Jeremy Kondrat joined the Dallas Winds as Associate Conductor in 2024. Mr. Kondrat has frequently conducted Dallas Winds’ fanfares and served as a guest conductor since 2015. He has served as conductor of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony since 2019 and conductor of the McKinney Community Band since 2016. Mr. Kondrat has led the Dallas Symphony
Brass & Percussion Ensemble and the Dallas Chamber Orchestra as a guest conductor. He frequently conducts the Imperial Brass and Rockwall Philharmonic Orchestra. He is an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University where he teaches Jazz Techniques in the Music Education program.

Mr. Kondrat currently serves as the Coordinator of Instrumental Music in the Plano Independent School District. From 2001-2015, Mr. Kondrat served as the Director of Bands, Co-Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra, and Director of the Jazz Ensemble at Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas.

The Plano Senior High School Wind Ensemble was awarded the National Wind Band Honor Award in 2009 under Mr. Kondrat’s direction. He co-conducted the Plano Senior HS Symphony Orchestra at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014 and at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2003. The Plano Senior HS Jazz Ensemble was invited to perform at Lincoln Center at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Festival and Competition in 2005 and 2010. Plano Senior HS was awarded the Grammy Signature School Gold Award twice while Mr. Kondrat served as Director of Bands. Mr. Kondrat is forever grateful for his outstanding teachers, colleagues, and students throughout his life.

Mr. Kondrat received a Bachelor of Music degree in music education and trombone performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He earned a Master of Music degree in trombone performance from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. He performed frequently as a substitute trombonist with the Dallas Winds. Mr. Kondrat is an active clinician, conductor, adjudicator, and consultant for band, orchestra, and jazz ensembles throughout the United States. He has a deep passion for sharing music, music education, and
creativity in music with people of all ages.

Mr. Kondrat resides in Plano, Texas with his wonderful wife, April, and their three amazing children Emily, Rachel, and Ethan.

Scarlett Strallen, born and raised in London, is best known on Broadway as Mary Poppins (a role she also played in London and Australia) and as Sibella in A
Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, where she met her husband, Bryce Pinkham. Other New York Highlights include Gwendolyn in Travesties on Broadway, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, and Alice in The New Yorkers with Encores at City Center. Scarlett’s West End career highlight’s include Kathy in Singin’ in the Rain (Olivier Award Nomination) Cassie in A Chorus Line, Clara in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse, Josephine in HMS Pinafore (Olivier Award Nomination), and Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Scarlett’s additional theater credits include the title role in Nell Gwynn at Chicago Shakespeare Theeatre, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance at Barrington Stage Company, Lady McDuff in Macbeth with Kenneth Branagh at the Armory in New York, Cunegonde in Candide and Amalia in She Loves Me both at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, Marion Paroo in The Music Man at Chichester festival theatre and starring alongside Judi Dench in The Merry Wives of Windsor with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2014, Scarlett received the ‘Whatsonstage’ award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Cassie in A Chorus Line and Cunegonde in Candide in the same season. Original casts include Mamma Mia and The Witches of Eastwick.

A frequent soloist with orchestras around the world, Scarlett’s recent and upcoming engagements in the US include The Boston Pops, The Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Grant Park Music Festival, Houston Symphony, Utah Symphony, Philly Pops, Phoenix Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Colorado Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, among many others. She made her German debut with the Philharmonie in Berlin with the John Wilson Orchestra in A Celebration of the MGM Film Musicals and performed with the Prague Philharmonic with Maestro Keith Lockhart. For the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall on the BBC Scarlett has performed Cole Porter in Hollywood and Bernstein Stage and Screen with the John Wilson orchestra along with playing Laurie in Oklahoma. Her famous “Glitter and Be Gay” with the John Wilson Orchestra can be found on YouTube. Scarlett has recorded “Something’s Gotta Give” with Simon Keenleyside and “State Fair and the 20th century Fox Songbook” for Chandos Records conducted by David Charles Abel and has recently finished a recording of My Fair Lady as Eliza with the Sinfonia of London. Scarlett was requested to sing on two separate occasions for Her
late Majesty the Queen and once for His Royal Highness King Charles. Follow Scarlett @scarlettstrallenofficial on
Instagram.

Best known to millions of TV viewers as a top four finalist during the 2007 season of American Idol,” LaKisha Jones is ready to reclaim center stage in music, theatre and television.

Having worked with hit-making songwriters and producers including Tony Nicholas (Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross), Ro & Sauce (Brandy, Ne-Yo) and Greg Curtis (Keyshia Cole, Yolanda Adams), Jones’ album, “So Glad I’m Me” featured a spirited mix of R&B and soul. A few noteworthy songs included the single “Same Song,” penned by award-winning songwriter Dianne Warren, Whitney  Houston’s “You Give Good Love,” the gospel song “Just As I Am,” and Jones soaring ballad to her daughter, “Beautiful Girl.”

Her drive and motivation dates back to her childhood in Flint, Michigan. Raised by her mother and grandmother, Jones was exposed to music by legendary singers such as Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle, with her grandmother urging the young girl to “let your voice shine” thereby prompting Jones to sing in church choirs and music programs. Joining various choral groups and acappella choruses throughout high school, Jones entered and won the top prize at Flint’s local talent contest, The Super Show in 1997.

Jones then went to New York to audition for “American Idol” and segued from “Idol” to the Broadway stage for The Color Purple where she played “Sophia”, which she alternated with R&B icon Chaka Khan, who became her mentor. Jones participated in Khan’s 35th Anniversary Tour. Following her Broadway stint, Jones provided vocal coaching on MTV’s reality competition “Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods,” a show designed to find and hone Broadway’s next star.

A frequent soloist with symphony around the world, Ms. Jones has performed as a guest soloist with the National Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Utah Symphony and Opera, Winnipeg Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Jacksonville Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony, Windham Chamber Singers, Grand Rapids Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, Calgary Symphony, Battle Creek Symphony, Reno Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony, Long Bay Symphony and the Festival Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, among many others.

Hugh Panaro is perhaps best known for having played the coveted role of the Phantom in Broadway’s The Phantom of the Opera over 2,000 times, including the 25th Anniversary production. In fact, Hugh is one of the few actors to be cast by Harold Prince as both The Phantom and Raoul in the show’s Broadway production and recently starred as the title role in the New York production of Sweeney Todd.

Hugh made his Broadway debut in the original production of Les Misérables as Marius, the role he originated in the First National Company. He also created the roles of Buddy in the original Side Show (Sony cast recording); Julian Craster in Jule Styne’s last musical, The Red Shoes; and the title role in the American premiere of Cameron Mackintosh’s Martin Guerre. Hugh was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance in the title role of Elton John’s Lestat, based on Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. He made his West End debut in the original London company of Harold Prince’s Show Boat as Gaylord Ravenal, the role he previously played in the Broadway and Toronto productions.

At the prestigious 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle, Hugh played George Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George, and Robert in Stephen Sondheim’s Company. Hugh’s performance as Jean Valjean in the Walnut Street Theater’s production of Les Misérables earned him the prestigious Barrymore Award, for which he was again nominated after a turn as Fagin in Oliver! In 2012, Hugh was honored with the Edwin Forrest Award for his longterm contribution to the theater.

An active concert artist, Panaro has performed with numerous symphony orchestras including the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, The Cleveland Orchestra, Philly Pops, Dallas, Detroit, San Francisco, Seattle, Utah Symphonies, and the London Sinfonietta, among many others. Mr. Panaro’s upcoming engagements include the Philly Pops, Charlotte Symphony, Cleveland Pops, Tucson Symphony, Maui Pops, Hawaii Symphony, among others. Hugh also recently returned as a guest  oloist with the Festival Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. He also had the privilege of performing in the world premiere of Penderecki’s Te Deum at Carnegie Hall and was a guest soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic, conducted by Marvin Hamlisch. His recordings include Jerome Kern Treasury, the original cast recording of Side Show, Tap Your Troubles Away (Herman), The Centennial (Weil), and Life On The Wicked Stage (Kern). In addition, he toured
throughout Europe with the legendary Barbra Streisand.

A native of Philadelphia, Panaro graduated from Temple University and was awarded the Boyer College of Music Certificate of Honor. His first solo CD, “Man Without A Mask” was released in 2023.