Symphony & String Orchestra - Scott Arakawa, Conductor

Conductor and educator Scott Arakawa is the Director of Instrumental Music at Orange High School where he conducts two sections of Orchestra, Concert Band and Marching Band. During his 3 years at OHS, the total enrollment in the program has increased by more than 50%.  For the 2016-17 season, he was the conductor of Long Beach City College Symphony Orchestra and since 2006, he has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Wildwood Institute Intermediate Symphony Orchestra.  

From 2003-2010, Mr. Arakawa served as Conductor of the Southern California Youth Philharmonic’s Camerata Orchestra which provides talented students from Southern California the opportunity to perform a diverse selection of string orchestra literature.  He has been a Guest Conductor with the Southern California Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Doctors Symphony, the Irvine Valley College Wind Symphony, Four Seasons La Primavera Youth Orchestra, and Honor Orchestras from the Placentia-Yorba Linda and Capistrano Unified School Districts. 
​
As an educator, Mr. Arakawa has spent the more than 15 years as an Instrumental Music Director and taught students from elementary to high school. Prior to his appointment at Orange High School, he was the Associate Director of Orchestras at Valencia High School where the program grew to more than 200 students during his tenure.  He has held teaching positions in the Los Alamitos, Irvine, and Capistrano Unified School Districts.

As a clinician and adjudicator, Mr. Arakawa has worked with numerous orchestras and bands throughout Southern California including the NTYME Youth Orchestra and the Sussman Middle School Bands.   He has also served as Founder and Conductor of the Saddleback School of Music and the Arts Youth Orchestra and Coordinator of the Elementary Instrumental Music Program in Los Alamitos.

Mr. Arakawa is a graduate of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach with a Masters in Instrumental Conducting and a BM in Music Education.