Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

With a contagious smile and captivating charm, the conductor, trumpet virtuoso, singer and actor Byron Stripling has ignited audiences across the globe. Recently named Principal Pops conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, his baton has led orchestras throughout the United States and Canada. As soloist  with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart, as well as being featured soloist on the PBS television special, "Evening at Pops," with conductors John Williams and Mr. 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, Byron 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, Byron 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 television commercials, TV theme songs including "20/20," CNN, and soundtracks of favorite movies. In addition to multiple recordings with his quintet, 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.

Byron 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, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and The GRP All Star Big Band.

Byron Stripling is devoted to giving back and supports several philanthropic organizations including The United Way and Homelessness advocate and The 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. 

Byron 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.

Daniel Berryman is thrilled to be a featured soloist in The Paul Simon Songbook. Daniel was most recently seen with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra celebrating 100 years of the MUNY under the direction of Ben Whitely. Credits include - New York: Call Me Madame (Ens/Encores!), Sweeney Todd (Vacation Swing/Barrow Street), The Golden Apple (Ens/Encores!), The Fantasticks (The Boy/Theatre Center). National Tours: Les Miserables (Swing), The Sound of Music (Ens). Regional: Sweeney Todd (Anthony/Denver Center), Hello, Dolly! (Ambrose/MUNY), The Most Happy Fella (Ciccio/Goodspeed), and Rent (Mark/The 5th Ave Theatre). Daniel received a BFA in musical theatre from the University of Michigan.

With a career spanning over 20 years, Irish born Colin Smith has led a musical life as varied as it is impressive. With his former band MrNorth, while on RCA, they toured extensively with the likes of The Who, Van Halen, Sheryl Crow and Journey among many others. As a solo artist, songs from his two records have been licensed to movies and TV alike. Colin has been seen in live collaborations with Alicia Keys and has worked multiple times on Saturday Night Live as the featured vocal talent. Colin has been most recently been seen touring with Christina Aguilera, duetting with her on the GRAMMY winning Say Something to audiences across the globe, as well as performing background vocals for the show. Colin splits his time between NYC and LA. 

Hailing from the musical mecca of Macon, Georgia, and raised in the deep Southern roots of blues music, classic rock n‘ roll and the fire and brimstone hymns of his father’s Southern Baptist church, for Rick Brantley, a life making music was never really a choice. 

Teenage bar bands gave way to a move to Nashville, TN where he established himself as one of the most in demand young writers on Music Row, with cuts ranging from Meat Loaf to David Nail. An artist and dynamic performer as well as a songwriter, Brantley cut his teeth early and secured a well-earned reputation as a consummate “road dog” touring virtually nonstop all over the world for the next decade, opening for everyone from John Hiatt to Kiefer Sutherland to Zac Brown and Brandy Clark, as well as headlining his own shows from Ontario to Hamburg and back.  

Now some fifteen years into his career, Brantley has only added to his impressive portfolio, producing acclaimed records with artists like Rob Baird and Justin Halpin, among others and directing music videos in his down time.