Performer Details
Performer Bio Synopsis
The Summer Creek Orchestra program is a rising program on the northeast side of Houston, Texas in Humble ISD. The program features five string orchestras and a full symphony orchestra. The full symphony orchestra combines the strings from the top two ensembles along with volunteer wind members of the band program. The 60-80 member full symphony performs multiple concerts per year. A trio of directors, including both orchestra directors and a band director, has led the ensemble through straight superior ratings in every UIL entry in program history.
Recent UIL judges in both concert and sightreading have unilaterally praised the ensemble’s artistry, with multiple judges notating they were “moved to tears” along with another judge notating the group shared "a truly artistic performance."
Summer Creek High School Symphony Orchestra
Conductor's Bio
David Irish is in his third year as Director of Orchestras at Summer Creek High School, while previously serving as the Director of Orchestras (2015-2021) and Director of Bands (2013-2020) at Palo Verde World School in Las Vegas, Nevada. His work with the Palo Verde music program led to being named to the inaugural Yamaha 40 Under 40 for Music Education.
During the first two years of Irish’s tenure at Summer Creek, the Summer Creek Chamber Orchestra was named a "National Winner" in the Mark of Excellence and has been praised by evaluators at national, regional, and local levels for being “musicians first”, “excellent artistry”, and multiple UIL judges notating they were moved to tears by the Summer Creek Symphony. The Summer Creek Chamber Orchestra was invited to the 2023 Music for All National Festival, where all evaluators expressed high praise for the group’s musicality, literature selection, and technique. All Irish-led ensembles have received straight 1s at UIL, including several sightreading judges notating high musicality in performance. Dozens of Summer Creek students were named to region, area, received gold medals at State TSSEC, and performed with various orchestras in the Houston Youth Symphony. In 2022-23, Summer Creek celebrated the orchestra program’s first two TMEA all-state orchestra selections.
After being named Indiana Music Educator of the Year in 2013 by Indianapolis Youth Orchestras, Irish tripled the enrollment of both the band and orchestra program in his first three years as director, creating the Palo Verde Philharmonic in 2016. The Palo Verde Philharmonic finished 2nd place in the full orchestra division at the ASTA National Orchestra Festival in 2019 and was invited to perform at the 2020 Music for All National Festival. Under Irish’s tenure as Director of Bands, Palo Verde's Wind Orchestra was selected three times (2015, 2018, 2020) to the featured stage of the National Festival, performed at numerous Music for All Regional Affiliate festivals, and co-hosted the Las Vegas Concert Band Festival, starting in 2019. During Irish’s tenure at Palo Verde, all ensembles under Irish’s direction received Superior Ratings in all CCSD-sponsored festivals including concert band, jazz band, and orchestra. Irish was recognized by U.S. House Representative Susie Lee for the accomplishments achieved at Palo Verde during his tenure.
Irish has conducted performances in Czechia, Germany, and China. Irish is a published arranger with his setting “Suite from ‘The Mikado’” having been performed on “Marquee Mojo” with the UNLV Wind Orchestra on Klavier Records (K11185), as well as being found in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band Vol. 9, and featured on “Wind and Rhythm” on NPR. Teaming with David Maccabee, Irish was a presenter at the Arts Empowerment Conference, discussing transitioning a marching program from competitive to non-competitive. Irish received an MM in Wind Conducting and BME from UNLV, as well as having taken undergraduate music classes at Ball State University. Irish previously taught band and choir at North White Jr./Sr. High School in Monon, Indiana, where similar growth occurred, along with both choir and band programs receiving “Gold” ratings at ISSMA. Irish was recognized by U.S. House Representative Todd Rokita for having 100% superior ratings for all entries at Solo & Ensemble in his second year at North White.
During life’s unexpected journey, Irish met fellow musician Karen Kelley after she brutally and correctly judged his pre-festival concert less than two weeks before Covid-19 lockdowns began. Irish is overjoyed to have found his soulmate, fellow musician, and colleague and got married in June of 2023.
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