Music Directors
Alex Sutton
2007-presentAlex Sutton continues his tenure with the Michigan Pops Orchestra, this year as Conductor for "Pops Goes Wild". A native of Milan, MI, Alex Sutton is currently pursuing undergraduate studies in music education and conducting at The University of Michigan. He has studied conducting with Paul Rardin and Andrew George, and studies voice with Caroline Helton. During his tenure at Michigan, Alex has had the honor of performing under the batons of internationally-acclaimed conductors Helmuth Rilling and Valery Gergiev, and has participated in conducting workshops with Jerry Blackstone and Sigrid Johnson. Alex has conducted the University of Michigan Arts Chorale, Orpheus Singers, and Campus Philharmonia Orchestra, and in April 2006, he premiered media artist Angela Veomett's multimedia cantata Chernobyl Generation, scored for women's chorus and digital media.
John Zastoupil
2006-2007John Zastoupil now serves as Interim Associate Director of Bands and Director of the Marching Band at Eastern Michigan University. His responsibilities also include conducting the Symphonic Band and teaching undergraduate conducting courses.
Prior to his appointment at Eastern Michigan, John completed a Masters of Music in Wind Conducting from the University of Michigan. While attending Michigan, John served as Associate Conductor of the Campus Bands, guest conductor of the Michigan Symphony and Concert Bands, and staff assistant to the Michigan Marching Band. Before Michigan, he completed a Bachelor's in Music Education from Baylor University in Waco, TX. At Baylor, he guest conducted the Baylor Wind Ensemble, conducted a concert with the Chamber Winds, and performed in nearly all ensembles at Baylor and professional ensembles in the central Texas area.
From April 2006-May 2007, John held the position as Music Director of the Michigan Pops Orchestra. With Pops, he was responsible for the production, presentation, and programming of a 100-piece full orchestra and 30-member choir along with being the principal arranger of the orchestra.
Prof. Zastoupil has served as a guest clinician in the states of Michigan and Texas. His professional affiliations include the College Music Society, College Band Directors National Association, Music Educators National Conference, Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and Texas Music Educators Association.
Chris Lees
2002-2006The Akron Symphony Orchestra has named Christopher James Lees Assistant Conductor of the Akron Symphony for the remainder of the 2007-2008 season and Associate Conductor for the 2008-2009 season.
In 2006, he was only the second American conductor chosen for the Zander Fellowship with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, where he assisted and traveled with Music Director Benjamin Zander. A dedicated advocate of contemporary American music, he has premiered numerous new works, and served for a season as Associate Music Director for the Boston-based Juventas New Music Ensemble.
In 2007, Christopher was awarded a Conducting Fellowship at the Festival Internacional de Inverno de Campos do Jordao in Brazil. Last year, Christopher was a finalist in the American Conducting Fellows Program, sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra League, the Baltimore Symphony Conducting Fellowship Program, and the London Philharmonic's International Young Conductors Academy. In 2003, Christopher was awarded first prize in the National Undergraduate Conducting Competition in New York City sponsored by the ACDA.
While attending the University of Michigan, Christopher received degrees in Performance and Music Education (BM), and studied Orchestral Conducting (MM) with Kenneth Kiesler. He was the Music Director of the University of Michigan Pops Orchestra for four consecutive seasons and founded Philharmonia 125, an orchestra whose programs of American music celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, and Dance. Christopher has participated in numerous conducting workshops, led by Lorin Maazel, Gustav Meier, Jorma Panula, Larry Rachleff and Roberto Minczuk, among others.
Karl Shymanovitz
2001-2002
Douglas Martin
2001
Steve Jarvi
1999-2001
Steve Huang
1998-1999
Steve Bizub
1995-1998Steve Bizub, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, received his BMus in Performance in 1998 from the University of Michigan and MM in Music Education in 2007 from Oakland University. As a freshman at U-M, he asked to join the Michigan Pops Orchestra in its founding year, and was the first Music Director of the Orchestra, a position he held three seasons from 1995-1998. During his second year at U-M, Steve was admitted into the School of Music's Artist and Scholar Honors Program which allowed him to study both saxophone with Professor Donald Sinta and conducting with Professors Martin Katz and Ken Kiesler. While at U-M Steve also served as Music Director for the University of Michigan Gilbert & Sullivan Society (UMGASS) as well as Assistant Conductor of the UMS Choral Union. After his undergraduate studies, Steve spent six years in Tokyo, Japan, where he taught middle school instrumental and general music at Nishimachi International School. In Tokyo, Steve studied Japanese drumming with the taiko group Amanojaku. He also studied tabla drumming in Northern India and drumming and dancing traditions in Ghana. He currently resides in Rochester Hills, Michigan, where he is a Special Lecturer and Ph.D. candidate in music education at Oakland University. He teaches courses in music education, music technology, and music theory. His research interests include secondary general music, curriculum and policy, composing and improvising, and music technology. He has given professional presentations based on his research at conferences in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
