Future Stars Shine at Symphony

Wed, 02/19/2025 - 09:52am | By: Dr. Mike Lopinto

Winners of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition will join The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Symphony Orchestra for their first concert of the Spring semester, Future Stars, on March 13 at 7:30 p.m. on the Thomas V. Fraschillo stage at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center auditorium. Joined by guest conductor, Tammy Yi of the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, the exciting showcase of the incredible School of Music talent will conclude with the Symphony’s music director, Gregory Wolynec, conducting Stravinsky’s Petrushka. Tickets are available at southernmisstickets.com or by calling 601.266.5418 or 800.844.8425.

“We are all so excited to bring this program to life as it truly highlights the immense talent we have here in our School of Music,” said Wolynec. “Our incredible concerto soloists emerged from a very competitive day of contestants.”

The William T. Gower Concerto Competition provides students with the unique opportunity to compete against their peers for the chance to perform with the Symphony Orchestra. An annual tradition of more than 25 years, the competition was named in 2007 in honor of William T. Gower, former professor of music at Southern Miss and a widely respected musician.

This year’s three winners, Christian Sanchez and Brian Lorett, cello, and Daniel Petrocelli Ugas, guitar, showcase the diversity of the Southern Miss School of Music. These distinguished young artists will be performing noted works including the Elgar and Shostakovich Cello Concertos, and the “Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar,” respectively. 

Cuban American composer Ivette Herryman Rodriguez’s “A Danzon Done My Way” will open the program putting a fresh spin on the traditional Latin dance form. Concluding this exciting evening of talent is perhaps Stravinsky’s most colorful score of his three great ballets for the Ballet Ruse–Petrushka entrances with soaring melodies and rhythmic vitality. This story of a mischievous puppet brought to life helped the composer find his mature voice, which would change the world.

“We are also excited for a creative new take on the popular ‘Danzon’ with Tammy Yi at the helm – it will be exhilarating,” Wolynec said. “Finally, we will bring a huge and colorful orchestra to Stravinsky’s captivating and difficult work.”

For Christian Sanchez, playing the Elgar cello concerto holds great sentimental significance, as it was the first concerto he heard that inspired him to study music and one day be able to play it. Likewise, this concerto represents memories throughout his career and performing it with USM symphony orchestra is one of the most important of his career goals. Sanchez is originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He began his musical studies at the age of 12 at Escuela Nacional de Música, taking the cello as his main instrument under the tutelage of Carlos Licona. Sanchez has participated in multiple orchestras and musical groups, including the Honduras Philharmonic Orchestra, the Baton Rouge, Meridian and Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestras. Sanchez has participated in master classes with renowned musicians, including outstanding cellists Gautier Capuçon, Pablo Ferrandez, Santiago Cañon-Valencia, among others. He has performed in numerous music festivals, most notably, The Vienna Summer Music Festival, Youth Symphony Orchestra, Cellisimo and Chelistiko. Sanchez is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree at USM under the tutelage of Dr. Alexander Russakovsky. He is looking forward to a performance with his chamber group at Carnegie Hall in New York City in June 2024.

Brian Lorett is a versatile cellist, arranger and composer from Pamplona, Colombia. He began his musical training in Cúcuta, where he studied under violinist Rafael Pineda at the Cúcuta Youth Symphony Orchestra. Immersed in the pedagogical principles of Antonio Abreu, founder of Venezuela’s renowned "El Sistema,” in 2016, he pursued a Bachelor of Musical Arts at the Adolfo Mejía Conservatory in Cartagena, Colombia studying with cellist and arranger Jorge Nordmann. An avid composer, he writes for ensembles, incorporating Latin American and African folk rhythms and explores electronic sampling and live looping. In 2020, Lorett released “Acercamientos Op.11,” a self-produced album of programmatic music inspired by visual artworks from young Colombian artists. That same year, he won the Convocatoria de Estímulos Award twice for his compositions “Bambuco No.1 Op.2” and “Fantasy No.2 Op.17,” both rooted in Colombian folk traditions. In 2021, he moved to the U.S. to study at The University of Southern Mississippi to pursue his master’s degree under Dr. Alexander Russakovsky. There, he serves as principal cellist of the Symphony Orchestra and continues to expand his work in live looping composition and performance, blending classical cello with modern technology to push creative boundaries.

Daniel Petrocelli is a leading Venezuelan guitarist of his generation, recognized for his achievements in national and international competitions. He graduated summa cum laude in classical guitar performance from the Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Artes and also received a bachelor’s degree in education from Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez. He won first prize at the 2014 III Alirio Díaz National Guitar Competition in Carora, Venezuela and earned third prizes at the 2015 XVIII Alirio Díaz International Guitar Competition, the 2020 Rust International Guitar Competition in Austria, and the 2024 Florida Guitar Competition and Festival in Tallahassee, Florida. He has performed at festivals in Venezuela, Mexico, the U.S., Russia and Saint Lucia, captivating audiences with his charisma and energy. Petrocelli has premiered “Variaciones Lumière” by Luis Ochoa; “Cita Concertante” by Eduardo Martín; and most recently, Juan Erena’s “Heart of Earth,” featured on the album “The World We Build.” Additionally, he is part of the Amalgam Guitar Duet with Wolfgang Salazar. Petrocelli also composes for solo guitar and ensembles, with works like “Tensión Líquida” and “Waltz Impromptu” available on Spotify and Apple Music. With 14 years of teaching experience, Petrocelli has mentored students who achieved national recognition. In 2024, he received a graduate assistantship at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he pursues a master’s in guitar performance under the guidance of Dr. Nicholas Ciraldo. He continuously performs at national and international competitions in the United States and in public performances around Hattiesburg bringing some of his Venezuelan heritage within his repertoire.