The University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance is pleased to announce that the Kansas City Symphony’s new concertmaster, Noah Geller, will also fill the post of Adjunct Professor of Violin at the Conservatory. The appointment is effective September 2012, when Mr. Geller begins with the Kansas City Symphony.
As the leader of the Kansas City Symphony’s string section, the concertmaster plays a crucial role as facilitator between conductor and musicians in guiding the orchestra toward its ideal sound.
In his position with the Conservatory, Mr. Geller will teach violinists, coach chamber music, and teach orchestral repertoire master classes. Dean Peter Witte of the Conservatory notes, “Noah Geller will be a beacon in Kansas City’s community. His appointment to the Conservatory’s faculty results from our joyful partnership with the ascendant Kansas City Symphony. Frank Byrne, Michael Stern, and the Symphony are committed to arts education. It is a passion UMKC shares. Mr. Geller’s appointments are further proof that Kansas City is the place to be.”
Mr. Geller has been a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 2008 and has served as acting assistant concertmaster since 2010. A laureate of the 2007 Michael Hill International Violin Competition, Mr. Geller performed recitals in Queenstown, New Zealand and chamber music with the New Zealand Trio in Auckland’s town hall. Previously he received top prizes in the Corpus Christi International Competition, the Skokie Valley Symphony Young Artists’ Competition and Wisconsin Public Radio’s Neale-Silva Young Artists’ Competition in Madison, Wisc.
Mr. Geller has also won competitions at the Music Academy of the West (Santa Barbara) and the Chicago Youth Symphony, resulting in solo performances with those orchestras. Following performances at the Tanglewood Music Center, he was awarded the Jules C. Reiner Violin Prize.
In addition to his activities with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Mr. Geller is enthusiastically involved in chamber music. He has performed at the Marlboro, Kingston, Saratoga, and Taos festivals, and has appeared on the Lyon and Healy, Dolce Suono, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Lyric Chamber Music Society series, among others. In addition, he is an original member of Shir Ami, an ensemble dedicated to the music of composers whose lives were adversely affected by the Holocaust.
Frank Byrne, executive director of the Kansas City Symphony said, “Noah Geller’s appointment at the UMKC Conservatory marks another step forward in the very productive partnership between the Kansas City Symphony and the Conservatory. I thank Dean Peter Witte for his vision and his commitment to this partnership, and I am excited to watch how Noah’s superb musicianship will influence and inspire his students at UMKC.”
About the University of Missouri-Kansas City
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.
About The Kansas City Symphony
The Kansas City Symphony is the region’s only full-time professional symphony orchestra, setting the standard for musical excellence. Led by Music Director Michael Stern since 2005, the Symphony has experienced impressive artistic growth, garnering national and international acclaim. The orchestra’s 80 full-time musicians are area residents, and each season touch the hearts of more than a million people through our Classical, Pops and Family concerts; special holiday events; chamber concerts; major civic gatherings such as Bank of America Celebration at the Station, which draws over 55,000 people, and the Symphony In the Flint Hills annual concert. During its 42-week season, the orchestra also presents educational programs, community outreach performances, and serves as the orchestra for the Lyric Opera and the Kansas City Ballet. Classical performances are broadcast weekly on KCUR 89.3 FM during the Kansas City Symphony Hour, Thursdays at 9 pm. Visit the Kansas City Symphony online at kcsymphony.org.