Giuseppe Pietraroia, conductor

Giuseppe Pietraroia is Associate Conductor of the Victoria Symphony and newly appointed Principal Conductor of Pacific Opera Victoria. As a guest conductor he has been engaged by l’Orchestre Métropolitain, Orchestra London, Vancouver Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Hamilton Philharmonic, Okanagan Symphony, Regina Symphony, Kingston Symphony and Thunder Bay Symphony.

His extensive opera engagements with Pacific Opera include productions of Il barbiere di Siviglia, La traviata, La bohème, Lucia di Lammermoor, Norma, Rigoletto, Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, La Cenerentola, Tosca, and Let’s Make an Opera/The Little Sweep. In addition, he has conducted productions for l’Opéra de Montréal, l’Opéra de Québec, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Edmonton Opera, Opera New Brunswick, Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Program, and l’Institut Canadien d’Art Vocal.

With Victoria Choral Society, where he was Music Director for seven seasons, Maestro Pietraroia conducted performances of Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Mass in C minor with the Victoria Symphony, a choreographed production of Orff’s Carmina Burana in collaboration with Ballet Victoria, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus, and the Duruflé and Fauré Requiems.

Maestro Pietraroia has recorded a CD with soprano Marie-Josée Lord and l’Orchestre Métropolitain for the ATMA label, which won a Felix award granted by l’ADISQ and was also nominated for a JUNO award.

Giuseppe Pietraroia is the recipient of the George and Jane Heffelfinger Pacific Opera Victoria Artist of the Year Award and the Canada Council’s Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestral Conducting.

Kelly Levesque, vocalist

Kelly Levesque is a singer-songwriter from New York who began her career in the studio at the age of 3 with her musician-father recording her first notes.  Kelly has performed as a soloist on leading international stages such as Royal Albert Hall, The Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center, Budokan, Staples Center, The White House, and Madison Square Garden. Kelly has also shared the stage with such esteemed artists as Sting, Jamie Foxx, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Josh Groban, Michael Bolton, Smokey Robinson, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and many more.

Kelly’s soaring vocal range, beautiful tone, and stunning stage presence have provided her with an international recording and performing career since she signed her first major recording deal with Reprise/Warner Brothers Records.  Kelly has had 2 top 5 Billboard Classical Crossover Albums, one with her group Three Graces and the second with Diane Warren’s duet group Due Voci.

Kelly has been honored to perform for International Royalty, four US Presidents and His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

Kelly believes in creating “Music With Meaning” as part of the philanthropic initiative with her music.  Kelly wrote a song called Never Forever to raise awareness and money for Domestic Violence victims- it was released with the support of the Miss America Organization and Safe Horizon with their #PuttheNailinit campaign. I Won’t Let You Down is a song Kelly wrote and gifted to the KNOWAutism Foundation to benefit children and families who are affected by Autism.

Kelly is featured on several film and television soundtracks, including America’s Sweethearts starring Julia Roberts, and the title song on the new Inspector Gadget series. Kelly is also a featured vocalist on numerous National TV and radio commercials.

 “Singing is what I love to do and I always remember at each performance, this could be somebody’s first or last show, so I give everything I have and leave it all on the stage!”

Shayna Steele, vocalist

This dynamic vocalist puts new meaning to diversity and grass-roots talent. Her natural ability to traverse musical genres be it in the studio, on the stage, or the screen, has kept her on the A list of in-demand singers in the industry.

In 2023 Shayna debuted her solo symphony show, American Diva, with the prestigious Rochester Philharmonic Symphony, featuring Grammy-winning conductor and composer, Mr. Jeff Tyzik featuring arrangements of her music and favorite covers. Shayna has performed as the guest soloist with over 100 North American symphony orchestras such as, The Dallas Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony Orchestra where she debuted her solo Blues program Nothin’ But the Blues with Grammy Award winning composer and conductor, Jeff Tyzik.

Throughout her career, Shayna has lent her talent to leading artists such as Grammy-winning trumpeter, Chris Botti; Moby, whose tracks Raining Again, Disco Lies, and Extreme Ways, featured Shayna’s blockbuster vocals. Snarky Puppy’s, Michael League, handpicked Shayna’s original track, Gone Under, for inclusion in their huge hit, Family Dinner, Volume 1 album (Ropeadope Records) which has become a viral sensation with over 2 million views and countless covers from musicians globally. And no stranger to both the small and silver screens, Shayna has sung on the Wicked, Hairspray, the Bourne Identity, and Sex and the City 2 soundtracks, as well as making a guest appearance on The Sopranos! Shayna recently made an appearance on two episodes of the Marvel series Penguin, starring Colin Ferrell on MAX.

She has provided background vocals for artists such as Bette Midler, Rihanna, and Kelly Clarkson, along with other countless A list stars. After going solo, writing, and putting her band together, Shayna has released 4 studio albums with her second album RISE, reaching #2 on the U.S. iTunes jazz charts and #1 on the international jazz charts.

Shayna holds a music degree from the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Interdisciplinary Music Studies and teaches private vocalists virtually; Shayna has been a guest for many college masterclasses and workshops globally as well.