About Our Conductor
Evan Meccarello is committed to new explorations in classical music and engaging with communities across the Northeast. He joined the Irondequoit Community Orchestra in the 2019/20 season, which included collaboration with the Irondequoit Chorale and growth in the orchestra’s membership.
Meccarello’s conducting experience spans professional, collegiate, youth, and civic ensembles. He was named Music Director of the Binghamton Community Orchestra after a February 2020 debut featuring opera and symphonic music. Based in Rochester, he is Founder and Director of the Hochstein Alumni Orchestra, a community of musicians that rally around the cause of affordable music lessons. Over ten years, he has commissioned five alumni of Hochstein to write orchestral works for the ensemble. Meccarello directed the Thames Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra at Connecticut College for five years.
Summer and 2022-2023 engagements include conducting the Keuka Lake Music Festival Orchestra, Cover Conductor for the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, and a set of children’s concerts in libraries around Rochester with the Irondequoit Community Orchestra. The children’s concerts, titled We Write Orchestra Music! will feature new compositions by two young Rochester composers and more pieces by composers underrepresented in orchestral music.
Meccarello has been named a National Finalist for The American Prize in virtual performance for the innovate program Music Outside the Box. This all-online festival for high school musicians featured live virtual ensemble rehearsal and performance during the pandemic lockdown. In collaboration with the Binghamton Community Orchestra and Broome County Music Educators Association, over sixty students from districts across Binghamton had the opportunity to connect and learn new techniques together, playing contemporary classical music designed to be played over live video conferencing. The project received international attention, leading to an invitation to present a similar experience to Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra.
Meccarello serves as guest conductor and clinician at middle and high schools, including NYSSMA Area All-State and All-County festival orchestras. He previously was Conductor of the Nazareth College Chamber Orchestra and continues to support the program as Assistant Conductor of the Nazareth College Symphony Orchestra.
Meccarello’s training in conducting has included lessons and masterclasses with world-acclaimed conducting teachers, including Larry Rachleff, Benjamin Zander, David Effron, and Jorma Panula. He holds a masters degree in orchestral conducting from Bowling Green State University and a violin performance degree from Nazareth College, where he was a two-time winner of the school’s concerto competition. He can sometimes be found at Argentine tango milongas, playing violin for dancers.
