San Francisco Chamber Orchestra Names New Principal Conductor

Violinist and conductor Jory Fankuchen will step into the role

Jory Fankuchen made his conducting debut with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra in May 2023, having appeared with the group as violinist and violist over a 15-year period. He now joins the ensemble as its new principal conductor.

Fankuchen studied the violin with Ian Swensen at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, before receiving his master's degree from the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Lucy Chapman. A regular conductor of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, he is also music director of the Civic Strings orchestra.

As a violinist, Fankuchen has appeared solo with the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, Berkeley Symphony, at the Tanglewood Music Center, and has also had the distinction of performing on Jascha Heifetz's Guarneri del Gesu violin at the Legion of Honor.

As the first violinist of the Kailas String Quartet, he performed throughout North America, winning first prize in the Chamber Music International Competition, and silver at the National Fischoff Competition.

"It's not only a group of world-class musicians, but they're really amazing supportive colleagues, and so many of them are my close friends," said Fankuchen of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra.