Passion for conducting, music education drives candidate for Auburn Symphony director

Hearing for the first time an "astounding" recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto, Ryan Murray, then in high school, knew orchestral music was his calling. From then on, being mentored by "some of the greatest" music educators through high school, college and beyond inspired him to divide his career between performing and educating others in music. "Music education is very important to me because of all of the doors it opened for me," Murray said. "Without music education in the public schools, I would have missed out on an incredible life as a professional musician and on all the joy that music making can bring to our lives." As a professional musician, Murray has found success in conducting in several music genres – orchestral, opera, pops and movies in concert. His interest in fostering music education has led him over the years to conduct several youth orchestras, direct honor orchestras and festivals, serve as a guest clinician for local school groups and visit ensembles, and teach music at the college level. One of three candidates to be Auburn Symphony's new music director and conductor, Murray hopes to become the symphony's fourth leader in its 33-year history. "I'm very excited to have been chosen as a finalist for the Auburn Symphony," he said. "I have worked with the orchestra a few times in the past, and I love the energy and enthusiasm of the players. I know many of them well and am looking forward to getting to know the orchestra better and to making some great music together." Murray is at home making music in the region. He grew up in Sacramento and Elk Grove, playing tenor saxophone in school. "I was very lucky we had the same music teacher for both middle school and high school – James Mazzaferro, certainly one of the greatest music educators ever," he said. "He really instilled in all of us a great passion for music and taught us to strive for excellence." At CSU Sacramento, Murray took up the bassoon because, "There aren't many saxophone parts in orchestra." While completing his undergraduate work, he was assistant conductor of the CSU opera program and conducted with the college orchestra, all while taking lessons from CSU professor Leo Eylar. "Leo taught me how to conduct, how to work with an orchestra, how to read scores," Murray said. "He has such a great love of great music and of teaching, and that really made a big impression on me." Murray graduated with degrees, summa cum laude, in Bassoon and Voice Performance. "All this and Leo's teaching put me in a great position after graduating to apply for and win conducting jobs in our area, to start and build my career," he said. That career has garnered praise, prizes and conducting positions galore. For instance, Murray is a past winner of the Vienna Philharmonic's prestigious Ansbacher Fellowship for Young Conductors, was awarded second place in the 2019 American Prize for Professional Orchestral Conducting and won the 2017 American Prize in Opera Conducting (for his production of André Previn's "A Street Car Named Desire"). As a pops conductor, Murray has worked with prominent pop artists and led some of Broadway's top vocalists, including Ben Crawford ("The Phantom of the Opera"), as well as young jazz vocalists such as Tony DeSare and James Tormè. And, Murray was recently added to the Disney & ICM Approved Conductors List. His recent and upcoming work in movies in concert includes Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," Pixar Animation Studios' "Pixar in Concert" and "Star Wars: A New Hope." "I can't say I have a favorite of my conducting interests," Murray said. "I'm really just happy to be doing so much great music with so many great groups. I enjoy the variety and challenges of each genre. Finding joy in the process is what keeps me going." What keeps Murray going at the moment is serving as artistic director and conductor of Music in the Mountains and associate conductor of the Modesto Symphony. He is also director of orchestra & opera at CSU Sacramento, conductor of the Sacramento Youth Symphony's premier orchestra and music director of Opera Modesto. "My other major mentor was David Lockington, the music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony," Murray said. "We worked together for seven or eight years at Modesto Symphony. David is absolutely incredible in rehearsal, and I learned so much from him about how to work with an orchestra, and how to study music on a deep level." Besides benefitting from his major mentors, Murray has learned from renowned conductors at the top of their field, including Kurt Masur, Susanna Mälkki and Cristian Măcelaru. "Working with these incredible conductors helped to push my musicianship to the next level and kept me striving to learn more," Murray said. Driven by his passion for learning, Murray has attended many conductors' master classes at home and abroad. He's extended that passion to others through his professional organizations, which have put a strong focus on music education and outreach. Music in the Mountains, for instance, has created a Summer Fest Music Academy, implemented a Music for Young Minds Program and partnered with the Chevalier Project in Sacramento. Opera Modesto launched a "Story into Song Literacy Initiative" to bring operatic music to young people in the Modesto area and provide opportunities to young performers. Murray says he approaches conducting work with the goal of encouraging listening. "I want as much as possible for the large orchestra experience to feel like chamber music. So yes, I'm at the front conducting, but really, we are all performing together and listening to each other," he said. "I think the conductor is there to help to facilitate this sense of group listening and group ensemble. "I hope I'm also able to connect with orchestras and singers on an emotional level. I think one of my best qualities as a conductor is to try to inspire all of the musicians and to remind us all of the joy of making music together." Auburn Symphony What: Finalist Series Concert II When/where: Sunday, Jan. 23, 3 p.m. at Placer High School auditorium. Pre-concert talk at 2:15 p.m., Q&A at 4 p.m. Tickets: http://www.auburnsymphony.com/ or call 530-823-6683. No tickets sold at the door. Proof of Covid vaccine and masks required. Program Ryan Murray, conductor; Amaryn Olmeda, violin Saint-Saëns: Danse Bacchanale from "Sanson et Dalila," "a thrilling orchestral show-stopper." Puccini: Intermezzo from Act III "Manon Lescaut," "one of the greatest lyric masterpieces of all time." Sarasate: Fantasy on Bizet's Carmen, "beautiful melody and musical pyrotechnics from one of the top young violinists." Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, "drama, passion, and excitement, a brilliant musical depiction of Shakespeare's masterpiece." – Ryan Murray Note from Auburn Symphony Executive Director Anne Brown: We are asking patrons to help us make the decision about our new music director and conductor. The concert program will contain a note section and questions for patrons, and we will seek input via an online survey after each concert. At the end of the series, a short survey will ask for a ranking of the three candidates. The musicians will complete more extensive surveys, of course, as their experience in rehearsal is so key for us to understand and evaluate.