HARRY MARENSTEIN, MUSIC DIRECTOR and CONDUCTOR

Conductor Harry Marenstein was born and raised in New York City. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in violin performance from SUNY Geneseo and went on to complete the Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where his principal teachers were Carl Topilow and Louis Lane. Mr. Marenstein also spent four summers studying with Harold Farberman at the Conductors Institute. In addition, he has been a participant in master classes and seminars with Gustav Meier, Kenneth Keisler, Daniel Lewis, Zdenek Macal, Colin Metters, Rossen Milanov, Larry Rachleff, and Neil Varon. In 2005, Mr. Marenstein was among the inaugural participants in the Eastman Summer Institute, in which he conducted the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Over the years, Mr. Marenstein has conducted a wide variety of ensembles, both here and abroad, including the Pleven Symphony, the New Symphony Orchestra (Sofia), the Lautremont Festival Orchestra, Anti-Social Music, Reizen Ensemble, and the Musica Bella Orchestra of New York.

An advocate for contemporary music, particularly that of living American composers, Mr. Marenstein served as Music Director and Resident Conductor of Forecast Music from 2004-2010, and has performed in diverse venues throughout the greater metropolitan area, including Alice Tully Hall, Galapagos Arts Space, LeFrak Concert Hall, Alliance of Resident Theaters, Adelphi Performing Arts Center, Singer’s Forum, the Brooklyn Conservatory, Christ and St. Stephen’s Church, the Diller-Quaile School, and the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew. He has been involved in world and local premieres of works by composers James Barry, Denise Broadhurst, Julie Harting, Beata Moon, Conrad Pope, and Eric Schwartz. Recording projects include Gal Ziv's "Iyov" with Forecast Music, Franz Nicolay's "Each Today is Yesterday's Tomorrow" with Anti-Social Music, and Peter Gilbert's Introduction and Passacaglia for Orchestra.

Mr. Marenstein joined the faculty of Nassau Community College (SUNY) in 2005, where he is Director of Orchestral Activities, and currently holds the rank of Professor.