BIOGRAPHY

Hailed as a charismatic conductor, Elizabeth Stoyanovich was reviewed by the Los Angeles Times as “extremely impressive...clean, emotional, and translucent in performance, [she] conducted an overplayed war-horse as a newly-played symphony, full of vibrancy and originality” during a Pacific Symphony Orchestra subscription concert in front of a 8,000 member audience at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in Southern California. The Orange County Register noted, “Stoyanovich showed that she is a splendid talent, musical and with rock-solid technique...[she] made the New World Symphony sound new again...her musical passion is unfailingly strong.”

Stoyanovich served for 12 seasons as Music & Artistic Director of the Orchestra of Saint Cecilia and has held many significant posts as a Music Director, Associate, Assistant and Professor in the United States. In the fall of 2007, she had her UK premiere guest conducting at the University of London with the Kingston College Orchestra. In the spring 2009, she premiered Patrick Stoyanovich’s “Seven Last Words” at St. James Cathedral in Seattle, WA.  

With many years of teaching in the public schools, colleges, and arts magnet schools, Ms. Stoyanovich currently serves as Music Director at Palisades Charter High School, teaching Symphony Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, Jazz Band, AP Music Theory, and Business of Music. She previously held a position on the conducting staff at The Colburn School, and currently is working on her Doctorate in Education at the University of Southern California. She recently completed a two-year role as Music Director at Santa Monica College.

Stoyanovich completed successful tenures as Assistant Conductor of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Associate Conductor of the Spokane Symphony, Education Conductor of the Fresno Philharmonic and Music Director of the Champlain Valley Symphony Orchestra and Bremerton Symphony Association.  In addition, she served as Music Director of a number of outstanding ensembles for youths including the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Institute Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra.  

Guest conducting appearances include appearances with the San Diego Symphony, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Florida Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Civic Orchestra, L’Orchestre des jeunes du Québec, Paris Conservatory Orchestra, Newport Symphony Orchestra, The Women’s Philharmonic, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra, the Tulare County Symphony and a variety of events for young musicians.  Elizabeth is also known for her appealing dialogue from the stage. “…Stoyanovich presented a splendid introduction to the complications of this work [Brahms Symphony No.3] in her pre-concert talk; few people are better at this than she.” She was honored to present the pre-concert lecture in Orange County for the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Passionate about education, Stoyanovich has led a teaching career spanning over 20 years, working with the very young to seniors.  She has taught at the college level at California State University: Fullerton, the State University of New York: Plattsburgh, and as a guest at the University of California: Los Angeles and the University of California: Irvine. In the public schools, she has worked with students in California (Saddleback Unified School District, Capistrano School District) Vermont, Connecticut, and Michigan. 

Ms. Stoyanovich’s musical appeal makes a strong impact on audiences of all ages, especially noted are her education concerts for their creative and dynamic approach.  The PSO garnered special recognition from the American Symphony Orchestra League as one of three top education programs in this country along side the Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic. Stoyanovich previously served as a board member of the American Symphony Orchestra League, and in 1991 was chosen as the only woman from the United States to compete in the Min-On Association’s International Conducting Competition in Vienna, Austria.  In 2006 she recognized as a significant emerging Music Director in the United States by being nominated for the ASOL Helen M. Thompson Award, exhibiting excellence and dedication through exceptional musical leadership and commitment to organizational vitality.

Ms. Stoyanovich’s formal education was at The University of Michigan with further studies under Leonard Bernstein at Le Conservatoire Américain de Fontainebleau in France and as an Augustus-Thorndike Fellow at The Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts.  She was born in Wisconsin, has a home on Bainbridge Island, WA with her husband, Patrick, though she works in Pacific Palisades.  Their two daughters are artists: Antonia Stoyanovich is a visual artist and Sophia Stoyanovich is a violinist.  Ms. Stoyanovich is also the CEO of MetroCityMusic.