Fawn Wiener-Giovannetti

Fawn Wiener-Giovannetti has been teaching and conducting since the age of 18. She attended the High School of Performing Arts as a pianist, but fell in love with playing the cello and orchestra music soon after. Mrs. Giovannetti studied piano the Third Street Music School and accompanied the orchestra and played for the musical. Her teacher was Mimi Stern Wolfe, who introduced her to contemporary classical and jazz music.

Mrs. Giovannetti began conducting and teaching at the New York State music Camp in Oneonta, NY, at Hartwick College. She also conducted the Symphony,chamber, and musical orchestras at French Woods Festival. She has taught and conducted students and collaborated with colleagues from all over the world, and has performed chamber music with them all over the world. Mrs. Giovannetti conducted the Brooklyn, Queens and Manhatten Boro Wide Orchestras, as well as the Pre college orchestra at Brooklyn College. She began teaching strings and orchestra for NYC in Brooklyn and later moved to Rockland county where she taught middle, high, and all district orchestras for 32 years.

During this time she began to coach chamber music at The Manhatten School of Music PreCollege Divison, and later conducted the Concert Orchestra. Mrs. Giovannetti taught and conducted at MSM for 25 years.

She also conducted the Morningside Orchestra and was assistant conductor for the Interschool Orchestras of NY. She has conducted at Alice Tully Hall and Avery Fisher Hall several times for that organization.

Currently Mrs. Giovannetti gives private lessons and performs chamber music throughout Rockland and Bergen counties. She has arranged many pieces of music for strings and symphony using Finalr software. And also given workshops for teachers and students.

Mrs. Fawn Wiener Giovannetti holds a B.M./B.A in performance and Education from Queens College, a M.A in cello performance from Brooklyn College, a M.S in computer education from C.W.Post University, and an Ed.d in Music Education from Indiana Weslyan University. She has studied cello with Marion Feldman, and conducting with Jonathan Strasser, Jose Serebrier, and Kurt Masur. She resides in Suffern, NY.

Michael Stratechuk

Michael Stratechuk began his musical training at an early age studying with his father, a professional violinist, composer, conductor and graduate of the Vienna Conservatory of Music. Mr. Stratechuk went on to study both violin performance and conducting receiving his BFA from SUNY Purchase, MFA from the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College and post graduate work at Columbia University, NYU and the American Conservatory of Music, Chicago. In addition he holds a Certificate of Orchestral Studies from The National Orchestral Association.

As Conductor and Artistic Director of the Metropolitan Orchestra of New Jersey since 2003, Maestro Stratechuk continues to lead the ensemble to ever more challenging, successful and rewarding seasons.

Mr. Stratechuk has an extensive national and international performance resume including performances with the New York Pops, New York Grand Opera, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Westfield Symphony, New Philharmonic of New Jersey and the Bermuda Symphony. He has performed or conducted on tours of Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

In NJ, Michael has conducted the Society of Musical Arts Orchestra, the Livingston Symphony and the Stratus Chamber Orchestra of which he is the founder. He serves on the music faculty of Hunter College Campus Schools, City University of New York. In addition, he is also a member of the Young Musicians Advisory Council for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

It is with great sadness that the Executive Committee of the Metropolitan Orchestra of NJ announces the passing of its dear member, Rose Feldman (Landwirth), 98, on March 31, 2020.

Rose began playing the violin at age 8 and played with the Metropolitan Orchestra of NJ, formerly the "Y" Chamber Orchestra, for 48 years, well into her late 90s. She was passionate about keeping the orchestra vibrant, serving as co-chairman for several years with the late, Ed Rummel. The pride which Rose felt for the orchestra was evident in her fervent advocacy and thoughtful guidance in selecting programs that were, in her words, "audience friendly." She will be missed!

Predeceased by her husband, Dr. Bernard Feldman, she is survived by three children, Barbara, Elliott, Paul (Perri), and two grandchildren.