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Huntsville Youth Orchestra
P.O. Box 2532
Huntsville, AL 35804
hyo@hiwaay.net
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Meet Our Conductors
Joseph Arden Lee, Music Director/Conductor
hyoconductor@hotmail.com
 Mr. Lee graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 1998 where he
received a BM in bassoon performance and a minor in voice. Mr. Lee is
currently the assistant conductor and director of education for the
Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. As assistant conductor, Mr. Lee has
successfully led the musicians of the HSO through rehearsals, Family
Concerts, Young Peoples’ Concerts, as well as multiple performances of
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Mr. Lee is also the artistic director and
conductor of the Huntsville Youth Orchestra, as well as the director of
music ministries at East End United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN. In
recent years, Mr. Lee has served as conductor of the Nashville Double
Reed Ensemble, assistant conductor of the Vanderbilt University
Orchestra, musical director of the Vanderbilt Opera Theater, and
artistic director/conductor of the Shoals Symphony Orchestra.
As an orchestral musician, Mr. Lee’s principal instruments include
bassoon, contrabassoon, and violoncello. He is currently the
contrabassoonist for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he
has performed with many orchestras including Nashville and Alabama
Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Nashville Chamber Orchestra. He has
performed live on NPR, and his performances may be heard soundtracks of
various independent films.
Mr. Lee has extensive experience in teaching and conducting students. He
has been a guest clinician/conductor for the Alabama Honor Strings
Festival and Nashville Metropolitan Summer Strings Camp. He has worked
as an orchestra/chamber music teacher and coordinator in the Nashville
area, most recently as Director of Instrumental Music at the Harpeth
Hall School for Girls. He has been a chamber coach for the Blair School
of Music, and continues to guest conduct the Vanderbilt Orchestra
frequently. Mr. Lee has also been the music director/conductor for the
Tennessee Valley Music Festival for the past three summers. Mr. Lee has
been invited to join the faculty of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival as
a guest conductor during Summer 2007.
Mr. Lee has participated in music festivals and master classes both at
home and abroad. In master class, he has conducted the Mannes College of
Music Orchestra, Philadelphia Singers, Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic (Zlin,
Czech Republic), Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Edegam (Belgium), and the
Parnu City Orchestra (Estonia) with world renowned instructors including
Otto Werner Mueller, Christoph Eschenbach, Neeme Jarvi, Paavo Jarvi,
David Hayes, and Duain Wolfe. In July of 2006, Mr. Lee conducted
portions of two concerts in conjunction with the David Oistrakh Music
Festival (Parnu, Estonia) that were broadcast by Estonian National
Radio. Mr. Lee’s conducting teachers/mentors include Maestros Robin
Fountain, James Paul, and Taavo Virkhaus.
 Jacob
Frank, Conductor
philconductor@gmail.com
Jacob Frank began his study of the violin at the age of 10. In high
school, Jacob played in the Huntsville Youth Symphony, and was
concertmaster his senior year. He has studied the violin with
instructors such as Alberto Jaffe, Viljar Weimann, and Achim Gerber.
Because of his love for the violin, he desires to instill in his
students that same passion and desire for the violin. Since graduating
from Bob Jones University in 2006, Jacob has been teaching the 3rd grade
violin programs with the Huntsville Symphony School, teaching privately,
conducting a chamber orchestra with the Decatur Youth Symphony, and
playing as a 2nd violinist in the HSO. Mr. Frank is so happy to be a
part of the HYO program, conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra.
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Leona Cotruvo, Conductor
Leona Cotruvo received her B.S. in Music Education from Bowling Green
State University in Ohio, and Suzuki teacher training from nationally
recognized teachers, Alice Joy Lewis and Marjorie Aber. While residing
in Portsmouth, N.H., she was Music Supervisor of the Portsmouth
Elementary Schools. Mrs. Cotruvo has worked extensively with young
string players and orchestras in the Jackson, Mississippi Public
Schools, at string camps and has served as a clinician at Suzuki
Workshops. Mrs. Cotruvo conducts the Concert Orchestra.
Kelli Battraw, Conductor
Kelli Battraw, a native of Arizona, received her Bachelor’s Degree
from Arizona State University in Music Education with an emphasis on
strings. After graduating, Mrs. Battraw spent 4 years teaching
elementary school in the Chandler, AZ school district. In that time, she
also had the opportunity to work with students in both district and
state elementary orchestra festivals. More recently, Kelli spent 3 1/2
years as the Arts-in-Education Coordinator for the Huntsville Symphony
Orchestra. In addition, Kelli brings 12 years of private string
instruction experience to the Huntsville Youth Orchestra Organization.
Kelli is currently the conductor of the Novice Strings and Intermezzo
orchestras. Kelli and her husband, Aaron, live in Madison with their 2
sons, Adam and Hyrum.
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