The Ukrainian-born, American-based conductor Taras Krysa is establishing a reputation for innovative and inspiring music-making and leadership throughout the United States and Europe. Recently appointed as the Music Director and Conductor of Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra – the oldest professional orchestra in the Ukraine – Mr. Krysa continues to serve as the ...

The Ukrainian-born, American-based conductor Taras Krysa is establishing a reputation for innovative and inspiring music-making and leadership throughout the United States and Europe. Recently appointed as the Music Director and Conductor of Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra – the oldest professional orchestra in the Ukraine – Mr. Krysa continues to serve as the Director of Orchestras at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Taras Krysa guest conducted orchestras including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, New World Symphony, Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Symphony, Moscow Soloists, Slovak Sinfonietta, Spoleto Festival USA Chamber Orchestra, Kiev Chamber Orchestra, the Lublin Philharmonic Orchestra, Las Vegas Philharmonic and many others. In addition, Mr. Krysa led the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra and the Slovak Sinfonietta Chamber Orchestra on several European and Asian tours.

Mr. Krysa recently concluded his ninth season as the Artistic and Music Director of the Henderson Symphony Orchestra in Nevada. Under his leadership, the ensemble has seen its audience expand ten-fold and its concerts recognized as a treasured part of the cultural life of the greater Las Vegas community.

Mr. Krysa actively promotes new music and has made three critically acclaimed recordings for the Brilliant Classics label.

An accomplished violinist, Taras Krysa was a member of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the New World Symphony Orchestra, and continues to maintain an active career performing chamber music.

Taras Krysa was born in Kiev into a dynasty of professional musicians. His father, Oleh Krysa, is a prominent concert violinist. His mother, Tatiana Tchekina, was as concert pianist, and his grandfather, Pavel Tchekin, was a tenor at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

Mr. Krysa attended the Gnesin School of Music in Moscow before emigrating with his family to the United States 1989 where he continued his studies in conducting and violin at Indiana University and Northwestern University with Victor Yampolsky and Nelli Shkolnikova. Mr. Krysa was recipient of fellowship the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen Music Festival, where he studied with Jorma Panula and David Zinman.

Sonya Stith Williams is assistant concertmaster of Symphoria, and was a member of the Syracuse Symphony for ten years prior to the new Symphoria. In these organizations, she has been a member of both the second and first violin sections,
and has served as guest concertmaster. She has ...

Sonya Stith Williams is assistant concertmaster of Symphoria, and was a member of the Syracuse Symphony for ten years prior to the new Symphoria. In these organizations, she has been a member of both the second and first violin sections,
and has served as guest concertmaster. She has also performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Binghamton Philharmonic as guest principal second violin, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, and the Rochester Chamber Orchestra.

Sonya received her B.M. in violin performance and her M.M. in performance and literature from the Eastman School of Music, where her primary teachers were the esteemed teachers and performers, Zvi Zeitlin and Ilya Kaler. As part of her training, she also attended the Music Academy of the West, the Quartet Program, and the National Orchestral Institute, where she served as concertmaster. She is a member of the Symphoria String Quartet that plays concerts, educational performances, and conducts masterclasses in schools as well as in the community.

She is active in many other local ensembles such as the Skaneateles Festival, the Society for New Music, the Civic Morning Musicals Recital Series, the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music concerts, the Clinton String Quartet, and the Temple Concord concert series. Sonya has been guest speaker at an Eastman School Arts Leadership class, and at the Syracuse University’s Women in Leadership organization, and teaches at the Eastern US Music Camp. She has served on the Board of Directors of Symphoria and was the chair of the Symphoria Education and Outreach committee. She lives in Baldwinsville, New York where she raises her three young children with her husband Matt and also teaches violin lessons out of her home.