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The hands of a local maestro will soon help guide the flutes, percussions, trumpets and horns of the TCU Symphony Orchestra.

Miguel Harth-Bedoya, music director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, is now the distinguished guest professor of conducting in the School of Music, said German Gutierrez, director of orchestras at the School of Music.

"It is a great honor for us to have him associated with our school," Gutierrez said. "He is one of the most talented conductors today. Our students will benefit greatly by the opportunity to work with him."

Richard C. Gipson, director of the School of Music, said Harth-Bedoya would primarily be working with graduate conducting students. However, undergraduate students will have an opportunity to work with him on special events, such as the Latin American Music Festival.

Harth-Bedoya said in a phone interview from Canada he is excited to be a part of TCU.

"I'll be able to share my knowledge and experience in a formal and academic way," he said.

Gutierrez said Harth-Bedoya's expertise and skills as a conductor will benefit the students and the School of Music. Harth-Bedoya is inviting the winners of the annual Concerto competition to perform with the Fort Worth Symphony and also inviting other student conductors to rehearsals under his supervision.

Andres Jaime, a graduate student at the School of Music, said it would be a good opportunity to have a platform to showcase talent and practice with a professional orchestra.

Harth-Bedoya said his classes are going to have a practical emphasis because the professional world is different from conducting music in music schools.

"It's going to be like an apprenticeship," he said. "I want the students to learn not from me but through me. I'm already opening this channel and the challenges are great. It's a complex profession but rewarding."

Danaila Hristova, a graduate student at the School of Music, said conducting is a challenging profession and hopes to learn the techniques and processes from Harth-Bedoya.

A Peruvian native, Harth-Bedoya has a bachelor's degree from Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and a master's from Julliard School in New York City. He started his job as a music director for the New York Youth Symphony and has conducted for the Auckland Philharmonic in New Zealand, Eugene Symphony in Oregon and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is the recipient of several awards including an Emmy Award in 2000.

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