Javier Jose Mendoza
 | A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (June 2007) |
Javier José Mendoza (born 1978) is the Music Director and Conductor of The Chicago Arts Orchestra.
' ' 'Javier José Mendoza' ' ' completed his Undergraduate studies at Butler University in Indianapolis with acclaimed conductor Henry Leck, and served as an intern conductor with the world-renowned Indianapolis Children's Choir. Mendoza completed his Graduate studies in conducting at the University of New Mexico, where he worked with composer/conductor Bradley Ellingboe. Mendoza graduated with distinction, receiving the Master of Music Degree. While in New Mexico, he was apprentice conductor to Roger Melone, Resident Conductor of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and continues to utilize his resources in New Mexico to advance his advocacy of Latin American Community Music.
Currently, Mendoza is the Music Director and Conductor of The Chicago Arts Orchestra. The Chicago Arts Orchestra performs a wide range of music by all types of composers from a range of historical periods spanning the creation of the orchestral genre through the present day, and most importantly, works that are not part of the traditional canon.
Mr. Mendoza believes very strongly in the power that music has to build community and break down barriers; particularly those which affect Latin American populations around the world. Recently, Mr. Mendoza was appointed to serve on the North American Coalition of Community Music; an organization whose membership includes professors from North American Universities. The Coalition acts as a think-tank on issues involving community music and musicians throughout the Americas. Additional affiliations include The League of American Orchestras, American Choral Directors Association as well as The Conductors Guild.
Conducting Activities
Mr. Mendoza has garnered a reputation as a leading conductor of youth ensembles. He serves as the Music Director of the West Suburban Youth Orchestras of Chicago. Professionally, Mr. Mendoza has attended the conductor-training program at Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy, working with the Festival Orchestra of Sofia, Bulgaria and Maestro Gianluigi Gelmetti of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Other ventures have found Mr. Mendoza serving as the Assistant Chorus Master for the "Music in the Mountains Festival," Durango, Colorado, as well as guest conducting the Young People's Chorus of New York City as part of the Transient Glory Symposium.
International performances have included guest conducting the State Philharmonic of Sibiu, Romania, as well as his Latin American community music projects. In the summer of 2007, Mr. Mendoza was guest faculty at Colegio Internacional Montessori in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Mr. Mendoza led the Metropolis Chamber Ensemble, Coro Nacional de Niños and Coro Nacional de Jovenes in the Teatro Nacional, "National Theatre, " in performance of Vivaldi's Gloria in the summer of 2008. Mendoza returned to Guatemala in the summer of 2009 as Artistic Director of the International Music Festival of the Americas with performances at the Teatro Nacional and San José el Viejo. Also in 2009, Maestro Mendoza led the Chicago Arts Orchestra in performances at San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato, Mexico.