Stites retires as conductor of the Owensboro Youth Symphony Orchestra
After 12 years as conductor of the Owensboro Youth Symphony Orchestra, Tom Stites recently retired. He is focused on his position with the Owensboro Public Schools and spending time with his family.
“I’m fortunate to have spent my entire career as a conductor surrounded by people who want to achieve excellence in music,” said Stites. “After 44 years of conducting, I chose to focus on my day-to-day endeavors as a Fine Arts Coordinator with Owensboro Public Schools, my family, and my work as an adjudicator and clinician. I hope the success we have had with the Owensboro Youth Symphony Orchestra will continue long into the future.
During Stites’ tenure with the Owensboro Youth Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble made great strides in its artistic excellence. In 2013, the Youth Orchestra collaborated with Jay Ungar, an American folk musician and composer, in a program that brought together regional orchestras for a combined performance at Cannon Hall at the RiverPark Center. There were two separate trips to Atlanta that combined pro-level performances with cultural experiences.
The highlight of recent years was the 2017 invitation of the Owensboro Youth Symphony Orchestra under Stites to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York. The organization was able to ensure that each student could experience the event, regardless of their financial means. Carnegie’s performance included complete, professional works by Brahms, Faure, and Malcolm Arnold.
The Youth Orchestra rehearses weekly beginning in September in preparation for three stand-alone performances, as well as a side-by-side performance with the Owensboro Symphony at their holiday concert.
“The Youth Orchestra and String Orchestra programs are a very important part of our music education program,” said Gwyn Payne, CEO of the Owensboro Symphony. “Tom definitely leaves the group very strong and well prepared to continue what he started.”
The Owensboro Symphony, through its sponsorship of the Youth and String Orchestra programs, provides specialized training to more than 100 young musicians each year, some of whom join America’s top symphony orchestras.
Dozens of Owensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra graduates have continued their education through college scholarships in music performance and music education. Many more have gone on to perform while pursuing other paths in their lives. A number of members of the Owensboro Youth Symphony Orchestra have enjoyed success with all-state ensembles, at the Governor’s School of the Arts, and as featured soloists with the Youth Orchestra as well as in their school sets.
The Owensboro Symphony is actively seeking a position as conductor for the Youth Orchestra, for more information visit OwensboroSymphony.org/careers .