Steven Reineke is one of North America's leading conductors of popular music and is in his second decade as Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Additionally, he is Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Principal Pops Conductor of the Houston and Toronto Symphony Orchestras.

Reineke is a frequent guest conductor and can be seen on the podium with the Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Detroit Symphony Orchestras.

On stage, Reineke creates and collaborates with a range of leading artists from the worlds of hip hop, R&B, Broadway, television, and rock including: Killer Mike, Maxwell, Common, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Ne-Yo, Bob Weir, Trey Anastasio, Barry Manilow, Cynthia Erivo, Ben Rector, Cody Fry, Sutton Foster, Amos Lee, Dispatch, Jason Mraz, and Ben Folds, amongst others. In 2024, he led the NSO on PBS's Next at the Kennedy Center featuring Ben Folds’ DECLASSIFIED® with Jacob Collier, Laufey, and dodie. He was previously seen with the NSO on PBS on Great Performances with hip hop legend Nas performing his seminal album Illmatic.

In 2017, he was featured on National Public Radio's All Things Considered, leading the National Symphony Orchestra—in a first for the show's history—performing live music excerpts in between news segments.  

As the creator of hundreds of orchestral arrangements, Reineke’s work is performed worldwide and can be heard on numerous Cincinnati Pops Orchestra recordings. His symphonic works Celebration Fanfare, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and Casey at the Bat are performed frequently in North America, including performances by the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Sun Valley Festival Fanfare was used to commemorate the Sun Valley Summer Symphony’s pavilion, and his Festival Te Deum and Swan’s Island Sojourn were debuted by the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. His numerous wind ensemble compositions are published by the C.L. Barnhouse Company and are performed by concert bands perennially.

A native of Ohio, Mr. Reineke is a graduate of Miami University of Ohio (2020 Alumnus Distinguished Achievement Medal), where he earned bachelor of music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music composition. He currently resides in New York City with his husband, Eric Gabbard.

Marquita Raley-Cooper is a dynamic opera singer known for her powerful voice, captivating stage presence, and passion for storytelling through music. With a versatile repertoire that spans classical opera, spirituals, and contemporary works, Marquita brings depth and emotion to every performance.

Her journey in music began at an early age, with her talent honed through rigorous training and a commitment to excellence. She has graced stages both nationally and internationally in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The New York Philharmonic, and the Kennedy Center, earning acclaim for her ability to connect with audiences and bring characters to life with authenticity and grace.

Oratorio works include George Frideric Handel’s Messiah, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem, and Ludwig von Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Operatic roles include Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Baba the Turk (The Rake’s Progress), Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte), Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), 2nd & 3rd Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Anne (The Mother of Us All), Gianetta (L’elisir d’amore), Fountain Voice (Ainadamar), Martha (Iolanta), and Madame Flora (The Medium), Delilah (Samson et Delilah) with Venture Opera, Philadelphia Opera, and Chautauqua Opera.

Raley-Cooper’s dedication to her craft is matched by her commitment to inspiring others. As a mentor and advocate for the arts, she works to create opportunities for emerging artists and promote the transformative power of music in communities. Raley-Cooper holds degrees from The Juilliard School (BM) and The Curtis School of Music (MM).

The 2024–2025 season is the National Symphony Orchestra’s 94th season and Music Director Gianandrea Noseda’s eighth season. Since its founding in 1931, the NSO has been committed to performances that enrich the lives of its audience and community members. In 1986, the National Symphony became an artistic affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where it has performed since the Center opened in 1971. The NSO participates in events of national and international importance, including the annual nationally televised concerts on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, live-streamed performances on medici.tv, and local radio broadcasts on WETA 90.9 FM.

Since launching its eponymous recording label in 2020, the NSO has embarked on ambitious recording projects including the Orchestra’s first complete Beethoven Symphony cycle and the release of the first-ever cycle of George Walker’s Sinfonias, both led by Noseda. Recent projects include a new series of Four Symphonic Works by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon conducted by Noseda, and William Shatner’s So Fragile, So Blue, recorded live with the NSO in the Concert Hall.

The NSO’s community engagement and education projects are nationally recognized, including NSO In Your Neighborhood; Notes of Honor; and Sound Health. Career development opportunities for young musicians include the NSO Youth Fellowship Program and its acclaimed, tuition-free Summer Music Institute.