About GSO - Galveston Symphony

Founded in 1979, the Galveston Symphony Orchestra performs quality classical music with a strong commitment to artistic excellence and community involvement. Dedicated musicians from all parts of Galveston County bring unforgettable live concert experiences to Galveston Island. With a repertoire of compositions ranging from the baroque to the contemporary, most concerts include internationally-famous soloists.

Trond Saeverud

GSO Music Director / Conductor

Professional and community orchestra conductor Trond Saeverud joined the Galveston Symphony Orchestra in 2013 after conducting in Denmark, Norway, and the United States.

As a concert violinist, Trond has been a soloist with major orchestras in Europe and in the United States, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at the Lincoln Center, New York. He has produced CDs as a soloist with orchestras in Norway and Denmark and regularly premieres new works that are written for him. Trond’s solo CD “Ghosts” received the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy Award (1997). His recital CD “Hika” was editor’s choice, Strad Magazine (2002).

Trond studied conducting with Brian Priestman at the University of Kansas (DMA, 2002) while serving as frequent guest conductor for the “Kansas City Camerata” and producing, as doctoral thesis, a new critical edition of the Second Symphony of his grandfather, Harald Saeverud.

In 2008-2010, Trond conducted the Bangor Symphony Orchestra in several subscriptions and Pops concerts, including a very successful stage production of West Side Story.

Trond is the founder and artistic director of the Passamaquoddy Bay Symphony Orchestra in Maine. He serves as concertmaster of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, leader of the NorEaster String Quartet, and conductor for the University of Maine, and Music Director of the Bay Area Youth Symphony in Houston.

Joshua Ojeda

GSO Executive Director

Joshua joined GSO as Executive Director in July 2020. Joshua’s family has lived in Texas for many generations, and even has ancestors who fought in the Alamo!

After graduating with his bachelor’s, Joshua worked for a nonprofit in La Porte, Texas with a focus on community collaboration. Before arriving in Galveston, Joshua and his wife Kellie spent two years in East Africa working with nonprofits in the northern region of Uganda. Joshua brings his experience in nonprofit marketing, social media management, and financial reporting to GSO. When he is not working for GSO, Joshua is also the Arts and Culture Coordinator for Galveston.