Receiving phenomenal press for her performances as Music Director of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, Texas, and the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, South Carolina, Sarah Ioannides is recognized for captivating audiences with graceful and powerful conducting combined with compelling interpretations. Noted for innovative programming and creative artistic leadership since assuming the role with both orchestras in 2005, Ioannides is praised by the American Symphony Orchestra League as one of the nations's top emerging conductors.

Described by the New York Times as a conductor with “unquestionable strength and authority,” Ioannides has established a reputation as a gifted conductor in multiple genres including multimedia productions. Possessing an extensive repertoire with numerous premieres, Ioannides has collaborated with several celebrated composers including Louis Andriessen, Richard Danielpour, Stephen Paulus, Luis Tinoco and Tan Dun.

Upcoming guest engagementsduring 2008 include the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, the Cypress State Orchestra, Orchestre nationale de Lyon as well as the Nordic Chamber Orchestra in several world premieres in Europe. This year also features the release of Ioannides’ debut recording with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London and violinist Lara St. John, premiering the Matthew Hindson Violin Concerto and the Martin Kennedy / St John arrangement of Franz Liszt’s Totentanz.

Recent guest engagements include the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra in Korea, the Swedish Wind Ensemble, the Orquesta Sinfónica Municipal de Caracas, in Venezuela, the Flemish Radio Orchestra at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Bachakademie in Stuttgart, Naumburg Concert Series in New York City, Annapolis Symphony and Indiana University's Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally, Ioannides has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the National Symphony Orchestra, the New World Symphony and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Prior to her current appointments, Ioannides served as assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra from 2002-2004. Characterized by the Cincinnati Post as “elegant to watch, active and keenly expressive,” Ioannides was awarded the Bruno Walter Assistant Conductor Chair during her tenure with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, one of two awards presented by the Bruno Walter Foundation in the United States during the 2003-04 season

From 1999 to 2003, Ioannides served as assistant conductor to composer Tan Dun touring Japan, China, Hong Kong, Russia, France, Germany, Sweden, the USA and the UK. As such, she conducted the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Flemish Radio Orchestra, and the Oregon Bach Festival. Ioannides was choir director for the RIAS Kammerchor and production coordinator for the world premiere of Water Passion after St. Matthew in 2000. She also served as production coordinator and assistant conductor to the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta for the Tan Dun Fire Crossing Water Festival at the Barbican Center. In February, 2005 at the request of Tan Dun, Ioannides conducted Water Passion after St. Matthew in Perth, Australia, as the first conductor to perform this work other than the composer.

Born in Canberra, Australia to a Scottish mother and Cypriot father, Ioannides grew up in England. She studied violin, piano and French horn, earning a Masters of Arts in Music at Oxford University. Formerly a member of the National Youth Orchestra and National Youth Chamber Orchestra, she played professionally as a violinist. Awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 1996, Ioannides entered the Curtis Institute of Music as a conductor, where she was awarded the Presser Foundation Scholarship to study in St. Petersburg. She subsequently received a Masters of Music in Conducting at the Juilliard School, was awarded the Bruno Walter Scholarship, and served as assistant conductor to Otto Werner-Mueller. From 1997-2000, Ioannides was music director of the Swarthmore Orchestra, and associate in performance at Swarthmore College. In 2001, she received the JoAnne Falletta Award for the most promising female conductor.

Sarah currently lives in Stafford Springs, Connecticut and El Paso, Texas with her husband Scott Hartman.

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