Biography
Kristofer Sanz, Conductor
KRISTOFER SANZ has matured as a vibrant and talented conductor whose energy and fervor for music have allowed him to achieve a passionate, mature and musical sound with any ensemble he has conducted. Mr. Sanz recently has been praised for his modern and adventurous interpretations, as well as his contemporary and interactive concert presentations. He is the Artistic Director and Philharmonic conductor for the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras program that rehearses and performs at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland. Under Mr. Sanz’s baton the Philharmonic is quickly becoming known for their highly musical, moving, and nuanced interpretations of a wide range of works from all genres—including orchestral works, dance, and opera.
Mr. Sanz strongly believes in exposing orchestras and audiences to new works by living composers while programming works from the time honored classical canon. In May 2014 he performed the US premiere of Ilan Eshkeri’s Stardust Suite. In March 2016 he conducted the Philharmonic in his own arrangement of The Ring of the Nibelung by Wagner. Teaming up with narrator, Greg Jukes, the Philharmonic presented a 45-minute orchestral journey—with narration—that encompassed themes from Wagner’s Ring Cycle. This special arrangement was conceived to honor MCYO’s seventieth birthday celebration. In March 2017, Kristofer presented the DC premier of Tolga Kashif's lush and decadent Queen Symphony, an orchestral homage to Freddie Mercury and QUEEN for large orchestra and choir. In 2019, Mr. Sanz presented the US Premier of Pablo Manavello's orchestral suite "El Camino de Santiago llega a ti," a passionate and expressive work describing the pilgrimage of "The Way of Saint James." In 2019, Mr. Sanz also worked with Black Violin on their concert tour combining a 90 piece classical orchestra with Hip Hop violin/viola, vocals, and DJ. In 2022, in honor of MCYO's 75th Anniversary, Mr. Sanz arranged and premiered a new one of a kind multimedia suite "In Aqua Sanitas," for orchestra, water percussion, choir, spoken poetry, audience participation, and mezzo soprano featuring the works of Christopher Tin, Michael W. Smith, Karl Jenkins, Lucy Chen, and Stefano Sacchi.
Mr. Sanz is a founding member and Music Director / Conductor for Young Artists of America (YAA) at Strathmore, a non-profit organization founded to provide aspiring and talented young artists with exceptional opportunities to perform with—and be mentored by—professional artists and educators in fully orchestrated performances. In March 2017, Kristofer worked with Academy Award winning lyricist Tim Rice and Broadway star Adam Pascale to present a world premier concert "The Circle of Life:" The Songs of Tim Rice. In March 2016 he worked with Broadway composer, Stephen Schwartz, and YAA to present his orchestrated version of Children of Eden at Strathmore. In March 2014 Mr. Sanz worked side by side with three-time Tony Award-winning composer, Jason Robert Brown, to present his fully orchestrated song cycle Songs for a New World. YAA is an Affiliate of Strathmore, and resides at The Music Center at Strathmore.
Artistic Director, Philharmonic Conductor
The mission of the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras of Strathmore is to nurture, develop and advance young talented musicians in a quality orchestral program.
Music Director, Co-Founder
Young Artists of America at Strathmore, Inc. is an organization that was founded to provide aspiring and talented young musicians with exceptional opportunities to study, rehearse and perform with and be mentored by professional artists and educators in fully orchestrated performances.
Concert Season 2023-24
November 19th, 2023
@Good Counsel H.S. Olney, MD
Young Artists of America (YAA)
Flaherty and Ahren's Seussical in Concert.
December 10th, 2023
@Stratmore N. Bethesda, MD
Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) Philharmonic
Von Suppe: Overture to Poet and Peasant
Sibelius: Suite from King Christian II, op. 27
P. Nazaykinskaya: Fenix *DC Premier
Marquez: Leyenda de Miliano
March 23rd, 2024
@Stratmore N. Bethesda, MD
Young Artists of America (YAA)
Andrew Lippa's Big Fish, *world premier of the new symphonic orchestrations
May 19th, 2024
@Stratmore N. Bethesda, MD
Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) Philharmonic
Gareth Coker: "Symphony of the Spirits"
Ilan Eshkeri: Suite from "Stardust"
Come witness a new and unique symphonic experience combining Gareth Coker's mesmerizing, passionate, and moving score from ORI and the Blind Forest and ORI and the Will o Wisps
*US Premier and Ilan Eshkeri's Suite from "Stardust" with guest chorus: Cantate
Media
A. Bruckner, Symphony no. 4 (excerpts)
MCYO Philharmonic
Music Center at Strathmore
L. Chen, Fluttering Hearts *World Premier
MCYO in concert, The Music Center at Strathmore
P. Manavello, "El Camino de Santiago llega a ti"
MCYO Philharmonic
Music Center at Strathmore
Tolga Kashif's Queen Symphony, (excerpts)
Philharmonic, Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras
R. Wagner, "Prelude and Liebstod" from Tristan and Isolde
MCYO Philharmonic
Music Center at Strathmore
J. Offenbach, Overture to "Orphee aux Enfers"
MCYO Philharmonic
Music Center at Strathmore
Richard Wagner/arr. Sanz,
The Ring of the Nibelung, an Orchestral Journey.
Philharmonic, Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras
P. Tchaikovsky, Suite from "Sleeping Beauty"
MCYO Philharmonic
Music Center at Strathmore
Dimitri Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, excerpt
MCYO in concert, The Music Center at Strathmore
Gimenez, "Intermezzo" La boda de Luis Alonso
MCYO Philharmonic
Music Center at Strathmore
Arturo Marquez, Leyenda de Miliano, excerpt
MCYO in concert, The Music Center at Strathmore
Contact
© Kristofer Sanz 2022