Anthony Ruggiero brings a vast array of musical experience to his ministry as a pastoral musician here at Martin Luther Lutheran Church. A native of northeastern Ohio and a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School, he holds a BA and MM (Performance and Voice) degrees from Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music where he studied piano with Dr. Robert E. Hopkins, voice with Dr. C. Wade Raridon, and opera with Dr. Donal Vogel.
He has been Director of Pastoral Music at many area churches including St. Charles Catholic Church (Boardman), Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (Poland), Mahoning United Methodist Church (Youngstown) and St. Joseph Catholic Church (East Rutherford, NJ). He has directed choral and cantor programs for the Youngstown Catholic diocese. He has sung in churches and synagogues in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, including the Heinz Chapel Compline Choir on the campus of University of Pittsburgh.
Anthony was a cantor and pianist for the National Convention of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians in Pittsburgh.
Anthony is also widely known as one of the premier collaborative artists in this region. He has performed with numerous artists in the vocal and instrumental fields, and has received critical acclaim for his work as accompanist and coach. Mr. Ruggiero has been a voice teacher at YSU for more than 10 years, and continues to work with students and faculty as a collaborative artist for recitals, concerts and recordings. Recently, he and his colleague, Kathryn Umble, flutist, won the Pittsburgh Concert Society's 2009 Concert Series competition, and will perform in recital in Pittsburgh in November.
For the past 25 years, Mr. Ruggiero has been involved in theater in the Youngstown area and the surrounding region. He has served as Music Director for many outstanding productions including Sweeney Todd, Assassins, The Last Five YearsSongs for A New World. He recently
returned to the Youngstown area after a successful stay in New York City where is worked as Music Director for cabaret and theater productions including Crossroads at the Laurie Beechman Theater (42nd St), Tomfoolery at The Nutley Little Theater (Nutley, NJ), Rocket
Boys (NY readings and production in Huntsville, AL). He was also the pianist for an NYC production of Songs for A New World (Chernuchin Theater, 54th St).
