Artistic Director

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Artistic Director Kory Vrieze is returning to the podium for his ninth season.  Since being introduced to the orchestra as guest conductor in 2011, Mr. Vrieze has led the Foothills Philharmonic through a variety of styles of classical music- some well-known works of mastery and some lesser known gems of the art music world.  Whether Pops or Masterworks, he continues to lead our orchestra of fabulous musicians bringing quality music to your ears.  

For 20 years, Mr. Vrieze was a music educator, working in the classroom, managing the Greater Newark Youth Orchestra, and working with the Newark Early Strings Program. For three years, he was a Music Education Specialist at Musical Innovations and is now working with Kaleidoscope Adventures providing meaningful travel experiences for student groups.  With experience working as Manager of Education at  the New Jersey Symphony and Festival Coordinator at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Mr. Vrieze has brought not only a diverse musical background, but also a practical knowledge that contributes to the further growth and development of Foothills Philharmonic as the Upstate’s only all-volunteer orchestra in Greer, SC.

Kory Vrieze received his BM in Music Education from Berry College and did his graduate studies at the University of South Dakota in History of Musical Instruments where he studied at the Shrine to Music Museum.  

In addition to maintaining a private woodwind studio, Mr. Vrieze is also Adjunct Professor of Woodwinds at Erskine College and is the director of the Erskine Sinfonia.  As a clinician and educator, Mr. Vrieze has worked in Georgia, Texas, South Dakota, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and Iowa.  Mr. Vrieze has enjoyed playing as well as teaching by playing clarinet in the Huron Symphony, the Golden Isles Symphony, the Cherokee Symphony and the Sewanee Festival Orchestra.