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.

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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.

Melody Cliff
Concert Master

Melody has been performing with Allegro since 2008. She is passionated 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 10 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 two sons, Griffin and Gavin.

Zachary Levi
Assistant Conductor

Zachary Levi is Allegro's Assistant Conductor and NextGEN Youth Orchestra's Overture Conductor. He is also the high school orchestra director in the Southern York County School District, as well as the orchestra director at York College.

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In addition to teaching and conducting, Zach is an active cellist performing with Allegro and the York Symphony.

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He lives in Columbia with his wife, Johanna, and their son, Samuel.

• Lauren Fairfull - President

• Jon Clemens - Vice President

• Catrina Laubach - Treasurer

• Scott Cullen

• Morgann Davis

• Zach Fried

• Ken Husler

• Beth Lavender

• Anne Nye

• Stefanie Stauffer

• Betsy Swartz

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• Paul E. Richer, II - CEO

• Caitlin Jodoin - Marketing Coordinator, Nextgen Program Director

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

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Contact us!