Our origins

Opus 2 Orchestra began rehearsing in 1954. Founded and led by Eugene Reichenfeld as a performance group primarily for his private lesson students, Opus was first known as the Wilkinsburg Junior Symphony and then as the Reichenfeld Sinfonietta. Over the years, the orchestra grew into a community group comprising of string players from the public and private schools and adults in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Reichenfeld continued directing the group until he was 93. He conducted his final concert with the Reichenfeld Sinfonietta on June 13, 2004 at the Carnegie Library of Homestead’s Music Hall in Homestead, PA.

Since then, the baton has passed to talented local music educators, adding to the foundations Dr. Reichenfeld built. The group was renamed the Opus II String Orchestra in 2004, when Mr. David Beswarick, a retired East Allegheny orchestra director and former student of Dr. Reichenfeld’s, took over conducting the orchestra .

In 2010, Mr. Beswarick chose to retire from Opus as well, and appointed Mairi Cooper to lead the orchestra for the next season. Originally, Mairi only planned on directing for 1 year, but enjoyed the community so much she chose to extend her stay. She conducted the group from 2011 through 2015.

Megan Martz led the orchestra for the next 3 seasons from 2015 until 2019. Having worked with Mairi as well as performed with Opus when she was in high school herself, Mrs. Martz continued to maintain the connection to the origins of the group.

Emily Barger had the tough challenge of leading the orchestra through the pandemic, starting to conduct in the Fall of 2019. Like all of the conductors before her, she kept the Opus 2 community together, maintaining a positive environment, and playing music.

As of August 2022, Evan Reichenfeld is our conductor. He also is the great-grandson of our founder, and we are thrilled to have him continue his legacy.