Asieh Mahyar – FIRST PRIZE with Special Mention, Conducting
Asieh Mahyar is the Director of Orchestral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Previously, she served as Director of Orchestral Studies at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington, Assistant Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra, Opera, and Musique 21 ensembles at Michigan State University, Assistant Conductor of Orchestras at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Assistant Conductor at the Tchaikovsky Music College of Yerevan, Armenia.
Beyond academia, Mahyar served as Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra at the West Seattle Community Orchestras (WSCO) and has guest conducted ensembles across the country, including the Grand Rapids Symphony (MI), Northwest Mahler Festival Orchestra (WA), and Mansfield Symphony Orchestra (OH). Active as a clinician and adjudicator, she has collaborated with youth and high school orchestras, festivals, and conferences througout the United States, including the 2024 Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA) Conference, the Mount Pilchuck Music Educators Association (WA), the Chinook Music Educators Association (WA), and the Valley Music Education Association (WA), among others.
A Doctor of Musical Arts candidate (ABD) in Orchestral Conducting at Michigan State University, Mahyar holds a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Bachelor of Music with Honors in Choral Conducting from the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, Armenia. Her professional training includes serving as Associate Conductor at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Conducting Fellow and Apprentice at the National Music Festival, and Conducting Scholar at the Eastern Music Festival.