Week 8 of the NFL game brings legend Aaron Rodgers to clash with his former team. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ star quarterback is about to face the Green Bay Packers, the first time since 2023. Before the action kicks off on the field, the crowd at Acrisure Stadium will come alive with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. Get ready to witness the magic of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra! Who’s this band? Let’s find out. 

Who will perform the national anthem before Packers vs. Steelers SNF?

The brass section of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is ready to turn Saturday Night Football majestic. The band will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the stadium fans fondly remember as Heinz Field. So, before the Pittsburgh Steelers get on the field to seek their fifth win, here’s a look at the Pennsylvania-based musical band that has been belting out tunes for over a century.

PSO has emerged as one of the most prestigious classical ensembles in the States, and its history goes way back. The Pittsburgh Arts Society, led by conductor Frederic Archer, founded the group in 1895. He brought in musicians from the Boston Symphony Orchestra for its debut concert in 1896. Two years later, Victor Herbert took charge and expanded the orchestra’s reach. 

Austrian conductor Emil Paur replaced Herbert, focusing on classical repertoire and European musicianship. She shaped the PSO’s former identity, but the band disbanded in 1910. At present, the group has become a cultural base and has performed at big events, even collaborating with international conductors and soloists. 

Music director Manfred Honeck leads the orchestra, and his contract runs through the 2028 season. As for the musicians of the big moment, the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass is a section of the band. Grammy Award winner George Vosburgh leads the group formed in 1994. These musicians have gained prominence for pushing the limits of brass music.

Who are the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians?

There’s no substantial information about the current lineup of the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass at the time of writing. But there have been twelve musicians who are at the heart of the ensemble, according to Onstage Pittsburgh. The group includes:

1. Micah Wilkinson, Conrad Jones, Neal Berntsen, and Chad Winkler on trumpets.
2. William Caballero on the horn.
3. Doug Rosenthal, John Sebastian Vera, and James Nova on trombones.
4. Jeffrey Dee on bass trombone.
5.  Craig Knox on tuba.
6. James Benoit and David Glover on percussion and timpani.

While some of these musicians will probably perform before the SNF showdown, audiences may also see a few new musicians.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s achievements & awards

In 2025, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra won a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Classical Album. They received the honor for recording Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony No. 7” and Mason Bates’ “Resurrexit.” Besides the big win, the orchestra has received 20 Grammy nominations under Manfred Honeck’s leadership.

The Grammy recognition made the PSO hopeful that more people will visit Heinz Hall and experience the orchestra’s unique and wide-ranging programming. Mary Persin, vice president of artistic planning, shared his thoughts after the win. 

“From classical concerts to the movies, where you have the movie on the big screen with the full orchestra playing, we have a whole range of popular programming, all different types of varieties of music. There’s incredible programming for kids, for families,” he said. 

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s net worth 

As per ProPublica, the American Orchestra boasted a net worth of $163.91 million at the end of the fiscal year ending in August 2024. The amount represents the difference between the band’s total assets and its total liabilities for the given period. Additionally, PSO generated revenue of $55.17 million, with expenses worth $42.72 million and net income worth $12.45 million in that period.

A musician in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra earns a base salary of $110,384 as of 2024, according to Symphony. It will be increased to $124,020 by 2027 under a new agreement. Will these artists also get a similar amount by performing at the NFL pre-game?

Performers of the national anthem at NFL games rarely get big paychecks. Instead, they receive a minimum wage as standardized by the union contract. This amount is usually much less than what top artists normally earn. The silver lining?

The major benefit is the huge exposure the artist gets while performing. After all, the NFL is the biggest sports league around the globe and has one of the highest TV ratings in the United States. So, performing in front of millions of viewers can give a big boost to their careers. It can land them big contracts, better social media engagement, and cultural relevance.