BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cecilia Cloughly - Chief Financial Officer
Alan Medak - Chief Executive Officer
Lindsey Harnsberger - Secretary/Composer-in-Residence
Lani Bartlett - Board Member
Natalie Salins - Board Member
Charles Fernandez - Board Member
Douglas Acker - In Memoriam
Alan Medak - Chief Executive Officer
Lindsey Harnsberger - Secretary/Composer-in-Residence
Lani Bartlett - Board Member
Natalie Salins - Board Member
Charles Fernandez - Board Member
Douglas Acker - In Memoriam
ALAN MEDAK
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Alan embarked on his conducting journey at the age of 12 under the guidance of legendary horn pedagogue William Mercier in Wilmette, IL. Despite being in a horn studio, his weekly lessons encompassed solfège, theory, chamber music, and conducting. He showcased his burgeoning skills by conducting in various settings, including the senior talent show in high school and Illinois’ District 219 Summer Theater’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”
After earning his bachelor’s degree in music from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, Alan pursued graduate studies at the Lamont School of Music in Denver. While working as a waiter at an Italian restaurant, fate intervened when he met the producer of the Tabor Opera Company, leading to his appointment as its music director and conductor. Despite a hiatus for a more traditional career and family, Alan's passion for conducting persisted. In Los Angeles, he found his way back to the podium conducting at Casa Italiana Opera Company, and within a few years was a regular guest conductor. Then, in 2007, he co-founded the Vineyard Touring Opera Company with the mission of opera per tutti (opera for all). Along with numerous productions of well-known and popular operas such as "Rigoletto," "Pagliacci," "Cosi fan Tutte," and "Otello," Alan’s proudest accomplishment is the original opera "Golondrina" by L. C. Harnsberger, which premiered in 2015 and captivated audiences with its portrayal of historic events in 1920s Los Angeles. Alan's conducting repertoire extends beyond opera, with invitations to conduct orchestral and instrumental music at festivals and events as far away as Wisconsin and throughout southern California. He is frequently returning as a guest conductor with numerous ensembles including the La Mirada Symphony, Bellflower Symphony, Claremont Symphony, Claremont Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Palisades Symphony. Alan remains committed to bringing live classical music to under-served communities in Los Angeles, continuing to enrich lives through the power of music. |
