancaster. He is also the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Allegro Nextgen Youth Orchestras.

​

Dr. Norcross is Senior Director of Instrumental Music and Conducting Studies at Franklin & Marshall College, a position he has held since 1986. He directs the Franklin & Marshall Orchestra, Philharmonia, and Symphonic Wind Ensembles, and he teaches conducting. A champion of new music, he has directed over 100 premiere performances with various ensembles. In addition, he is the Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in Lancaster, where he directs the Chancel Choir and administers the worship music program.

 

Dr. Norcross is an active guest conductor and clinician in the mid-Atlantic states including appearances with the Pennsylvania Music Educators (PMEA) All-State Wind Ensemble, PMEA Region VI Orchestra, the PMEA Region IV/V Orchestra, the PMEA District 7, 11, and District 12 Orchestras, Harford (MD) All-County Orchestra and Band, Cecil (MD) All-County Band, Carroll County (MD) All-County Band, Lancaster-Lebanon County Music Educators (LLMEA) Orchestra, LLMEA Wind Ensemble, Lancaster County Youth Symphony, Lancaster Bible College Orchestra, Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey, OperaLancaster, The Hershey Symphony, and the Old York Road Symphony Orchestra (Jenkintown, PA). He has also arranged and conducted ten benefit concerts for the Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired.

 

He received his doctorate, with distinction, from The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C.; his master's, with performance and academic honors from New England Conservatory in Boston, MA; and his bachelor's from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA.

 

He and his wife Kim are active volunteers in the community and have four children, Molly, Megan, Greyson and Gloria, and two grandchildren, Gabe and Abby.

Photo of Concertmaster Melody Cliff
Melody Cliff
Concert Master

Melody has been performing with Allegro since 2008. She is passionate about sharing the joy of music with the next generation of musicians and audiences alike. Melody is the orchestra director at Lower Dauphin Middle and High Schools, where she has taught for over 16 years.

 

A native of Elizabethtown, she was a violin student of Odin Rathnam, Melinda Daetsch, and Michael Jamanis. Melody studied Music Education at Lancaster Bible College and earned her Master's Degree in Violin Performance from West Chester University, where she studied with Sylvia Ahramjian.

 

Melody lives in downtown Lancaster with her husband, Bill, and their three sons, Griffin, Gavin, and Greyson.

IMG_8267.heic

Caroline E. Burns
Executive Director

Caroline has served on the Allegro Board of Directors since May 2023, has worked as Allegro's Marketing Coordinator since May 2024, and as of August 2025 serves as Allegro's Executive Director. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Ithaca College and a Master of Science in Arts Administration and Museum Leadership from Drexel University. 

​

Prior to (and during) her work for Allegro, Caroline served as the Academic Department Coordinator for the Music Department and the Lead Academic Coordinator at Franklin & Marshall College. She has also worked with and participated in the New England Conservatory's Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice (SICPP) and has held various administrative positions in a diverse range of fields. 

​

Love of music and the joy of sharing it with others is at the heart of everything Caroline does. She and her husband, Jason, have lived in Lancaster since 2022. 

FL_Fall2025_AllegroOrchestra-02-ZF-2860-58225-1-001-005.jpg

Our Musicians

BASS

Brent Edmondson

Brian Krauss

Charlie Burnett

Don Grabowski

John Shank

John Yerger

Michael Banks

​

BASSOON

Bryce Troy

Garrett Brown

Kimberly Nolet

Ralph Lehman

Robin Plant

​

CELLO

Beth Lavender

Brian Mishler

Greg Flury

John Caldwell

Melissa Brun

Nathan Lavender

Sara Male

Steve Lavender

Zach Levi

​

CLARINET

Amy Halteman

Christy Banks

Gary Troxell

Rob Shaubach

​

FLUTE

Alice Broadway

CJ Flint

Jana MacKay

Matthew Angelo

Morgann Davis

​

HARP

Cheryl Cunningham

Elizabeth Asmus

​

HORN

Anne Nye

Elizabeth Pfaffle

Grace Salyards

Jill Graybill

Kristen Albert

Leah Jorgensen

Lori Groff

​

OBOE

Jill Hoffmann

Kathy Horein

Lauren Fairfull

Victoria Ritter

​​

PERCUSSION

Bob Nowak

Brent Behrenshausen

Grace Asuncion

Jim Martin

Jud Brill

Tom Blanchard

PIANO​

Biba Benjamin

Rosemary Blessing

Sara Nyquist

​​

TROMBONE

Clay Sattazahn

Jerry Heilner

Scott Cullen

Steve Shiffer

Tracy Burke

​

EUPHONIUM

Mark Brumbach

Ryan Kriebel

​​

TRUMPET

Curtis Palmer

Doug Albert

Keith Wiley

PC King

Todd Fulginiti

​

TUBA

Caitlin Jodoin

Cody Messersmith

Geoff Davis

Michael Banks

William Grager

​

​

​

​

​

​

VIOLA

Anthony Scheuerman

Christy Kauffman

Jody Greve

John Hamilton

Michael Gamon

Richard Ney

​

​VIOLIN

Amanda Krauss

Betsy Swartz

Brianna Mellon

Chi Park

Christopher Brooks

Corrinne White

Elizabeth Hess

Johanna Levi

Katelyn Kiehl

MaryLee Yerger

Melody Cliff, Concertmaster

Sally Woodman

May Zia

Nile Wilson

Sharon Lambertson

Tara Kenkelen

Venona Detrick

 

​TIMPANI​

Mark Yingling

​

​

​

Our Musicians
Board
Farid Widjaya - ticket sales - June 2013.jpg

Board

​

​

Interested in joining our board? We're currently looking for new board members.

​

Contact us!

Allegro Orchestra Lancaster does not unlawfully discriminate internally (in its administrative and program operations) or externally (in provision of services) on the basis of race, political orientation, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, or mental or physical disability or any other status prohibited by applicable law.

bottom of page