Monterey Symphony Announces Four Finalists For Conductor Search

MONTEREY, Calif., Sept. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With the departure of Music Director and Conductor Max Bragado-Darman at the end of the 2019-2020 OVATION season, the Monterey Symphony's search for a replacement has yielded four strong candidates with impressive credentials.

The finalists include Donato Cabrera, the Music Director of the California Symphony and the Las Vegas Philharmonic; Jung-Ho Pak, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Cape Symphony; Jayce Ogren, who has conducted many of the world's most prominent orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and the Dallas and San Francisco Symphonies; and Peter Bay, the primary conductor for the Austin Symphony and Ballet Austin who has appeared with 75 different orchestras from Chicago and St. Louis to Germany and Austria.

"A Music Director search gives an organization time to reflect on its roots, and where it would like to go artistically. We have a fabulous search committee with a shared philosophy. Now that we have named the finalists, we can devote all our attention to celebrating Max and his tremendous legacy," said Nicola Reilly, the Symphony's Executive Director.

Bragado-Darman announced in 2018 that he would leave his position as the music director and conductor in May 2020 to give time for the Symphony to find his successor. He was hired as the symphony's full-time music director in July 2004, after appearing with the orchestra as a frequent guest conductor in the 1990s.

"I am humbled and honored to have served the Monterey Symphony for so many years," he told the Monterey Herald in 2018 when announcing his departure. "Both Mary and I feel that Monterey is like a second home to us. I am deeply proud of this orchestra and consider it an absolute gem. The next two seasons, which are already planned, will be joyous for the organization."

Support for the Music Director search was provided by the Buffett Fund at the Community Foundation for Monterey County and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.

Finalist bios:

Donato Cabrera
Donato Cabrera is the Music Director of the California Symphony and the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and served as the Resident Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony and the Wattis Foundation Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra from 2009-2016.

Since Cabrera's appointment as Music Director of the California Symphony in 2013, the organization has reached new artistic heights by implementing innovative programming that emphasizes welcoming newcomers and loyalists alike, building on its reputation for championing music by living composers, and committing to programming music by women and people of color. With a recently extended contract through the 2022-23 season, Cabrera continues to advise and oversee the Symphony's music education programs and community engagement activities.

In recent seasons, Cabrera has made impressive debuts with the National Symphony's KC Jukebox at the Kennedy Center, Louisville Orchestra, Hartford Symphony, Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, New West Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, and the Reno Philharmonic.

Jung-Ho Pak
Described by the New York Times as a conductor who "radiates enthusiasm" and the Los Angeles Times as "a real grabber", Jung-Ho Pak is known for his unique vision of the role of classical music. Since 2007 he has been Artistic Director and Conductor of the Cape Symphony. From 2003-2013, he has been Director of Orchestras and Music Director of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra and at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

As a nationally recognized educator, he served as Music Director with the University of Southern California (USC) Symphony and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra.

Jayce Ogren
Jayce Ogren has established himself as one of the most innovative and versatile conductors of his generation. From symphonic concerts to revolutionary community service programs to operatic world premieres, Mr. Ogren is a leader in breaking down barriers between audiences and great music. He has conducted many of the world's most prominent orchestras, including the BBC Symphony, Boston Symphony, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, the Dallas and San Francisco Symphonies, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

A devoted educator, Mr. Ogren has worked with students at Princeton University, the Brevard Music Center, the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Music Academy of the West and Verbier Festival. Mr. Ogren earned his Masters in conducting at the New England Conservatory and studied as a Fulbright Scholar with Jorma Panula.

A native of Hoquiam, Washington, Jayce Ogren lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife Carly, an architect, and their son, Alistair.

Peter Bay
Maestro Bay has appeared with seventy-five different orchestras including the National, Chicago, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tucson, West Virginia, Colorado, Hawaii, Sarasota, Fort Worth, Bochum (Germany), Carinthian (Austria), Lithuanian National, and Ecuador National Symphonies, the Minnesota and Algarve (Portugal) Orchestras, the Louisiana, Buffalo, Rhode Island Philharmonics, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Eastman (Postcard from Morocco) and Aspen (The Ballad of Baby Doe) Opera Theaters, and the Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center.

Peter is the primary conductor for Ballet Austin. For Austin Opera he has conducted A Streetcar Named Desire, La Traviata, Turandot, and The Marriage of Figaro.

He was the first prize winner of the 1980 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Young Conductors Competition and a prize winner of the 1987 Leopold Stokowski Competition sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra.

Peter is married to soprano Mela Dailey and they have a son Colin.

SOURCE Monterey Symphony