Cheryl Y. Boga
Conductor & Director, Performance Music
CHERYL Y. BOGA, now in her 43rd year at The University of Scranton, is Conductor & Director of Performance Music and founder and musical director of the World Premiere Composition Series, now in its 40th year. Numerous world-class performers have been featured as guests with ensembles she has conducted, and she maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor, clinician, and consultant throughout the eastern U.S., working with musicians ranging from high school students to professionals.
Boga's years at Scranton began with the University Concert Band & Singers, and have expanded to include the University Bands, University Performance Choirs, University String Orchestra, University Small Instrumental Ensembles, University Guest Artist Series, World Premiere Composition Series, The Nelhybel Collection, a number of educational outreach initiatives, and The Scranton Brass Orchestra, most of which she founded. Under her leadership, the department strives to engage students in the Ignatian mission of the institution as men and women for others through emphasis on service through performance.
Dedicated to the performance of new music, Boga has commissioned, performed, assisted with orchestration of, prepared and/or conducted ensembles in the premieres of nearly 100 instrumental and/or choral works by both established and emerging composers, including Vaclav Nelhybel, Robert Starer, Rob Kapilow, T. Terry James, Joshua Rosenblum, Lawrence Wolfe, Wycliffe Gordon, Sam Pilafian, Jonathan Tunick, Jennifer Krupa, Kenneth Amis, and dozens of others. As a professional clarinetist before health issues cut short her playing career, Boga premiered solo works by a number of 20th century composers including Vaclav Nelhybel, T. Terry James, Robert Starer, and Joshua Rosenblum, and performed with orchestras and ensembles throughout the northeastern United States.
Boga is musical consultant to the estate of Vaclav Nelhybel and “The Nelhybel Collection at Scranton”, has conducted/performed premieres or revivals of many of his large ensemble compositions and numerous chamber works, and serves as webmaster for www.nelhybel.org. She has served in past years as a consultant and advisor to a variety of arts constituencies, including schools, ensembles, performers, presenters, teachers, parent groups, and professional organizations, including The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Rob Kapilow's "What Makes It Great?", Jazz at Lincoln Center, and many more too numerous to list.
Boga’s professional affiliations span membership in a variety of state and national organizations. She has served as an officer and/or committee chair in many of them, including her favorite - The Pennsylvania Collegiate Bandmasters Association - which she has served twice as president and almost four decades as auditions chair. She is the recipient of a variety of local, regional, and national awards and honors, including the National Catholic Band Association Lifetime Service Award, the Order Pro Deo et Universitat, The Sursum Corda Award, The Lawrence J. Morton Award, the inaugural Women of Courage and Vision Award, honorary membership in Alpha Sigma Nu, and was recently honored by her colleagues in the region with the P.M.E.A. "Citation of Excellence in Higher Education".
Boga studied rehearsal techniques with Vaclav Nelhybel, clarinet with the legendary Leon Russianoff, and conducting with Rob Kapilow.