Director
Joseph Ordaz is currently the Music Director and Conductor of the Mission College Symphony in Santa Clara, California. Other orchestras he has recently led in performance include: the Berlin Sinfonietta, Mercer Symphony, Ocmulgee Symphony and San Francisco State University Symphony. Joseph has worked with many of the leading instructors in conducting including John Farrer, Gustav Meier, Jorma Panula, Diane Wittry, Neil Thomson, Donald Thulean, Adrian Gnam, Daniel Lewis, Marin Alsop, Joann Falletta, Jorge Mester, Kirk Trevor, Harold Farbermann, Mitchell Sardou Klein and William LaRue Jones. He has actively participated in workshops including: the London Conductor's Workshop at the Royal Academy of Music, International Conductor's Workshops in Berlin, Germany and Macon, Georgia; Conductor's Guild Workshop's with the Buffalo Philharmonic and at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music; California Conducting Institute with the Bakersfield Symphony, "Beyond the Baton" workshop with the Norwalk Symphony, Conductors Workshop of America at the University of Iowa, and the Conductors Institute at the University of Hartford.
Joseph began studying the piano at age eight with Faith Peterman while growing up in Gilroy, CA. He received his Bachelor of Music Degree from San Jose State University and his Master of Music Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. His primary teachers in piano were John Delavoryas and Alfred Kanwishcer at San Jose State University, Milton and Peggy Salkind at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Miyoko Lotto in New York. He has also studied harpsichord with Laurette Goldberg while at SFCM. He has performed as piano soloist with the Ft. Worth Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, Mission Chamber Orchestra, Mission College Symphony, South Valley Symphony, San Jose State University Symphony, New England Symphonic Ensemble, and at the TCU/Cliburn Piano Institute and University of Maryland International Piano Festival. Joseph has performed in masterclasses with such noted pianists as Gary Graffman, Richard Goode, Leonard Hokansen, Jose Fegahli, and Tamas Ungar. From 1991 - 2001, Mr. Ordaz also performed as a member of the Monterey Symphony and has performed in numerous recitals throughout the Bay Area including solo and chamber music. Mr. Ordaz recently was a guest piano instructor at San Jose State University and has received awards from the San Jose Music Study Club and TCU/Cliburn Piano Institute.
Mr. Ordaz frequently serves as a judge for competitions including the Nova Vista Symphony Young Artist Competition, Marian Filice Young Pianist Competition at Gavilan College, and Musicappasionata at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. Currently he serves as Coordinator of the Olympiad of the Arts Piano Competition at West Valley College and has served on the Board of Directors of the Steinway Society - The Bay Area. Mr. Ordaz has previously taught at Gavilan and Foothill Colleges and previously served as Chair of the Music Department at Mission College in Santa Clara, CA where he has been on the faculty since 1997.
