Kory Katseanes is the director of the School of Music at Brigham Young University (BYU) as well as its orchestra program, one of the largest collegiate orchestra programs in the United States. He has also been a guest conductor for multiple orchestras.
Katseanes grew up in Blackfoot, Idaho. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and served a mission from about age 19-21. He is of Greek descent and became involved in music after serving as a missionary.
Katseanes first studied music at Ricks College and continued on to the University of Utah where he received a bachelors degree in music. He later received a masters of music degree also from the University of Utah.
Katseanes was a violinist with the Utah Symphony Orchestra and later its assistant conductor from 1987-2002. While in this position Katseanes was connected with the developments that included a barbershop quartet with the Symphony's Independence Day concert.[1] Katseanes was also the founder and music director of The Utah Virtuosi.
For years Katseanes lived in the Avenues area of Salt Lake City with his wife, Carolyn and their four children. They have since moved closer to BYU.
Katseanes conducts the philharmonic and chamber orchestras at BYU and oversees the operations of the other three orchestras at the university, approximately 450 students all together. Katseanes is also the director of BYU's graduate orchestra conducting program. The Chamber Orchestra has traveled to such countries as Greece,[2] the United Kingdom and Russia while directed by Katseanes, and is one of the most widely traveled university orchestras in the United States.
Under Katseanes direction the BYU Philharmonic orchestra has also been nominated to receive a Pearl Award.[3]
Katseanes has been a guest clinician for a conducting program at the University of Montana.[4] Katseanes is also an occasional guest conductor of the Utah Symphony Orchestra.[5] He has also been a guest conductor for the Orchestra of Southern Utah.[6]
Katseanes conducted the BYU orchestra for the premier production of Glen Nelson and Murray Boren's The Book of Gold.[7] Nelson is a BYU and NYU graduate who works as a ghost writer in New York City.[8]
Katseanes was one of the original members of the College Orchestra Directors Association when it was formed in 2003. In early 2008 their national meeting was held at BYU. During the meeting Katseanes directed the BYU Philharmonic orchestra in the premier performance of Libby Larsen's "Bach 358".[9]
Among those who have studied under Katseanes is Gary Caldwell, the director of bands at Dixie State College in St. George, Utah.[10]