Conductor Stephen Czarkowski, graduated from The Catholic University of America in May 2005 with a Graduate Artist Diploma in orchestral conducting. He is currently on the cello faculty of The Landon School, The Bullis School, Montgomery College and Shepherd University in West Virginia. At Shepherd University he is currently Principal Cellist (Jim and Linda Walker Chair) of the 2 Rivers Chamber Orchestra. Also Mr. Czarkowski is currently the Professional Manager for the Landon Symphonette and Orchestra Personnel Manager of the Opera Camerata Opera Orchestra of Washington DC. This coming year he will serve as cover conductor for the Norwalk Symphony and will return to guest conduct the Frederick All-County Orchestra this coming February. In January he will participate in the Conductors Guild Masterclass with Jorma Panula in Denmark and with the Richmond Symphony later in the month.
In May 2002, Mr. Czarkowski graduated in the top percentile of his class from the Mannes College The New School for Music with a Master of Music degree in both cello (Barbara Stein Mallow) and conducting (David Hayes and Samuel Wong). Mr. Czarkowski received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1999 from the Mannes College The New School for Music under the tutelage of Carter Brey, principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Czarkowski led The National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., as a debut conductor, in conjunction with being selected for the 2003 National Conducting Institute, directed by Music Director Leonard Slatkin. Other guest conducting appearances include Honolulu Symphony, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Friday Morning Music Club Orchestra and recently in 2008 The Berlin Airlift Orchestra, special Veteran's Day performance at St. Matthews Cathedral. Upcoming performances include Mr. Czarkowski's fourth invitation to conduct the Washington All-County Orchestra, Hershey All County Orchestra, Shepherd College Preparatory Orchestra.
In the Summer of 2000 Mr. Czarkowski was invited as a Fellowship conductor to attend the Aspen Music Festival American Academy of Conducting Program. While at Aspen he conducted the Academy Orchestra and was soloist in the Dvorak Cello Concerto. Mr. Czarkowski was invited to attend the Inaugural class of The Perlman Music Program in the East Hampton, Long Island for two Summers where he worked with Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zuckerman, to name a few. While there he conducted several orchestra rehearsals with Mr. Perlman serving as coach and mentor.
In January 2007, Mr. Czarkowski was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Conductors Guild at their annual conference in Toronto, Canada. In January 2006, he served as the conference coordinator and chair of the New York City Conference, which included sessions with Gilbert Kaplan, Nancy Wilson, Per Brevig, among others. January 2008, he served as the Retrospective coordinator honoring Sergiu Comissiona with special guests including, Leon Fleisher and Isidor Saslav, to name a few. For 2009 Mr. Czarkowski served as co-conference coordinator for New York City conference which included guests Richard Danielpour, Thomas Stacy, Chen-Yi and Dianne Wittry.
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