Conductor Herb Smith is widely known in both the classical and jazz worlds as an exciting performer who inspires musicians and audiences wherever he goes.  Whether he is performing, conducting, teaching, or composing, Herb’s expression of music draws from his multifaceted and dynamic musical experiences from around the world.

Voted “Best Instrumentalist” of Rochester 2022 by City Magazine, Herb currently holds the third trumpet position in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the principal trumpet position in the Gateways Festival Orchestra, which made their Carnegie Hall debut in April 2022. Herb also serves as principal trumpet in the Gateways Brass Collective, a nationally touring professional brass quintet sponsored by Conn-Selmer. Being a highly sought-after lead trumpeter has afforded Herb the opportunity to play with such notable musicians as Jeff Beck, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, the O’Jays, Johnny Mathis, and Doc Severinsen, to name but a few. He has been a frequent guest soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Rochester Philharmonic. 

Herb’s Freedom Trio (composed of trumpet played through electronics, bass, and drums) can be seen in performances around the country. This funky, eclectic group, a frequent guest at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, offers its “idiosyncratic yet charming melodies” (City Magazine) in concerts and festivals around the world.

As a composer, Herb has been commissioned by brass ensembles, high school choirs, jazz ensembles, and trumpet ensembles in addition to writing for his jazz trio and the Gateways Brass Collective. Herb’s “The Twelve Tones of Christmas,” composed for trumpet, piano, and voice, premiered in Carnegie Hall in 2008. Tony Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan commissioned Herb to write a ballet for his Children's Ensemble. The resulting forty-minute, six-part work ranged across many styles, including reggae, classical, jazz, and funk. 

Herb is a regular guest conductor with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He frequently conducts the Symphoria orchestra based in Syracuse, NY, and currently directs the Eastman Youth Jazz Ensemble. He also guest conducts for All-State and All-County Bands, Orchestras, and Jazz Ensembles all across New York State. Herb recently conducted and curated a Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Brass performance of Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” at a Black Lives Matter rally and a concert honoring Harriet Tubman. This performance united the City of Rochester, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and neighborhood churches in honor of Tubman’s bicentennial celebration.

A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Herb is a trumpet instructor at the Eastman Community Music School. He also leads masterclasses and offers lectures on trumpet technique, endurance, and sound production. From universities to elementary schools, Herb is frequently invited to serve as teacher, teaching artist, and clinician. He co-founded Herb’s City Trumpets, a program that mentors and teaches trumpet to Black students aged 8 to 17, in partnership with the Rochester City School District.

Celebrated vocalist and bandleader Eddie Bruce has garnered critical acclaim for his captivating tributes to musical icons Tony Bennett, Anthony Newley, Frank Sinatra,  the award-winning Broadway and motion picture composers, and Philadelphia’s legendary nightclub, the Latin Casino.  He’s performed for sold-out crowds at venues that include most of Atlantic City’s hotel/casinos, 54 Below and Birdland Theatre in New York City, World Café’ Live, Drexel University’s Mandell Theatre and the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia; the Bonita Springs Performing Arts Center and The Studio at Mizner Park in Florida, and other spots north and south. 

Bruce’s enduring presence as the host of the nationally broadcast “Dancin’ on Air” television show and his long-running WWDB Radio talk show have added to his multifaceted contributions to the world of entertainment. 

 More recently, Eddie has recorded a new album backed by a swinging big band, has spearheaded the reissue of his popular, recorded homage to Tony Bennett on streaming platforms worldwide, has performed the National Anthem on several occasions at Philadelphia Phillies baseball game, appeared in the region’s ever-popular Thanksgiving Day Parade, completed a successful, mini-tour of Florida with his Tony Bennett show, and has collaborated with the new Philly Pops in a series of concerts that have delighted audiences of all ages.

Described in the press as “electrifying,” “mesmerizing,” and “singularly entertaining,” Eddie Bruce stands as the personification of the show business tradition as it is in 2025.

Kelly Levesque (pronounced Le-Vek) is a New York-born singer-songwriter whose musical journey began at just three years old, when her musician father recorded her first notes in the studio. Since then, her powerful voice and dynamic stage presence have led her to perform as a soloist on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Kennedy Center, Budokan, Madison Square Garden, the Staples Center, and the White House.

Throughout her career, Kelly has shared the stage with dynamic artists such as Sting, Jamie Foxx, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Josh Groban, Michael Bolton, Smokey Robinson, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and many more.

With a major label debut on Reprise/Warner Bros. Records at 18, Kelly launched her international recording and touring career. She has earned two Top 5 Billboard Classical Crossover albums—one as part of the trio ‘Three Graces’, and another as part of Diane Warren’s duet project ‘Due Voci’.

Kelly has had the honor of performing for international royalty, four U.S. Presidents, and His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

Guided by her belief in creating “Music With Meaning,” Kelly uses her voice as a vehicle for change. Her original song “Never Forever” was written to raise awareness and funds for victims of domestic violence, supported by the Miss America Organization and nonprofit Safe Horizon as part of their #PutTheNailInIt campaign. Another of her philanthropic works, “I Won’t Let You Down,” was a song Kelly wrote and gifted to the KNOWAutism Foundation to support children and families affected by autism.

Kelly’s voice can be heard on several film and television soundtracks, including America’s Sweethearts starring Julia Roberts, and the title track of the latest Inspector Gadget series. She is also a featured vocalist on numerous national television and radio commercials.

Currently, Kelly is channeling her creativity into a new dramatic musical (for which there are Tony-winning producers attached!), writing the music, lyrics, and book alongside her husband, multi-platinum and Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter Fraser Walters.

To learn more and connect with Kelly, visit: www.KellyL.com