Dr. Julie Sorensen is a conductor, flutist, and educator. Dr. Sorensen is currently the principal conductor of the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra in Houston, Texas, and serves on the faculty of Prairie View A&M as Director of Orchestra and Instrumental Conducting.  Julie has previously served as artistic director and conductor of the Idaho State – Civic Symphony and the ISCS Youth Orchestra, and as assistant conductor of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra.  As an active guest conductor and clinician, Julie has worked with orchestras throughout the United States, including the Cheyenne Symphony, Cache Valley Symphony, Southeast Idaho All-Region Orchestra, and the Wyoming All- State Orchestra. 

Julie is passionate about the importance of strengthening communities through the shared experience of live music, arts, and cultural performance.  An engaging and dynamic personality both on and off the stage, Julie advocates for and programs events that bring music, multi–disciplinary arts and educational models into the performance space.  An avid educator, Dr. Sorensen, believes in the importance of experiencing symphonic music at a young age and writes, produces, and conducts educational concerts specifically geared towards the next generation. Julie is an active clinician for flute, orchestra, and band, in and around Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Texas 

Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to work with a variety of guest artists including grammy award winning vocalist Jessica Jones and cellist Zuill Bailey. As an advocate for new music, Julie has also been a part of commissioning and performing works for orchestra and jazz with the Kobie Watkins grouptet and the Transcend orchestra commission with renowned composer Zhou Tian. 

At home both in front of and in the middle of an orchestra, Julie regularly performs as the flute/piccolo player for the American Festival Choir and Orchestra and as a freelance chamber musician for touring groups and recitals including performances with Cirque de la Symphony and Andrea Bocelli. Julie served as the flute professor at Idaho State University between 2013-2021. 

Julie earned her PhD in Fine Arts and Orchestral Conducting from Texas Tech University. Since that time, she has served on the Faculty at Idaho State University, Utah State University, and Prairie View A&M. Dr. Sorensen is a member of the International Conductors Guild, where she serves as the executive board secretary, and has also served on committees for the National Endowment for the Arts.  In 2020, Julie was awarded the Southeast Idaho Woman of the Year award for her outstanding service to the arts.