From The Podium

From The Podium is a weekly 1-hour radio program that will explore the symphonic repertoire through outstanding performances by leading orchestras around the world. Dr. Raúl Antonio Munguía is Director of Orchestras and Professor of Violin and Viola at Pittsburg State University. At PSU, Dr. Munguía leads the graduate programs in orchestral conducting and Upper Strings at the master level. He is the Principal Guest Conductor of the San Pedro Sula Symphony Orchestra in his native country of Honduras and has appeared with the Honduran Philharmonic, the Victoriano López Conservatory Symphony, Chamber Orchestra, the San Pedro Sula Chamber Orchestra, the JOCA in EL Salvador, the Drury-Springfield Civic Orchestra, the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony, among others. As a strong advocate of music education, Dr. Munguía has conducted several District and Honor orchestras in Missouri, Texas, Mississippi, Kansas, Louisiana, and Honduras. A passionate proponent of the chamber music genre, Dr. Munguía founded the Pittsburg Chamber Music Festival held every summer in the city of Pittsburg, Kansas. Now on its 6th edition, the festival brings together renown national and regional artists to the SEK. Dr. Munguía is also a versatile musician combining his work in orchestral conducting with an active career as an orchestral musician and a chamber player. As a violinist, he has appeared with the Symphony Orchestra of Paraguay, the University of Asunción Festival Orchestra, the San Pedro Sula Camerata, among others. He has also held the concertmaster chair position with The San Pedro Sula Chamber Orchestra, The Honduran Symphony Orchestra, The Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra. He has also collaborated with orchestras such as The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, and the Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra in Santa Fe, NM, Mississippi Symphony, The Mobile Symphony, The Midland-Odessa Symphony performing on both period and standard violin. He is a current member of the Symphony Orchestra of Northwest Arkansas, the Fort Smith Symphony and the Springfield Symphony in Missouri. Dr. Munguia holds a Doctoral in Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting from Texas Tech University where he studied with Dr. Andrew George and Dr. Bruce Wood; A Masters in Orchestral Conducting and Violin Performance from Northwestern State University of Louisiana studying violin with Dr. Andrej Kurti, and orchestral conducting with Dr. Douglas Bakenhus. He also holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi under the supervision of Dr. Stephen Redfield working on both standard and period violin. M.M., Northwestern State University, Louisianan, U.S.A. B.M., University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi, U.S.A. Performance diploma Victoriano López Music Conservatory