Fred Danchenko BIO
Fred Danchenko has enjoyed a fulfilling, varied music career spanning 40
years as a performer, music educator and choir director. Fred’s lifetime of
musical experiences began at West Mifflin North High School as a string
bassist, where he graduated in 1980. During this period, Fred was greatly
influenced by performing with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony and various
PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators Association) orchestras. He then
continued his education at Carnegie Mellon University where he graduated
in 1984 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance on the String Bass.
He quickly established himself as a symphonic bass performer with the
Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, Westmoreland Symphony, Wheeling
Symphony and as Principial Bass of the McKeesport Symphony. Highlights
of this time include performances with Luciano Pavarotti, performing at
Carnegie Hall in New York City with the CMU Orchestra and as a free-lance
musician performing the masterworks of the symphonic and operatic
repertoire.
Fred completed his Master’s Equivalency in Music Education and PA
teaching certification in 1987. He was then employed by the West Mifflin
Area School District in 1990 until his retirement in 2021. He may have had
the singular distinction of teaching every grade from kindergarten through
the 12 th grade. He particularly enjoyed his assignment as orchestra
instructor to beginning string students through their graduation. A favorite
moment was conducting from the high school orchestra pit while his
daughter, Nina, and her future husband, Nick, performed together on stage
in the Broadway musical “Oklahoma!”
Retirement for Fred didn’t mean an end to his ensemble leaderships. In
2021 he founded the West Mifflin HS Alumni Chamber Strings, a group
compiled of the many former string students he had the privilege training
over the years. The ensemble performs regularly in the community.
Fred has also devoted a lifetime to his other great musical passion,
conducting the music of the Russian Orthodox faith, primarily at the Holy
Virgin Orthodox church in Carnegie for 20 years. The choir recorded four
CDs of distinction in the art of Russian Orthodox a cappella singing. He is
presently the choir director at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Homestead,
PA for the past 3 years.
Upon retirement in 2021, Fred has also been employed as a part-time
sales representative for Progressive Music Inc. Now along with his wife
Rebecca, they enjoy spending their leisure time babysitting their
granddaughter, Eleanor, and traveling to Europe. There, Fred fulfills his
other great passions, history, art and fine dining.
Fred is honored to be invited by his mentor, former colleague, and dear
friend Vito DiSalvo to appear on his new video broadcast ‘Memories of a
Musician’.
years as a performer, music educator and choir director. Fred’s lifetime of
musical experiences began at West Mifflin North High School as a string
bassist, where he graduated in 1980. During this period, Fred was greatly
influenced by performing with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony and various
PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators Association) orchestras. He then
continued his education at Carnegie Mellon University where he graduated
in 1984 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performance on the String Bass.
He quickly established himself as a symphonic bass performer with the
Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, Westmoreland Symphony, Wheeling
Symphony and as Principial Bass of the McKeesport Symphony. Highlights
of this time include performances with Luciano Pavarotti, performing at
Carnegie Hall in New York City with the CMU Orchestra and as a free-lance
musician performing the masterworks of the symphonic and operatic
repertoire.
Fred completed his Master’s Equivalency in Music Education and PA
teaching certification in 1987. He was then employed by the West Mifflin
Area School District in 1990 until his retirement in 2021. He may have had
the singular distinction of teaching every grade from kindergarten through
the 12 th grade. He particularly enjoyed his assignment as orchestra
instructor to beginning string students through their graduation. A favorite
moment was conducting from the high school orchestra pit while his
daughter, Nina, and her future husband, Nick, performed together on stage
in the Broadway musical “Oklahoma!”
Retirement for Fred didn’t mean an end to his ensemble leaderships. In
2021 he founded the West Mifflin HS Alumni Chamber Strings, a group
compiled of the many former string students he had the privilege training
over the years. The ensemble performs regularly in the community.
Fred has also devoted a lifetime to his other great musical passion,
conducting the music of the Russian Orthodox faith, primarily at the Holy
Virgin Orthodox church in Carnegie for 20 years. The choir recorded four
CDs of distinction in the art of Russian Orthodox a cappella singing. He is
presently the choir director at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Homestead,
PA for the past 3 years.
Upon retirement in 2021, Fred has also been employed as a part-time
sales representative for Progressive Music Inc. Now along with his wife
Rebecca, they enjoy spending their leisure time babysitting their
granddaughter, Eleanor, and traveling to Europe. There, Fred fulfills his
other great passions, history, art and fine dining.
Fred is honored to be invited by his mentor, former colleague, and dear
friend Vito DiSalvo to appear on his new video broadcast ‘Memories of a
Musician’.