David Perrico grew up going on field trips to Powers Auditorium and watching his trumpet teacher, Esotto Pellegrini, play with Youngstown Symphony Orchestra.

Now the Youngstown native will be playing on that stage with his ensemble Pop Symphonic and conducting the YSO for a Valentine’s Day concert.

“It’s gonna be great, something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while,” he said during a telephone interview from his home in Las Vegas.

It won’t be the 1988 Chaney High School graduate’s first appearance there with his trumpet. He played as an auxiliary member of the orchestra a couple of times when he was a Dana School of Music student, and he last performed there 31 years ago when Jazz Studies Director Tony Leonardi brought Chuck Mangione to Youngstown to perform.

“Chuck Mangione gave me his hat at that concert,” Perrico said, and a different-style short-brimmed hat is a part of Perrico’s standard on-stage attire.

The stages Perrico plays only have gotten bigger in recent years. Since 2021 he’s led the Las Vegas Raiders house band, performing for 65,000 fans at Allegiant Stadium for every Raiders’ home football game.

“It’s been an incredible honor performing throughout the games with the Raiders’ house band,” Perrico said. “It’s certainly elevated our cachet. Most of the work we do now is high-end corporate work and all Raiders-affiliated events. People see us at the game and want us to play at their event. After Youngstown we go to San Diego. A guy who saw us at the game said, `I want you to play at my wedding.’ It’s been just a thrill.”

With this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Perrico and the Raiders band will be the entertainment for an event hosted by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for the league’s owners, and the band has five other events booked during Super Bowl week.

For the Youngstown concert, Perrico is bringing 13 members of the Raiders band with him to perform with the orchestra.

“We’re bringing what we do here in Vegas, a lot of aspects of our Caesar’s Palace show. We had a residency there for four years,” Perrico said.

He described it as a high-energy show featuring a mix of classical (Beethoven) and classic rock (Journey, Bon Jovi, AC/DC) as well as disco and R&B.

The concert also will feature “Youngstown Steeltown,” an orchestral piece written by Perrico with lyrics by Rockie Brown.

“It’s paying tribute to where you come from, where I cut my teeth,” he said. “I learned a lot of skills coming from Youngstown, one of which is knowing how to make a buck. I always say I learned how to hustle (there), how to communicate with people. In the winters, I was shoveling driveways for 5 bucks a driveway. In the summer, I’m cutting grass, doing drywall with my cousin or painting with my uncle, doing whatever it takes to move forward. Those skills I learned in Youngstown helped me going forward.”

That Youngstown hustle is evident in his Vegas resume. In addition to his own performances, Perrico produces 12 bands through his company DPG Enterprises and employs more than 100 musicians. He also operates Soul Circle Records.

The creation of “Youngstown Steeltown” also led to this month’s Powers performance. He sent the orchestra the song after he released it on his 2022 album “Pop Symphonic.”

“I just sent it to them – `Hey, I wrote this song about Youngstown. Maybe it would be great to have the symphony play it or something.’ Then I thought, `What if I come in with my band, plug into the Youngstown Symphony and do a concert?’ Those talks started in late 2022, so it took about a year plus to get it to fruition.”

In addition to the local talent of the orchestra, “Youngstown Steeltown” also will feature Jackie Popovec, lead singer of The Vindys. Perrico said he hasn’t met her yet in person, but he’s a fan of the band.

“I thought that would be great to have her join us on `Youngstown Steeltown’ and perhaps maybe another song she can jam with us,” Perrico said. “It’s going to be fun.”

The Youngstown show will be the first time Perrico has taken the Pop Symphonic concept outside of Las Vegas, and he hopes the concert will lead to more orchestral opportunities in the future. He’s also looking forward to introducing his bandmates to Brier Hill pizza and getting to perform for family and friends.

“I think it’s going to be like a Chaney High School reunion, a lot of love and support for what I’ve been doing,” Perrico said. “I’m really taken aback.”

If you go …

WHAT: Youngstown Symphony Orchestra with David Perrico, guest conductor and trumpet, and Pop Symphonic

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14

WHERE: Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, 260 W. Federal St., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Tickets range from $35 to $75 and are available at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office, online at experienceyour arts.org and by calling 330-259-9651.