ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ City University and the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Youth Orchestras announced today that internationally renowned conductor Jeffrey Grogan has accepted a joint position with the two organizations.
Effective July 1, Grogan will serve as conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ City Universityβs Bass School of Music and artistic director of the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Youth Orchestras as well as conductor of the ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Youth Orchestra, the flagship ensemble of the organization.
βBy hiring one of the nationβs top orchestral conductors, ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ City University shows its continued commitment to instrumental music in offering the very best musical training for our students,β said Music Dean Mark Parker. βJeff Grogan will be a formidable addition to our outstanding faculty and will enhance our national reputation.β
OYO Executive Director Melody Garza said Grogan has a lot to offer to OYO students and the entire musical community.
βEven in our earliest communications in the search process, it was obvious that Jeffβs passion and expertise are an excellent fit for the organization. Now celebrating 40 years of providing top quality music education to students in ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ and with this truly exceptional new artistic director at the helm, ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Youth Orchestras is primed to elevate students, families and our community through music to previously unseen heights.β
Grogan has served as adjudicator, conductor and clinician for many prestigious national and international festivals including the Honor Orchestra of America sponsored by Music for All, the Association for Music in International Schools in Singapore, the National Orchestra Cup at Lincoln Center and the Honors Performance ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Orchestra and Band at Carnegie Hall.
He most recently served as education and community engagement conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conductor and artistic director of the NJSO Youth Orchestras, the InterSchool Orchestras of New York and the New Jersey Youth Symphony.
Groganβs prior experience includes teaching at the University of Michigan, Ithaca College and Baylor University, where he taught conducting and trained future music educators. He is also the former associate director of bands and marching band director at the University of Michigan and Baylor University.
Grogan succeeds Eric Garcia, who served as OYOβs first artistic director when the unique partnership role with ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ City University was created in 2015. He accepted a new position as music director of the Boise Philharmonic. For more information about ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½βs Bass School of Music visit okcu.edu/music and for more information about ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Youth Orchestras, visit oyomusic.org.
