Salute to the Arts

History

2018 Salute Nomination

If you have someone in mind you’d like to nominate 2018 Salute to the Arts Award, please complete and return the attached Salute_Nomination_Form_2018. Please include a brief outline and description of the nominee and why you are nominating them.

2017 Salute Honoree: John Welsh

John Welsh has brought a wealth of experience, leadership, and direction to the arts community in Olympia for the past 17 years. He is the founding Music Director and Conductor of the Student Orchestra of Greater Olympia (SOGO)

His past conducting engagements include Resident Conductor of the Rainier Symphony Orchestra in Tukwila and Music Director positions with the Bremerton Symphony Orchestra, the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra in Tennessee, the Prince William Symphony, Georgetown Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area.

Mr. Welsh has conducted the San Miguel Philharmonic in Manila, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the New World Symphony in Miami, the Festival international Echtermach Chamber Orchestra in Luxembourg, the Metropolitan Chamber Players at Lincoln Center, the Arlington Symphony, the Annapolis Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, and the Shenandoah Music Festival Orchestra. He also held residence at Indiana University.

Mr. Welsh holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano from Miami University in Ohio and a Masters in Conducting from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. While serving as a Captain in the United States Air Force, he conducted the United States Air Force Band and Symphony and Military Airlift Command Band. His mentors include Richard Lert, Leo Mueller, Leon Barzin, Leon Fleisher, Kiril Kondrashin, Max Rudolph and Gustav Meir.

Mr. Welsh is very proud to be the first Music Director of SOGO and Conductor of the Conservatory Orchestra.

Past Honorees