When the Idaho State-Civic Symphony’s new conductor Grant Harville came to Pocatello two weeks ago for an interview, the Stephens Performing Arts Center impressed him — but not as much as the people and the mountains.

Harville said he had never been in a Rocky Mountain state before and said, “It’s a lovely sight.”

Harville, who is currently associate conductor and creative director of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra and Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra in Atlanta, will be moving to Pocatello in July to begin his new job at Idaho State University.

“A big part of accepting a position like this is feeling you can fit in with the faculty,” Harville said about his decision to come to Idaho State. “All the faculty I met were delightful folks.”

During his visit to the ISU campus two weeks ago, Harville had a chance to participate in a rehearsal of the Idaho State-Civic Symphony and he said he was impressed.

“When I was doing the rehearsal I knew I was with an orchestra capable of doing some wonderful things,” Harville said.

The new conductor said he was also impressed with head of the symphony board, Carol Burnett and symphony director, Heather Sandy.

“He’s a wonderful individual,” Sandy said. “We are thrilled and we think he’s a fine candidate.”

Sandy said what impressed her immediately was Harville’s ability to work with people.

“He’s very talented with youth and brings out the best in people he works with,” Sandy said.

An ability to work with young people may be one of the principle reasons Harville decided to accept the job as conductor/music director for the symphony and associate professor of music here. He said he enjoys teaching music and he had a chance to meet with some ISU music students in one-on-one conversations. Harville said he was impressed.

Dean of the ISU College of Arts and Letters Kandi Hurley-Ames said the selection of Harville is a great one.

“He is very thoughtful about how he approaches music and very talented in the classroom,” Hurley-Ames said. “He just seems to want to share his love of music.”

Hurley-Ames said she believes Harville will help recruit students to ISU’s music program.

“He’s joining a pretty elite group of teachers and performers,” she said.

Harville has degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan. He has made guest conducting appearances with the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City and the Midwest Graduate Music Consortium Convention. In 2008, Harville received the Richard C. and Agatha Church Memorial Conducting Award.

In 2011-12, Harville was choir director for the Atlanta Music Project, an El Sistema-based music education program dedicated to under-served youth in urban Atlanta. He has appeared as a guest lecturer at Kennesaw State University and Jacksonville State University.

Harville said the toughest part of accepting the post in Pocatello is saying goodbye to friends and students in Atlanta. However, he said he is looking forward to taking the baton at the Stephens Performing Arts Center and teaching music classes at ISU.

“My focus when I arrive will be a lot on continuity,” Harville said. “I want to make sure the good things continue. Mostly it is going to be establishing a good rapport with the orchestra and establishing a community presence.”

Harville will fill the position formerly held by Chung Park, who left about a year ago to become the director of orchestras at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C.

Since Park’s departure, Dr. George Adams has been acting as interim conductor for the symphony.

“He inherited a season he didn’t program and yet took it over with flourish,” Sandy said about Adams’ efforts. “We’re lucky to have this talent in our community.”

Following tonight’s final performance of the season by the Idaho State-Civic Symphony, a reception honoring Adams will be held in the rotunda of the Performing Arts Center.