Jacek Muzyk, born in Poland, began to study French horn at the age of 18, and graduated with a master’s degree from the Academy of Music in Krakow. Mr. Muzyk earned his second master’s degree at the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He continued his education at The Juilliard School and at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Then, Mr. Muzyk returned to Poland and worked full-time with the best Polish orchestras, including Sinfonia Varsovia, the National Philharmonic of Warsaw, Polish Radio Orchestra, and the Krakow Philharmonic.

In 1999, he was nominated as the Principal Horn for Krystian Zimerman’s Polish Festival Orchestra, the elite group of Poland’s finest musicians that toured Europe and the United States with over 40 performances of Chopin’s concertos. In 2002, Mr. Muzyk moved to the United States, where he played with the Houston Grand Opera and the Dallas Symphony before being appointed the Principal Horn of the Buffalo Philharmonic. He made guest appearances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and as a principal with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and other orchestras in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and South America, often performing as a guest soloist.

He has given numerous master classes and recitals throughout all habitable continents and has made solo recordings. Currently, there are five albums of Mr. Muzyk’s performances: Mozart’sHorn Concertos (including all concertos), Bach Muzyk for French Horn (Cello Suites 1-3), Horn Constellation (French horn played in various configurations, from solo to trios with various instruments), The Golden Age of the Horn (four concertos for two horns with BPO Associate Principal Hornist Daniel Kerdelewicz), and Treasures of Poland (Penderecki’s concerto for horn).In 2016, Mr. Muzyk earned a doctorate in music.

Soprano Andrea Bickford is very excited to return as the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem after her debut with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in JoAnn’s Classical Christmas last month. Hailing from Boston, MA, Ms. Bickford is praised for her musical sensitivity, stage acting, and vocal power (The Ithaca Times).

Possessing a diverse repertoire, Ms. Bickford has sung on opera and concert stages worldwide including the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, at the Casa di Riposo per Musicisti in Milan, and with the Orchestra Sinfonica Carlo Coccia di Novara in Arona, Italy. Andrea’s recently sung roles include Amelia in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, Vitellia in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, Rosalinde in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, and Mrs. Gobineau in Menotti’s The Medium.

As an avid competitor, Ms. Bickford has recently won first place from the Mendelssohn Club of Albany’s Dolven Awards in 2024 and an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2022. Ms. Bickford’s compelling stage presence paired with her extensive background in dance couples to deliver consistent, graceful, and meaningful performances.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance with a Minor in Dance from Ithaca College, and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, under the tutelage of Catherine Cook. Andrea currently studies with soprano Jennifer Rowley.

Described as “a force of nature” (Toronto Star) and “an actress of immense talent” (Opera Canada), Lynne McMurtry’s credits include a wide range of opera, oratorio, and concert repertoire. On the operatic stage, favorite roles include Mistress Quickly in Falstaff with the Calgary Opera and Opera Hamilton, the Old Lady in Candide with Calgary Opera, Arsace in Rossini’s Semiramide with Opera in Concert, and the Grandmother in Jenůfa with Pacific Opera Victoria, directed by Atom Agoyan.

Lynne’s rich contralto and keen musical intelligence have brought her acclaim in a wealth of concert repertoire. Orchestral credits include Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass with the Edmonton Symphony, Handel’s Messiah with the Charleston Symphony, Elijah with the Newfoundland Symphony, and Mahler’s Rückert Lieder with the Winnipeg Symphony. In Western New York she frequently solos with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, the WNY Chamber Orchestra, the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus, and the Buffalo Chamber Players.

She is a devoted chamber music performer, with highlights including Ligeti’s Síppal, dobbal, nádihegedüvel for four percussionists and contralto, and her Merkin Hall debut performing Ravel’s Trois chansons madécasses. On CD, Lynne can be heard as Roberto in Vivaldi’s La Griselda and Nixit Dominus, with Kevin Mallon conducting the Aradia Ensemble (NAXOS). Her recording of The Complete Songs of Virgil Thompson with the Florestan Recital Project was a “Pick of the Month” for BBC Music Magazine. She is on the voice faculty of SUNY Fredonia and lives in Fredonia with her wife and daughter.

Buffalo native tenor Jordan Weatherston Pitts has been recognized for his “heroic,” “passionate,” and “bewitching” performances both on the operatic stage and in concert. He has been seen in The Wall Street Journal, New York Classical Review, The Financial Times, Opera News, OperaWire, The Boston Globe, Early Music America Magazine, and The New York Times. He has made guest appearances on La France a un Incroyable Talent Season 19, BBC News, WQXR, New York 1, and ABC News, as well as in featured articles in The New Yorker and The London Times International.

Jordan made his principal artist debut to critical acclaim as the drag queen Renata in Iain Bell and Mark Campbell’s world premiere of Stonewall with the New York City Opera, and continues an active performance schedule of romantic and lyric repertoire. His most recent roles include Tamino in The Magic Flute, Monostatos in The Magic Flute (Buffalo Philharmonic), Romeo in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette (Hawaii Opera Theatre), The Magician (Nika Magadoff) in Menotti’s The Consul (Opera Saratoga), Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Achille in La Belle Hélène, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Alfredo in La Traviata, Younger Thompson (cover) in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and MacDuff in Verdi’s Macbeth.

Valerian Ruminski is a graduate of SUNY Buffalo and the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, PA. He has made his Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall debuts in New York City and has performed for many opera companies, including the Seattle Opera, Opéra de Québec, Vancouver Opera, Dallas Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Portland Opera, Kansas City Lyric Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Opera Ireland, Minnesota Opera, the old New York City Opera, and most recently, the Danish National Opera and TOBS in Switzerland.

He has been a regular performer with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, singing in Beethoven’s ninth symphony, Carmen, and Handel’s Messiah with the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. He has appeared with Musica Viva in Hong Kong in La bohème and Elixir of Love, and his repertoire includes Sarastro (The Magic Flute), Commendatore (Don Giovanni), Ramfis (Aida), Nilakantha (Lakmé), Rocco (Fidelio), Daland (The Flying Dutchman), Don Pasquale and both Bartolo and Basilio in The Barber of Seville.

Mr. Ruminski can be heard on NAXOS’ “Night at the Opera” and New World Records’ “Victor Herbert: Next Generation” recordings. He is the recipient of the 2000 Lincoln Center Martin Segal Award and a Richard Tucker Award. He can be seen performing next in La bohème for Opéra de Montréal.
Mr. Ruminski has been the Artistic Director of Nickel City Opera in Buffalo, NY for 15 years, and is a recipient of a coveted 10 Year Service Award from Opera America for his stewardship of the organization.