A local tradition since 1956

NMKSO

Music Director/Conductor

Diego Sánchez Haase, music director/conductor

Diego Sánchez Haase

Is in his third season as music director/conductor for

The Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra. Sánchez Haase resides in Asuncion, Paraguay where he earned a degree of Professor of Piano and was given the honor of "Outstanding with Exceptional Merit". Advanced studies in orchestral conducting took him to Italy, Germany, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain and the United States. At the International Bach Academy of Stuttgart, he specialized in the music of J.S. Bach, under the guidance of the celebrated German maestro Helmut Rilling.

Sánchez Haase has performed as a conductor and pianist in many major concert halls in South America, Europe, and the United States. He is the founder of  the Chamber Orchestra of Villarrica, today known as the Guairena Philharmonic Orchestra, the first of its kind outside of Asuncion; and was the first conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Encarnacion. He was designated the director of the Orchestra of the University of the North, in Asuncion in 2001.

Sánchez Haase has taught Composition and History of Music, and held the Chair of Harmony at the Asuncion Conservatory of Music, and presented conference papers and master classes on J.S. Bach at universities. He is the author of numerous symphonic and chamber pieces which have awarded him various outstanding accolades. His Concertino for Violincello was given a premiere performance by Andrew Kolb and NMKSO in the fall of 2004 during the conductor's guest appearance with the orchestra. Sánchez Haase composed The Train for orchestra and children’s choir for NMKSO’s 50th Anniversary concert in 2006 and led the orchestra from the piano as soloist on a Mozart concerto.