Conductor/Music Director Search

Year of the Search

During this Year of the Search we are proud to present to you five amazingly talented final candidates for the position of Music Director of the Rogue Valley Symphony. You will meet a different guest conductor at each concert, September through April. The final selection will be made in June 2010, after the close of the season.

While all five candidates have impressive records, their personalities, experiences, and special interests vary, as do their musical visions and their conducting styles. We eagerly await their visits. They offer a season rich in musical inspiration for musicians and audiences alike.

The search process

The search process began last January with the formation of a search committee and review of more than 160 applicants. The committee includes seven orchestra members (elected by the orchestra), five board members (elected by the board), and two community representatives. The process has been thorough, intense, and rewarding; we are thrilled to be able to share the next step with our audience.

Audience surveys

We value your opinion and encourage your participation in this search process. A survey will be distributed and collected at every concert or you are welcome to take our survey online. Please let us know what you think.

Artistic Advisor

Our thanks to Dr. David MacKenzie who is serving as Artistic Advisor to the Board of Directors during this Year of the Search. He has consulted with the Artistic Advisory Committee to select this season's programs and guest artists, and he will conduct the Holiday Family Pops, My Funny Valentine, and A Day of Music concerts.

Dr. McKenzie is Music Director of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra in Massachusetts, founding Music Director of the Mastersingers by the Sea in Cape Cod, and Resident Conductor of the Rogue Opera. He has conducted orchestras in Georgia, Kentucky, and Colorado, as well as in South America. He is a passionate musical explorer who thinks of the world's music as an ever-expanding universes of languages that enrich each other. His many ensembles range from contemporary jazz to salsa , he is a skilled big band arranger, and he is learning to compose jazz. A trombonist, he holds two Master's degrees and a Doctorate in Musical Arts from Yale University.