Ami Porat

The Founding Music Director and Conductor of the Mozart Classical Orchestra, is a multifaceted musician with a Diploma from the Rubin Academy in Tel Aviv in contrabass and piano, and advanced degrees from the University of Southern California. Under the guidance of Isaac Stern, Mr. Porat continued his musical education at the Juilliard School of Music after winning the prestigious America-Israel Cultural Foundation's Grand Prize in Israel. He studied contrabass with Gary Karr and conducting with Jean Morel, while conducting his own chamber group in New York City. In the years that followed, Mr. Porat played in orchestras in Europe, the USA and in South America as bassist and principal bassist, learning seven languages in the process and performing under some great conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, Carlo Maria Giullini and many others.

Maestro Porat founded the Mozart Classical Orchestra on Mozart's birthday anniversary on January 27, 1980. Presently in its 39th professional season as Orange County's Resident Chamber Orchestra, the Mozart Classical Orchestra has performed concert series at multiple venues in Southern California to critical acclaim from many, including the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register. In October 2009, the MCO inaugurated its fourth season at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The Mozart Classical Orchestra has performed 31 seasons to great critical acclaim at the Irvine Barclay Theatre and 16 seasons in Newport Beach. The current concert venue is at beautiful Artists Theatre in Laguna Beach.