Butler County native to sing with Pittsburgh Youth Chorus
A Knoch High School graduate, who regularly returns to her alma mater to help educate students about her career in music, will sing alongside children in the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus for a special fundraiser in June.
International opera mezzo-soprano Marianne Cornetti is one of two guest performers for the chorus’ “A million dreams” gala, a fundraising event June 18 at Greystone Fields, 4085 Sandy Hill Road in Gibsonia. The other performer is Steven Brault, a former pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Nicol Wilzer, program manager for the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus, said the event will showcase the talents of the members of the chorus, who also will get the experience of performing alongside professionals at the gala. According to Wilzer, some of the children in the chorus already have worked with Cornetti.
“Back in the fall ’14, our singers were cast in two operas. Marianne had a lead role in one,” Wilzer said. “She was gracious, very kind with the kids. They enjoyed thoroughly working with her. We knew she would be a great partner for us.”
Wilzer said the event will raise money to support the youth chorus’ tuition assistance fund, which helps pay the youths’ tuition to sing and learn with the chorus. She said the chorus engages about 400 children a year through performances, special concerts and camps. The chorus has open rehearsals throughout the year, and children can always audition to be in the group.
The gala itself is another learning opportunity for the students in the chorus, who will watch Cornetti and Brault perform, before stepping up with them to support the vocal in a group setting.
“Marianne and Steven (each) do a solo, then a duet, then they sing with the kids,” Wilzer said. “The evening, itself, will include a silent auction, a raffle — we’ll also have a string quartet, dinner, then probably 45 minutes of musical performance.”
Wilzer said Cornetti and Brault will speak at the gala about their careers, with Brault speaking about how he balanced his love and pursuance of music while also working in another field. Cornetti will speak about working in music as a professional career.
“She will speak about her musical career and the benefits of choral music at her age, and how that benefited her as well,” Wilzer said. “Maybe your professional career takes one path, but you still have music as a big piece of what you do.”
Tickets to the gala are $125 per person, or $900 for a table, until Wednesday, June 4. The event features dinner, cocktails, performances and an auction. To purchase tickets, visit pittsburghyouthchorus.org/amilliondreams2025.
