This month’s Non-Profit of the Month nomination goes to the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra.
The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra (WSO) was founded in 1969 by several local musicians, under the leadership of Sister Miriam David Volker, S.C, Professor of Music and Music Department Chair at Seton Hill University. Since then, WSO has grown, transitioned, and has even created additional music education programs for youth and adults throughout the years since.
The 2025-2026 season – October through May – is WSO’s 57th anniversary season. Their shows include traditional classical concert programming, the decades-long continuation of the Nutcracker Ballet and the Home for the Holidays concerts, and the addition of two pops concerts. WSO’s Nutcracker Ballet is the only performance within a four-hour radius of Greensburg that features a live orchestra, which is a rare and immersive experience for audiences in our region.
Michael Rozell, WSO’s Executive Director, and Maistro Daniel Meyer are the leaders of WSO, where they have continued to excel artistically and expand their schedule with new, unique shows.
WSO consists of around 65 total professional musicians and have 10 official performances this season, which are hosted at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg. In addition to the Holiday staple shows previously mentioned, WSO has added a new show to their lineup this year titled “The Unlikely Union: A Storytelling Symphony of America” which aims to tell 100 years of American History in 100 minutes.
WSO has made it their mission to promote musical enrichment through quality performances and education to a broad-based audience in the Westmoreland region. They are constantly making updates to showcase their musical talent to a broader audience while offering shows that people want to hear and meeting people where they are with technological advancements.
Additionally, WSO has established their Academy of Music which revolves around lessons for local youth. A few of today’s current WSO musicians have been graduates of their Academy of Music program, which includes Youth Orchestra ensembles, a Young Peoples concert, and other private lessons for strings, philharmonic, winds, and other musical classifications.
The Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce proudly presents this month’s Non-Profit of the Month award to the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra.
