PLANO, TX – The Plano Symphony Orchestra is proud to announce two exciting additions to its artistic team. Alexandra Kovatch joins as Assistant Conductor to Maestro Héctor Guzmán, and Dallas-based composer Paul K. Johnson becomes the new Composer-in-Residence. Both positions are underwritten by Tammy and Charles Miller and continue the PSO’s longstanding commitment to nurturing emerging talent and bringing new music to North Texas audiences.
Alexandra Kovatch, a Connecticut native, is a doctoral candidate in orchestral conducting at the University of North Texas, where she studies with Professor David Itkin and serves as Assistant Conductor to the UNT Opera Program. She previously held conducting positions with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, the Ozark Festival Orchestra, and has guest conducted the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, the Allen Philharmonic, and the Plano Symphony Orchestra, among others.
An accomplished harpist and member of the American Harp Society, Alexandra has performed with orchestras across Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, and Texas, and is a faculty member at the Elyrica Summer Harp Program. Her teaching experience includes faculty positions at Drury University and Holy Family High School, and she currently conducts the Dull Roar Orchestra for students in UNT’s Texas Academy of Math and Science.
Alexandra holds a Bachelor of Harp Performance from Washburn University and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Missouri State University, and will complete her Doctorate of Musical Arts at UNT in 2028.
Paul Kelvin Johnson is a Dallas-based composer of concert music for orchestras, wind ensembles, and chamber ensembles. Drawing inspiration from English and Japanese composers, his work is distinguished by clear formal design, motivic development, and sacred inspiration rooted in biblical themes. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Composition and Music Theory Pedagogy at Southern Methodist University, where he is a recipient of the Meadows Artistic Scholarship.
Originally from South Holland, Illinois, Johnson began studying piano at age six and discovered a passion for composition at twelve. His current projects include a Symphony for Strings, repertoire for younger ensembles, and original jazz compositions for combo and big band. After completing his graduate studies, he hopes to pursue a doctorate in composition with a long-term goal of establishing a composition program at an HBCU.
Maestro Guzmán has commissioned Johnson to write a short “Overture Celebration” celebrating Guzmán’s 43-plus year career as Music Director. The piece will debut at the March 20, 2027, concert at St. Andrews Methodist Church. Johnson has also been commissioned to arrange holiday music for the Home for the Holidays concert in December 2026.