Founder-Music Director
Professor Georgette Popa
Irvine Classical Players – Seraphim Symphony Founder and Music Director Professor Georgette Popa, former Violin Professor at the Superior Conservatory of Music, Lyon France has maintained a private violin studio in Irvine, California for 30 years.
In the US she has taught violin for the University of California at Irvine, Saddleback College, California State University, Fullerton and Concordia University, Irvine. Her teaching career includes numerous requests for international masterclasses in France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and the US. While in France, she has taught at Ecole de Musique Saint-Symphorien-d'Ozon,France, Conservatoire de Musique de Feyzin, France, Violinist at Opéra de Lyon, France. In addition to her teaching credits, she has performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States.
Her active performance career has included numerous studio recordings for film and television recorded in Los Angeles. A tireless advocate on behalf of young performers her approach of teaching through nurturing and mentoring young talent resulted in hundreds of students achieving their highest potential as musicians and human beings.
Professor Popa strongly believes that all children have the innate gift of Music and Beauty, and that this gift unique to each child, can be accessed by creating a nurturing and creative environment for each child to explore their innate gift. Professor Popa holds a Masters Degree in Violin Performance from the Conservatory of Music G. Dima in Cluj- Napoca, Romania and completed a three-year Ph.D. program at the Conservatory of Music in Paris, France.
Our Conductors over the 20 Years of Irvine Classical Players
Dr. Jacob Sustaita
The Irvine Classical Players - Seraphim Symphony has appointed Dr. Jacob Sustaita, a world class renowned conductor to conduct the upcoming 2022 Spain Concert Tour. Dr. Sustaita will be conducting our performances in Barcelona, Santiago de Compostela and Madrid.
Dr. Jacob Sustaita is the newly appointed assistant conductor of Pacific Symphony and Orchestra Director for the Orange County School of the Arts. He recently served as Acting Orchestra Director at California State University Long Beach. Since 2015, he served as director of orchestral studies at Sam Houston State University. At Sam Houston State, he led the university symphony, chamber, ballet, and opera orchestras. In 2016, Sustaita and the orchestra performed the American premiere of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 1 (original Linz version) with high praise from the American and European Bruckner Societies.
Dr. Sustaita is a frequent guest conductor and clinician across the country. In 2015, Sustaita was selected by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute to serve as assistant conductor for Charles Dutoit and the National Youth Orchestra of America. Sustaita regularly conducted and coached the orchestra during its New York residency and on their seven-city tour of China and Hong Kong.
A native of Texas, Sustaita completed his Doctorate and Bachelor of Music degrees at the University of Houston, where he served as assistant conductor for the Moores Opera Center for three seasons. He also earned a Master of Music degree from both Penn State and Rice University.
His honors include: Schissler Conducting Fellowship, Rice University Prize and Provost Fellowship and American Prize semi- finalist and finalist. His teachers and mentors include Carl St.Clair, Charles Dutoit, Franz Krager, Brett Mitchell, Gerardo Edelstein, and Paavo Järvi.
Maestro Vlad Vizireanu
The Irvine Classical Players is honored to announce that the World Acclaimed Conductor Maestro Vizireanu has join us as the Principal Conductor of the Seraphim Symphony. Here are a few highlight from Maestro Vizireanu’s impressive accomplishments:
Malko Competition for Young Conductors
Vizireanu among 24 was chosen from 566 applicants worldwide conducted the Danish National Symphonic Orchestra
Enescu Music Festival 2017 XXI Century Music Series
Vizireanu conducted the Royal Camerata during the Inaugural 21st Century Music Series
Donatella Flick Competition
Vizireanu is 1 of the three finalists and invited to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra.
Menuhin Festival World Premiere
Vizireanu premieres Georg Breisschmid’s Against all Otts with principal Clarinetist of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic
David Zinman International Conducting Master Class
Vizireanu invited to conduct the Tonhalle – Orchester, Zurich Switerland
Mahler Competition
Vizireanu, invited to conduct the Bamber Symphony
Maestro Elliott Bark
“abrasive outbursts…monstrous climax…
yearning melody in a rapturous surge”
– New York Times (after Carnegie Premiere of Shalom)
“full of warmth and love…”
– Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
“one of sought after young composers of today”
– The New York Classical Players
“brilliant…no doubt grab the listener’s attention…
warm and serene atmosphere…”
– Guitar International
m erat volutpat.