Johnson City Symphony Orchestra Hires New Conductor
03.20.2006
Tom Stites has been hired as the conductor of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra. Stites will assume the position at the beginning of the 2006-2007 season.Lynn Brown, chair of the symphony's board of directors, said, "Players and board members alike recognized [Tom's] contributions to the symphony as he served as assistant conductor and as guest conductor, and they wanted the relationship to continue."
"There's a musician in your neighborhood" is a quote often heard from Stites. One of his goals is to make the orchestra a vital part of the area and to recognize the efforts of the volunteers who make up the organization.
Stites has been assistant conductor of the Johnson City Symphony for five years. He is presently director of bands at Science Hill High School and is in his 28th year of teaching high school music. He has served as fine arts department chair for many years in his school career. He is active as a clinician, conductor and judge for music festivals throughout the Southeast. He is a past board member of the East Tennessee State Band and Orchestra Association, a member of the board of Tennessee Music Educators Association, and an elected member of ASBDA and Phi Beta Mu national honor fraternities.
He enjoys a life of music with his wife Debbie, principal clarinetist in the orchestra, their son Jonathan, a trumpet performance major, and daughter Katherine, a young oboist.
