Dr.
Kenneth Sarch
leaves a long
legacy of
accomplishments
in the
classroom and
around the
world.
The professor
of music
retired in May
2013 after
nearly two
decades at
MU.
On
campus, he
built the
symphony
orchestra into
a dynamic,
full unit that
impressed
audiences and
received
well-deserved
accolades and
he started a
String Chamber
Orchestra.
He added flair
to the
performances
with his
showmanship
and humor.
The
Julliard
graduate came
to MU in 1995
to teach
violin and
viola and
conduct. Over
the years he
has been
awarded two
Fulbright
Scholar Awards
in music to
teach, perform
and conduct in
Brazil and
Bolivia, the
2003 PMEA
Citation of
Excellence in
College Music
Education and
USIA Arts
America Grants
to Panama,
Brazil, Jordan
and Israel. He
was invited 12
times to
conduct the
Panama
National Youth
Orchestra
Music Festival
in Panama
City. He
founded and
was the first
conductor of Orquesta
Sinfonica
Juvenil in
Santa Cruz,
Bolivia and
returned in
August 2013 as
Guest
Conductor in a
program of
American music
and Violin
Soloist
performing the
Mendelssohn
Violin
Concerto to
celebrate the
orchestra’s
10th
anniversary .
In
the U.S, Ken
presented
Recitals,
String
Workshops,
Master Classes
and Clinics at
state,
regional and
national music
conventions,
universities
and music
schools.
He has done
numerous guest
conducting
appearances at
District,
Regional, and
All-county
orchestras in
12 states, as
well as
fulfilling
international
conducting and
performing
invitations in
Brazil,
Jordan,
Israel,
Venezuela,
Bolivia,
Panama and
Puerto Rico.
Ken was named
Interim
Conductor for
the Lycoming
College
Community
Orchestra for
Fall 2016.
He
performed the
world premiere
of Panamanian
composer
Narcisco
Garay’s
“Violin
Sonata”
written in
1901 and the
Beethoven
“Kreutzer”
Sonata at the
International
Saint Malo
Festival.
Ken
served as
president and
state
newsletter
editor of the
PA Delaware
String
Teachers
Association
and National
String and
Chamber Music
Program Chairs
for MTNA
(Music
Teachers
National
Association).
He
was
Concertmaster
of the
Williamsport
Symphony for
14 years, as
well as
Concertmaster
of the
Maryland
Symphony and
the New York
Orchestral
Society.
Ken’s
publications
reflect his
scholarly
curiosity and
wide
reach.
They include:
“Colonial
Williamsburg
Odyssey,” for
String
Orchestra (six
movements
based on early
American
music); “Ahlan
Sabaya
Alfarah,” (
Arabic Dance
for strings
with finger
cymbals and
drum); “March,
Minuet and
Capriccio by
Ben Franklin,”
based on
Franklin’s
manuscripts;
“The Rink and
The Bank
Robbery,”
music for two
of Charlie
Chaplin’s
silent films.
Early
in his career,
Ken was
Assistant to
acclaimed
violinist and
teacher, Roman
Totenberg, who
died recently
at age 101.
Though
he’s
“retired,” Ken
shows no signs
of slowing
down. A
quick check of
his website
shows a full
schedule of
conducting and
performing, and
taking up the
position as
Concertmaster
of the
Bloomsburg
Symphony and
conducting
the
Orquesta
Sinfonica
Juvenil he
founded in
Santa Cruz,
Bolivia
to include the
South American
premiere
of
Villafranca
"Cinque" and
Mary Lou
Williams
"Zodiac
Suite"
with
Internationally
acclaimed Jazz
pianist Elio
Villafranca in
2014. He was
appointed
Conductor of
the Lycoming
College
Community
Orchestra For
Fall 2016. Ken
was invited by
American
String
Teachers
Association
(ASTA)
to
present his
Session "The
Bouncing Bow
Strokes" at
the ASTA
National
Conference
held in Tampa
March 2 - 5,
2016
and his
Session "101
Ways To Teach
Vibrato" at
the ASTA
Conference in
Salt Lake
City in
2015 to
much
acclaim. He
presented his
session on "A
Review of
Orchestral
Bowings" at
the ASTA
NationalConference
in
Pittsburgh -
March 2, 2017.
-
by Dennis
Miller -
Mansfield
University
Director of
Public
Relations
Concerts
and Events
2015
Kenneth Sarch performs
Mendelssohn Concerto with OSJ 2013
Kenneth Sarch
and Elio Villafranca acknowledging
