Oregon Coast Music Association
Oregon Coast Music Association Selects Martin Majkut as Music Director of the Festival Orchestra
Press Release – January 1, 2025
The Board of Directors of the Oregon Coast Music Association (OCMA) has appointed Dr. Martin Majkut as their Orchestra Music Director, following the retirement of Maestro James Paul after the 2024 Festival. Majkut currently serves as Music Director of the Rogue Valley Symphony (RVS) based in Ashland, Oregon and the Queens Symphony Orchestra (QSO) in New York.
Born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), Majkut earned his Ph.D. in conducting at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. While studying he worked with the Slovak Philharmonic, the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Slovak State Philharmonic and the Slovak Sinfonietta. He also studied at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy and at the Wiener Meisterkurse in Vienna, Austria. Majkut came to the U.S. as a Fulbright scholar in 2003 and earned his second doctorate from the University of Arizona. He has served as guest conductor for a wide range of chamber and symphony orchestras and operas across the continent and in Europe.
The OCMA Board was particularly impressed with the enthusiasm, creativity and outreach demonstrated in Majkut’s leadership of Rogue Valley and Queens Symphony. The RVS orchestra serves three cities, each with a distinct demographic profile. The RVS has grown threefold under Majkut’s leadership and received national recognition for its ambitious programming. Majkut is passionate about youth education and understands the importance of building an audience for the future. OCMA has made building community through music a critical goal for its sustainability. Majkut’s enthusiasm will be an important component of OCMA growth in the coming years.
The Oregon Coast Music Association is a volunteer managed nonprofit corporation organized for the purpose of involving, enriching, and inspiring the community by providing quality classical music, and creative musical experiences. Founded in 1978, OCMA presents the longest running music festival on the coast with a varied range of high caliber musical and educational events. The OCMA also provides events at other times of the year to enhance community engagement. The OCMA is planning its 47th annual Oregon Coast Music Festival set for July 12 – 26, 2025 at many outdoor and indoor locations in the greater Coos Bay area. The Festival concludes with three captivating concerts by the 80 member OCMA Festival Orchestra on July 22, 24 and 26.
The following quote from Martin regarding his appointment.
“I am thrilled to assume the music directorship of the Festival. The wide range of activities, its fabulous concert space, and the outstanding group of orchestral musicians are all fantastic assets. The Festival’s community roots run deep, making this a particularly exciting opportunity. My goal is for everyone on the South Coast to benefit from the boundless beauty that the Oregon Coast Music Festival shares through live performances and educational activities.”
