Award-winning conductor to join Laurier Symphony Orchestra

April 2, 2019
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – Wilfrid Laurier University has hired award-winning conductor Kira Omelchenko to lead the Laurier Symphony Orchestra.

“We are incredibly pleased to welcome Dr. Omelchenko to the Faculty of Music,” said Glen Carruthers, dean of Laurier’s Faculty of Music. “Her education and professional background are a perfect fit to guide the next generation of orchestral players at Laurier.”

Omelchenko comes to Laurier from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, where she was an associate professor of music and director of Orchestra and String Studies. Along with orchestral and operatic conducting, she specializes in violin performance and instruction. A highly regarded and well-respected conductor, Omelchenko has won numerous prestigious awards and has been honoured with guest conductor engagements around the globe.

“I'm thrilled to be joining the renowned Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University,” said Omelchenko. “I look forward to working with the talented students, collaborating with the passionate faculty, and getting to know the vibrant community. This will be an exciting next journey, and everyone has been so warm and welcoming.”

Most recently, Omelchenko was the 2018 recipient of the Miller Distinguished Professor Award, which acknowledges excellence in teaching and advising. In 2016, she won the International Conductors Workshop and Competition and in 2014, she was honoured with the National American Prize in Music for Opera Conducting. In addition to recent guest conducting engagements in Portugal and Bulgaria, Omelchenko serves as the string director for the IOPE Italy Opera Festival. Prior to Florida Southern College, she served as the director of Orchestra and String Studies at the University of Tampa.

The 75-member Laurier Symphony Orchestra is reputed to be the top ensemble in Canada made up exclusively of undergraduate students. The group features several major concerts a year and is a highlight for many students.

Omelchenko will join Laurier’s Faculty of Music July 1. 

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About the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music

Laurier’s Faculty of Music is dedicated to fostering artistic and scholarly development of the highest calibre and to providing a creative environment for student success. A national and international leader in higher music education, the faculty offers innovative, sector-leading programs.