Boardman orchestra festival features soloists

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Neighbors | Submitted.Rachael Bishop performs her senior solo during the Boardman Orchestra's winter concert. Bishop has been playing the cello for eight years.

The Boardman Orchestra Department presented their Winter Orchestra Festivals on Dec. 21 at the Boardman Performing Arts Center. The Classical, Chamber and Symphony Orchestras all performed under the direction of Michele Prokop, Bill Amendol and Tim Tuite.

The concert featured two senior soloists, Rachael Bishop on the cello and Anna Kasamias on the piano. Bishop, daughter of Cheryl and David Bishop, has been playing the cello for eight years. She has studied with Randi Yazvac for four years, then Chrissy Lucivjansky for one and a half years, and is currently studying with Michael Gelfand.

Bishop has been a member of the Symphony and Chamber Orchestra for the past four years. She is also a member of Project Mayhem and St. Charles Chamber Orchestra. Bishop was recently a member of the pit orchestra for the Boardman High School production of “Cats.”

Kasamias, daughter of Eleni and Athanasois Kasamias, has been studying piano for the past 12 years. She has studied under Jenny Conti, Sean Baron and is currently studying with Fanny DiDominico. In addition to piano lessons, Kasamias also attends theory classes and competes in The National Piano Guild, The Youngstown Musical Arts Festival and the National Federation of Music Clubs.

Kasamias is a violinist in Boardman High School’s Symphonic and Chamber Orchestras. She has also been playing in the Youngstown Youth Symphony Orchestra for the past two years.