Maestro Lauffer is currently in his sixth season as Music Director and Conductor of the McKeesport Symphony Orchestra. Under his dynamic leadership, The MSO is growing into a vibrant musical ensemble. Both audience attendance has increased and revenues are up. This past season, the MSO was recorded and broadcast on WQED-FM (Pittsburgh) as part of their series, "Performances in Pittsburgh" and by WRCT-FM (Carngie Mellon University Radio Station; Pittsburgh, PA).
In addition to his responsibilities with the MSO, Maestro Lauffer is the conductor of the Latshaw Pops Orchestra. For the past five years, Maestro Lauffer has conducted tours throughout the Eastern United States (Boston, Hartford, Albany, Geneva, Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indiana, Wheeling, Pittsburgh, Lancaster, Baltimore, and Atlantic City), with these outstanding shows, performing for tens of thousands of patrons in Latshaw Production’s, “As Time Goes By”, “Puttin’ On The Ritz”, “American Journey”, “Seppin' Out on Broadway”, and The Christmas Spectacular”. Maestro Lauffer will be conducting additional shows with the Latshaw Pops Orchestra in 2010 -"The Crooners & Their Music" and "Oktoberfest".
This past October, Maestro Lauffer was invited to guest conduct the River City Brass Band, considered one of the country's finest brass bands. The concert was enthusiastically received by both the audience and the musicians performing in the RCBB. Maestro Lauffer has been invited back by the RCBB and has been a frequent guest conductor with them this past season. This past year, Maestro Lauffer was invited to be the conductor for all symphony pop concerts with "Jimmy Beaumont and The Skyliners". Currently, he is involved in working with Jace Vek (2 Time - Emmy Award winning composer and a virtuoso pianist), on a recording project of Mr. Vek's second CD with solo piano and orchestra. Maestro Lauffer is represented and managed by Price, Rubin, & Partners.
Maestro Lauffer earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from West Virginia University where he studied conducting with Don Wilcox, Donald Portnoy, and Jerry Goldsmith. He received his Master of Music Degree in 1987 from Baylor University. While at Baylor University, Mr. Lauffer studied conducting with Michael Haithcock and Gary Sousa and composition with Richard Willis. Private study in conducting has been with the internationally renowned master teacher Elizabeth A. H. Green; Maestro Louis Lane (former Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra and former Music Director of the Dallas Symphony), and Maestro Larry Rachleff (Music Director of The Rhode Island Philharmonic). In May of 2007, Mr. Lauffer was one of ten conductors in the country invited to serve as a conducting intern with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Jorge Mester. Additional studies in conducting have been with Frederick Fennell, Carl Topilow, H. Robert Reynolds, Craig Kirchoff, Eugene Corporan, Alan McMurray, and William Wakefield.
In the fall of 2002, Maestro Lauffer was appointed the Music Director and Conductor of The Royal Sylvan Philharmonic. The orchestra has performed at the world class Nemacolin Woodlands Spa and Resort, as well as throughout the Pittsburgh area. In 2004, the Philharmonic was commissioned to record a compact disc with composer/pianist, Jace Vek, (reached #5 in the world on New Age/Neoclassical Music in March 2005). The Royal Sylvan Philharmonic and Maestro Lauffer were commissioned for a recording of the music of jazz legend, Delsey McKay. In March of 2004, Irish singer & television personality Cahal Dunne, performed with the Royal Sylvan Philharmonic in a series of concerts. These concerts were all enthusically received and each greeted with standing ovations!
Maestro Lauffer was the Director of Music and Dean of Arts for the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School and the Music Director and Conductor of the Beaver Valley Philharmonic from 2006-2009. In December 2006 and 2007, the BVP's holiday concert was broadcast live on KDKA radio to over 33 states in the US and half of Canada. He has served as Music Director of The Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra (fourteen seasons), the Mon-Valley Youth Orchestra, and the North Pittsburgh Civic Symphony. He has been a popular Guest Conductor with The Edgewood Symphony Orchestra and the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestra.
Mr. Lauffer has taught on the faculties at Indiana State University and at Washington and Jefferson College. Mr. Lauffer served as the Chairman of the Music Department and Director of Bands for the East Allegheny School District. During his tenure, the ensembles received state and national recognition for their excellence. Mr. Lauffer has also taught on the faculty at Jeannette School District for thirteen years.
Maintaining a very active conducting schedule, both professionally and educationally, Maestro Lauffer is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the country. He is a frequent guest on university and college campuses, conducting and lecturing. Maestro Lauffer has won praise from such composers as David Stock, Karel Husa, Warren Benson, Michael Moricz, Todd Goodman, Neil DePonte, Richard Willis, Ruth Meyer Sacks, Jace Vek, Christopher Fraley and David Williams for his interpretative performances of their compositions. Mr. Lauffer is very active in commissioning new compositions for orchestra and winds. To date, he has conducted the world premier of 23 compositions, which he commissioned for orchestra and band.
Mr. Lauffer is a Master Mason in the Grand Lodge of F.& A. M. of Pennsylvania, Jeannette Lodge No. 750. Mr. Lauffer resides in Beaver County, Pennsylvania with his wife, Sharon, and children Benjamin, Brittany, Gregory, and Robert.