Pacific Symphony names new assistant conductor

Pacific Symphony announced Monday that it has hired Roger Kalia as assistant conductor, replacing Alejandro Gutierrez, who will return home to Costa Rica to teach at the University of Costa Rica and guest conduct for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.

Kalia, 30, comes from the Charlotte Symphony, where he served as assistant conductor since September 2013. In his new role, he will serve as conductor of the symphony’s Family Musical Morning concerts and music director of the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra. Kalia will lead the youth orchestra on its tour to China next fall.

“We are all very excited that Roger will be joining our Pacific Symphony family as assistant conductor,” music cirector Carl St.Clair said in a news release. “He is a conductor with immense talent and great passion. Though relatively young, he has amassed a great deal of experience as a conductor. His conducting successes have garnered him national attention. I welcome him and look forward to having him as an assistant.”

Kalia spent three years as music director of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles, where he led a production of Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale” with actors Jack Black and Michael Lerner at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He debuted the orchestra with a performance at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels Virgin of Guadalupe celebration, which was televised and streamed worldwide.

Kalia co-founded Lake George Music Festival in New York, a classical-music festival and retreat for composers and musicians from across the nation. He received his doctorate from Indiana University, where he served as an associate instructor and assistant conductor of the school’s Opera Theater and New Music Ensemble.

Gutierrez’s final concert will be July 25 at the symphony’s summer festival.

Kalia will begin in September.

—Kathleen Luppi