The Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra announces the appointment of Michael Avagliano, a multifaceted international musician with a dynamic career as conductor, performer and educator, as its music director.
Avagliano, who leads the New Jersey-based Somerset Symphony Orchestra and the Summit Symphony Orchestra, will become Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra’s third music director, succeeding Paul Chou, who served at the podium from 2022 to 2025. Allan Birney, director emeritus, founded Pennsylvania Sinfonia in 1982, establishing it as the premiere professional chamber orchestra in the Lehigh Valley, with a mission to engage diverse audiences through a variety of imaginatively programmed performances.
No stranger to the Lehigh Valley, Avagliano recently guest-conducted the Allentown Symphony Orchestra at Miller Symphony Hall. He has also guest-conducted the Cleveland Pops at Severance Hall and in recent years has led numerous orchestras across the United States and Europe, from Oregon to Bulgaria.
“I’m excited to join the Pennsylvania Sinfonia as music director and become a part of this incredible organization,” Avagliano said. “The orchestra is a jewel in the Lehigh Valley. I can’t wait to start working with the amazing musicians and the board to create fantastic performances in an intimate, accessible setting.”
The beauty of a great chamber orchestra is its close connection between the orchestra and the audience, he noted.
“I felt that connection immediately in the concert we performed back in March at Moravian University’s Foy Hall,” Avagliano said. “And I’m looking forward to a great relationship with the Pennsylvania Sinfonia as music director.”
“The enthusiastic, sustained reaction from our audience, musicians, and board after Michael’s guest conducting appearance in March made it clear that he had the energy, musical personality and artistry to takes this talented orchestra into its next chapter,” said Bryan Hay, president of the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra’s board of directors.
“We look forward to his leadership and experiencing the wonderful music he will make with the Pennsylvania Sinfonia,” he added. “This appointment is the right next step for us.”
The Pennsylvania Sinfonia’s 2026-27 season will be announced soon.
About Michael Avagliano
American conductor Michael Avagliano is obsessed with redefining what’s possible for an orchestra. His focus on ambitious local collaborations and active community involvement helped the Somerset Symphony Orchestra grow into a regional force in New Jersey and led to significant audience growth in the Summit Symphony Orchestra, both of which he serves as music director.
He is increasingly sought after as a guest conductor; highlights of the recent season include conducting the Cleveland Pops at Severance Hall and the Allentown Symphony at Miller Theatre. Additionally, he has led over 15 orchestras across the United States and Europe, including the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic (Czech Republic), Pleven Philharmonic (Bulgaria), Scuola Populare di Testaccio (Italy), Plainfield Symphony (N.J.) and University of Oregon Symphony. In a March 2020 performance, Avagliano was praised for an “effective, powerful performance” (New York Classical Review) in leading the Bachanalia Chamber Orchestra at New York City’s Merkin Hall.
Michael places a premium on integrating the orchestras he leads with underserved communities, leading orchestras in elder care facilities, hospitals and other places outside the concert hall, With the SSO, among his proudest accomplishments has been performing alongside the young dancers of New Jersey’s Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy — a rare opportunity for dancers at that age. Leading the Summit Symphony, Avagliano orchestrated a collaboration with Summit High School students, projecting their artwork on stage during a performance of “Pictures at an Exhibition,” as well as the orchestra’s biannual Young Artists competition.
When not leading orchestras, Avagliano turns his attention to mentoring the next generation of young conductors, imparting skills needed both on the podium and off. To train musicianship, he founded the International Conducting Masterclass in Stony Point, N.Y. His online workshop Conducting the Interview focused on career-building, teaching conductors significant skills in applying for positions as conductor and music director. Hoping to build upon the success of these initiatives and construct further ones, he founded the Performers Learning Alliance in 2020, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating educational and performance opportunities for emerging artists.
Michael has worked in masterclasses and workshops with Neil Varon, Kenneth Kiesler, Phillip Greenberg, Diane Wittry and Kirk Trevor. He studied under Kynan Johns and Markand Thakar and serves as associate faculty at Maestro Thakar’s workshop through Conducting Programs International. A trained violinist and violist, he continues to perform and educate under his adjunct professorship of violin and viola at Drew University and has performed with the internationally acclaimed Madison String Quartet since 2000.
Michael holds degrees from Indiana University and received his doctorate in orchestral conducting from Rutgers University. He resides in Bound Brook, N.J., with his wife, violinist Evelyn Estava.
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