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Director of Orchestras & Ruth Strickland Gardner Professor of Conducting
Oberlin Conservatory of Music

Born in Florida and raised in Venezuela, conductor Raphael Jim茅nez began his musical life as a violinist. While he was a member of the Sim贸n Bol铆var National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, he was assigned his first conducting responsibility at the Venezuelan National System of Youth and Children鈥檚 Orchestras (El Sistema). He was soon conducting all the professional orchestras in the country and was appointed principal conductor of the Caracas National Ballet at age 22.

Praised for his 鈥渢ightly wrought鈥� and 鈥渟tirring, vividly shaped鈥� renditions (New York Times) and for his 鈥渄elicious buoyancy and impeccable taste鈥� (Washington Times), Jim茅nez is celebrated for his work with orchestras around the world, with recent engagements in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States. As a ballet conductor, he has collaborated with several ballet companies, including recent performances with the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. He has also served as music director for opera productions with companies in Caracas, Venezuela, at the Teresa Carre帽o Center for the Performing Arts; Lubeck, Germany; and Palm Beach, Florida.

Equally comfortable on the podiums of professional and preprofessional ensembles, Jim茅nez is recognized for his deep commitment to education. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel wrote: 鈥淭he [orchestra], conducted by Raphael Jim茅nez, played [with] a professional sheen rarely heard from student ensembles.鈥�

Jim茅nez devotes great effort to the promotion of new music鈥攅specially works by Latin American composers鈥攁nd he has been recognized for his diverse and eclectic programming. He has had the privilege of premiering numerous works, including the world premiere of and flowers pick themselves, featured on the eponymous recording.

He enjoys a very active career, including frequent invitations to conduct symphonic concerts, ballets, and opera productions to critical acclaim. Recent appearances include performances in China with the orchestras of Zhejiang and Guanxi; in Latin America with the symphony orchestras of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Puerto Rico; and leading the opera orchestras of Lubeck in Germany and Palm Beach in Florida. He has also conducted the Sim贸n Bol铆var Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Orchestra, Orquesta Sinf贸nica Municipal de Caracas, Lansing Symphony, Battle Creek Symphony, and the Filene Center Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.

Director of Orchestral Studies
Kennesaw State University Bailey School of Music

A talented and versatile musician, Nathaniel F. Parker has conducted professional orchestras in the United States, Peru, Russia, Poland, England, and the Czech Republic. Equally at home working with professionals and training future generations of musicians, Dr. Parker is Director of Orchestral Studies and Associate Professor of Music at the Kennesaw State University Bailey School of Music, where he also serves as Interim Assistant Director. Concurrent appointments include the positions of Associate Conductor of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Artistic Director of the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestras (GYSO), and Music Director and Conductor of the GYSO Symphony. Dr. Parker鈥檚 work as a conductor and educator has been recognized by the New World Symphony (FL), Tanglewood Music Center, the American Prize, the College Music Society, and the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA), among others. He is also the recipient of a Citation of Excellence in Teaching from the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. An active scholar, Dr. Parker鈥檚 writings have been published by the Conductors Guild and the College Orchestra Directors Association. He has presented research at conferences of College Music Society, the College Orchestra Directors Association, and the Georgia Music Educators Association.

Parker earned graduate degrees in orchestral conducting from Michigan State University (DMA) and Bowling Green State University (MM). He also earned a BM in Bassoon Performance, magna cum laude, from Arizona State University. His mentors and teachers include Raphael Jimenez, Leon Gregorian, Stephen Osmond, and Emily Freeman Brown (conducting), and Jeffrey Lyman and Catherine Lewis (bassoon).