YOUNGSTOWN, OH (March 1, 2023) – On Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 7:30 PM, Guest Conductor, Dean Buck, will lead the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra in their final concert of the 2022-2023 season, A Night for Jazz with special guest vocalist, Brianna Thomas. This soul-filled concert will be held in Powers Auditorium at the DeYor Performing Arts Center and will feature a variety of jazz pieces by Duke Ellington, George Gerswhin, Stephen Sondheim, and Cole Porter.

Guest Conductor, Dean Buck holds a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and currently serves as assistant conductor for the Firelands Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and Cleveland Opera Theater. This past year, the Cleveland-based conductor has led concerts with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, Heights Chamber Orchestra, and performances of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker with Ballet Western Reserve, as well as Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory.

Guest Vocalist, Brianna Thomas, was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois in a musical environment influenced by her father and his unique talents as a vocalist and percussionist. She has performed across the country from New Orleans to Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center. At the age of thirteen, Thomas became the youngest person to be inducted in Peoria’s African-American Hall of Fame in 1996. She has also received a certificate of excellence from the state of Illinois in recognition of her musical accomplishments. Thomas’s voice is described as “a healthy serving of sass,” with influences of past jazz, such as Diana Reeves, Sarah Vaughn, and Nancy Wilson.

Tickets are available now for the March 30 concert ranging from $55 to $85, plus applicable fees. Discounts are available for seniors and students. Tickets are available Monday through Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm by calling 330-259-9651, or in person at the DeYor Performing Arts Center. Tickets are also available 24 hours a day online at youngstownsymphony.com