YOUTH SYMPHONY CONDUCTORS
Ken Hakoda
Ken Hakoda is enjoying his eighth season as the music director/conductor of the Salina Symphony. During his tenure as music director, the Symphony has enjoyed tremendous growth in ticket sales with an average concert attendance of 900. The Salina Youth Symphony Program has also flourished under his leadership, growing from one orchestra into a comprehensive educational program involving more than 150 students from grade school through high school.
In addition to his work with the Symphony, Hakoda serves as assistant professor of music at Kansas Wesleyan University, where he teaches orchestra, choir, music education and music theory classes. He also directs choir at St. John’s Lutheran Church and produces the annual KWU/Salina Symphony Opera.
A native of Japan, Hakoda has lived in the United States since 1989. He earned master of music degrees in instrumental conducting and theory/composition from Wichita State University and bachelor’s degrees in theory/composition and music education from St. Olaf College. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Hakoda is also known for his talent as a composer with over 20 works to his credit. He has won a number of awards and honors as a composer, including the 1998 Claude T. Smith Phi Beta Mu Composition Contest, the 1996 MMEA Collegiate Composition Contest and a Departmental Distinction at St. Olaf College. Hakoda also received the 2003 Outstanding Young Band Director Award from Kansas Bandmasters Association.
Henry Littich
Henry Littich is currently in his fifteenth year as an orchestra/strings teacher and third year as Director of Orchestras for Smoky Valley Public Schools, where he teaches at Smoky Valley High School, Smoky Valley Middle School, and Soderstrom and Marquette Elementary Schools.
Since Littich’s arrival in Lindsborg, the Smoky Valley High School String and Symphony Orchestras have earned first division superior ratings at the KSHSAA Large Ensemble Music Contest, and the Lindsborg and Marquette Middle School Orchestras have earned first division superior ratings at the Hays City Music Festival. In addition to outstanding ensemble performances, Littich’s students have earned individual accolades, earning seats in the State and District Honor Orchestras as well as high ratings at State and District Solo and Small Ensemble Music Contests.
Prior to coming to Lindsborg, Littich taught orchestra in Odessa, Texas. He holds a bachelor of music education degree from Kansas State University, where he studied violin with Dr. Cora Cooper. In addition to his work in the Smoky Valley school district, Littich plays violin with the Salina Symphony.
Lindsay J. Modin
Lindsay Modin earned her M.M. from Kansas State University (2009) and B.M.E. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2003). Currently in her ninth year, Modin teaches orchestra at Lakewood Middle School, Heusner and Sunset Elementary Schools in Salina. She is also instructor of oboe at Kansas Wesleyan University and Bethany College, in addition to maintaining a private oboe studio. Modin plays principal oboe with the Salina Symphony, also serving as the musicians’ representative on the Symphony Board.
Modin was selected as a member of the 2002 National Wind Ensemble (NY), where she performed in Carnegie Hall. She was also the winner of the Nebraska Music Teachers Association Collegiate Artist Woodwinds Competition in 2001. Modin received the 2009-2010 “Young Teacher of the Year” Award from the Kansas chapter of ASTA. Her Lakewood Tri-M International Music Honor Society also received the 2009-2010 Jr. Chapter of the Year Award, and runner up in 2010-2011. Modin is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, Kansas Music Educators Association, American String Teachers Association (ASTA), International and Midwest Double Reed Societies and Pi Kappa Lambda (a national music honor society).