Audiences will be able to see award-winning Maestro Kouritas conduct the Saddleback Wind Ensemble on Friday, October 5th at 8 pm in the McKinney Theatre

High Honors Awarded to Yorgos Kouritas

Saddleback’s Newly-Appointed Music Faculty

Mission Viejo, CA – The Department of Music’s new faculty member Yorgos Kouritas was recently awarded 2^nd Place in the American Prize in Conducting – College/University Orchestra Division. Along with teaching classes at Saddleback College, Yorgos is also the Music Director for the Boise Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra in Boise, Idaho. Next year he will also be the Assistant and Cover Conductor of the Boise Philharmonic. While pursuing his DMA at Eastman School of Music, he was also the Music Director of the New Horizons Orchestra and the Associate Conductor of Brighton Symphony. He previously had the position of Cincinnati Symphony Conducting Assistant and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra Assistant Conductor. In summer 2010, he was chosen by Lorin Maazel as a Conducting Fellow for his festival in Virginia and he received great reviews. Other master classes he has been chosen to participate in are the Kurt Masur Conducting Seminar (twice), the Winnipeg Symphony Conducting Symposium and the Richmond Symphony Conducting Workshop.

The American Prize is a series of new, non-profit national competitions providing cash awards, professional adjudication and regional, national and international recognition for the best recorded performances of music by ensembles and individuals each year in the United States at the professional, college/university, church, community and secondary school levels. Administered by Hat City Music Theater, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Danbury, Connecticut, The American Prize was founded in 2009 and is awarded annually. The competitions of The American Prize are open to all U.S. citizens, whether living in this country or abroad, and to others currently living, working and/or studying in the United States of America, its protectorates and territories.

Audiences will be able to see award-winning Maestro Kouritas conduct the Saddleback Wind Ensemble on Friday, October 5^th at 8 pm in the McKinney Theatre with an exciting program that includes dances and well-known pieces such as Bernstein’s West Side Story and Copland’s An Outdoor Overture. He will also be conducting the Saddleback Symphony Orchestra on Friday, October 12^th at 8 pm in the McKinney Theatre. The Saddleback College Symphony Orchestra will perform one of the greatest masterpieces of all times: Brahms Symphony No. 2 and they will also be performing Sibelius Findlandia.

Dr. Tod Burnett, president of Saddleback College, stated, “Congratulations to Yorgos Kouritas, a truly amazing talent who deserves rounds of applause for his accomplishments inside and outside the classroom. I encourage everyone to attend one of Professor Kouritas’ shows and see, first-hand, what he does best. “

Dean of Fine Arts and Media Technology Bart McHenry stated, “I am so proud of Professor Kouritas and his on-going success as an award-winning conductor. His notoriety adds to the credibility of our Music Department, and his conducting experiences benefit his students in our orchestras.”

Tickets for both concerts are $15 general; $10 students/seniors. Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656, Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4 pm or order your tickets online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.

The Music Department has established a comprehensive program which is considered to be one of the finest in California: a complete lower-division curriculum for transferring music majors, numerous performance groups, private and group lessons, a full concert series with faculty and guest artists, and general music courses. The nationally recognized faculty is dedicated to performance and to teaching in all areas such as vocal, instrumental, jazz, guitar and piano. Other music classes include harmony, musicianship, composition, history and appreciation of western art music, rock, jazz and world.

Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit. Free parking is available in Lot 12. Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to “Theatre Circle,” turning right into Lot 12.

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community. Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers more than 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals. For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu. For Fine Arts events, visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.

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