As a music director and conductor who is committed to diversity, collaboration, innovation and education, Sarah Ioannides invigorates programming and inspires audiences. Praised by the New York Times for her “unquestionable strength and authority”, she is Music Director of Washington State’s Symphony Tacoma. Sarah Ioannides is also the newly appointed Director of Orchestral Activities and Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the School of Fine Arts with Boston University.
Internationally, Sarah Ioannides has conducted on six continents with major orchestras including the Tonkünstler, the Royal Philharmonic, Orchestre Nationale de Lyon, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony, the Flemish Radio Konzerthausorchester, Bilbao Symphony, and some of the world’s greatest National Youth Orchestras, including the South African National Youth Orchestra, Andalusian Youth Orchestra and the Simón Bolívar Orchestra.
Sarah began her career with the Cincinnati Symphony, appointed Ioannides as the first woman appointed to a full-time conducting position and she has since conducted extensively in the United States including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Charleston Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Hawai’i Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony (untitled series) and the Toledo Symphony.
A coach and mentor for many young musicians and conductors, she is Artistic Director of Cascade Conducting and Composing, and coaches for The Curtis Institute of Music’s Mentor Network. Sarah Ioannides is in demand as guest speaker, presenter and conductor for institutions, organizations, conservatories and universities.
“The other big discovery was guest conductor Sarah Ioannides…vigorous, solid, and with an unusually vibrant sonority. Her programming ideas were provocative”
-David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Enquirer
What’s New
Symphony Tacoma
Symphony Tacoma
Piano, George Li | Mendelssohn: Fingal’s Cave | Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54 | Dobrinka Tabakova: Kynance Cove | Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region
Boston University Symphony Orchestra
Boston University Symphony Orchestra
Clarinet, Zhen Wang | Mendelssohn: The Hebrides(Overture) | Nielson: Clarinet Concerto(CFA Competition Winner) | Schubert: "Great" C Major Symphony No.9
Symphony Tacoma
Symphony Tacoma
Cello, Alistair MacRae | Tchaikovsky: Variations on Rococo Theme, Op.33 | Bruckner: Symphony No.4 "Romantic"
Cascade Conducting
Cascade Conducting
Eighth Annual Conducting Masterclass Artistic Director
Announcement: Symphony Tacoma Music Director Sarah Ioannides has decided to step down from the podium at the conclusion of the 2025-26 Season
After 12 years of inspiring excellence among players in Symphony Tacoma, conductor and music director Sarah Ioannides will step down from the podium at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season.
Announcement: The 8th Annual Cascade Conducting Masterclass Now Opens for Applications
Cascade Conducting masterclasses offer a rare opportunity to conduct professional musicians, connect and collaborate with emerging conductors and composers from around the world, and to work with internationally recognized faculty members in the prime of their careers.
Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents “Mythical Landscapes”
Kicking off the Spring 2025 semester, Boston University Symphony Orchestra presents a collection of works that demonstrate kaleidoscopic evolution of nature, harmony, romance and sound. Led by conductor Sarah Ioannides.