San Francisco Academy Orchestra- Andrei Gorbatenko

Andrei Gorbatenko, bassist and conductor is currently in his 11th season as

music director of the San Francisco Academy Orchestra. He began studying bass with Shinji Eshima at the San Francisco School of the Arts, at the University of California with Barry Green and later at the Aspen Music Festival with Eugene Levinson, principal bassist of the New York Philharmonic.

Gorbatenko, a native San Franciscan, grew up taking full advantage of the valuable opportunities given to him by the San Francisco Symphony's education department. There he met Associate Conductor, Alasdair Neale with whom he began his conducting studies. He has also participated in the programs of The American Orchestral League, The Conductors Institute at Bard, and has performed in the American Academy of Conducting Orchestra, at the Aspen Music Festival.

As a bassist, Mr. Gorbatenko has performed with Bay Area orchestra's such as the California Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic, Berkeley Symphony, Monterey Symphony, Napa Symphony, Fremont Symphony, Vallejo Symphony, Merced Symphony, Santa Cruz Symphony, Modesto Symphony, and the Russian Chamber Orchestra.

His Chamber music engagements have included numerous performances with members of the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Opera in the productions of the California Chamber Players, The Broderick Ensemble, The Onyx Ensemble, Chamber Music San Francisco, Old First Concerts, Music at

Meyer and Concert Connect.

Gorbatenko enjoys performing new music but feels that, "whether through architecture, literature, or music, the responsibility of bringing to life the imaginations of the dead is the greatest privilege of all."