Past Conductors

Brett Mitchell

Brett Mitchell was appointed Associate Conductor of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble in the fall of 2003 after having held the post of Assistant Conductor since December 2001, and also currently serves as Music Director of the University of Texas University Orchestra. Mr. Mitchell graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Western Washington University, and received his Master of Music with Honors in Orchestral Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin. He has served as Music Director of the North Sound Youth Symphony and the Bellingham Theatre Guild, and has guest conducted the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra, the University of Texas Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, and the University Symphony and Contemporary Chamber Players at Western. Recipient of numerous awards and scholarships for piano, composition, and conducting in both his native Seattle and in Austin, he is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting as a student of Kevin Noe at UT. Most recently, Mr. Mitchell received a fellowship to attend the 2002 Conductors Institute of South Carolina, participated in the American Symphony Orchestra League's 2003 Donald Thulean Conducting Workshop in San Francisco, and was hailed during his second season with the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble as possessing impressive flair as well as skill, and having led with devoted assurance, and paced the score more in accord with the composer's directions than does the recording. Mr. Mitchell will marry flutist Holli Ryan in March 2004.

Kathleen Ash Barraclough

Kathleen Ash Barraclough returned to the Pacific Northwest with glowing reviews of her work conducting symphonies, opera, musicals, choral groups, and guest conducting in the California Bay Area. She has experience on the other side of the podium as a performing violinist. She has played recitals at such vaunted venues as the Carmel Bach Festival, was Assistant Concertmaster of the San Jose Symphony and the Santa Clara Philharmonic, and was Concertmaster of the Musick Faire Chamber Orchestra.

Kathleen conducted the North Sound Youth Symphony for seven years after it was started in 1992. Under her leadership young musicians learned important skills in playing within a symphonic setting. Her experiences with music and her knowledge of styles and composers was passed on to the students. Kathleen brought her musical knowledge and passed it onto the students to help further their musical growth and mastery.

Since receiving her Masters of Arts in Music from the University of Southern California, Kathleen has received numerous awards, including the Mayor's Art Award from the City of Bellingham; Women of Achievement Award-Arts, Santa Clara County, Cultural Award-City of Morgan Hill, nominated for a Golden Bell Award and Outstanding Programming Award, and Gavilan College.