Summerville Orchestra’s Mission
To share our love of music by engaging and enriching our community, through the evolution of the orchestral art form.
2021-24 Vision Statement
We seek to create musical experiences accessible to all, and to build community relationships that will transform our cultural dialogue and landscape.
Serving Summerville since 2003
Serving the Lowcountry of South Carolina, the Summerville Orchestra is the epitome of community serving community. Originally founded in 2003 by a small group of musicians who wanted to play for the pure joy of it, the Summerville Orchestra has transformed into one of the largest community orchestras in the nation, programming full-scale professional repertoire while also being a “rogue traditionalist” by adding newer works, different works, and creating both a classical and non-classical music experience at each concert. Directed by Wojciech Milewski, the orchestra has blossomed into transforming the community it serves by adding five large concert performances, more than ten chamber performances, a ten-part adult educational series titled “Music Chats with Wojciech,” a podcast, live-streaming opportunities, and beginning in 2022 a new youth orchestra.
The Conductor
Wojciech Milewski
Music Director
Energetic and dynamic Wojciech Milewski is an emerging operatic and orchestral conductor. He is the recipient of the 2019 Henderson Symphony Orchestra Harold Farberman Prize and was a finalist in the 2019 Los Angeles Conducting Competition. Recently named music director of Charleston Opera Theater, Wojciech has held the baton for the Summerville Orchestra since 2016. Under his leadership, the orchestra has directly engaged the community by starting three separate outreach series, selling out its four pre-COVID seasons and doubling its active musician roster.
Conducting
Prior to his appointment in Summerville, Wojciech served as Music Director for the world premiere of Joe Illick’s UnShakeable with the Santa Fe Opera, and music directed several of SFO’s educational tours. He also served as Assistant Conductor at the Opera NEO festival in San Diego, CA, and as Associate Conductor for El Paso Opera’s 2016 production of Carmen. During his time in New Mexico, he also guest conducted two concert series with the Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra and several works on those programs received New Mexico premieres.
As a conductor, Wojciech seeks to create lively, interactive and multi-sensory concert experiences, fostering audience engagement and inclusion.
Workshops
Wojciech attended the 2022 International Conductor’s Guild Conference with Louis Langrée and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Conducting Workshop and Competition with Neil Thomson and Scott Weiss, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra Conducting Seminar with Markand Thakar, and the Henderson Symphony Orchestra Conductor Camp with Alexandra Arrieche. Past studies include workshops and festivals in San Diego, CA; Orvieto, Italy; the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music; the California Conductor’s Institute; and the Bard College Conductor’s Institute. His past conducting teachers include Jorge Pérez-Gómez, John Farrer and Daniel Hege.
Education
Wojciech is an alumnus of the University of New Mexico and the State University of New York at Oswego, and currently lives in Summerville with his dog, Remy.
The Executive Director
Executive Director Andrew Price of North Charleston is no stranger to the Summerville Orchestra. Price has been principal bassist since joining the orchestra in 2018 and has served as the musicians’ advocate, treasurer, and musicians’ president for the Summerville Orchestra’s Musician Board and was member of the S.O. Board of Directors from 2020-2022.
Administrative Experience
Andrew started his first “business” with a friend at the age of 13 called “Stone Pond Helpers,” a group that did a multitude of house jobs from pet sitting, to washing cars, to pop up lemonade stands. His entrepreneurial skills never stopped when he went to college as he became the board president and CEO of “South Carolina Bass Musicians Association,” a state-wide bass association that held yearly conferences and advocated for the double bass and bass guitar through out the eastern United States. Under his lead, the association reached over 500 bass players and caused many students to pursue careers in bass performance.
After leaving college, Andrew has had a hand in multiple administrative duties in the low country and statewide including event coordinator for South Carolina Music Educators Association, Charleston County School District inventory coordinator, Title IX and arts grant coordinator for C.E. Williams Middle School and is currently a logistics/administrative football coach for Academic Magnet High School.
Education
Price has dedicated his life to the making of music. An accomplished double bass player, he received his bachelor’s in music education and certificate in music performance at the University of South Carolina and recently completed a master’s degree in arts management from Colorado State University. He served as orchestra director at the North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary School and CE Williams Middle School, earning multiple teaching and conducting awards.
Andrew holds certification in advanced scuba diving and enjoys spending his time with his wife, Olivia, exploring the world.
Andrew Price
Executive Director
The Musicians
1st VIOLIN
Alexander Boissonnault, Concertmaster
Michelle Buchanan, Assistant Concertmaster
Maia Gelser
Susie Hines
Daniel Kapsalis
Iraida Lombardi
Taylor Norden
Kayleigh Osborne
Alex Panfilovich
Jack Pashby
Lauran Swann
Cecily Wright
2nd VIOLIN
Allison Harvey, Principal
Jamie Byrnes
Ayuna Gordon
Alanna Hurst
Abby Lockaby
Terry May
Leilanie Roberts
Abigail Rogers
Michele Stevens
Gordon Tedeschi
Michael Weeks
VIOLA
Samantha Clark, Principal
Hazel Edwards
Sofia Graham
Sandy Juzups
Savannah Koch
Olivia Price
Mark Tullis
Kevaughn Williams
CELLO
Cameron Williams, Principal
Sara Baldwin
Sandy Collins
Drew Hamrick
Belinda Hull
Aaron McLaughlin
Jessica Zhou Seymour
Robert Stewart
Pearl Wright
DOUBLE BASS
Andrew Price, Principal
Benjamin Jhagroo
Anneliese Little
Joshua Mack
Alexander Morris
Thayne Thompson
FLUTE
Amy Schuck Principal
Peggy Bohne
Lauren Davies
PICCOLO
Melanie Campos
OBOE
Sarah Teuscher, Principal
Jan Coldwell
ENGLISH HORN
Frank Miley
CLARINET
Ray Willard, Co-Principal
Niko Stem, Co-Principal
Cameron Harper
BASS CLARINET
Jack Hayes
BASSOON
Abigail Pruett, Principal
Emily Caron
Andrew Gossett
FRENCH HORN
Erin Yardley, Principal
Basil Kerr
Craig Martin
Henry Merryday
Toni Scott
Julie Thornton
TRUMPET
Dean Glace, Co-Principal
Ethan Pruitt, Co-Principal
Harry Dykeman
Paul Cox
TROMBONE
Bill Miller, Principal
Robert Juzups
Andrew Llewelyn
Keddaris West-Crosby
TUBA
Bryan Hatmaker
Board of Directors and Staff
Board of Directors FYE 6/30/24
- Lee Zimmerman, Esq., Board President
- Richard Ketcham, Vice President
- Susan Kammeraad-Campbell, Secretary and Co-Development Chair
- Ken Smith, Treasurer
- Michelle Buchanan, Musicians’ president
- Jessea James
- John Neale
- April Aldrich
- Ebbie Jones
- Dr. Martin Pressman
Advisory Board
- Larry A. Barnfield
- Christopher Nowell, CPA
- Diane Rodwell
- Betty Settle
- Dean Glace
Staff
- Wojciech Milewski, Music Director
- Andrew Price, Executive Director
- DeAnndra Glenn, Director of Youth Programs
- Lizzie Harris, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
- Michelle Bessen, Patron Relations Coordinator
- Marlena Davis, Librarian and personnel manager
- Donna Jenson, Volunteer Coordinator
- Cheryl Lawton, Office assistant