Gerard Floriano
Artistic Director/Conductor

Gerard Floriano has a wealth of experience as a musician, orchestral conductor and choral conductor. Currently the Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at the School of Performing Arts at the State University of Geneseo, Gerard holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music. While at Eastman he studied under such notables as John Nelson, David Effron, and Donald Neuen. He is also the Music Director of the Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra, a position he has held for the past 11 years, and which has led him to conduct both the Youth Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic in an annual joint performance. Gerard has also been the Resident Conductor and Chorus Master for the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, North Carolina for the past three summers., and continued there again this summer (2002.)

As Director of Choral Activities at Geneseo, Gerard is the conductor of the Geneseo Chamber Singers, Carol Choristers Women’s Ensemble, and Festival Chorus, and supervises all choral ensembles. He recently led the Chamber Singers in a concert tour of Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany. His student choral ensembles have performed on concert tours throughout the northeastern US, and were highlighted at the 2000 New York State Music Association Winter Conference.

Gerard’s opera experience includes acting as Assistant Opera Conductor for the Brevard Music Center, an international summer music festival. In this position he prepares the Janiec Opera Chorus and Brevard Festival choruses for all performances, conducts the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, and the Asheville Festival Chorus in performance. He has also been the Assistant Conductor for Opera Theatre of Rochester, preparing the chorus and participating in the artistic renaissance of this professional opera company.

Gerard has also taught Choral and Vocal Music in the Greece Central Schools at the High School and Junior High levels, at Nazareth College, The Eastman School of Music, and Memphis State University in Memphis Tennessee. At the high school level, he participated extensively in bringing his choral groups to NYSSMA events, and conducting Area All-State Choruses and All-County Choruses and Orchestras, as well as directing numerous musical shows.

As a graduate student, Gerard was Music Director and Founder of the Cobbs Hill Chamber Orchestra, a community-based professional ensemble founded in 1988, which had considerable success and renown in its few years’ existence. His professional conducting credits include guest conductor of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchard Park Symphony, Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra, Eastman School of Music Faculty Chamber Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonia, Eastman School Symphony Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Gerard is a native of Orchard Park, NY.

Aug – 2002

Jack Langerak
Stage Director

It is Jack’s good fortune to be the Associate Director of Young Audiences serving its mission to bring “all of the arts, to all of the kids.” As a recently retired English and Theatre teacher he has been contributing to this goal all of his professional life. For 28 years he was the primary force behind Penfield High School’s award-winning drama program, and for the last five years of his teaching career, Jack also served as the Arts-In-Education Coordinator for the Penfield Central School District. He is the recipient of the Excellence in the Teaching of Drama Award given by the New York State English Council, the Citibank Teacher of the Year Award, and the Smithsonian Exhibition Award for Education. He was selected by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund as one of thirty-one of the most “Outstanding Arts Educators” in the country and has been frequently listed in WHO’S WHO AMONG AMERICAN TEACHERS.

Jack is a former President of the Board of Young Audiences of Rochester and a current member of the Arts in Education Panel of the New York State Council on the Arts. He is the author of the book and lyrics for the musical RADIO!, and directed the world premiere performances of William Carlos Williams’ TITUBA’S CHILDREN. He is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for his study of the epic poems of William Carlos Williams and Charles Olson. His own poetry has been published in EXISTENCE, HOT AIR, and ROCHESTER SHORTS. He has directed musical theatre productions for the Elderhostel Program and has also directed plays for the Shakespeare Players of Rochester, the Tic/Toc Players and the Theatre Arts Playhouse.

Don Kot
Coach/Accompanist

Don Kot is well known for his work as pianist, vocal coach, music director, and arranger. At The Cleveland Institute of Music, he was awarded the Valedictory Prize and the Madame Gwendolyn Koldofsky Award, recognizing excellence in accompanying. Don teaches at Hochstein Music School and Nazareth College, where he is also Director of the Opera Workshop program. He has been on the music staff of Lyric Opera Cleveland and was the pianist for master classes with Marilyn Horne, Elly Ameling, Gerard Souzay, Madeleine Milhaud, and Jan DeGaetani. He maintains a successful performing career as collaborative partner and has had performances broadcast over WXXI and WCLV radio. Don has been music director for Geva Theatre readings, The Arundel Barn Playhouse, Blackfriars Theatre, Downstairs Cabaret Theatre, and JCC Center Stage, among others. He most recently was seen (and heard) as the Musical Director and Keyboard Artist for Geva’s recent smash production of Gregg Coffin’s musical show Convenience. Don holds a Master of Music degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music and currently serves as Program Consultant for the Stars of Tomorrow Program of the Rochester Broadway Theatre League.

Aug – 2002