We are thrilled to welcome our artistic director for the 2024-25 concert season, Dr. Ghyas Zeidieh!  He comes extremely well qualified with a Doctor of Musical Arts and master’s degree from the University of Iowa, and degrees in Music and Dentistry from the Damascus Conservatory and University. As an active musician and educator from Syria, most recently he and his family relocated to Cache Valley from the Iowa and Illinois region. He is currently serving as a string faculty member at Utah State University, and also as Artistic Director for the Cache Youth and Philharmonic Orchestras, as well as conductor for the Northern Utah Youth Chamber Orchestra.

As a passionate educator for all ages, Zeidieh has served as the Assistant Professor of Orchestral Studies at Coe College and as the Music Director at the Cedar Rapids Community Orchestra (IA), as well as an instructor of Cello at Western Illinois University and was a member of the faculty and played in the Julstrom String Quartet. He has completed training in the Suzuki Association method in addition to teaching Orchestra in the Iowa City (IA) Community School District. Zeidieh is the former Program Coordinator at the Harmony School of Music, an El Sistema program in Iowa, and has also served as the Music Director for the Dubuque (IA) Symphony Youth String Ensemble and Philharmonia from 2019-2022.