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| Artistic and Administrative Staff
John Koshak John Koshak celebrates his 37th season as Music Director and Conductor of the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra. His leadership of the OCYSO has established the orchestra as one of the prominent youth orchestras in the United States and has brought national attention to the arts in Orange County. He recently completed his thirty-two year tenure at Chapman University where he served as Director of Orchestras and Instrumental Music. At the university Professor Koshak was responsible for building Chapman's nationally prominent orchestra program and one of the nation's leading undergraduate conductor training programs in orchestral conducting. To honor his achievements and contributions, Chapman University recognized John Koshak as Conductor and Professor Emeritus and established the John Koshak Visiting Professorship. The university also established the John Koshak Practice Room in Oliphant Hall, the newest music building on the Chapman University campus. Professor Koshak has been enthusiastically reviewed by critics both at home and abroad. A Los Angeles Times reviewer wrote: “Carefully regulating each crescendo, Koshak made every climax powerful, dramatic and exhilarating without exhausting his resources at the first fortissimo.” In Germany, the Rhein Zeitung review wrote: “both the overall harmonic picture and the artistic discipline can be attributed to the conductor, John Koshak.” Of the Brahms Symphony No. 1, the critic described Koshak as a “true Salzburgian.” While in Australia, the Sydney Herald music critic wrote: “John Koshak presided over first rate string sounds in the Barber Adagio, and in a Gabrielli Canzona made the brass ring out triumphantly, while Bernstein’s Candide Overture hustled along with irresistible panache.” He has conducted orchestras in Australia, China and Europe, and has conducted honor, festival and all-state orchestras in California, Nevada, Montana, Washington, and New York. He has served as artist-in-residence and guest conductor at the Sydney (Australia) Conservatorium of Music and was twice invited as guest conductor of the Pan Pacific Music Festival in Australia. Maestro Koshak has toured extensively with his orchestras, including performances in Europe, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and New York. He has conducted in some of the world's greatest concert halls, including the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, the Sydney Opera House, Australia, and New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall Prior to his appointment to the faculty of Chapman University, he was a public school music educator and conductor in New York, Germany, New Jersey, and California. In Orange County, California, Professor Koshak was recognized for his work in music education when he received the Irene Schoepfle Award for Distinguished Contributions to Orange County Music and by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County which presented him with their Golden Lyre Award for his work with their music education programs and for his artistic leadership of the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra. With the OCYSO Maestro Koshak has conducted youth concerts in Orange County for over a half million Orange County students. While conducting and teaching in Europe, Professor Koshak received recognition by the United States Government, which granted him the Superior Performance Award for his work in Germany. He and his orchestras have twice received the ASCAP Award from the American Symphony Orchestra League for the performance of American music. At Chapman University, Professor Koshak received the Faculty of the Year Award from the Chapman Alumni Association for his outstanding teaching and conducting. He is the author of the conducting book, The Conductor's Role: Preparation for Individual Study, Rehearsal and Performance. Professor Koshak received his Bachelor of Music degree from The Pennsylvania State University, his Master's degree from Columbia University, and his Conducting Diploma from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. He serves as Chair of Conductor’s Mentoring Committee of the Conductors Guild.
DANIEL ALFRED WACHS Conductor and Pianist Daniel Alfred Wachs is increasingly recognized as one of the few musicians of his generation successfully balancing the demands of a busy conducting and solo career. Recently, his performance with the Minnesota Orchestra “proved a revelation, delivering a technically impeccable, emotionally powerful performance of two Mozart piano concertos and a pair of solo works…” (St. Paul Pioneer Press) In the fall of 2006, Mr. Wachs was named Music Director & Director of Instrumental Studies of the Conservatory of Music at Chapman University. Concurrently, he serves as an Assistant Conductor of the National Orchestra of France in Paris under Kurt Masur, Mr. Wachs’ recent engagements include the French premiere of Bernstein’s Candide at the Théâtre du Châtelet (a co production with La Scala & ENO) and Albert Herring with Opera Chapman. He served as a juror for the 2007 ASCAP Foundation Rudolf Nissim Award in New York and as Assistant Conductor and Repetiteur for Cincinnati Opera during its 2007 Season. Upcoming engagements include a recital with tenor William Burden and as soloist with the Boca Raton Philharmonic. Highlights of Mr. Wachs’ tenure as Assistant Conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra include a semi-staged performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors (with the Minnesota Opera Chorus and James Sewell Ballet Company), as host and conductor of an evening of Mozart Symphonies, and various pops presentations. During the 2004-05 Season, Mr. Wachs held the position of Artist in Residence at New York City Ballet, leading performances during the company’s Balanchine Centennial as well as during the 50th Anniversary of The Nutcracker. He has guest conducted such orchestras as the Auckland Philharmonia of New Zealand, The Fort Worth Symphony, the Florida West Coast Symphony, and the National Symphony (as part of the National Conducting Institute.) As a soloist, he has performed in such venues as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the Salle Padarewski in Lausanne, and at such festivals as Aspen, Music Academy of the West, Tanglewood and Verbier. Born in 1976 and raised and educated in the United States, Israel and Europe, Mr. Wachs was auditioned by Zubin Mehta at the age of eight and began studies with Enrique Barenboim. He subsequently pursued studies at the Zürich Academy of Music and the North Carolina School of the Arts. Mr. Wachs holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano from the Curtis Institute of Music and graduate degrees in piano & conducting from The Juilliard School. While at Juilliard, Mr. Wachs served as Music Director of the Swarthmore College Orchestra.
Carol Cooper-Ajibabi, General Manager and Assistant Conductor Carol Cooper-Ajibabi celebrates her return to the OCYSO as General Manager & Assistant Conductor. She originally joined the OCYSO staff in 1993 where she served eight years as the orchestra's Manager and Assistant Conductor. Mrs. Cooper-Ajibabi received her Bachelor's of Music Education degree from Chapman University in 1976 and earned her Masters degree in 1990 from United States International University. She teaches middle school in the Capistrano Unified School District. This year begins her 30th year of teaching instrumental and vocal music for CUSD. Mrs. Cooper-Ajibabi has been on the coaching staffs at ISOMATA, Wildwood, and Arrowbear Music Camps. She has adjudicated and auditioned for KCET African American Performing Artists Awards, Santiago Strings Orchestra, Orange County Junior Youth Orchestra, All Southern Junior High and High School Honor Orchestras and been a guest conductor for the Irvine Unified School District Honor Orchestra. As a freelance cellist she has performed professionally with numerous artists for television and radio audiences throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties. Her past and present professional associations and affiliations include: The Violoncello Society of Los Angeles, Orff Schulwerk, Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association, Orange County Music Educators-Southern Section, MENC National Association for Music Educators, and Southern California Vocal Association.
Anthony Mazzaferro, Director of Winds and Assistant Conductor Dr. Anthony Mazzaferro was born and raised in San Francisco. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from San Francisco State University. During his undergraduate years, he served as the Principal Tubist in the Symphonic Band and Symphony Orchestra. In addition to this he was the Assistant Conductor for both the Symphonic and Concert Bands. After graduating with honors in 1978, Dr. Mazzaferro attended Northwestern University. He pursued a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting where he studied with John P. Paynter. In 1986 he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University where he was a Graduate Assistant for the Band and Music Education departments. While at Arizona State, Dr. Mazzaferro studied with Richard Strange, Robert Fleming, Daniel Perantoni, Ronald LoPresti and Barrie Wells. Previous to his appointment at Fullerton College, Dr. Mazzaferro taught for the Mount Diablo and Palo Alto Unified School Districts. His assignments included both elementary and secondary instrumental ensembles. His guest conducting assignments have included Honor Bands and Orchestras throughout the Western United States, Canada, and New Zealand. In 1994 and 2001 Dr. Mazzaferro was selected to conduct the California All-State Honor Band. In 2000 Dr Mazzaferro was selected to conduct the Alberta, Canada All-Provincial Honor Band. In 2007 Dr. Mazzaferro will conduct the Northern California High School Honor Band and the California CBDA Junior High All-State Symphonic Band. As a clinician, Dr. Mazzaferro has worked with Concert Bands and Orchestras from The United States, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada, and China. On his principal instrument, tuba, Dr. Mazzaferro has performed with numerous bands and orchestras throughout California. This includes the Diablo Symphony Peninsula Symphony, Symphony of the Mountain, Berkeley Symphony, Santa Cruz Symphony, Santa Ana Symphony, and the Crystal Cathedral “Hour of Power” Orchestra. Dr. Mazzaferro is active in several other musical affiliations outside of Fullerton College. His most recent activities include membership on the Board of Directors for the Cazadero Performing Arts Camp in Northern California and the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra. Since 1992 he has served as the Principal Conductor of the Claremont Symphonic Winds. In addition to his academic assignments in Music History & Music Appreciation, Dr. Mazzaferro conducts the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Community Band, and instructs Applied Euphonium and Tuba.
PAUL SEIKO CHIHARA, Composer In Residence It is almost easier to think of Paul Chihara as several different composers. There is the Chihara whose sensitivity to exquisite instrumental color has made him a favorite with such performers as conductor Seiji Ozawa and the Sequoia String Quartet. There is, however, a strong theatrical side to Chihara which expresses itself in works for dance, musical theater and film. And there is Chihara’s love for American popular music of the 30s and 40s.” The Los Angeles Times, Mark Swed Paul Seiko Chihara was born in Seattle, Washington in 1938. He received his doctorate degree (D.M.A.) from Cornell University in 1965 as a student of Robert Palmer. Mr. Chihara also studied with the renowned pedagogue Nadia Boulanger in Paris, Ernst Pepping in Berlin, and with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony. With Toru Takemitsu, Chihara was composer-in-residence at the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont in 1971. He was also the composer-in-residence at the Edinburgh Festival of 1973, as well as the first composer-in-residence of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Neville Marriner, Conductor. Mr. Chihara’s prize-winning concert works have been performed in most major cities and arts centers in the U.S. and Europe. Zubin Mehta invited him to be his composer-in-residence at the Edinburgh Festival of 1971, and subsequently performed his FOREST MUSIC FOR ORCHESTRA throughout the world with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. His numerous commissions and awards include those from The Lili Boulanger Memorial Award, the Naumberg Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Fulbright Fellowship, the Aaron Copland Fund, and National Endowment for the Arts, as well as from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New Japan Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the New Juilliard Ensemble, CONTINUUM, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. In 1999, he was invited to participate for two weeks at the Festival of New Music at the Conservatory of Music in Lyon, France. In December of 2000, his LOVE MUSIC (Concerto for Violin, Clarinet and Orchestra) was premiered by the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany. In April of 2001, his commissioned orchestral tone poem CLOUDS was premiered by the American Composers Orchestra in their Millennium Concert at Carnegie Hall. More recently (November, 2002), his AMATSU KAZE (for soprano and five instruments) was premiered by the New Juilliard Ensemble at the Why Note Festival in Dijon, France. In February 2002, an entire concert of his choral music was presented by the Westminster Choir College at Princeton, New Jersey. His “An Afternoon on the Perfume River” received its world premiere by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in February of 2004. Sir Neville Marriner and the world-renowned guitar virtuoso Pepe Romero recently recorded his Guitar Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra. (Also on this new all- Chihara CD will be his ballet MISTLETOE BRIDE and the Bass Concerto "GRASS.") Mr. Chihara most recent orchestral piece (MORNING DANCES) was commissioned by Carl St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, who premiered it at Segerstrom Hall in October, 2004. Active in the ballet world, Mr. Chihara was composer- in-residence at the San Francisco Ballet from 1973-1986. While there, he wrote many trailblazing works, including Shin-ju (based on the "lovers' suicide" plays by the great Japanese dramatist Chikamatsu), as well as the first full-length American ballet, The Tempest. In addition to his many concert works, Mr. Chihara has composed scores for over 90 motion pictures and television series. He has worked with such luminaries as directors Sidney Lumet, Louis Malle, Michael Ritchie, John Turturro and Arthur Penn. His movie credits include Prince of the City, The Morning After, Crossing Delancey, and Romance and Cigarettes. His works for television include China Beach, Noble House, Brave New World, and 100 Centre Street. Mr. Chihara also served as music supervisor at Buena Vista Pictures (Walt Disney Co.). Also active in the New York musical theatre world, Mr. Chihara served as musical consultant and arranger for Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies, and was the composer for James Clavell’s Shogun, the Musical. Mr. Chihara’s works have been widely recorded. His compositions appear on many labels including BMG Records, Reference Recordings, CRI, Music and Art, Vox Candide, New World Records, and The Louisville Orchestra First Editions Records. He is published by C. F.Peters and G. Schirmer. He has recently received a contract from Silman-James Press to write a book on composing and understanding film music. In 2004, Mr. Chihara was appointed the Curator for Outreach and Lectures by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, with whom he has toured, lectured, and produced lecture-presentations throughout the metropolitan New York area. He is Professor of Music at UCLA, where his specialty is the teaching of film music. He has recently helped design a graduate degree program in film music composition, in conjunction with the UCLA departments of Film, Animation, and Design.
John Acosta, Operations Manager and Wind Coach Mr. Acosta began his music studies at the age of nine, playing violin in his elementary school orchestra. As a freshman in high school, he put the violin aside and began studying the French horn. He began his collegiate studies at Long Beach State University. There he studied with artists such as Joe Myer and Jim Atkinson. After three years, he transferred to Chapman University, and studied with Brian Drake. In 2001, he earned a degree in French horn performance, from Chapman University. Currently, Mr. Acosta is in his first year with the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra, as a member of the staff. Mr. Acosta is very active as a freelance musician, performing throughout Southern California. He has performed with The Chapman Symphony Orchestra, The Debut Orchestra, The Irvine Valley College Wind Symphony, and The Long Beach Community Band. His free lance performing includes operas, musicals, community events, recitals and orchestras.
TEREN M. SHAFFER, APPRENTICE CONDUCTOR & APPRENTICE MANAGER Mr. Shaffer began his music studies at age six with piano lessons. Middle school initiated his love of bassoon and saxophone, two instruments he continues to play under the instruction of John Campbell and Gary Matsuura. Throughout the course of college, he has also developed a strong interest in conducting, studying with Chapman University Conductor & Professor Emeritus John Koshak and Professor Daniel Wachs. Furthermore, he attended an intensive Conductors Institute at the Bard College Conservatory of Music to work with renowned conductors including Harold Farberman, Apo Hsu, Eduardo Navarro, and Lawrence Golan. As an active freelance musician, Mr. Shaffer has performed with numerous ensembles including the Biola Symphony Orchestra, and the Capistrano Valley Symphony. He has been a member of groups such as the Irvine Valley College Wind Symphony, Long Beach Community Band, La Primavera, the Los Angeles Youth Symphony, and the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO). He has toured with OCYSO throughout Europe, as well as with the Chapman University Wind Symphony in Australia under the direction of Dr. Robert Frelly. Mr. Shaffer also teaches private music lessons, works as a woodwind coach and clinician at various high schools, is the Vice President of the Chapman University chapter of the National Association of Music Educators, and serves as President of the Chapman University Conservatory of Music Orchestra Committee. Furthermore, he is honored to hold the Latham and Watkins Music Scholarship at Chapman. Mr. Shaffer’s pursuit of excellence reaches outside of music as he maintains membership in honor societies such as Gamma Beta Phi, The Order of Omega, and Mortar Board. He is currently a senior, earning a triple major in Music Education, Bassoon Performance, and Orchestral Conducting with his eyes set on continuing his study of music education as well as orchestral conducting at the graduate, and ultimately doctoral levels.
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