Peter Markes, Conductor - Oklahoma Youth Philharmonia
Peter Markes, conductor of the Oklahoma Youth Philharmonia and Oklahoma Youth Orchestra Chamber Ensemble, is currently in his eighth year as director for the Edmond North High School and Cheyenne Middle School orchestra programs. With the Edmond North Orchestra, he has conducted in the Chicago Symphony Center, the Dallas Meyerson Symphony Center, and Carnegie Hall.
Mr. Markes is a graduate of Oklahoma City University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in music education with emphasis in violin and guitar. While at OCU, he was twice selected as a concerto competition winner on violin and had the privilege of performing with the OCU Symphony Orchestra. As a lifelong classically and folk trained violinist and hobby guitarist, Mr. Markes has had the chance to perform with musical partner, Kyle Dillingham in over twenty countries in North, Central, and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. During those travels, the duo was featured several times on television broadcast to millions worldwide. In 2000 while in Bangkok, Thailand, they recorded an album of thirteen original songs, titled Outside the Box.
In May of 2007, Mr. Markes was awarded a Governor's Commendation from Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry. In the same year, he was chosen by his colleagues as the Cheyenne Middle School Teacher of the Year, and he has twice been honored by former students as their Teacher of Honor at the Oklahoma Academic All-State Celebration of Excellence. Mr. Markes has served as the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Honor Orchestra chair, has served as the concertmaster for the Enid Symphony Orchestra, is a three-year alum of the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain, and performs as a section violinist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He is a member of the American String Teachers Association, the Music Educators National Conference, the National Education Association, the North Central Honor Orchestra, the Oklahoma City Orchestra League, and the Pi Kappa Lambda honor music fraternity. Mr. Markes resides in Oklahoma City with his wife, Kris and their son, Patrick..
