FEATURED ARTISTS

Kenneth Meyer, the national first-prize winner at the Music Teacher’s National Association Collegiate Artist Competition, is regarded by the Washington Post as, “A thinking man’s guitarist – he focuses on the inner structure of a piece…and plays with impressive gravity and power.”   The Buffalo ...

Kenneth Meyer, the national first-prize winner at the Music Teacher’s National Association Collegiate Artist Competition, is regarded by the Washington Post as, “A thinking man’s guitarist – he focuses on the inner structure of a piece…and plays with impressive gravity and power.”   The Buffalo News has called him, “Impeccably articulate with superb technique.”

Since his professional concert debut at the Teatro de la Opera de Maracay, Mr. Meyer continues to appear in recital, as a chamber musician, and soloist with orchestra in venues throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. In addition to live concerts, his performances have been featured on television, film, radio and most recently, on the Albany, Innova, Bridge, and Frameworks record labels. 

Frequently in demand as a guest artist at colleges and universities across the country, Meyer has given concerts and lectures at, among others, the Eastman School of Music, the State University of New York College at Fredonia, Syracuse University, Cornell University, the University of Southern Mississippi, North Carolina School of the Arts, the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Hochstein School of Music, Delta College, Canisius College, Finger Lakes and Saint Joseph’s Community Colleges and the University of Caracas in Venezuela.  In addition, he is an active performer and teacher at music festivals and has been featured at the Rome, Alexandria, Eastman Guitar Summerfest and the Alirio Diaz Guitar Festivals.

Mr. Meyer’s commitment to the cultivation and performance of new music has led to awards from the Barlow Endowment, the Argosy Foundation, and the Eastman School’s Hanson Institute for American Music; interpretive instruction from Milton Babbitt, and premiere performances of compositions by among others, Natalie Draper, Leslie Basset, Edward Green, Andrew Waggoner, Gregory Mertl, Edie Hill, Kevin Ernste, Nicolas Scherzinger, Jesse Benjamin Jones, Donald J. Sparr, James Piorkowski and Robert Baker. His diversity as a musician has led to performances on mandolin, banjo and electric guitar with among others, the Syracuse Opera, the Syracuse Society for New Music and the Broadway touring production of the Who’s rock opera, “Tommy.” 

Previous concert tours include trips to Venezuela, Rome, Canada, Romania, Hungary, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. He has appeared in concerto performances with Symphoria, the Long Island Philharmonic, the Erie Chamber Orchestra, the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, and the Seattle Modern Orchestra. He has recorded for Innova, Frameworks, Albany, Summit, and Bridge 

His latest commercial recording, A Seeker’s Song was released on the Frameworks record label and his book titled, Diatonic Arpeggios for Classical Guitar is published through Mel Bay. Both are now available online.

He holds degrees in Music Composition and Classical Guitar Performance from the State University of New York at Fredonia and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Eastman School of Music.  He has served on the faculties of East Carolina University and SUNY at Fredonia and most recently held visiting professorships at the Eastman School of Music and SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music.

Currently, Dr. Kenneth Meyer serves as a lecturer/affiliate artist at Hamilton College and Syracuse University. He serves on the board of directors for the Great Lakes Guitar Society, the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York, and the Twisted Spruce Music Foundation. He also founded and directs the Mohawk Valley Childbloom classical guitar program in New Hartford. 

Fernanda Lastra holds the position of Assistant Conductor, Diversity Fellow for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, under the mentorship of JoAnn Falletta. Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, she is a passionate and creative conductor recognized for her artistic leadership and engaging performances.

Committed to featuring diverse voices ...

Fernanda Lastra holds the position of Assistant Conductor, Diversity Fellow for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, under the mentorship of JoAnn Falletta. Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, she is a passionate and creative conductor recognized for her artistic leadership and engaging performances.

Committed to featuring diverse voices in concert halls, Lastra is an advocate for Latin American composers, particularly those from Argentina. She is equally dedicated to creating well-balanced and diverse programs that enhance the overall concert experience. In addition, Lastra is passionate about community engagement and music education, believing in the transformative power of music to unite, heal, and develop emotional intelligence.

In 2022, Lastra was appointed Conductor Diversity Fellow and was promoted in 2023, accompanied by a one-year contract extension. In this role she serves as assistant conductor, cover conductor, and main conductor for the BPO Family Kids series, Music for Youth concerts, and community engagement performances. Lastra also serves as a member of the BPO’s artistic team, the BPO’s music education committee and the BPO’s Diversity Council, among other responsibilities.

As an assistant and cover conductor, Lastra has worked alongside esteemed conductors such as JoAnn Falletta, Giancarlo Guerrero, Maximiano Valdés, Gerard Schwarz, Mei-Ann Chen, Joseph Caballé-Domenech, and Michael Francis, among others. Additionally, she has collaborated with artists such as Aida Cuevas, Jay White, Jeans’n Classics, Michael Grandinetti, and Troupe Vertigo, for Pops and special concerts. In May 2025, Lastra is scheduled to make her debut with the Buffalo Philharmonic in the classic series featuring pianist Avery Gagliano.

Apart from her leadership role with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Lastra regularly collaborates as a guest conductor with professional and youth orchestras. Past performances have involved engagements with the South Bend Symphony, the Walla Walla Symphony, The Birch Festival, where she collaborated with musicians from the Boston Symphony, and the Pacific Conservatory of Music. Upcoming collaborations include engagements with the, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, the Portland Symphony and the Minnesota Orchestra.
In 2023, Lastra received a prestigious recognition from Argentina’s National Classical Radio at their annual “Premios Nacional Clásica” and in November 2024, she was presented with the “Career Advancement Award” at the Women in Classical Music Symposium held by the Dallas Symphony.

In 2022, Lastra led the production of Missy Mazzoli’s opera, Song from the Uproar, in collaboration with Demaskus Theatre and Kassia Ensemble in Pittsburgh. She also conducted the National Orchestra of Argentine Music “Juan de Dios Filiberto” at the CCK National Auditorium in Buenos Aires. Older engagements include leading the University of Iowa’s 2019 production of Little Women by Mark Adamo, the Revival Theatre Company’s production of the legendary musical Oklahoma, and serving as an assistant conductor for for Cavalleria Rusticana for Musiques des Lumières.

Previous career highlights for Lastra include her participation in the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in 2021 and 2022, led by Cristian Măcelaru, reaching the finals for the Assistant Conductor position at the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra in 2019, and earning First Prize in the conducting competition held by Opéra de Baugé in France in 2018.

As a conductor-educator Lastra served as Director of Orchestras at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL (2021-22), as Assistant Conductor for the UI Symphony Orchestra (2018-22) and for the PSU Philharmonic (2016-18), as a conductor for the Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra (2016-17), as a professor of orchestral activities at El Sistema in Argentina (2008-12), and as faculty at La Plata University, Argentina (2005-2016). In 2013, Lastra founded “La Trama Ensamble,” an instrumental training ensemble, which she led for four years as music and artistic director.

Lastra holds two Bachelor’s degrees in Orchestral and Choral Conducting from La Plata National University, a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from Penn State University, and a Doctoral degree in Orchestral Conducting from The University of Iowa. Additionally, she has a background in ballet training and over 15 years of experience as a chorus member performing masterworks and a cappella repertoire.

Cellist Abigail Feng, senior at JDHS, was the winner of the 53rd CMM-TSO Concerto Competition, the 2024 SYO Concerto Competition, the 2024 SFCM Chamber Competition, and the 2024 CNYAMT Instrumental Competition. She has been the principal cellist of SYAO since 2023 and was asst. principal of the 2024 NY Conference All-State Symphonic Orchestra. Abigail ...

Cellist Abigail Feng, senior at JDHS, was the winner of the 53rd CMM-TSO Concerto Competition, the 2024 SYO Concerto Competition, the 2024 SFCM Chamber Competition, and the 2024 CNYAMT Instrumental Competition. She has been the principal cellist of SYAO since 2023 and was asst. principal of the 2024 NY Conference All-State Symphonic Orchestra. Abigail studies with David Ying and will receive her Honors Diploma in Cello Performance from ECMS this year.