Dan Dalpra with Bruce Morton Wright, Steve Swanson and John Marcellus
Dan is Founder and CEO of Chautauqua Lake Pops; Bruce Morton Wright conducted the Bemus Bay Pops Symphony Orchestra from 1998-2011. Following Wright's untimely death in 2011 John Marcellus, who played trombone with the Bemus Bay Pops Symphony Orchestra, took over as conductor of the orchestra for the remaining years in Bemus Point and in Mayville last summer with the newly named Chautauqua Lake Pops Symphony Orchestra on the newly named Allegheny Health Network Floating Stage.
Following graduation from Strong Vincent High School in Erie PA. Bruce received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Gannon University and Mercyhurst College in 1969. As the Music Director and Instructor of Fine Arts at Gannon, Wright was the Director/Conductor of the Erie Chamber Orchestra, the successor to the Erie Bayfront Orchestra which he founded in 1978 and the Director/Conductor of the Erie Opera Theatre which he founded in 1983. His cultural mission was to introduce classical music and enrich the quality of life for the people of his community by providing both orchestra and opera performances free of charge. He was also the Director of the Gannon University Concert Band, the Lake Erie Ballet Orchestra and the Bemus Bay Pops.
Bruce believed that music is the purest form of communication and worked passionately to provide the gift of music. Many, many lives were touched by his work and he is greatly missed. He was loved by all who knew him including the entire Pops organization.
R.I.P. Bruce Morton Wright
Be Safe.
Pat Locke
Maestro Muse
