Community Spotlight: Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic brings a perfect touch of cultural class to our area.

Anyone looking for a fun and relaxing night out with some deftly played classical music must catch one of its performances at Wilkes-Barre’s F.M. Kirby Center, the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, or anywhere else it plays (I personally got to see the Philharmonic perform Antonín Dvo?ák’s Symphony No. 9 and Mozart’s Requiem back in 2017; it was incredible).

But what exactly is this group of talented musicians and support staff who regularly materialize in our local concert halls to play sublime classical music for us?

We can start answering that with a direct quote from the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic website: “The NEPA Philharmonic’s mission is to present live symphonic performances and music education at the highest level of artistic excellence, enriching and engaging the people of our region.”

Sums it up nicely!

To expand on that a bit: the NEPA Philharmonic considers itself an arts and education organization on top of being a long-standing outlet for premium orchestral music in our region. The organization teaches children and families about music through its Crescendo Family Concerts and Young People’s Concerts as well as open rehearsals for members of the public willing to come and learn.

I spoke with NEPA Philharmonic board member Adam Thalenfeld about these parts of the organization’s mission.

What do you feel is the place of the NEPA Philharmonic’s music in our Northeastern PA community?

Adam Thalenfeld: The NEPA Philharmonic is more than just a professional orchestra. It’s a bridge between people, music, and community. While our symphonic performances showcase artistic excellence, it’s our education and outreach programs that inspire people to connect with us on a deeper level.

Through Meet the Maestra, elementary students experience music as co-performers, while our Mentoring Program offers personal instruction and side-by-side performances with Philharmonic musicians, nurturing the next generation of artists.

Programs like Music in Our Schools and Once Upon an Orchestra bring music directly to classrooms and libraries, engaging students with interactive storytelling and live performances. Meanwhile, Music in Senior Centers creates meaningful connections through nostalgic chamber music for the elderly.

What has been your audiences’ reception to your performances over the years?

Adam Thalenfeld: Our audiences love our concerts. Recently, we had over 900 people at the F.M. Kirby Center for our Queen performance, which combined the orchestra with three singers, a choir, a drummer, bassist, and guitarist.

Our Masterworks series has displayed some of the most challenging classic repertoire, presented in unique ways — from Don Quixote’s suite played with narration, a new composition composed and premiered for WVIA’s 50th anniversary, and this spring, the awe-inspiring Carmina Burana [cantata].

What challenges does the NEPA Philharmonic face as it strives to continue its mission here in NEPA?

Adam Thalenfeld: Our greatest challenge is filling the amazing concert halls we play in. There’s a lot of competition for entertainment–including staying home–in NEPA. Our orchestra performs seven shows a year, split between the F.M. Kirby Center, the Scranton Cultural Center, and the Kirby Center for [Creative] Arts at Wyoming Seminary.

We still get a lot of questions about what to wear and how to act — we want everyone to come, wear whatever they feel comfortable in, and have a good time as the music washes over them.

What does the NEPA Philharmonic hope to achieve in the future?

Adam Thalenfeld: After 10 years, our executive director, Nancy Sanderson, is stepping down at the end of December. We have an amazing new executive director starting next week. To say the Philharmonic would not exist without Nancy’s leadership is not hyperbole. She’s overseen significant stabilization, both in terms of the orchestra itself, hiring Melisse Brunet as our artistic director, and financially, taking us through an incredibly challenging time in the aughts and then again during COVID when stages went dark.

We hope to expand our outreach programs, and increase the number of concerts we play in the region, so when people think of music, they think of their orchestra, which we are so incredibly lucky to have.

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Very well said, Adam! Wilkes-Barre POWER! thanks you and everyone else on the team for the hard work you put into making the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic as remarkable as it is.

You can catch Adam Thalenfeld speaking at POWER!’s October networking event, held this Thursday, October 24, at Rodano’s on Wilkes-Barre Public Square from 6pm to 8pm!

PS: Check out the Philharmonic’s Bizet, Lalo, and Sibelius concert as part of its Thalenfeld Masterworks Series at the Scranton Cultural Center on November 3 at 3pm!

Contact the group here.

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Written by Michael Ruth

Michael is a professional writer and digital marketer whose areas of expertise include SEO writing, ghostwriting, and brand storytelling. He is the founder and CEO of 1900 Digital Marketing LLC and the director of content marketing at Wilkes-Barre POWER!