Nancy Pettersen Strelau recently retired from Nazareth University, serving as a Professor in Professional Practice, Associate Director of the School of Music, Director of String Studies, Director of Orchestras and Auditions Coordinator. Mrs. Strelau is Founder and Director of the Greater Rochester Women’s Philharmonic, Founder and past director of the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Founder and past director of the Virtuosi Scholarship Chamber Orchestra and Conducting program. Mrs. Strelau is conductor of the New Horizons Symphony Orchestra through the Eastman Community Music School, and has just completed work in the orchestra pit conducting the new musical ‘Prince of Egypt’, and accompanying Disney legend Jodi Benson in ‘GYPSY’, both through OFC Creations in Brighton, NY. She supervises music student teachers at Nazareth University, and currently serves on the Rochester Boat Club Board, CC Finance Committee, and Nazareth University the Visual and Performing Arts and Design Advisory Board.
Mrs. Strelau was a violinist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Florida, West Palm Symphony Orchestra and Miami Pops Symphony Orchestra from 1983-1986. Upon moving to Rochester she was a contract violin sub with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 1986 to 1997. She was Director of Orchestras and String Coordinator for the Penfield Central School District (NY) from 1986 to 2000, Conductor of the Finger Lakes Symphony Orchestra from 1994 to 2005 and Co-Conductor of the Brighton Symphony Orchestra from 1990-1994. Mrs. Strelau is Founder of the Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra, directing the group from 1992 to 2012. She is Founder of the Virtuosi Scholarship Chamber Orchestra and Conducting Program, and directed that group from 2002 to 2023. In addition, Mrs. Strelau founded the Greater Rochester Women’s Philharmonic in 1991 and is still the conductor in the group’s 34 th year. She is a frequent guest conductor of high school orchestra festivals, all-county and all-state orchestras around the country.
Mrs. Strelau is a composer who has been published with Warner Brothers and Southern Music Company. Among noted works is a double bass concerto commissioned by RPO bassist Deborah Dunham and a fanfare entitled 325-7760 (melody based on the phone number and busy signal(!)for the ticket office) was featured at the opening ceremonies of the 1995 Ryder Cup International Golf Tournament by the Eastman Wind Ensemble under the baton of Donald Hunsberger. ‘Four Miniatures,’ a string orchestral suite by Mrs. Strelau is among her more popular works and has been performed by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Mrs. Strelau made her third appearance at Carnegie Hall in 2002 conducting the premiere of her piece for full symphonic orchestra L’enfant du Soldat. She has been the recipient of several ‘Meet the Composer’ grants. Recent commissions include The Hunt written for the Brighton School District (NY) and Sam’s Magical Musical Adventure’ commissioned by the Penfield Commission Project for the 50 th Anniversary of Suzuki teaching in the Penfield School District, Penfield, NY. The Journey was written for the women’s orchestra at the Hiland Correctional Facility in Anchorage, Alaska in 2019, and she recently collaborated with Buffalo double bassist Mitchell Law in the orchestral work entitled Mitchell’s Mind. In 2021 she wrote A Simple, Beautiful Idea for the Genesee Symphony Orchestra, commemorating their 75th Anniversary Season and this year wrote Seneca Dawn, an orchestral fanfare written for the induction ceremony of the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls.