Leadership and Staff

Music Director

Photo Credit : Lydia Sewell

Maestro Andrew Sewell enters his fifth season as music director of the San Luis Obispo Symphony and twenty-second season with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, having had long tenures with the Wichita, Toledo and Mansfield, Ohio Symphonies.  Known for his innovative programming and knack for discovering new talent, Sewell is a highly skilled orchestra builder with a wide knowledge and range of repertoire. In demand as a guest conductor, he has led the Toronto, Detroit, Milwaukee, Columbus, Syracuse, Illinois, Monterey, Gulf Coast and Eugene Symphony Orchestras, as well as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Christchurch Symphony, National Symphony of Mexico, Kyushu Symphony (Japan), City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong, OK Mozart Festival, WI Peninsula Music Festival and Masterworks Festivals in the US and London. In 2019, Maestro Sewell returned to guest conduct the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong for the seventh time, in honor of their twentieth anniversary season.

A native of New Zealand, Maestro Sewell received his music training on the violin, piano and cornet, and began conducting at age 16. Six years later, he made his professional opera debut with the Mercury Opera and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.  Winning the Australian Guarantee Corporation’s Young Achiever’s Award allowed him to further his studies abroad. Sewell holds a Master of Music degree with Honors in Conducting from the University of Michigan

The summer Concerts on the Square in Madison continue to expand, drawing weekly crowds of 45,000 people and are a highlight of the summer.  While not conducting, he enjoys cycling and other outdoor pursuits and visiting family in New Zealand. He and his wife, Mary have three grown children and reside in Madison, Wisconsin.  Over the years he has been credited with numerous awards for services to music including the 2017, Service to Music Award from the Association of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras, the 2013 Rabin Arts Youth Award for Individual Achievement by the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, the 2005 Best Individual Artist Award by Wichita Arts Council, and 2005 Musician of the Year by the Wisconsin State Journal, for services to music and the greater arts community. You will often see him at a local coffee shop, grocery store or cycling on the backroads of Wisconsin or San Luis Obispo.

Thank you to our Music Director sponsor : The Foulke Correa Foundation

Executive Director

Rachel (Cementina) Sabalboro is proud to join the team of passionate musicians, staff and volunteers of the SLO Symphony. A native of San Luis Obispo County, and the daughter of a SLO Symphony musician, Rachel has spent her career working for local nonprofit organizations. She is an alumni of Leadership SLO, recipient of The Tribune’s Top 20 Under 40 Award, served as the chair of the SLO Chamber Ambassadors, and currently sits on the board for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, San Luis Obispo County Chapter.

Board of Directors

Officers

Jim Walker, President
Data Analyst

Jill LeMieux, Past President
Director of Business Strategy with Economic Vitality Corporation (EVC) of SLO County

Anita Shower, Secretary –  Host, Pismo Beach Today

Jessica Hoffman, Treasurer

Directors

Stefan Podell – Composer and Arranger

David Slade – Attorney (Ret.)

Clifton Swanson – SLO Symphony Conductor 1971-1984

 

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Symphony Staff

Andrew Sewell
Music Director

Rachel (Cementina) Sabalboro
Executive Director

Jenny Beddy
General Manager , [email protected]

Tess Duffy
Marketing and Communications Manager , [email protected]

Grace Seng
Education Manager , [email protected]

Christopher Proctor
IT Support

Sarah Raines
Operations Manager , [email protected]

Thor Larsen
Stage Manager & Multimedia Production Lead

Brittany Woolley
Assistant Stage Manager

Linda Sorensen
Personnel Manager

Peter Liepman
Music Librarian

Anna Magri-Moore
Administrative Assistant, [email protected]

 

Emily Lanzone, Concert Orchestra Conductor and Preparatory Strings Conductor

Grace Seng, Academy String Orchestra Conductor

Al Streder, Concert Orchestra Conductor and Youth Symphonic Winds Conductor

John Astaire, Percussion Instructor