OVERLAND PARK — The Overland Park Orchestra is pleased to announce that Shokhrukh “Shah” Sadikov will be its new Music Director and Conductor beginning with the 2018-2019 Orchestra Season. Mr. Sadikov is currently Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola at Fort Hays State University in Hays, where he is also Music Director of the Hays Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Sadikov co-founded and became the CEO and conductor of a non-for-profit arts organization, NAVO (navoarts.com), whose mission is to create unique programs that challenge, entertain, and enrich the lives of underserved communities in the Midwest.

Much in demand as performer, conductor and teacher, Mr. Sadikov’s upcoming schedule includes engagements conducting the National Symphony Orchestra and Turkiston Chamber Orchestra in his native Uzbekistan, an invitation to conduct the Orquestra Sinfonica de Piracicaba in Brazil, and Shenyang Symphony in China, as well as an opera debut at Navoi National Opera Theater in Uzbekistan. He has studied and performed around the world, including holding a Conducting Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival and School in the summer of 2017, and performing at festivals in Portsmouth, NH, Washington, ME, Sarasota, FL Killington, VT, and Moscow, Russia.

About his position with the Overland Park Orchestra Mr. Sadikov said, “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this wonderful orchestra with such enthusiastic musicians. I look forward to many years of fruitful work together while presenting amazing concerts to our audiences. “

The Overland Park Orchestra is a non-profit all-volunteer orchestra, sponsored in part by the City of Overland Park. Since its inception in 1973, it has performed free concerts of orchestral music for the public in a variety of settings and with a variety of programs, including an annual Halloween Concert featuring a children’s costume parade. In recent years, the orchestra has provided music for the American Youth Ballet’s annual production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet and has been a part of the Overland Park Fall Festival and events at the Overland Park Arboretum. For information on becoming a member, contact David Clark, 913-268-7376 and see the website, www.oporchestra.com.

James Funkhouser, who led the Overland Park Orchestra for 37 years, stepped down at the end of the 2017-1018 season, with a final concert in May.

— Submitted