The Ensemble

Constance Steuer, Executive and Musical Director of Gaudemua s  earned  a Bachelor’s Of Music in Piano Performance from the University of the Arts and a Master’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Temple University.  She taught music at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School for 25 years and has served at Epiphany of Our Lord Church as pianist and Director of Music for 37 years.  

Sarah Agnew performs classical, commercial, sacred and Irish music in the Philadelphia area. She sings sacred music with Gaudeamus, sang the national anthem at a Philadelphia Eagles game and sings Irish music at St. Patrick's Day events and festivals. The Old Man is her first Irish music CD and contains various childhood favorites. She is currently associated with many organizations and charities. Sarah was born and lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pa. She has been singing and performing Irish music since the age of ten. She has studied voice at the Bryn Mawr Conservatory of Music and has studied privately in New York City. She is a graduate of Temple University.

Kelly Jones, Soprano ,  is a graduate of West Chester University with Master’s in Vocal Performance and Pedgagogy and a Bachelor in Music Education.  Kelly is a vocal music teacher at the Salford Hills Elementary School in the Souderton School District as well as a frequent vocalist at several area churches.

Thomas Rudolph, Ed. D. is an adjunct instructor for the Berklee online school. He has authored two online courses for Berklee and teaches several other courses. He also teaches summer workshops in music technology at Villanova University and Central Connecticut State. Dr. Rudolph is one of the seminal people in music technology. He began his work as a clinician and workshop leader in the field in 1982. In addition to his work in teaching and music technology, Dr. Rudolph is a busy trumpet performer in the Philadelphia area and performs with the group Gaudeamus. His compositions and arrangements have been published by Neil Kjos and Northeastern Music Publications, Inc.

Anthony Pirollo, Cellist, attended the Philadelphia Musical Academy where he studied with William DePasquale. He has toured internationally with various ensembles including "The Spring Piano Trio". Mr. Pirollo was a solo cellist for the world premiere of Meredith Monk's opera "Atlas". He is Assistant Musical Director for the Bel Canto Opera Company and is a frequent performer of classical music. Mr. Pirollo is also a composer and arranger.

Michael Simmons studied with John Leonard and Peter Segal and performed in master classes for Benjamin Verdery, Sharon Isbin, Eliot Fisk, Carlos Barbosa-Lima and Oscar Ghiglia. He was the winner of the 1993 Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society Competition and a finalist at the 1995 National Guitar Summer Workshop Concerto Competition. As a member of the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Trio, Dr. Simmons has performed nationally and internationally, including the 1999 Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Puerto Rico and the Third Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra Panamá 1999. He is an active solo and ensemble guitarist and performs regularly with flautist Thomas Meany. Dr. Simmons is a Kodály certified general music specialist and serves as the Fine Arts Department Chair at the Woodlynde School in Strafford, Pennsylvania. He is an Adjunct Instructor at Montgomery County Community College where he teaches courses in guitar and music history. Dr. Simmons holds a B.M. in Guitar Performance from The University of the Arts, M.M. in Guitar Performance and Music History from Temple University, and a D.M.A. in Music Education from Boston University.

Gaudeamus also includes a renowned String Quartet which includes Anthony Pirollo, Cellist, Robert Viera and Gabriella Mandescu, Violin and Susan Aquila, Viola.  Each instrumentalist brings a plethora of experience spanning the world of music from classical music to Broadway.   Their unique sound and musical arrangements add a lush and beautiful sound to the Gaudeamus ensemble.