Edmond North hires new band and orchestra directors
EDMOND — New band and orchestra directors for Edmond North High School were hired Thursday by the school board.
Greg Mangus was named band director and Justin Pourtorkan is the new orchestra director. Mangus is the former assistant band director at Mustang High School. Pourtorkan was orchestra director at the Classen School of Advanced Studies.
Superintendent Bret Towne said they will succeed Brian Cook and Peter Markes.“I’m so excited to have this opportunity to follow the incredible Peter Markes as director of the Edmond North High School orchestra program,” Pourtorkan said.
“Peter has built a program like no other in our great state and I’m humbled and honored that he is passing the baton over to me to continue to strive for the same level of excellence and achievement that we’ve all come to expect from this outstanding program. I can’t wait to get started.”
Pourtorkan has been at Classen School of Advanced Studies since 2005. He was a teacher of the year at Classen and runner-up for the Oklahoma City district teacher of the year. He was the 2014 Yale University distinguished music educator for the state of Oklahoma. He teaches private violin lessons and has played with the Edmond Chamber Orchestra, the Fort Smith, (Arkansas) Symphony and with TranSiberian Orchestra.
Mangus has been associate director of bands at Mustang High School since 2013, helping to grow the program from 225 students to 375. Under his direction, Mustang’s symphonic band and wind ensemble received numerous superior ratings and the OSSAA sweepstakes award. He has composed or arranged hundreds of compositions for large marching bands and small ensembles including the three-time national champion Oklahoma State University trumpet ensemble.
Towne said Cook will be moving to Chicago for a business opportunity and to be near family.
Markes will become a full-time musician with Horseshoe Road. The state Department of Education named Markes as state teacher of the year in 2014.
Board member Kathleen Duncan said Cook and Markes have turned Edmond North into a highprofile fine arts school.
“They will be missed,” board member Jamie Underwood said before the meeting.
Towne said he wanted to get both men on board now rather than wait for the next regular school board meeting, scheduled for June 5.
“We have summer camps and programs approaching and I wanted to have them meet the kids and the parents now,” Towne said.
The board also hired dozens of teachers and support personnel on Thursday. All hiring moves were approved by a 4-0 vote. Absent from the special session was Lee Ann Kuhlman.
Last month, the board hired Patrick Towne as drama director at Edmond North High School.
Patrick Towne, a graduate of Edmond Memorial High school and the University of Central Oklahoma, succeeds Barrett Huddleston, who served one year as drama director.
He is the son of Bret Towne and is a performer, director and choreographer. He has performed with Oklahoma City University Opera/Music Theatre, the University of Central Oklahoma Music Theatre, Lyric Theatre, the Thelma Gaylord Academy, the Jewel Box Theatre, The OKC Philharmonic and Upstage Theatre. He has served as director and choreographer for many productions at Upstage and is a private voice and dance instructor.
“Synergy is sure to be the result as these three come together with the vocal teachers to collaborate on new performance experiences for our students here at Edmond North,” North Principal Jason Pittenger said.