Conductor Update

Philharmonic conductor Hisham Bravo Groover will step down from GTCYS at the end of the season. This summer, he and his family will move to Iowa where he will serve as the new Music Director of the Quad City Symphony Youth Ensembles and Assistant Conductor of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra; he will also join the faculty of Augustana College as Director of Orchestral Activities.

We will miss Hisham on our team yet are excited for him to take this exciting next step in his career as a conductor and educator. Hisham set a new bar for artistic excellence with Philharmonic, and we extend our thanks for his leadership, genuine spirit, and ability to inspire students in lasting ways.

Hisham shared, “It has been an honor and privilege to work with GTCYS and the Philharmonic these past two years. I have been deeply inspired by the enthusiasm, hard work, and unending strive for musical excellence of our students and staff. Though I am sad to leave, I take with me so many wonderful memories, and I look forward to seeing GTCYS’ continued success as a leader in music education.”

Hisham will finish Philharmonic’s season, assist with the audition and placement process, and travel with Symphony on tour to France and Barcelona in June.

Maintaining Philharmonic’s artistic level with a talented conductor is a top priority and plans are underway to appoint a new conductor. We look forward to sharing an update later this spring.