Wes Kenney Conductor

WES KENNEY is principal conductor, co-ordinator and education consultant for Oakland LyricOpera's Opera Training Orchestra. Awarded the prestigious Carmen Dragon Conducting Prize in 1992, Wes Kenney is celebrating his fifth season as music director of the Oakland Youth Orchestra. He led that orchestra on a successful tour of mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in 1995, and central Europe in 1993. He is currently on the faculty of San

Francisco State University, conducting the University Symphony, teaching graduate instrumental conducting, and working as musical director for large theatrical productions. As a guest conductor, Maestro Kenny has directed the Chinese Juvenile Orchestra (the preparatory orchestra for the Beijing Central Conservatory), the Portland Youth Philharmonic, the Spokane Symphony, the San Domenico Chamber Orchestra, the Westminster Chamber Orchestra in Salt Lake City, the Solano County Symphony, and the Romani Opera Company in Los Angeles. Highly praised for his work as a musical theater conductor, he was named "Music Director of the Year" by L. A. Weekly Magazine for a 1982 production of No, No Nanette. Mr. Kenney received his B.A. from the University of Southern California and his Master's degree from San Francisco State University. He attended Die Hochschule fur Darstellande Kunst in Vienna for additional conducting studies. Besides being a conductor, he is an accomplished trombonist and early music specialist. He has played principal trombone with the Santa Monica Symphony, the Hochschule Orchestra in Vienna, and the West Los Angeles Symphony. Founder of the Devitiae de Music in Los Angeles, he was also a member of the Southern California Early Music Consort. Recently named as associate conductor of the Virginia Symphony, Wes will be leaving in the fall to assume his new post.