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Sal Aloe Named Lincoln Park Managing Director

Salvatore “Sal” Aloe of Ambridge has been named managing director of the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, announced Richard Corradi, president of the board of directors. Before coming to Lincoln Park as artistic director in 2007, Aloe was a music educator in the Ambridge, Pa., Area School District, where he directed award-winning marching, jazz and symphonic bands and was well-known for the pioneering high school steel drum band he created. Aloe succeeds Stephen Catanzarite, who has accepted the position of chief executive officer for the new Baden Academy Charter School in Baden, Pa. Catanzarite served as managing director of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center since 2004, and presided over the Center’s grand opening in 2006. “Sal Aloe is a respected public school educator, a master musician, an innovator, a proven administrator and a caring person,” said Corradi. “We are fortunate to be able to call on him to take over direction of Lincoln Park’s incredibly talented staff and incomparable facility.” Corradi said Lincoln Park’s board, staff and patrons owe a debt of gratitude to Stephen Catanzarite for the high standards of artistic performance, operations and service he established and fostered during his eight-year tenure. “The students of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in particular are indebted to Mr. Catanzarite for exposing them to world-class artists and for fostering relationships with institutions and organizations including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Carnegie-Mellon University, the Berklee College of Music and many others,” said Corradi. Aloe has worked closely with Catanzarite over the past five years. In his most recent position as director of special projects and relationships for Lincoln Park, Aloe has been very much involved in collaborative projects with other institutions, such as the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute. As an Ambridge Area High School music faculty member for 34 years, and band director and music department chair for 22 years, Aloe led Ambridge bands to many awards and distinctions. Highlights of his career as band director include the Ambridge symphonic band’s trip to Normandy, France, to participate in a musical salute to the Allies of World War II, and a one-week run with John Davidson in performances of the play “The Music Man.” His high school music program was part of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Outreach Program. The Ambridge marching band appeared on ABC and Disney’s Christmas Parade, and marched in Gov. Rendell’s first inaugural parade in Harrisburg and in Pittsburgh’s Columbus Day and St. Patrick’s Day parades. It performed for two Pittsburgh Pirate home opener games and nine Pittsburgh Steelers games, including five NFL playoffs. The marching band’s performance in the 2004 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., is ranked by Aloe as a highlight of his career. In 1988 Aloe purchased a starter set of steel drums. What began as a small after-school group became the Ambridge Area High School Steel Drum Band, the first of its kind in the region and an innovation for which he is well known. He created the Lincoln Park Steel Drum Band and the center’s steel drum festival, and directs the band in numerous public appearances. In 2003 Aloe hosted the University of Notre Dame Band, directed by Dr. Ken Dye. He later brought the Notre Dame Band and Dr. Dye to perform at Lincoln Park. (It is to return to Lincoln Park for a performance May 13, 2013.) As coordinator of student musicians for the Pittsburgh Mellon Jazz Festival, Aloe worked with such jazz greats as Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, Joshua Redman, Joe Negri, Nathan Davis and Claudio Rodini. He subsequently patterned the annual Lincoln Park Jazz Festival on that of Pittsburgh and has brought more jazz greats to perform at Midland and teach workshops for Lincoln Park music students. A 1969 graduate of Ambridge Area High School, Aloe earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Duquesne University and completed graduate work at Duquesne. Aloe and his wife Paulette reside in Ambridge. They have three adult children: a son, Francesco, and daughters Cristina and Andrea. A member of the Beaver Valley Musicians Hall of Fame, Aloe was named as one of “the top 50 band directors in the country that make a difference in music education” by School Band and Orchestra Magazine. Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center is western Pennsylvania’s regional cultural asset for arts performance and education. The $40 million facility includes a new $10 million dining hall and music education facility, Alumni Hall, which opened in August 2012. The center, owned and operated by a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation, houses the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, a 600-student public school offering a state-approved academic program for grades 7-12 and pre-professional training in dance, theater, music, literary arts, media arts and health science arts.

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