The UW Campus Philharmonia Orchestras (Gabriela Garza and Mario A. Torres, conductors) present their Autumn 2018 concert, performing works by Schubert, Brahms and Fauré.
PROGRAM
Brahms:
Tragic Overture
Hungarian Dance No. 1
Schubert:
Overture in D Major, D. 556
Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished)
Fauré: Masques et Bergamasques
Conductor Bios
Gabriela Garza Canales is a Mexican conductor and percussionist living in the United States of America. Currently in her second year of doctoral studies at the University of Washington’s School of Music, Ms. Garza studies under the mentorship of David Alexander Rahbee and Ludovic Morlot. She is co-conductor of the UW Campus Philharmonia Orchestras and assistant conductor of the UW Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, Ms. Garza serves as a guest conductor for the UW Modern Ensemble. In October 2018, the Whidbey Island Orchestra invited Ms. Garza to conduct the west coast premiere of Curci’s Concerto Romantico. In November 2018, Ms. Garza was appointed assistant conductor of Whidbey Island Orchestra.
Prior to her Doctoral studies, Ms. Garza earned a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of New Mexico (UNM) under the mentorship of Dr. Jorge Pérez-Gómez. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance with an emphasis in percussion from UNM under the direct instruction of Professor Scott Ney.
Over the summer of 2018, Ms. Garza served as a returning guest conductor with the Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra in New Mexico as well as guest conductor with the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Philharmonic Orchestra (UANL) in Monterrey, Mexico. At UANL, she taught two masterclasses on conducting technique and posture. In the spring of 2018, she was granted a conducting fellowship with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, assisting maestro Ludovic Morlot in the development of a suite of compositions inspired by the sea, featuring works by Sibelius and Britten. Over the past two years, Ms. Garza has conducted multiple orchestras, university ensembles, opera performances, chamber groups and concerto competitions. In July of 2016, Ms. Garza was selected to attend the conductor’s summit at Wintergreen Summer Music Festival, studying under Victor Yampolsky and Erin Freeman.
As an active performer and percussionist in the Seattle metropolitan region, she has performed with the Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra, the UW Modern Ensemble, and the UW Symphony Orchestra. Upcoming commitments include performances in Paramount Theater and teaching seminars at the University Prep.
Mario Alejandro Torres a native of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, is in his first year of doctoral studies at University of Washington, pursuing a degree in orchestral conducting under the mentorship of David Alexander Rahbee and Ludovic Morlot. Mario is co-conductor of UW Campus Philharmonia Orchestras, and assistant conductor for UW Symphony Orchestra. Mario holds a Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Ithaca College under the mentorship of Jeffery Meyer. As a violist, he holds a Bachelor (’13) and a Master (’14) of Music in Viola Performance from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Additionally, Mario has been a conducting student of Michael Jinbo at the Monteux School and Music Festival, where he has also served as an orchestral assistant. He has also performed in master classes led by Larry Rachleff, Donald Schleicher, and Mark Stringer.
He has guest conducted Orquesta de Camara de San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the Eddy Snijders Orchestra in Paramaribo, Suriname, the Caddo Parish High School Honor Orchestra in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the Youth Orchestra of Académie Musicale Occide Jeanty in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti.
As a violist, Mario has soloed with Orquesta de Camara de San Pedro Sula, NSULA Symphony and Chamber orchestras, Rapides Symphony Orchestra, and the Monteux School and Music Festival. Mario has been a member of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas and he performed with them in Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, and England. He has been co-principal violist for Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and Shreveport Summer Music Festival. He has also play with Shreveport, Longview, Rapides, Marshall, and Costa Rica Symphony Orchestras. As an educator he has taught at Escuela de Música Victoriano Lopez in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and Louisiana Academy of Music in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Mario also holds degrees in Computer Information Systems and Business Administration, and completed a nine-month professional certificate program in Community Leadership, Teaching Artistry, and Social Entrepreneurship for musicians with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas’ Global Leaders Program.