Meet Our Conductors

Gary Dr. Gary Robinson, Artistic Director, Young Artist Orchestra conductor

Gary A. Robinson received a B.F.A. from the University of Connecticut, Education Certification earned at Hartt School of music, an M.M. in Instrumental Conducting from Mississippi College, and a D.M.A. in Orchestral Conducting from the University of South Carolina. He received additional training in orchestral conducting from Symphony School of America, the Florida Festival Conductors Symposium, and the Conductors Guild Conducting Institute.

Gary Robinson has served on the music faculty of the Fine Arts Center and has been the Director of FAC’s Orchestra-in-Residence, the Young Artist Orchestra (formerly Greenville County Youth Orchestra) since 1985. Robinson is the Music Director of Greenville’s Foothills Philharmonic, a post he has held since 2000. In the late 1990s, he was an artistic program advisor and frequent guest conductor with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Robinson is the Founder of the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra of Jackson, Mississippi, and has been featured as a guest conductor with the Hendersonville (NC) Symphony Orchestra, the Clemson University Symphony, the Carolina Youth Symphony, and the South Carolina Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Robinson has conducted South Carolina’s All-State Orchestra (1993 and 1997) as well as the New Hampshire All-State Orchestra, and was the featured clinician with the Kenosha (WI) United School District Orchestra Festival. Robinson served as the Producer/Director of Greenville’s Singing Christmas Tree from 1993 until its close in 2000, and has served as Interim Choral Director at Buncombe Street United Methodist Church. As a music faculty member at the Fine Arts Center Robinson has taught classes in percussion, winds & brass instruments, and music theory. Robinson was FAC’s Teacher of the Year in 1996 and, in 2005 was the winner of a Surdna Foundation grant to study orchestral repertoire in New York City and drum set at the Drummer’s Collective. He has held adjunct positions as a percussion teacher at Limestone College, the University of Connecticut, and Furman University, and has served as a band director in Mississippi public and private schools. Robinson has performed as a percussionist and timpanist since 1977 and has played with orchestras in Connecticut, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. He is a veteran of the American Wind Symphony Orchestra of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and currently performs with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. Gary’s wife since 1980 is violinist, teacher and conductor Kathleen S. Robinson. Violinist daughter Chloe is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory and is a strings teacher in Weston, Connecticut.   Seventeen-year-old daughter Caroline is an organ performance major at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA.

 

kathyKathleen Robinson, Philharmonic Conductor

Kathleen S. Robinson is a graduate of the Hartt School of Music where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. She holds a Master of Music in Chamber Music from the University of Connecticut where she was a member of the Graduate String Quartet in residence. A seasoned violinist, she has held titled positions with the Mississippi, and Asheville Symphony Orchestras and is currently the assistant Principal Second Violin with the Greenville Symphony and Chamber Orchestra. She has performed as a freelance musician with several orchestras in the southeast including the Charleston Symphony, the SC Philharmonic and the Hendersonville (NC) Symphony. She performs with Classic Touch, a group of local freelance musicians. She was a scholarship recipient for the Siena (Italy) Music Festival and has also toured in Costa Rica as a member of the Florida Festival Orchestra. Her experience as an educator and youth orchestra conductor spans 28 years. During her tenure in Mississippi, she was in part responsible for the reorganization of the Jackson Youth Symphony. Currently, Kathleen is a string teacher at Beck and JL Mann Academies in Greenville, SC and is conductor of the Greenville County Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. She has served as staff conductor for the Furman Music Camp and clinician for the Greenville County HS Orchestra Festival and the Pickens County Middle School Orchestra Festival.  In April, she will conduct the Mississippi All State String Orchestra. She is the President of the South Carolina chapter of the American String Teachers Association. She is married to conductor and teacher, Dr. Gary A. Robinson, and the mother of two children, Chloe Robinson Groth, a violinist and string teacher in Weston, Ct and Caroline, a first year organ performance major at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

 

Mr. Brian Gencarelli, Director Sinfonia Orchestra

Mr. Gencarelli has a Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from The University of South Carolina where he was part of the USC String Project.  After finishing his degree at USC, he continued his education at the University of Georgia where he received a Master’s degree in Double Bass performance. 

Mr. Gencarelli currently teaches orchestra at Mauldin Middle School, and Mauldin High School.  Prior to teaching in Greenville (SC), Mr. Gencarelli taught in the public schools of Pickens (SC), and was the founding director of the Wofford College Chamber Players, in Spartanburg, SC. 

Mr. Gencarelli currently serves as Orchestral Director of The Lakes and Mountains School for the Arts, a summer program of the Pickens County School District.  He is also the conductor of the Sinfonia Orchestra, a full orchestra that is part of the After-School Orchestra Program in Greenville, SC.

Mr. Gencarelli is an active performer and can be found playing in the bass sections of the Greenville Symphony, Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium, Asheville Symphony, and other orchestras throughout the state.  Mr. Gencarelli also maintains an active private studio. 

When not performing or conducting, you may find Mr. Gencarelli on one of the local golf courses or in his workshop making sawdust.

 

Ms. Angela Rex, Director Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra

Originally from Taylors SC, Angela Rex received her undergraduate degree in violin performance from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.  In May of 2000, she completed her Master's degree in violin performance at Converse College. From 2000-2005, Angela served as the Elementary Strings Coordinator for Spartanburg School District Seven.

From 2005-2007, Ms. Rex held the position of Professional-in-Residence at Western Kentucky University. While in Kentucky, she helped to create a strings program at the elementary and junior high levels for the city of Bowling Green.  In addition, she maintained a large Pre-College private studio, implementing both Suzuki and traditional pedagogical methods, and performed with the BGWSO, BGCO and the WKU Faculty Piano Trio.

Currently Ms. Rex teaches Strings at Bryson Middle School and conducts the Orchestra at Hillcrest High School in Simpsonville, SC.  As an innovative educator, she implemented the “Adopt-a-Beginner” program, pairing high school students with 6th graders in a mentor and private lesson setting. This spring, Ms. Rex created the first BMS Fiddle Club. This group learns traditional styles of fiddling and has performed in several area locations.

As a youth orchestra conductor, she directed the Spartanburg District Seven Elementary Honor Orchestra, taking them to State Concert Festival where they earned Superior Ratings every year.

As a professional violinist, Ms. Rex served as the Assistant Concertmaster for the Greater Spartanburg Philharmonic, currently performs with the GAMAC orchestra, and with the praise band at her church.  She has served as the South Carolina Music Educator’s Association State Solo and Ensemble Festival Chairman, and teaches private lessons.

Outside of teaching and performing, Ms. Rex enjoys reading, watching movies & TV, and spending time with her friends and family.

Anne Matthews, Director Junior SInfonia String Orchestra 

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Anne Matthews joined the strings faculty of the Greenville County Schools in 1999.  She has served for the past seven years as orchestra director at Greenville High School and is now on staff full time at Greenville Middle Academy. From 2005-2008 she served as the conductor for the Sinfonia Orchestra, part of the After-School Orchestra program of the Greenville County Schools. Prior to teaching in Greenville, Mrs. Matthews taught in Kentucky, and North Carolina at both elementary and secondary levels.

A National Board Certified Teacher, Mrs. Matthews has a cello performance and music education degree from Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina where she studied with Michael Stoughton, principal cellist of the North Carolina Symphony. In 1996, she earned her Master of Arts degree with a special emphasis in string pedagogy from Western Kentucky University. Mrs. Matthews has also done additional coursework in the Suzuki teaching method and in the teaching of Asian studies through the South Carolina Center for Teaching Asia.

 

Mrs. Matthews enjoys working as a free lance musician at local churches and in the community.  She has also played with many orchestras including the Raleigh Civic Symphony and The Charlotte Repertory Orchestra, as well as orchestras in Florence and Salisbury. She maintains a small private studio of young cellists. In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the lake with her husband and three grown children