Butorac is the 2004 Grand Prize Winner of the Fourth Vakhtang Jordania International
Conducting Competition where he was selected out of 24 competitors from 17 different
countries for the Gold Medal and Grand Prix. He also was awarded the Audience Favorite
Prize. As a result, this led to professional engagements across three continents
during the 2006-2008 seasons.
Throughout his career, Butorac has worked with such orchestras as the National Arts
Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, the Trondheim Symphony in Norway, the Mendoza Symphony
in Argentina, the Xiamen Philharmonic in China, the Kharkov Symphony Orchestra and
Kharkov Philharmonic in the Ukraine and the Canton Symphony Orchestra. He has also
appeared with the Danish National Radio Symphony as part of the prestigious Nikolai
Malko Conducting Competition. Future engagements include performances at the Fidenza
Opera Festival in Italy, the Montana Lyric Opera, the Rainier Symphony in Seattle
and return engagements with the Kharkov Symphony and the Xiamen Philharmonic.
Previously, Butorac served as the Director of Orchestras at Northern Arizona University.
During his tenure the orchestra program expanded significantly - the concert season
grew to eight concerts plus and two fully staged operas. He also helped establish
a visiting guest artist residency and presented numerous concerts that featured
enhanced use of multi-media.
In March 2005, he was invited to participate in the American Symphony Orchestra
League National Conducting Preview with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. The
preview showcased eight young conductors from across the world "carefully chosen
for their talent, accomplishments, and qualifications who are ready to assume important
professional conducting responsibilities with American orchestras."
Butorac studied at the renowned American Academy of Conducting at the Aspen Music
Festival in 2003 and 2004, and was named the Assistant Conductor of the Aspen Opera
Theater Center during his second summer, assisting noted opera conductors Arnold
Oestman and Julius Rudel.
Darko Butorac received his Master of Music degree from Indiana University, where
he conducted over thirty concerts with the school's five major ensembles. He has
also worked extensively at the Brevard Music Center, Aspen Music Festival and the
University of Toronto, his alma mater. His principal mentors are David Effron, Jorma
Panula and David Zinman.
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