Born in Omsk - Russian Federation, Dr. Proskurnya earned a Master’s Degree in performance on violin from the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Conservatory. He was the violinist of the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and served as Associate concertmaster of the Leningrad Chamber Orchestra. In 1988, he immigrated to the USA and served as the principal violinist of the second violin section with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra until 2003. At the same time Dr. Proskurnya studied conducting under Professor Ilia Musin from 1994 to 1999.

At 2004 Dr. Proskurnya received a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of South Carolina in orchestral conducting. At 2005-6 he was adjunct professor at Georgia College and State University and guest faculty at Valdosta State University, GA. Also, Dr. Proskurnya has served as concertmaster of Ocala Symphony Orchestra (FL), 2006-17; Assistant Professor of Music and the Director of Orchestras at Beloit College, 2006-11; and as the Music Director of the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra at the Texas A&M University (Kingsville), 2011-13.

Dr. Proskurnya has taught master classes in the United States, Italy, Spain, Russian Federation, and Taiwan. He has performed throughout Canada, Greece, Finland, Italy, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Russian Federation, and the United States as a guest conductor, violist, and violinist.

Presently, Dr. Proskurnya is serving as an adjunct professor of UAA department of music and director of UAA Sinfonia. Also, he is a director of International Academy of Advanced Conducting after Ilia Musin, Visiting Lecturer at the Music Department of West Virginia State University (Institute), concertmaster of the Anchorage Civic Orchestra (AK), and the first violinist of “AKamerata” String Quartet.

2018-Present Music Director: Oleg Proskurnya

The ACO provides an outlet for talented musicians representing citizens from many local industries, including retail sales, law, accounting, pharmacy, dentistry, medicine, finance, fishing, teaching and the oil industry. The most represented occupations are music teachers and students. For over twenty years, we believe that arts lift the spirit and raise the collective consciousness of Anchorage residents.

A HISTORY OF THE ANCHORAGE CIVIC ORCHESTRA
Founded in 1988, the Anchorage Civic Orchestra was conceived as a community based orchestra. The orchestra rehearses weekly and performs symphonic music for the Anchorage community. Founders include Steve Posegate as well as other past and present members of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra has more than 60 active volunteer musicians and is supplemented by additional players as individual concerts require. The ACO's roster includes people who work full time in many local industries and range in age from thirteen to seventy.

Our concerts have featured guest soloists from around the world, including Russia, Japan and the United States, and have featured various instruments and young artists at our family concerts. In addition, the well-known Alaskan conductors Maurice Dubonnet and Gordon Wright have guest conducted the ACO.

The ACO has also maintained its focus on enriching the musical community and community at large by bringing musicians with diverse backgrounds together to perform for and with a broad range of local communities. Members of the ACO have musical backgrounds as members of the Anchorage Youth Symphony, college and university orchestras and community orchestras in other cities. The orchestra itself has presented concerts in conjunction with Alaska Pacific University, The University of Alaska Anchorage, the Anchorage Community Schools, the Brother Francis Shelter and Abbott Loop Community Church. ACO concerts have been successful in reaching out to members of the community who do not regularly attend classical concerts as evidenced by the number of audience members who have mentioned that our concert was the first symphonic concert they had attended.

Some funding for the Anchorage Civic Orchestra provided by the Anchorage Arts Advisory Commission & The Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation.

About the ACO

Anchorage Civic Orchestra

Local, community made music since 1988