Maestro Gregory Woodbridge
Youth Symphony Music Director and Conductor
Director of Education
Gregory Woodbridge is now in his twelfth season as Associate Conductor of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. He is also Music Director & Conductor of the Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestras (HSYO) and the Symphony’s Director of Education. He continues to inspire impassioned performances from orchestras at all levels, student through professional, and has been praised for his exceptional musicianship and artistry on the podium.
Maestro Woodbridge began studying piano at the age of 7 and violin at the age of 9. He holds degrees from Penn State University and furthered his conducting studies with Michael Jinbo (the Pierre Monteux Conducting lnstitute in Maine); Leonid Korchmar (Kirov Opera and St. Petersburg Conservatory); Ennio Nicotra (founder of the llya Musin Society); and Gustav Meier and JoAnn Falletta at the Conductor’s Institute Richmond Symphony Masterclass.
Woodbridge has been Music Director and Conductor of the Central PA Youth Orchestra, the Wednesday Club Youth Orchestra, the Central Pennsylvania Symphony, and the York Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Other conducting engagements include the Hershey Symphony, York Symphony (PA), the PMEA Region IV-V State Orchestra Festival, the Lebanon Valley College-Community Orchestra, and the Messiah College Orchestra.
In addition to his duties with the HSO, Woodbridge is Music Director and Conductor of the Hershey Symphony. He lives in Mechanicsburg, PA with his wife Heather and their two children, Delaney and Liam.
Krista Kriel
Harrisburg Junior Youth String Orchestra Conductor
Music Educator | Conductor | Violinist
Krista Kriel is a seasoned music educator with over 30 years of experience, currently teaching in the Gettysburg School District. She holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Music Education, reflecting her deep commitment to the field.
Krista has made significant contributions to music education through her roles as the conductor of the Harrisburg Symphony Junior String Orchestra since 2011 and as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Gettysburg College. Her expertise extends beyond the classroom; she has led prestigious events such as the District 7 String Fest (2008, 2022), the Dauphin County High School Orchestra Festival (2010), the Bucks County Orchestra Festival, and the Keystone String Orchestra Festival (2022). Her influential work includes presenting at the PMEA Conference in 2012 and 2018, and leading workshops on orchestral repertoire and chamber ensembles.
In addition to her educational contributions, Krista is a dedicated performer. She plays violin with the Carlisle String Quartet and the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra, and she actively freelances throughout Central Pennsylvania, bringing her expertise to various musical projects and performances.
Krista continues to share her passion for music by conducting Middle School Orchestra, leading violin master classes, and coaching chamber ensembles at events like the Messiah University Orchestra Camp and Gettysburg Chamber Camp. Her role as a middle school orchestra director has also seen her give master classes across Pennsylvania and Maryland, and adjudicate festivals in Virginia and for Music in the Parks.
Residing in Gettysburg with her husband, Dan, Krista remains an inspiring force in the world of music education, specifically her work with youth orchestras.
Michael Gamon
Elementary String Orchestra Conductor
Michael Gamon currently chairs the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Harrisburg Academy, and serves as the Director for the Center for Creative Arts. He serves as professor of viola at Kutztown University and has a passion for training young musicians. He has served on the artistic staff of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as the conductor for the Baltimore Symphony Youth String Orchestra. In addition, he has served as the conductor for the Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra’s Sinfonia, Sinfonietta, and Bridges Orchestras.
Mr. Gamon is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied viola performance with Victoria Chiang and pedagogy with Rebecca Henry. As an orchestral musician, he has worked with Marin Alsop, David Zinman, Jamie Laredo, George Manahan, and James Conlon among others. He has performed throughout Austria, Italy, and the Czech Republic with notable appearances at the Karlskirche in Salzburg, the Rudolfinum in Prague, and the Sala Dei Priori in Perugia. Performances include the nationally televised 32nd Kennedy Center Honors with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra in honor of Leon Fleischer, U.S. President George W. Bush, Baltimore Mayors Sheila Dixon, and Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. Additionally, Mr. Gamon has appeared in solo and chamber music recital series throughout the Baltimore and Central Pennsylvania regions.
Mr. Gamon is a scholarship recipient of the Aspen Music Festival and School where he has worked with numerous artist-faculty such as Jeffery Irvine, Steve Wyrczinski, Sabina Thatcher, Eric Halen, and David Halen. He has graduated summa cum laude from Lebanon Valley College with a music degree on viola. While at Lebanon Valley College, he won the concerto-aria competition and soloed with the Lebanon Valley College Symphony Orchestra and received the Carmean Orchestra Award. Mr. Gamon worked closely with collaborative pianist Dr. Karen Savage and violinist Dr. Hannes Dietrich.