» Mr. Daniel Alfred Wachs

Assistant Professor

College of Performing Arts

Conservatory of Music

Music Director and Director of Instrumental Studies, Chapman University Orchestras

Office:

Bertea Hall 128

Phone:

(714) 997-6914

Email:

wachs@chapman.edu

Website:

http://www.danielalfredwachs.com

Education

The Curtis Institute of Music, Bachelor of Music
The Juilliard School, Master of Music in Performance
The Juilliard School, Master of Music in Conducting

Biography

Conductor Daniel Alfred Wachs emerged on the international scene following his debut with the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg, leading a world première by Toshio Hosokawa at the Grosses Festspielhaus. The Austrian press praised “Engaging, rhythmically inspired, precise in its execution, the “Mambo” was equal to a performance by Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra!”  Wachs has been entrusted with preparing orchestras from Valery Gergiev to Vladimir Spivakov, and has served as Assistant Conductor to Osmo Vänskä at the Minnesota Orchestra and at the National Orchestra of France under Kurt Masur. He has served as cover conductor for the Houston Symphony and the Rotterdam Philharmonic.
 
Wachs has guest conducted Orange County’s Pacific Symphony, the Auckland Philharmonia, the National Orchestra (as part of the National Conducting Institute), the Sarasota Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, the Monterey Symphony, the Spartanburg Philharmonic, and is a frequent guest conductor at New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. Wachs has also served as assistant conductor at the Cincinnati Opera and for the French première of Bernstein’s Candide at the Théâtre du Châtelet, a co-production with La Scala and the English National Opera, directed by Robert Carsen.
 
A pianist as well as a conductor (“Wachs proved a revelation, delivering a technically impeccable, emotionally powerful performance of two Mozart piano concertos and a pair of solo works…” – St. Paul Pioneer Press) Wachs was auditioned by Zubin Mehta at the age of eight and was a student of the late Enrique Barenboim. He subsequently pursued studies at the Zürich Academy as well as The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School.  He has participated at such festivals at Aspen, Tanglewood and Verbier.
 
Committed to the cause of education, Wachs is one of the few conductors of his generation successfully balancing the busy demands of an academic and professional career. He leads the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (“The performance was smashing thanks in no small part to the exceptionally well-practiced pre-professionals…” – LA Times) and is Music Director of the Chapman Chamber Orchestra. Both orchestras were finalists for the 2012 American Prize in Orchestral Performance and OCYSO is the 2012 winner in the youth category. In May 2014, OCYSO will present the West Coast première of a new work by Mark Anthony Turnage on a special subscription concert presented by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County at the Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. During Wachs’ tenure, the Chapman Chamber Orchestra completed a survey of Mahler song cycles with baritone Vladimir Chernov and initiated a partnership with LA Opera’s Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program. Wachs’ expertise and experience in developing and infusing new life into education concerts has resulted in an ongoing collaboration with the Monterey and Palm Beach Symphonies.

An accomplished opera conductor and collaborative pianist, Wachs has led Albert Herring, Cosi fan tutte, The Impressario, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, Amahl and the Night Visitors, acts from La Traviata and Die Fledermaus and operas by Pasatieri which were lauded by the composer himself. He has accompanied tenor William Burden in recital and recently made his debut on the LA Philharmonic Chamber Music Series at Walt Disney Concert Hall.  More information on Daniel Alfred Wachs may be found at his website.

Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications

February 11-13 Houston Symphony Cover Conductor All Ravel program

February 24-26 Pacific Symphony Cover Conductor Bruckner Symphony N. 9

April 18 & 19 Pacific Northwest Chamber Orchestra Artistic Advisor

March 10 & 11 Monterey Symphony Guest Conductor

April 28 Sweetwater Union High School District 15th Annual StringFest Guest Conductor

May 14 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Spring Gala Concert Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Chamber Music featuring the OCYSO Chamber Music Initiative Saint – Saens – Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Phoebe Kim, 2010 Concerto Competition Winner Lalo – Cello Concerto in D minor: Mvt. I Connor Bogenreif, 2010 Concerto Competition Winner Stravinsky – Firebird Suite (1919)

May 7 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & Chorus Sholund Scholarship Concert Honoring Chapman University’s 150th Anniversary Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Beethoven – Mass in C Mozart – Ave verum corpus

April 6 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 3 I Got Rhythm! Gershwin – I Got Rhythm Stravinsky – Dance of the Young Girls and Naming and Honoring of the Chosen One from The Rite of Spring J. Strauss – Fledermaus Overture (excerpt) Marquez – Danzon N. 2 (excerpt) Khachaturian – Lezghinka & Sabre Dance from Gayane

April 1, 2 & 3 Opera Chapman & Chapman Chamber Orchestra 2011 Gala featuring guest stars Carol Neblett and Milena Kitic Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Verdi – La Traviata, Act II Finale J. Strauss. Jr – Die Fledermaus, Act II

March 15 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 2 I Got Rhythm! Gershwin – I Got Rhythm Stravinsky – Dance of the Young Girls and Naming and Honoring of the Chosen One from The Rite of Spring J. Strauss – Fledermaus Overture (excerpt) Marquez – Danzon N. 2 (excerpt) Khachaturian – Lezghinka & Sabre Dance from Gayane

March 13 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Winter Concert I Got Rhythm! Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Gershwin – I Got Rhythm Stravinsky – Dance of the Young Girls and Naming and Honoring of the Chosen One from The Rite of Spring J. Strauss – Fledermaus Overture Marquez – Danzon N. 2 Khachaturian – Lezghinka & Sabre Dance from Gayane

March 4 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & University Singers St. John’s Lutheran Church Faure – Pavane Ravel – Le Tombeau de Couperin Bernstein – Chichester Psalms

March 3 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 1 I Got Rhythm! Gershwin – I Got Rhythm Stravinsky – Dance of the Young Girls and Naming and Honoring of the Chosen One from The Rite of Spring J. Strauss – Fledermaus Overture (excerpt) Marquez – Danzon N. 2 (excerpt) Khachaturian – Lezghinka & Sabre Dance from Gayane

December 18,19 & 21 New York City Ballet State Theatre, Lincoln Center Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker

December 5 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Fall Concert Chapman University Memorial Auditorium J. Strauss – Fledermaus Overture Gershwin – An American in Paris Dvorak – Symphony N. 9: Scherzo

December 3 & 4 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & Choir Holiday Concert Fish Interfaith Center Processional – See Amid the Winter’s Snow (arr. Coker) Tchaikovsky – The Snow Maidens from The Nutcracker Act II Fum, Fum, Fum (arr. Wilberg) Angels We Have Heard on high (arr. Coker) The First Noel (arr. Coker) Rave l – Prelude & Menuet from Le Tombeau de Couperin O Come All Ye Faithful (arr. Coker) Ramirez – Gloria from Misa criolla Handel – Hallelujah from Messiah

November 20 Chapman Chamber Orchestra Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Brahms – Tragic Overture Mahler – Kindertotenlieder Vladimir Chernov,baritone Beethoven – Symphony N. 5 Concert in support of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days

November 3 Mozarteum Orchestra & Landesjugendorchester Salzburg Grosses Festspielhaus Hosokawa – Dances imaginaire II, world premiere Bernstein – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Tchaikovsky – Nutcracker Suite N. 1 J. Strauss Jr. – Roses from the South

October 9 Daniel Alfred Wachs & Louise Thomas, piano Schumacher Hall Music by Albeniz, Schumann, Chopin & Brahms

May 9 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra Spring Gala Concert Chapman University Memorial Auditorium String Quartet featuring the OCYSO String Quartet Hindemith – Konzertmusik Op. 49 (Mvts. I, III & IV) Austin Chen, piano Weber – Concertino Op. 26 Lacey Yun, 2010 Concerto Competition Winner Dvorak – Symphony N.9 (Mvts. I & IV)

April 23, 24 & 25 Opera Chapman & Chapman Chamber Orchestra Mozart – Cosi fan tutte

April 20 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 4 Celebrations! Honoring the 40th Anniversary Season of OCYSO Praetorius – Brass Fanfare Handel – Entrance of the Queen of Sheba Haydn – Cello Concerto in C (Mvt. III) Mendelssohn – Wedding March from A Midsummer’s Night Dream Mahler – Symphony N. 4, Mvt. I (excerpt) Handel – Hallelujah Chorus

April 10 Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, South Carolina Miniatures & Masterpieces Bach – Suite No. 3 Mahler – Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen (arr. Schoenberg) Agocs – By the Streams of Babylon Wagner – Siegfried Idyll

March 23 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 3 Celebrations! Honoring the 40th Anniversary Season of OCYSO Praetorius – Brass Fanfare Handel – Entrance of the Queen of Sheba Haydn – Cello Concerto in C (Mvt. III) Mendelssohn – Wedding March from A Midsummer’s Night Dream Mahler – Symphony N. 4, Mvt. I (excerpt) Handel – Hallelujah Chorus

March 21 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Winter Concert Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Praetorius – Brass Fanfare Handel – Entrance of the Queen of Sheba Haydn – Cello Concerto in C (Mvt. III) Mendelssohn – Wedding March from A Midsummer’s Night Dream Mahler – Symphony N. 4, Mvt. I (excerpt) Handel – Hallelujah Chorus

March 10 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 2 Celebrations! Honoring the 40th Anniversary Season of OCYSO Praetorius – Brass Fanfare Handel – Entrance of the Queen of Sheba Haydn – Cello Concerto in C (Mvt. III) Mendelssohn – Wedding March from A Midsummer’s Night Dream Mahler – Symphony N. 4, Mvt. I (excerpt) Handel – Hallelujah Chorus

March 7 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) at Laguna Woods Celebrations! Honoring the 40th Anniversary Season of OCYSO Praetorius – Brass Fanfare Handel – Entrance of the Queen of Sheba Haydn – Cello Concerto in C (Mvt. III) Mendelssohn – Wedding March from A Midsummer’s Night Dream Mahler – Symphony N. 4, Mvt. I (excerpt) Handel – Hallelujah Chorus

March 5 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & University Singers St. John’s Lutheran Church, Orange Respighi – La Primavera from Trittico botticelliano Bizet – Valse avec choeur De Falla – Suite from the Three Cornered Hat Debussy – Au Printemps Griffes - Three Poems of Fiona MacLeod Brett Sprague, tenor Corigliano – Fern Hill Rachel Wilson, mezzo-soprano

February 16 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 1 Celebrations! Honoring the 40th Anniversary Season of OCYSO Praetorius – Brass Fanfare Handel – Entrance of the Queen of Sheba Haydn – Cello Concerto in C (Mvt. III) Mendelssohn – Wedding March from A Midsummer’s Night Dream Mahler – Symphony N. 4, Mvt. I (excerpt) Handel – Hallelujah Chorus

August 21 The Harmony Project Dean Anderson, violin/ Daniel Alfred Wachs, piano Beethoven - Spring Sonata

December 13 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Fall Concert Chapman University Memorial Hall Auditorium Schwertsik – Mr. K Discovers America Mahler – Symphony N. 4, Mvts. I & II

December 4 & 5 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & Choir Holiday Concert Tchaikovsky – Selections from The Nutcracker

October 22 & 23 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) & Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg Segerstrom Concert Hall United States premiere of Kurt Schwertsik’s Herr K entdeckt America

October 17 (Chapman University) Chapman Chamber Orchestra & 18 (Nixon Presidential Library) Faure – Pelleas et Melisande, Op. 80 Mahler – Ruckert Lieder Vladimir Chernov,baritone Beethoven – Symphony N. 1 Concert in support of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days

May 17 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Spring Gala Concert Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Bizet – Suite from Carmen Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen Winnie Wang, 2008 Concerto Competition Winner Saint – Saens – Symphony N. 3 “Organ”

May 9 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & Chorus Sholund Scholarship Concert Beethoven – Choral Fantasy Grace Fong, piano Schubert – Mass N. 6 in E Flat D. 950

April 24 & 26 Opera Chapman & Chapman Chamber Orchestra Pasatieri - Signor Deluso Pasatieri - La Divina Mozart – The Impressario

March 28 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) at Laguna Woods Wagner – Die Meistersinger Overture Aratunian – Trumpet Concerto Lauren Ewing, 2008 Concerto Competition Winner Franck – Symphony in D minor

March 17 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 4 The Case of the Missing Pipe Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra (excerpt) Bach (arr. Stokowski) – Toccata & Fugue in D minor Franck – Symphony in D (Mvt. 1) Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue Saint Saens – Symphony N. 3 (excerpts)

March 15 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Winter Concert Chapman University Memorial Auditorium Wagner – Die Meistersinger Overture Goossens – Oboe Concerto Evan Adams, 2008 Concerto Competition Winner Franck – Symphony in D minor

March 10 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert # 3 The Case of the Missing Pipe Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra (excerpt) Bach (arr. Stokowski) – Toccata & Fugue in D minor Franck – Symphony in D (Mvt. 1) Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue Saint Saens – Symphony N. 3 (excerpts)

February 27 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & Chorus St. John’s Lutheran Church, Orange Albinoni – Adagio Rossini – Una voce poco fa Erin Gonzales, 2008 Concerto Competition Winner Bach – Brandenburg Concerto N. 5 Bach – Cantata N. 80

February 17 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concerts #2 The Case of the Missing Pipe Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra (excerpt) Bach (arr. Stokowski) – Toccata & Fugue in D minor Franck – Symphony in D (Mvt. 1) Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue Saint Saens – Symphony N. 3 (excerpts)

January 28 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Segerstrom Concert Hall Concert #1 The Case of the Missing Pipe Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra (excerpt) Bach (arr. Stokowski) – Toccata & Fugue in D minor Franck – Symphony in D (Mvt. 1) Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue Saint Saens – Symphony N. 3 (excerpts)

January 25 Southern CA Schools Band Orchestra Association Honors Orchestra Carpenter Center, Cal State Long Beach Rachmaninov – Symphony N. 2 (Mvts. I & III)

December 13 Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) Fall Concert Chapman University Memorial Auditorium The Case of the Missing Pipe Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra (excerpt) Bach (arr. Stokowski) – Toccata & Fugue in D minor Franck – Symphony in D (Mvt. 1) Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue Saint Saens – Symphony N. 3 (excerpts)

December 4 & 5 Chapman Chamber Orchestra & Choir Holiday Concert Fish Interfaith Center

October 17 (Chapman University) Chapman Chamber Orchestra & 18 (Nixon Presidential Library) Faure – Pelleas et Melisande, Op. 80 Mahler (arr. de Leeuw) - Kindertotenlieder Vladimir Chernov, baritone Beethoven – Symphony N. 1 Concert in support of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days