OUR CONDUCTORS

The Ensign Symphony & Chorus is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Kenneth Owen as the new Conductor and Artistic Director. Ken is the chair of the music, art and philosophy departments at Pierce College Puyallup and is on the Music Faculty. Ken directs the Concert Choir and Chamber Choir at Pierce College as well as a children's choir through the community education department. Ken also teaches music theory, music appreciation, and world music courses as well as piano and voice lessons. 

 

Ken received a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Utah, where he studied with Frank Wienstock and Dr. Barlow Bradford. Ken went on to study conducting with Dr. Ronald Staheli and to work with the renowned choirs at Brigham Young University. There he received the Master of Music degree in Choral conducting and also studied orchestral conducting. While at BYU Ken sang with the BYU Singers and sang on their best-selling album "Eric Whitacre, the complete a cappella works 1991-2001." At Arizona State University Ken received his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting and also studied orchestral conducting with Dr. Timothy Russell.

Nathan Rødahl is a rising star in orchestral pedagogy and education. He is presently director of orchestras at Port Angeles High School, one of the largest and most prestigious programs in the state, and serves as president of the North Olympic Music Educators. Nathan’s conducting credits include: the Olympia Chamber Orchestra, the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia, and the Plateau Community Orchestra (a position he earned at the age of 17). Nathan has several competitive titles, most notably through the University of Oregon International Conducting Competition where he was selected for extended study and performance under the tutelage of Neil Varon (of the Eastman School of Music).

 

Nathan earned degrees in orchestral and choral pedagogy at Pacific Lutheran University and counts among his primary mentors: Drs. Jeffrey Bell-Hanson, Edwin Powell, Richard Nance, Nikolas Caoile, David Jacobs, and Neil Varon. He has been Concertmaster for Ensign Symphony & Chorus for the past five years. Nathan lives in Port Angeles with his wife Samantha, and maintains an active performing career as a violinist, in addition to his numerous educational and conducting obligations.