With a contagious smile and captivating charm, conductor, trumpet virtuoso, singer, and actor Byron Stripling has ignited audiences across the globe. In 2020, Stripling was named Principal Pops Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and his baton has led countless orchestras throughout the United States and Canada. As a soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart, and was the featured soloist on the PBS television special “Evening at Pops” with conductors John Williams and Keith Lockhart. Currently, Stripling serves as artistic director and conductor of the highly acclaimed Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

Since his Carnegie Hall debut with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops, Stripling has become a pops orchestra favorite throughout the country, soloing with over 100 orchestras around the world including the Boston Pops, National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and orchestras throughout Europe and Asia. He has been a featured soloist at the Hollywood Bowl and performs at festivals around the world.

An accomplished actor and singer, Stripling was chosen, following a worldwide search, to star in the lead role of the Broadway-bound musical, Satchmo. Many will remember his featured cameo performance in the television movie, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and his critically acclaimed virtuoso trumpet and riotous comedic performance in the 42nd Street production of From Second Avenue to Broadway.

Television viewers have enjoyed his work as soloist on the worldwide telecast of the GRAMMY Awards. Millions have heard his trumpet and voice on TV commercials, TV theme songs including “20/20” and CNN, and soundtracks of favorite movies. In addition to multiple recordings with his quintet and work with artists from Tony Bennett to Whitney Houston, his prolific recording career includes hundreds of albums with the greatest pop, Broadway, soul, and jazz artists of all time.

Stripling earned his stripes as lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Thad Jones and Frank Foster. He has also played and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, and Buck Clayton, in addition to the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and GRP All Star Big Band.

Stripling is devoted to giving back and supports several philanthropic organizations, including United Way and Community Shelter Board. He also enjoys sharing the power of music through seminars and master classes at colleges, universities, conservatories, and high schools. His informative talks, combined with his incomparable wit and charm, make him a favorite guest speaker to groups of all ages.

Stripling was educated at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. One of his greatest joys is to return, periodically, to Eastman and Interlochen as a special guest lecturer.

A resident of Ohio, Stripling lives in the country with his wife Alexis, a former dancer, writer, and poet, and their beautiful daughters.

Sydney McSweeney’s distinctive jazz, gospel, and pop vocal stylings have made her one of the country’s hottest young vocalists. Her dynamic performances with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra have been described as “stunningly beautiful,” and her standing-room-only night club performances have become a favorite of audiences across the country. Although her schedule is packed with recording sessions and performances, as a devoted teacher, she still carves out time to nurture the talents of her many students.

Bobby Floyd’s talent has launched him into a very rewarding career, putting him in demand and making him one of the favorite, first-call pianists/organists for many well-known artists. He has traveled the world accompanying Ray Charles on piano and organ. He currently makes guest appearances with some of the most distinguished orchestras, including The Boston Pops, The Rochester Philharmonic, and The Detroit Symphony. He is presently the feature pianist for the world-famous and legendary Count Basie Orchestra. He also tours nationally and internationally as organist for the Grammy Award winning Dr. John.

The prestige associated with Floyd’s worldwide appearances can also be witnessed at home. In his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, Bobby is the feature pianist & organist with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Byron Stripling, where he has performed with a large number of major artists. He is occasionally featured with The Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and other arts organizations and venues throughout Columbus and Ohio.

He has also completed several recordings that can be purchased at many of the major online services including amazon.com, iTunes, and cdbaby. Bobby’s recordings and live performances demonstrate his ability to electrify audiences and have received the highest praise from critics and musicians alike.

Jim Rupp is currently the drummer in the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the Cleveland POPS orchestra.  He has toured extensively with the bands of Woody Herman (where he played on 3 recordings, one of which was nominated for a Grammy), Maynard Ferguson, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.  He also spent 8 years with Grammy winning jazz singer Diane Schuur, and has toured and performed with Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Joe Lovano,  Henry Mancini, Vince Mendoza, John Fedchock, John Faddis, Byron Stripling, Maria Schneider, Clary Terry, Joe Williams, Cab Calloway, Rosemary Clooney, Natalie Cole, Hank Marr, Rusty Bryant, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, and the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra. Jim has also played, as a POPS drum set player, in orchestras around the country including the orchestras of Boston, Detroit, Pittsburg, Columbus, St Louis, Dayton, and Cincinnati.

These touring credits, plus his educational background, have prepared him well for clinics and performances at colleges and high schools around the country. He has given workshops at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jazz Educators National Conference, OMEA, and numerous colleges and high schools around the country.  In this capacity he is a clinician for Noble and Cooley drums, Zildjian cymbals, Pro Mark drumsticks, and Remo drumheads.

As an educator, Rupp has taught at Indiana University and the University of Michigan, as well as his current long-term appointment at The Ohio State University. In 2021, he was given the outstanding alumni award from the School of Music at Ohio State.  He is also the co-author of an acclaimed drum set method book, “Baby Steps to Giant Steps.” Rupp is a past chair of the drum set committee and a member of the executive committee for the Percussive Arts Society.  Jim was also the host of PAS ’99, the international percussion convention.  He’s a past board member of NAMM (the International Music Products Association), and the president of Columbus Pro Percussion Inc. one of largest and most respected percussion specialty shops in the country.