YUGO SAVA IKACH
AGE: 48 HOMETOWN: McKeesport OCCUPATION: College professor, conductor, musician
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, voice performance, Carnegie Mellon University; master’s degree, voice performance, Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins Institute, Baltimore; doctorate in voice performance, West Virginia University.
FAMILY: Wife, Charmaine; children, Savannah, 8, Arwen, 6, Isaac, 4, and Isabelle, 3.
WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU? Other than good coffee, good food and good conversation, leaving my part of the world a little better than how I found it.
PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW: I used to race motocross as a teenager. I was a real daredevil.
FIRST JOB: My first performing job (at age 18) was as a singer/dancer for a producer now based at the Greensburg Palace Theater (Latshaw Productions). At the audition, when asked if I brought tap shoes, I answered “no.” Then the choreographer commented, “but you tap, right?” Of course, my answer was a nonchalant “oh yeah,” having never done so in my life. After that, I performed in more than 2,000 shows for Mr. Latshaw.
HOBBIES: I enjoy riding a bicycle, especially long trips, with my cell phone on mute.
READING MATERIAL ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND: Right now, “Straight Man” by Richard Russo and “Politics.”
WHAT’S PLAYING ON YOUR TV: Usually, “Max and Ruby,” “Blue’s Clues” or some other children’s show. At night, my wife and I stream episodes of television shows.
FANTASY CELEBRITY DINNER DATE: I was asked this before, and I believe my answer was dinner with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and drinks afterward with Leonard Bernstein. But, after having four children in five years, I think Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) would add some welcome humor and life insight.
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE: Since I’m always looking for work, how about myself!
GUILTY PLEASURE: I do so enjoy wasting time on computer games when my schedule permits — which is never.
FAVORITE SPOT IN THE WORLD: The kitchen of any good cook who’ll let me sample.
MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: Tap dancing while wearing black pants, black suspenders, black top hat while my white shirttail waved to the audience through my open zipper!
PROUDEST MOMENT: The moment my first daughter — and second, third and fourth children — were born.
GOALS: To finish my basement to accommodate my grandfather’s pool table (made in 1916) used in his speakeasy in Duquesne and to make the Washington Wine, Jazz and Pops Festival a huge success.
WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? Some day, I would love to take two months in the summer and ride across America on my bicycle.