Samuel Nordrum’s career showcases a life dedicated to education, music, and art. His accomplishments depict a passionate administrator and arts educator via the development and implementation of locally and nationally recognized efforts with regional non-profit arts education entities as well as secondary and higher education institutions.

Mr. Nordrum currently serves as Associate Director of Development at Concordia University Irvine and is an active member of the Orange County chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Mr. Nordrum also serves as President of Symphony Irvine in addition to performing as a freelance section violinist throughout Southern California.

For over thirty years, Mr. Nordrum continues his dedication to non-profit arts and education institutions as an operations director, fundraiser, artist, and advocate. From a career starting with Orange County youth orchestras, Mr. Nordrum garnered much joy and experience from his time serving extraordinary organizations such as Pacific Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, Concordia University Irvine, Chapman University, Irvine, Long Beach, and Newport-Mesa Unified School Districts, and Young Musicians Choral Orchestra, returning to several throughout his career with augmented skill sets, the spirit of a life-long learner, and the flexibility to retool among constantly changing times.

Always comfortable wearing many hats (with a literal hat collection to match), colleagues and peers have commended Mr. Nordrum for his ease working across multiple disciplines from arts administration to event management, front-of-house sound and lighting, music education, graphic design, and visual and performing arts. Via his high energy and entertaining collaboration, delivery, and/or instruction, colleagues, peers, and students of all ages have expressed gratitude for Mr. Nordrum’s enthusiasm, claiming it to be infectious and inspiring.

At the core of Mr. Nordrum’s career is a violinist and conductor trained in both orchestral and choral music. He currently serves as a Resident Performing Artist at Concordia University Irvine and performs as a section violinist with municipal, regional, freelance orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout Southern California. Conducting as often as possible, Mr. Nordrum frequently fills in for colleagues and friends at local universities and schools.

Mr. Nordrum makes his home in South Orange County, California, with his beautiful wife and two amazing college kiddos. Mr. Nordrum strives to fill 25-hours/day as an arts, pediatric cancer, and vision impairments advocate, foodie, and enthusiast of many avocations including astronomy, ice hockey, baseball, golf, sailing, sci-fi books/film/TV, and sketch art.