Music Director
For the 2023-24 season, LCCO is led by Musician Director Vincent Povázsay, co-director and conductor of earspace, a contemporary chamber music ensemble based in Raleigh. He also serves as a cover conductor with the North Carolina Symphony.
Povázsay received his Bachelor of Music from UNC-Chapel Hill where his focus was on percussion, mostly orchestral, but also in wind and percussion ensembles. He earned a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University, where he served as assistant conductor of the NU Contemporary Music Ensemble.
Povázsay has served as Assistant Conductor for productions with the North Carolina Opera. In 2018, he conducted the world premiere staging of Family Secrets: Kith and Kin, a chamber opera written and conceived by a team of North Carolina-based artists.
In addition to LCCO, Povázsay has appeared with the Janáček Philharmonic, International Contemporary Ensemble, Northwestern Philharmonia, UNC Symphony Orchestra, Meredith College Opera, and the Chapel Hill Philharmonia.
LCCO Musicians for 2023-24
First Violin
Jody Crawford
Margareta Johnson
Rebecca Laster
Kristen G. Price
Jessica Rivas
Ueli Schweizer, Concertmaster
Debbie White
Second Violin
Miriam Bryant, Principal
Maggie Flowers
Samantha Lane
Beth McCollum
Tracy Rivas
Anne Marie Schwankl
Aya Schillig
Viola
Joli Brooks
Karen Huey, Principal
Emily Troutman
Kim Whitney
Deborah Wood
Cello
Elisabeth Crandall, Principal
Kelsey Douglas
Jessica Dunham
Dr. Bill Hall
Caitlyn Laster
Peter Swanson
Wanda Wazenegger
Bass
Reinette S. Stephenson
Flute
Kayla Brockhoff
Deborah Godfrey (piccolo)
Shea James
Jillian Storey
Robin Whitten, Principal
Clarinet
McKinley Baker
Lauren Winkens, Principal
Jillian Storey
Pat Wright
Oboe
Brian Skinner
Thomas Turanchik, Principal
Bassoon
Meghan Prochnau
Jan Streifer
Cynthia Swink
Ethan Yang, Principal
English Horn
Karisten Daniel
Harp
Joe Hanna
Horn
Daniel Aston, Principal
Joe Heaton
Eric Keith
Mike MacIntyre
Sara Smith
Robert Stagg
Pruette Wells
Trumpet
Josh Carpenter
Eddie Fulk
Jordan Fulk
Josh Martin
Trombone
Van Groce, Jr., Principal
Ella M. Lazenby
James Owle
Don Wazenegger
Tuba
Carl Jones
Brad Simpson
Percussion
Greg Lewis, Principal
Melissa Mitchell
Tony Waller
Concertmaster
Ulric (Ueli) Schweizer is in his twentieth season as concertmaster of LCCO. A native of Georgia, Ueli began playing violin at age ten when his family moved to South Carolina. With a B.A. in music from UNC-Greensboro, he is an active performer, playing regularly in a myriad of venues and for a variety of occasions in the Piedmont region.
As concertmaster, he has been highlighted as a soloist in several LCCO concerts including performances of Dvorák's Romance and Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending. He lives in Greensboro with his wife, pianist Dr. Mayumi Osada, and repairs string instruments at Moore Music Company.
Music Director Emeritus
Tara Villa Keith served as LCCO's music director for eleven seasons through 2019. She is an associate professor of music at Davidson College and the music director of the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra. Under her direction, the DCSO was the national winner of The American Prize 2018 for orchestral performance in the collegiate division.
Previously, Villa Keith served as cover conductor with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra; assistant conductor for the Hot Springs Music Festival (Arkansas); guest conductor for the Northwest School of the Arts Symphonic Orchestra, North Carolina All Eastern Regional Strings Orchestra, Union Symphony Orchestra (North Carolina), Macon Symphony Orchestra (Georgia), and Opera at USC (South Carolina).