Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra
Alan Kay, Executive Director
alan.kay@stonybrook.edu
About
The Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra has an illustrious history. David Lawton founded
and administered the orchestra in 1969 and served as its Executive Director for almost
50 years. He led the orchestra for many years and shared the conducting responsibilities
with Arthur Weisberg. Bradley Lubman led the orchestra for several years before Gustav
Meier took over as permanent guest conductor Gustav Meier. Their work with the orchestra
raised the standards of orchestral performance at Stony Brook significantly, and helped
to develop large and enthusiastic audiences for the orchestra’s performances on the
Main Stage of the Staller Center. Since Maestro Meier’s departure, the Music Department
has engaged prominent guest conductors as well as members of its own faculty to conduct
the concerts. Recent guest conductors have included Michelle Merrill, Michael Morgan,
Jens Bachmann, Angel Gil-Ordoñez, Glen Cortese, Andrew Grams, George Manahan, Rossen
Milanov, Jeffrey Milarsky, and faculty members Alan Kay, David Lawton, Eduardo Leandro,
Timothy Long, and Paul Watkins. Recent seasons have also featured an Orpheus-style
concert programmed and led by the students with the assistance of faculty members
Jennifer Frautschi, Alan Kay, Jennifer Frautschi, Gina Cuffari, and Philip Setzer.
The students attend rehearsals of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, whose members coach
the students in preparation for the conductorless concert.
The season consists of five orchestral concerts per year, plus an opera in the spring.
The Music Department holds a Concerto Competition annually for MM and DMA performance
students. The winners of the competition (usually four in number) then perform with
the orchestra the following season. The Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra also offers
two reading and recording seasons every year for student composers, and the orchestra
has performed works by Stony Brook faculty and student composers. The SBSO embraces
music of all periods.
 Informative, free lectures precede the concerts at 6:30 PM in the Recital Hall.
Concerts
Tickets: $30 (adults), $25 (seniors), $10 (students). All concerts are at 7:30 pm on the
Staller Center Main Stage.
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Unsuk Chin, Subito con forza
Copland, Clarinet Concerto
Brahms, Symphony No. 1
Featuring clarinetist Daniel Meszaros; conducted by Alan R. Kay
Saturday, November 8, 2025
Fernando Arroyo, Al Pie de la Montaña
BartĂłk, Violin Concerto No. 2
Schumann, Symphony No. 3 “Rhenish”
Featuring violinist Chaewon Kim;
conducted by Anthony Parnther
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Beethoven, Overture to
“The Consecration of the House,” Op. 124
Dvořák, Symphony No. 7
Vaja Azarashvili, Cello Concerto
Featuring cellist Sandro Sidamonidze; conducted by Paul Watkins
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Brahms, Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major
Jessie Montgomery, Transfigure to Grace
Stravinsky, The Firebird Suite (1919)
Featuring pianist Muli Yu; conducted by Michelle Merrill
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante in
E-flat major, K. 364 (320d)
Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5
Featuring faculty soloists Jennifer Frautschi, violin, and Matthew Lipman, viola;
conducted by Eduardo Leandro
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