bio

Joseph Ordaz
Biography
Repertoire List

Joseph Ordaz is currently the Music Director and Conductor of the Mission College Symphony in Santa Clara, California. He is also the Founder and Artistic Director of the California Concerto Weekend for Amateur Pianists. Other orchestras that he has recently led in performance include the Berlin Sinfonietta, Mercer Symphony, Ocmulgee Symphony, and San Francisco State University Symphony. He has worked with many of the leading instructors in conducting including John Farrer, Gustav Meier, Jorma Panula, Diane Wittry, Neil Thomson, Donald Thulean, Adrian Gnam, Daniel Lewis, Marin Alsop, Joann Falletta, Jorge Mester, Kirk Trevor, Harold Farbermann, Mitchell Sardou Klein and William LaRue Jones. He has actively participated in workshops including the London Condutor's Workshop at the Royal Academy of Music, International Conductor's Workshop's in Berlin, Germany and Macon, Georgia; Conductor's Guild Workshop's with the Buffalo Philharmonic and at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music; California Conducting Institute with the Bakersfield Symphony , "Beyond the Baton" workshop with the Norwalk Symphony, Conductors Workshop of America at the University of Iowa, and the Conductors Institute at the University of Hartford.

Joseph began studying the piano at age 8 with Faith Peterman while growing up in Gilroy, CA. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree from San Jose State University and his Master of Music Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. His primary teachers in piano were John Delavoryas and Alfred Kanwishcer at SJSU, Milton and Peggy Salkind at SFCM, and Miyoko Lotto in New York. He has also studied harpsichord with Laurette Goldberg while at SFCM. He has performed as piano soloist with the Ft. Worth Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, Mission Chamber Orchestra, Mission College Symphony, South Valley Symphony, San Jose State University Symphony, and New England Symphonic Ensemble, and at the TCU/Cliburn Piano Institute and University of Maryland International Piano Festival. He has performed in masterclasses with such noted pianists as Gary Graffman, Richard Goode, Leonard Hokansen, Jose Fegahli, and Tamas Ungar. From 1991 - 2001,
Mr. Ordaz also performed as a member of the Monterey Symphony and has performed in numerous recitals throughout the Bay Area including solo and chamber music. Mr. Ordaz recently was a guest piano instructor at San Jose State University. Has received awards from the San Jose Music Study Club and TCU/Cliburn
Piano Institute.

Mr. Ordaz frequently serves as a judge for competitions including the Nova Vista Symphony Young Artist Competition, Marian Filice Young Pianist Competition at Gavilan College, and Musicappasionata at Westchester College in Philadelphia. Currently he serves as Coordinator of the Olympiad of the Arts Piano Competition at West Valley College and has served on the Board of Directors of the Steinway Society - The Bay Area. Mr. Ordaz has previously taught at Gavilan and Foothill Colleges and previously served as Chair of the Music Department at Mission College in Santa Clara, CA where he has been on the faculty since 1997.

Conducting Repertoire List

Saint-Saens
Romance for Horn & Orchestra

Sibelius
"Finlandia"
"Valse Triste"

Schubert
Symphony no. 2
Symphony no. 4, "Tragic"

Schumann
Piano Concerto

Stravinsky
"La Histoire du Soldat" (Suite)

Tchaikovsky
Piano Concerto no. 1
Serenade for Strings
Suite no. 1

Telemann
Concerto in D for Trumpet & 2 Oboes

Vaughn Williams
Variations on a theme by Thomas Tallis

Vivaldi
Concerto for 2 Cellos in g minor
Concerto for 2 Violins in b minor

von Weber
Concertino for Clarinet & Orchestra
Overture to "Der Freischutz"

* denotes World Premiere

J.S. Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4

Bartok
Divertimento for Strings

Beethoven
Coriolan Overture
Piano Concerto No. 2
Piano Concerto No. 3
Romance for Violin & Orchestra, Op. 40
Symphony no. 1
Symphony no. 5
Symphony no. 7
Symphony no. 8

Borodin
"On the Steppes of Central Asia"

Brahms
Academic Festival Overture
Serenade no. 1
Symphony no. 1
Symphony no. 3
Variations on a theme by Haydn

Chaminade
Concertino for Flute

Chopin
Piano Concerto No. 1

Copland
Appalachian Spring (chamber ver.)
Appalachian Spinrg (orchestra ver.)

Matt Doran
Concertino for Trombone & Strings*

Dvorak
Notturno for Strings
Romance for Violin & Orchestra
Serenade for Winds & Low Strings
Symphony no. 7

Elgar
Cello Concerto

Frank
Symphony in d

Greig
Piano Concerto

Michael Hawkins
Rondo for Strings*

Haydn
Overture for an English Opera
Piano Concerto in D
Symphony no. 52. "le Imperiale"
Symphony no. 92, "Oxford"
Symphony no. 103, "Drumroll"

Mahler
Symphony no. 5, "Adagietto"

Massenett
Meditation from "Thais"

Mendelssohn
Overture to "The Hebrides"
Overture to "Ruy Blas"
Symphony no. 3 "Scottish"
Symphony no. 4 "Italian"

Mozart
Overture to "Cosi fan tutti"
Overture to "Don Giovanni"
Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro"
Piano Concerto nos. 20, 27
Symphony no. 31 "Paris"
Symphony no. 36 "Linz"
Symphony no. 41 "Jupiter"

Rossini
Overture to "The Barber of Seville"
Overture to "Il Signor Bruschino"

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