((Inset) Dr. Travis Allen | Photos courtesy of Central Oregon Symphony Association)
Brimming with musical and administrative experience, the Central Oregon Symphony Association announces that Dr. Travis Allen will serve as the organization’s next executive director. “I am honored and excited to serve in this capacity,” says Allen, “and I look forward to continuing and expanding the great work that COSA does in our community.”
A versatile cellist, educator and arts leader, Dr. Allen has been a part of the classical music scene in Central Oregon since 1996, when he played cello with COS as a high school student. Known for his dedication to performance, chamber music and music education, he currently serves as Principal Cellist of the Central Oregon Symphony, is the cellist of the Dove String Quartet, and regularly performs with the Sunriver Music Festival.
For the past five years, Dr. Allen has served as the executive director of the Central Oregon Youth Orchestra (COYO). Under his leadership, COYO has expanded in size, scope and visibility, providing high-quality orchestral training and performance opportunities for young musicians throughout the region. Dr. Allen is also a member of the faculty at Central Oregon Community College, where he teaches music history as well as second-year music theory and musicianship.
Dr. Allen holds a master’s degree in cello performance from Portland State University and both a master’s and doctorate in musicology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. If he’s not doing something musical, he is likely on an outdoor adventure with his wife and daughter.