Staff

Dr. Paul J. Sherman, Music Director

Dr. Paul J. Sherman, oboist, conductor, musicologist and performer on both modern and baroque period instruments, enjoys a career with many different musical branches.  He studied at CalArts with Allan Vogel for his B.F.A. and USC for his graduate work.  He received a doctorate in performance, conducting, early music and music history from USC.  Dr. Sherman is currently executive director of ensemble green and has commissioned and performed several new works with the ensemble. His work has included traveling to Cambodia and Vietnam to premier a new work by Chinary Ung, with the Grammy Award Winning ensemble, Southwest Chamber Music.  He performs on baroque period instruments with the Harmonia Baroque Players, Musica Angelica, the Corona del Mar Baroque Orchestra and his own ensemble, Ventus Baroque, which specializes in baroque wind music.  He also teaches baroque period performance practice at Cal Arts.

In the jazz idiom he has performed with the Dutz Quintet ,which released its debut CD in November 2007, GO Organic Orchestra, and the Vinny Gollia Large Ensemble.

In the orchestral setting, he has performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Master Choral Orchestra, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Riverside Philharmonic, the Santa Clarita Symphony and many others.  He is currently teaching at College of the Canyons, CalArts and USC and is the music director of the Symphony of the Canyons, formerly the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra, and the Intermediate Orchestra.

Julissa Bozman, Assistant Director,
Director of Prelude Strings

Violinist and violist Julissa Bozman, started her musical training in her native country, El Salvador.  She continued her studies in the United States as a Fulbright Scholar and now holds a BFA degree from CalArts and an MFA from UC Irvine.  Ms. Bozman's passion for music is evidently seen through her freelance performances in the greater Los Angeles area, performing classical, as well as traditional Latin American music.  She has toured the U.S. with renowned pianist John Tesh.

Ms. Bozman maintains a busy teaching schedule.  She is the String Chair of the Music Teachers Association SCV Branch. She directed the Hart High Schol String Orchestra, and has been the director of the SCVYO’s Prelude Strings for many years.

Damián Berdakin, Assistant Conductor

A native of Cordoba Argentina, Damián studied Contrabass while playing in the Córdoba Youth Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Carlos Giraudo, who to this day is a role model and source of inspiration to him. His enthusiasm for the orchestra led him to his first professional position at age 20 with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Córdoba as a Contrabass player.

In 2002 Damián received sponsorship to study at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge Massachusetts where he studied Double Bass Solo and Orchestral Performance under Pascale Delache-Feldman. After graduating in 2006 from the Longy School of Music Damián continued his education in Los Angeles at CalArts where he received his MFA in Orchestra Conducting and Double Bass Performance. While at CalArts Damián had the opportunity to lead the CalArts Chamber Orchestra in concerts and rehearsals as well as many chamber ensembles.

In 2007 Mr. Berdakín joined the faculty of the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra as the Strings Coach and Assistant Conductor. In September 2008 he began his first season as conductor of the South Pasadena Youth Orchestra.

Damián currently lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife Reba. When he is not conducting, studying scores or playing bass he enjoys playing tennis, the outdoors and grilling on a cool evening with family and friends.