The Jefferson Symphony Orchestra
Jefferson Symphony Orchestra
Conductors
Dr J. Arturo González
Music Director and Conductor
Dr. J. Arturo González is the Music Director and Conductor of the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra. González, a guest conductor of the JSO in 2022 and 2023, was appointed Music Director in June 2023 after a year-long search for the position.
Dr. González also leads the Flatirons Community Orchestra; he has been the ensemble’s Music Director since 2011. He has also been the Music Director of the El Paso Association for the Performing Arts, Ballet & Theater of the Border, East Central Summer Productions, Midwest Lyric Opera, and the Colorado Light Opera.
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He received his DMA from the University of Colorado–Boulder, his Master’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and Bachelor’s degree from the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City, the city of his birth.
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González has guest-conducted more than 20 concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico and the National Youth Orchestra of Mexico, along with many other orchestras. Around the world, he has guest-conducted the Mashvot-Israely Orchestra in Israel, the Central American Youth Orchestra in El Salvador, the National Youth Orchestra of Costa Rica, and the Symphony Orchestra of Ávila in Spain. Future engagements include conducting appointments with the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, the National Symphony Orchestra of the Dominican Republic, the Symphony Orchestra of the Congress of Paraguay, the Opera of Medellín in Colombia, and the Opera of the Academy in Portugal.
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As the fourth Music Director in the Symphony’s history, Gonzalez’s appointment ushers in a new era. In his words: “I have such huge shoes to fill, and I take this position with great humility and respect for the people that came before me and for the tremendous musicians that form JSO. I firmly believe that a modern orchestra is a team. Let the magic, heart, and great musicianship of JSO continue for many, many years to come.”
Dr. Sara Parkinson
Assistant Conductor
​Dr. Sara Parkinson was appointed Assistant Conductor of the JSO in the fall of 2024. She recently served as the Executive Director of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra from 2020-2023 after spending a season as their Director of Education & Community Engagement.
Since 2012, Sara has performed as piano soloist and orchestral pianist with the Colorado Ballet Orchestra and as touring artist and vocal coach with Central City Opera. Her conducting credits include Boulder Opera (2017-18), The Dallas Opera's Hart Institute (2018), CU Boulder's Eklund Opera (2019), Flatirons Community Orchestra (2020), Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra with DeVotchka (2023), and projects with the newly-formed PlainsSong Symphony Orchestra in Denver with the indie-rock band Calexico and singer-songwriter Neko Case.
She spent over a decade as organist, pianist, and Music Director at St. Aidan's Episcopal Church in Boulder. Sara is a founding member of the Denver-based tango/classical ensemble Grande Orquesta Navarre, and she continues to explore a variety of musical genres through collaborations both at the piano and on the podium.
Dr. Parkinson holds degrees in piano performance from the University of Iowa and the New England Conservatory of Music and a DMA in collaborative piano from CU-Boulder. Sara lives in Boulder with her husband and sons.
Dr. William Morse
Music Director and Conductor Emeritus
Maestro William Morse joined Jefferson Symphony as Music Director and Principal Conductor in 1999. In 2022, he announced his retirement after 23 years of leading the ensemble.
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Dr. Morse holds bachelor's and master's degrees in music from Oberlin Conservatory and a doctorate in orchestral conducting from the University of Arizona. He has also studied at the Mozarteum Academy of Music in Salzburg, Austria. He is also Professor Emeritus at Metropolitan State College in Denver where he conducted the Metropolitan State Symphony Orchestra and taught Advanced Conducting and Music Theory.
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A man of diverse musical talents, Dr. Morse is fond of the literature for symphony and chamber orchestra. His dynamic conducting style, innovative musical taste, and outstanding musicianship have made him very popular with Colorado audiences.
