Message from the Maestro
Timothy Farrand joins Nittany Valley Symphony as music director, conductor
After serving as guest conductor last season, Timothy Farrand has joined the Nittany Valley Symphony (NVS) as its permanent musical director and conductor.
“Tim brought new life and energy to us as our guest conductor last season, and so we are delighted to introduce him to you as our new music director and conductor,” said Elinor Lewis, president of the NVS board of directors and a violinist in the orchestra.
“I am excited to be a part of this next chapter with NVS as we begin our work together. I believe that the arts serve as the glue that holds communities together by shaping our cultural dynamic. As a community orchestra, NVS has a long tradition of being an artistic leader of Central PA and I look forward to continuing the orchestra's mission ‘to inspire and enrich our diverse community’ through live performances. This season we are proud to present programs that celebrate humanity's shared experiences and that highlight the role we play in the life of our society.”
Farrand, a conductor, pianist and writer, has served as the music director of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra and the Penn State Campus Orchestra, and worked for five years as the assistant conductor of the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra (PCO) under Music Director Yaniv Attar. In 2022, he returned to PCO as a guest conductor.
Additionally, Farrand has appeared as guest conductor with the Altoona Symphony Orchestra, and cover conductor with the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra (WSO). He returned to the WSO as a guest conductor in 2023.
He has held roles as the assistant conductor of the Penns Woods Musical Festival, Penn State University Orchestras, and spent five years as the conducting assistant to Maestra Teresa Cheung at the Altoona Symphony Orchestra.
In 20I9, Farrand made his operatic debut as the music director for the world premiere of the opera Leavings, which included performances at the Penns Woods Music Festival and Penn State Opera Theatre.
Starting his conducting studies at an early age, Farrand has participated in several workshops and festivals in the United States and abroad where he had the privilege of working with conductors Harold Farberman, Mark Gibson, Apo Hsu, Donald Portnoy, Maurice Peress, and Paul Vermel among many others. He spent two summers studying at the International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he was mentored by Larry Rachleff and Donald Schleicher.
For the past four years, Farrand has been an adjunct professor at Penn State University in the Music Theory Department. He also maintains a piano studio in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a teacher, he strives to create a supportive atmosphere where students can develop their creativity and discover new avenues for expression.
In the Spring of 2021, Farrand founded Arts Undivided LLC, which advocates for active “exploration of the arts fueled by curiosity.” Through Arts Undivided, he produces content pertaining to a variety of art forms and artists with a focus on finding the connections that transcend boundaries, and advocating for the development of an open acceptance of ideas from across the spectrum of human experience.
Farrand received a bachelor of music degree in piano performance from Penn State, studying with Dr. Timothy Shafer. He continued his studies at Penn State as a graduate teaching assistant, where he received a master of music degree in orchestral conducting under the mentorship of Gerardo Edelstein, as well as a master of arts degree in music theory and music history.
He currently resides in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and maintains an active teaching and performing schedule centered on the use of the arts to strengthen our communities.
Timothy Farrand
Music Director and Conductor