Steven Thomas
Music Director

Steven Thomas brings an unusually vast wealth of performing experience to the podium, having performed as a conductor, orchestral and chamber musician, soloist and recitalist on four continents. He is currently principal cellist for both the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra New England.

His repertoire includes classical and non-classical music from Baroque to newly-commissioned works, as well as Broadway shows and popular music. Whether playing a Bach suite, conducting a Beethoven symphony, or narrating his own critically-acclaimed version of Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale, his performances are consistently described as having “…everything to do with art.” (The Birmingham News)

Thomas began conducting with the St. Catharine's College Orchestra while a student at Cambridge University. Later, as a graduate student at Yale, he studied with Otto-Werner Mueller. He is currently involved in the orchestral program at the Hartt School of Music, where his responsibilities include string preparation and orchestral repertoire classes.

He has recorded for the MVL, Point, Delos, Koch International and MMO labels.

“Steven Thomas’ […] command of the score was admirable in every way […] painting sound-pictures in delicious detail…" (New Haven Advocate)

Thomas is in his first year as Music Director of SYO.

Matthew Dell
Assistant Conductor

Matthew Dell, principal tuba of SYO, was appointed Assistant Conductor in May of 2006. Though new to the podium, he is no stranger to music. In addition to conducting, Dell is an accomplished tubist and vocalist. At Yale he has performed with the Yale Symphony Orchestra, Saybrook College Orchestra, Berkeley College Orchestra, and the Yale Concert Band. He is the tubist for the quintet Brass, and can be heard on their album, Wassail. He also sings with the Yale Glee Club.

Before coming to Yale, Dell was an active musician in his home state of New Jersey. He was principal tuba of the New Jersey All-State Band and Orchestra in 2003, and summers saw him as a camper at the New England Music Camp in Maine, where he was given the award of Honor Musician for both tuba and voice. He returned to NEMC in the summer of 2006 as a counselor.

Dell currently studies conducting with Ives Scholar James Sinclair and tuba with Yale School of Music Professor Toby Hanks.

Kathryn Swisher
Conducting Intern

Kate Swisher is a sophomore at Yale University. She studies piano under Professor Elizabeth Parisot and viola, most recently under Daniel Goldman of Hyde Park, IL. In addition to the Saybrook Orchestra, Kate is a member of the Yale Collegium and the Davenport Pops Orchestra, with the latter of which she holds the position of Assistant Conductor. Kate is also Assistant Pitch of Yale's oldest co-ed jazz a cappella ensemble, Redhot & Blue. She recently began her formal orchestral conducting studies in the spring of 2006 under Toshiyuki Shimada. Kate brings several years of vocal conducting experience, having directed Woodlands Academy’s (Lake Forest, IL) a cappella ensemble, “Microscope” for three years.

Swisher plans to pursue a musical career in piano performance. She has been the recipient of several honors, including scholarships from the Highland Park Music Club, Interlochen Arts Camp, and the Wednesday Morning Music Club in Williamsburg, VA. She has also won 1st place awards from the Trinity College Piano Competition, the NSMTA Sonata Competition, the Old Dominion University Piano Competition, and the Society of American Musicians Piano Competition. In 2003, she earned the opportunity to perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor with the Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra. Kate received a scholarship from the Chicago Women’s Music Club in 2005, affording her the chance to perform biannual solo recitals in Chicago’s Union League Club. Most recently, she was the recipient of the Willys Monroe Award of the Yale Club of Chicago, given each year to “a musically talented incoming freshman who best represents Willys Monroe’s qualities… eclectic musical interests as well intellectual curiosity and an excellent sense of humour.”