Wendell Simmons
Wendell Simmons studied violin at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts, where he received his Master of Music in Violin Performance in 1982. His principal teachers were Masao Kawasaki, Dorothy Delay, Elaine Richey, and Vartan Manoogian.
Mr. Simmons has served as Music Director of the Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County (YOPBC) since the orchestra’s inception in 1994. As music director, he oversees the musical aspects of the orchestra’s three orchestras and chamber music program, and serves as conductor of the YOPBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
Mr. Simmons has been a violinist with the Philly Pops, Mozart Orchestra of Philadelphia, Delaware Symphony, Miami City Ballet, and Colorado Philharmonic. He began his performing career as associate concertmaster of the Virginia Philharmonic, and assistant concertmaster of the Virginia Opera orchestras, both in Norfolk, Virginia.
Mr. Simmons served as music director of the Delaware Youth Orchestra from 1987-1989 and the Youth Orchestra of Florida from 1989-1991. He has conducted high school district honors orchestras numerous times in Broward County, as well as in Brevard, Polk, and St. Lucie Counties. He was conductor-clinician for the Florida Music Educator’s 7th and 8th grade All-State Honors Orchestra in 2001.
In 1992 Mr. Simmons founded the Young Artist’s Chamber Orchestra, serving as music director until 1999. From 1995-1999 he was music director of the Broward Symphony Orchestra, which quickly developed into one of South Florida’s finest community orchestras.
Mr. Simmons was director of orchestra and chorus at Taravella High School in Coral Springs, Florida from 1988 until 1998, when he accepted the position of Orchestra Director at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. School of the Arts (DSOA) in West Palm Beach, FL. During his tenure at Taravella, he served as music director for the school’s productions of Fiddler on the Roof, On the Town, and The Music Man.
At the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Mr. Simmons conducts the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and String Orchestra. He also teaches classes in string technique, string ensemble, music theory, and ear training. He also conducted the DSOA Theater Department’s productions of My One and Only (2000), and A Chorus Line (2001).
In addition to his work with students throughout Florida, Mr. Simmons guest conducted several concerts of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons. In April 2005, he was guest conductor of South Florida’s newly formed professional orchestra, the Boca Raton Philharmonic Symphonia. (BRPS) The Symphonia (consisting mostly of musicians from the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, which folded in 2003) opened its inaugural season in November, 2004. He conducted the BRPS educational concerts throughout Palm Beach County during the 2005-2006 season.
Mr. Simmons received National Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) in November, 2004.