Sean O’Loughlin, conductor

Sean O’Loughlin (b.1972) is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Victoria Symphony and the Principal Pops Conductor of the Syracuse Orchestra. His diverse background includes collaborations with some of the leading symphonies and popular artists of today. As a conductor, he has led performances with the Boston Pops Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony and the San Diego Symphony amongst others. He has served as conductor for symphony tours with Josh Groban, Sarah McLachlan, The Decemberists and the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration. He has appeared on Good Morning America and the PBS Special “Stages” with Josh Groban in addition to NBC’s “A Very Pentatonix Christmas.”

Recent collaborations include such artists as Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, Journey, a-ha, Jason Mraz, The Beach Boys, Sarah McLachlan, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Pentatonix, Kelly Clarkson, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Blue Man Group, Janelle Monáe, Audra McDonald, Hall and Oates, the Indigo Girls, The Go-Go’s, Bonnie Raitt, Pink Martini, Brandi Carlile, Weird Al Yankovic, Melissa Etheridge and others. Through his growing number of commissioned and published works, Sean is excited to continue contributing to the rich history of orchestral and wind band literature. His music is published by Excelcia Music, Hal Leonard and Carl Fischer. An annual ASCAP Special Awards winner, Sean was a composition fellow at the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles, and holds composition degrees from New England Conservatory and Syracuse University.

Capathia Jenkins, vocalist

Capathia Jenkins is a dynamic vocalist and actress renowned for her powerhouse voice and commanding stage presence. Equally at home in music and theatre, she approaches every performance with artistry and intention, uncovering the emotional depth and storytelling within each song and role to create a shared journey with her audience. 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, she most recently starred as Medda in Disney’s Newsies on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, creating the role of Harriet Jackson, and went on to appear in The Look of Love, Caroline, or Change, and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me. Off-Broadway, she earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for (mis)Understanding Mammy and appeared in Godspell and Love, Loss, and What I Wore. 

A sought-after concert artist, Jenkins has performed with leading orchestras across North America and internationally, including appearances at major festivals and special events. 

Her television credits include 30 Rock, The Sopranos, and Law & Order, and she can be heard on the soundtracks for films including Chicago, Nine, and Legally Blonde 2. 

Ryan Shaw, vocalist

Ryan Shaw is a three-time GRAMMY-nominated artist for his recording This Is Ryan Shaw (Columbia Records) and solo projects In Between and Real Love (Dynotone Records). He has shared the stage with artists such as Van Halen, Bonnie Raitt, John Legend, B.B. King, and Jill Scott, and his music has been featured on So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, Grey’s Anatomy, and the Sex and the City and Bride Wars soundtracks. 

On stage, Shaw has starred as Judas in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar, as the original Stevie Wonder in Motown: The Musical on Broadway, and in London’s West End as the Soul of Michael Jackson in Thriller Live. 

A dynamic concert soloist, Shaw debuted at Radio City Music Hall in the Dream Concert, benefiting the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial. His Carnegie Hall appearances include tributes to Elton John and Bernie Taupin, celebrations of African American cultural legacy, and a concert marking Nat King Cole’s centennial with the New York Pops. 

His orchestral show RYAN SHAW: Masters of R&B now tours widely, and his latest album, Imagining Marvin, celebrates Marvin Gaye. Recent releases include the single “Rising Up” and the duo album OFF Broadway.