Leon Spierer
Violin - Germany
Former Concertmaster - Berlin Philharmonic

Leon Spierer served as 1st concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra from 1963 to 1993 under the batons of principal conductors Herbert von Karajan and Loren Maazel, among others. Before this, he was the first concertmaster of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra from 1958 to 1963. In 1969 he was awarded the Prize of German Music Critics for “versatility in the interpretation of different musical styles.” 

Otto Derolez
Violin - Belgium
Concertmaster - Brussels Philharmonic

Otto Derolez is concertmaster of Brussels Philharmonic and is generally considered one of the most important violinists of Belgium. After brilliant studies at the Royal Conservatories of Ghent and Brussels, with Professors such as Rudolf Werthen, Katy Sebestyen and Philippe Hirschhorn, he graduated at the Internationale Musikakademie für Solisten (IMAS) in Wolfenbüttel, Germany, under the guidance of Professor Andre Gertler. He also received support and guidance from Prof. Yfrah Neaman.
He made his debut with Brussels Philharmonic in 1999, with Richard Strauss' Ein Heldenleben. With this orchestra Otto Derolez performed the world premiere of Jeroen d'Hoe's violin concerto. Otto Derolez is also a very active chamber musician. From 1992 he has been member of the Prometheus Ensemble, with which he recorded Schubert's Octet and Trout Quintet, Stravinsky's l'Histoire du Soldat, Schoenberg's first Chamber Symphony and Transfigured Night. Otto Derolez is a jury member of the International Verbier Festival Orchestra, as well as the International Violin Competition Henri Vieuxtemps. He is regularly invited as String Faculty Coach of Symphony Orchestras of Belgian and Dutch Major Music Conservatories.

Markus Däunert
Violin - Germany
Former Concertmaster - Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Markus Däunert served as concertmaster of Mahler Chamber Orchestra ( Founder Claudio Abbado) from 1997 to 2005 under principal conductor Daniel Harding and guest conductors like Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink and Simon Rattle. Since 2005 he playes regulary as guest leader with Gewandhausorchestra Leipzig and Ensemble Modern. He is member of Lucerne Festival Orchestra. He is currently teaching at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and at the Academy De Sono in Turin (Italy). 

Frank DiPolo
Violin - Venezuela
Simon Bolivar Orchestra

Frank Di Polo, violinista, es una de las manos derechas de Jose Antonio Abreu. Ha hecho todos los collages de fotos que reflejan los momentos cumbre, a lo largo de los treinta años del sistema. Empezó con el violín a los cuatro años con Emil Friedman. A los 12 comencó a estudiar viola y a los 14 fui a Estados Unidos con una beca, al Conservatorio de Nueva York. Today, Frank Di Polo helps oversee the training of 250 mil niños en 14 años in Vanzuela, and travels across América Latina formando otras orquestas juveniles e infantiles. Di Polo muestra el orgullo de ver el adelanto de los niños. "Cuando un niño crece a través del instrumento musical, es una satisfacción única: cómo entran en la piel del compositor, la fuerza que sacan y todo lo que regalan a través de la música, y a través de todo el sistema".

MaryLou Speaker Churchill
Violin - United States
Former Principal - Boston Symphony Orchestra

In her career as principal second violinist of the Boston Symphony and as a sought-after teacher at the New England Conservatory, MaryLou Speaker Churchill led a life that profoundly changed the lives of those she touched. MaryLou was a Founding member of YOA's Faculty and served for many years as part of the orchestra's Education Committee.

José Aurelio Castillo
Violin - Costa Rica
Concertmaster - National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica

Jose Castillo is the concertmaster of the National Symphony Orchestra in Costa Rica. He studied violin at the Herbert von Karajan Academy in Germany, with Leon Spierer, concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. He previously studied in the United States, with Sylvia Moss and Esther Glazer, both pupils of the renowned pedagogue Ivan Galamian. 

Mary Ann Mumm
Violin - United States
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Mary Ann Mumm made her solo debut with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at age 15, subsequently studying with Josef Gingold  and Ivan Galamian.

As an Assistant Professor of Violin at Northwestern University, Ms. Mumm was the youngest and also the first woman to be appointed to a full time faculty position in the instrumental music department.

Her orchestral engagements include the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and most recently, 17 years with the MET Orchestra.  Ms. Mumm has performed extensively on international radio broadcasts and television as well as recording on the Sony, Deutsche Gramophon and Naxos labels. Her solo and chamber music collaborations are numerous and include recordings and performances with some of the world’s finest orchestra, chamber and solo musicians.

Ms. Mumm presently serves on the string faculty of the John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University, Youth Orchestras of the Americas and Filarmonica Joven de Colombia. She served as 2006-08 President of the American String Teachers Association-NJ, receiving national awards for her work.  Following a passion and dedication to string education and performance, Ms. Mumm is involved with teaching projects and music festivals throughout the USA, Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile and Mexico.

Craig Mumm
Viola - United States
Principal - Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Timothy Cobb
Double Bass - United States
Principal - Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Timothy Cobb is the current principal double bassist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, and Acting Principal with the New York Philharmonic. He joined the Manhattan School of Music faculty in 1992, and currently also teaches at Purchase SUNY, Lynn University, Rutgers University - Mason Gross School of the Arts, and is the current chair of the double-bass department at the Juilliard School. Mr. Cobb has recorded for the Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Sony, and Music & Arts labels and is active as a studio musician in New York, recording numerous soundtracks for movies, television, songs, and advertisements featured nationally and internationally.

Bernhard Lörcher

Born in 1970 in Freiburg, Germany, Bernhard Lörcher toured Europe as a youth in the European Youth Orchestra. He studied in Karlsruhe with professor Martin Ostertag and trained as a chamber musician in Vienna as a member of the Alban Berg Quartet and in the Haydn Trio. In 1994 Mr. Lörcher was a prize-winner in Berlin’s Mendelssohn Competition. Since 2001, Bernhard Lörcher has served as Solo Cellist of the Stuttgart Philharmonic.

Ilmari Hopkins
Cello - Finland
Co-Principal - Stavanger Symphony Orchestra

Born in Finland, Ilmari is principal cellist of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Norway. He was trained with Anatoly Nikitin at the St.Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia and obtained his postgraduate Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music of Stockholm with Torleif Thedéen. First prize recipient of the Lahti Chamber Music Competition, Ilmari has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the Swedish Radio Symphony, the Lima Philharmonic, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Chamber Orchestra. He has performed on festivals and given recitals throughout Europe and the Americas, and in Japan and South Africa. His recordings include broadcastings for Swedish Radio, a CD with the SKASEI Trio for Italian Azzurra Music and a solo CD to be released in 2009 by the Argentinian label Tradition.

Chris French
Cello - United States
Associate Principal Cello, Huston Symphony Orchestra

Christopher French is the associate principal cellist of the Houston Symphony. Before joining the orchestra in 1986 he held titled positions in both the Shreveport and Honolulu symphonies. Chris is the seventh in a full octave of musical siblings. He enjoys performing with the Bad Boys of Cello, the alter ego of the Houston Symphony cello section. The Bad Boys play in venues as disparate as homeless shelters and elementary schools in an effort to eliminate the classist misconceptions about classical music.

Chris teaches orchestral repertoire at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music and is also actively involved in teaching cello to younger students. He assists in cello preparation for Houston's High School for Performing and Visual Arts, was a highly regarded featured speaker at the Texas Music Educators Association convention in 2006 with his presentation of "Preparing Young Cellists for a Life in Music", and is frequently sought as a judge for area competitions.

Chris and his wife, Kari, live in the Historic Houston Heights with their dog, Lars.

Daniel Krekeler
Double Bass
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Daniel Krekeler, double bass with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, studied at The Manhattan School of Music, Yale School of Music, and Indiana University. Previously Mr. Krekeler held positions in Minnesota, Binghamton, New Haven, Albany, and the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestras. He has performed with the Tokyo String Quartet and the Berlin Philharmonic during the Salzburg Easter Festival.

Leone Buyse
Flute - United States
Former Principal Boston Symphony

Leone Buyse is the Mullen Professor of Flute at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. Previously a principal flutist of the Boston Symphony and Boston Pops and member of the San Francisco Symphony and the Rochester Philharmonic, she has appeared as soloist with those orchestras and at some of North America’s finest music festivals. She has performed with the Boston Symphony Chamber Players throughout Europe and Japan, with the Tokyo, Juilliard, Brentano, and Muir String Quartets, and in recital with Jessye Norman and Yo-Yo Ma.  

Renowned as a recording artist and educator, Ms. Buyse has taught at the New England Conservatory, Boston University, and the University of Michigan, and has presented master classes and recitals across North and South America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Her former students hold positions in many major orchestras worldwide and at major North American universities. Honored in 2010 with the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the global flute community, she has served as a YOA faculty member since 2005.

Michael Webster
Clarinet - United States
Former Principal - Rochester Philharmonic 

Michael Webster is Professor of Music at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music and Artistic Director of the award-winning Houston Youth Symphony.  Formerly principal clarinetist with the Rochester Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony, he has appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the 92nd Street Y, the Tokyo, Cleveland, Muir, Ying, Enso, and Chester String Quartets, and at many of North America’s most prominent chamber music festivals.

Webster has performed and taught on five continents and recorded for Arabesque, Albany, Beauport, Bridge, Camerata, Centaur, C.R.I., Crystal, and Nami.  His compositions and transcriptions are published by International, G. Schirmer, and Schott.  He writes a regular column for The Clarinet magazine entitled  “Teaching Clarinet”  and has been a YOA faculty member since 2005.

Jeanne Baxtresser
Flute - United States
Principal, New York Philharmonic

Jeanne Baxtresser has held principal positions with three major orchestras, culminating in her 15-year tenure as Solo Flutist of the New York Philharmonic. Making her heralded debut with the Minnesota Orchestra at age 14, Ms. Baxtresser began her professional career as Principal Flutist of the Montreal Symphony immediately following her graduation from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Julius Baker. She was subsequently appointed Principal Flute of the Toronto Symphony before being invited by Music Director Zubin Mehta to join the New York Philharmonic. Ms. Baxtresser appeared as soloist with the New York Philharmonic on more than fifty occasions, and has been featured as a soloist across North America and Europe.

Recipient of the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for significant, lasting contributions to the flute world, Ms. Baxtresser was also awarded the National Medal of Arts from the Interlochen Center for the Arts and serves as a member of the Honorary Board of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She is recognized internationally as a leading recording artist, author, and lecturer.

Rob Weir
Bassoon - Canada
San Francisco Symphony

Born in Canada and attended the Curtis Institute of Music, Rob has been a member of the bassoon section of the San Francisco Symphony since 1990. He has been on the faculties of The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of California, Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz and is the bassoon coach for the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. Rob has participated in festivals around the globe and has been on the faculty of the YOA for the past 7 years.

David Carroll
Bassoon - United States
Montreal Symphony Orchestra

David Carroll served as Principal Bassoonist at the New York Philharmonic and Montreal Symphony Orchestra, among other orchestras. Detailed bio coming soon.

Javier Gandara
French Horn - Puerto Rico
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Javier Gándara has been a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra since 1999.  He is also on the Horn Faculty at the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard Pre-College Division.  Javier began his professional career at the age of 16 when he won a position in the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra while still attending High School at La Escuela Libre de Música in San Juan.  He later studied at Indiana University and obtained a BM from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Mr. Ranier DeIntinis. He has held positions with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias (principal), Orquesta Sinfónica de Euscadi (principal), and the Oregon Symphony (assistant principal) and has performed as a guest with the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony.

He is also part of the faculty with the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (YOA) and has been a coach for the National Youth Orchestra System in Colombia (Batuta) and the Swedish National Youth Orchestra.

Edward Brown
French Horn - Chile
Santiago Philharmonic

Edward Brown is the Principal French Horn of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Santiago and a member of the faculty of FOJI (Chile). He is an acclaimed author of the music instruction book, Primeros pasos para corno. More details soon.

Alex Klein
Oboe - Brazil
Former Principal - Chicago Orchestra

Alex Klein is one of the world’s foremost oboists, and maintains an equal dedication to cultural, humanitarian and educational issues around the world. Klein appears regularly as conductor, oboe soloist and pedagogue in the United States, France, Japan, China, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Argentina and Spain, developing and assisting music projects aimed at regular concert-goers as well as early childhood education. 

John Ferrillo
Oboe - United States

Massachusetts native John Ferrillo is currently principal oboist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Previously, he was principal oboe of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and also served as second oboe of the San Francisco Symphony. He has participated in the Marlboro, Craftsbury, Monadnock, Waterloo, and Aspen Music Festivals, and the Mannes Bach Institute.

Gordon Hunt
Oboe - London

Gordon Hunt was born in London and studied with Terence MacDonagh. He appears throughout the world as soloist and conductor and plays with renowned chamber ensembles. He has a distinguished orchestral career, being principal oboe of the Philharmonia and London Chamber Orchestras and The World Orchestra for Peace. He previously held the same post with the London Philharmonic. 

Regarded as one of the world’s leading oboists, he has appeared as soloist with international orchestras and major conductors. Over more than three decades he has played concertos and recitals on six continents.

In 2005 he was honoured to be invited to play Albinoni’s D minor concerto at the Service celebrating the marriage of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. 

In 2010, Gordon Hunt was designated a UNESCO Artist for Peace.

He has recorded extensively, including the Richard Strauss concerto, acclaimed in the Penguin CD Guide as the finest version available.

Pedro Diaz
English Horn - Puerto Rico
Principal - Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Before being named Solo English Horn with the Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera in 2005, Pedro Díaz had performed extensively on five continents.  He has served extended tenures as oboe and/or English horn with the Filarmonica Jalisco (Mexico), the Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia (Spain), the Natal Philharmonic (South Africa) and the Pittsburgh Opera.  His appearances as soloist include those at the Spoleto (Italy) Festival, with the New York Symphonic Ensemble (Japan tour), and with the Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico. Aspen, Le Domaine Forget (Quebec) , Bel Canto Institute, FOSJA (Puerto Rico) and the Panama Double reed Festival are a few of the many festivals with which Mr. Díaz has collaborated as performer/teacher.

James Desano
Trombone - United States
Principal - Cleveland Orchestra

James Desano, teaches at Oberlin Conservatory and served as principal trombone of the Cleveland Orchestra beginning in 1989. Previously, Mr. Desano acted as Principal Trombone with the Syracuse Symphony from 1964-1970; Associate Principal Trombone with The Cleveland Orchestra 1970-1989.

Paul Merkelo
Trumpet, Canada
Principal - Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal

Paul Merkelo has been Principal trumpet for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He has held the same positions with the Rochester Philharmonic and New Orleans Symphony. He gained early orchestral experience as an extra with the New York Philharmonic and Pittsburgh Symphony.
Paul is on the music faculty at McGill University.

Mauro Maur
Trumpet - Italy
Principal - Rome Opera House Orchestra

Principal Trumpet at the Opera House in Rome, Mauro Maur has recorded for BMG Ariola, RCA, Sony Columbia and Denon. Trumpet player, conductor and composer for the theater, the television as well as for the cinema, Mauro Maur has played in prestigious concert’s halls in more than 40 countries around the world such as Carnegie Hall of New York, Festspiele Salzburg, Megaron Athens, Seoul Arts Center, Scala of Milan.

Mauro Maur graduated at the National Conservatory of Paris where he perfected his studies with Pierre Thibaud. He completed a cycle of studies to the North Western University in Chicago with A. Herseth, V. Cichowicz, A. Jacobs.

Composers such as Morricone, Theodorakis, Bussotti, Clementi, Vlad, Ronchetti, Dashow, Scogna, de Rossi Re, have dedicated several musical compositions to Mauro Maur. He worked with Ennio Morricone for more than 18 years, who has dedicated many solos of his films to him and also his trumpet concerto named "Ut”. Mauro Maur has played in more than 100 films on sound tracks composed by Morricone, Piovani, Ortolani, Goldsmith and Delerue.

At the request of Italian President of the Council of Ministers, Mauro Maur was given the honorary distinction of Cavaliere (Knight) dell'Ordine "al Merito della Repubblica Italiana".

Don Liuzzi
Principal Timpani, Philadelphia Orchestra

Don Liuzzi joined the Philadelphia Orchestra as principal timpani in 1989. Since 1994 he has served as head the percussion faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music. Mr. Liuzzi has given master classes on four continents, including regular coaching for the New World Symphony, National Orchestral Institute, Pacific Music Festival, and Canton International Summer Music Academy in China. He has been an active chamber-music performer with the Network for New Music, recording for the Albany and CRI labels, and has two new solo and chamber releases with the Equilibrium label. He has performed as a timpani soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, China Philharmonic, and Sapporo and Guangzhou symphony orchestras. A Yamaha performing artist, Mr. Liuzzi performs on the newly designed Yamaha Dresden-style timpani. He was coordinating producer for the documentary film Music From the Inside Out and has composed songs and arrangements for the DePue Brothers Band and music for percussion ensemble.

Fernando Meza
Percussion - Costa Rica
Faculty - University of Minnesota

Judy Loman
Harp - Canada
Principal, Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Ms. Loman has been Principal harpist with the Toronto Symphony since 1960, and has appeared as a soloist with that organization in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Ms. Loman's performances are heard frequently on CBC Radio and she has recorded for RCA, Columbia, CBC, Centre Disc, Aquitaine, Marquis and Naxos. Her playing has been featured in two films by Rhombus Media, presented by the CBC and TV Ontario. She is a recipient of Canada's Juno Award for best classical recording, and the Canada Council's Grand Prix du Disc.

Jennifer Swartz
Harp - Canada
Principal, L'Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal

Canadian harpist Jennifer Swartz, has been the Principal Harpist of lʼOrchestre Symphoniqe de Montréal since 1994. Prior to this, she was the Principal Harpist of the Calgary Philharmonic. Ms. Swartz is the harp professor at McGill Universityʼs Schulich School of Music and is the harp faculty member of the Orford Academy Orchestra. She is an active soloist and chamber player across Canada and beyond. Ms. Swartz has recorded numerous albums for the Atma Classique label.

Nancy Allen
Harp - United States
Principal - New York Philharmonic

Hailed by the New York Times, as “a major artist” following her New York recital debut in 1975, Nancy Allen joined the New York Philharmonic in June of 1999 as Principal Harpist. She maintains a busy international concert schedule as well as heading the harp departments of The Juilliard School, Yale School of Music, and the Aspen Music Festival and School. In addition, Ms. Allen appears regularly with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. In May 2000, Ms. Allen was featured in the Philharmonic’s United States premiere of Siegfried Matthus’ Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra, with Music Director Kurt Masur and Principal Flute Robert Langevin. 

Ms. Allen is a native of New York, where she studied with Pearl Chertok and undertook private studies on piano and oboe. The summer of 1972 took her to Paris, where she studied with Lily Laskine. During that same year, she entered The Juilliard School to study with Marcel Grandjany. In 1973, Ms. Allen won the Fifth International Harp Competition, in Israel, and was later awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Solo Recitalist Award. 

Elizabeth Hainen
Harp - United States
Principal, National Symphony Orchestra

Elizabeth Hainen joined The Philadelphia Orchestra as Principal Harp in June 1994 after serving as Principal Harp of the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C. As both soloist and recitalist, Hainen has performed in distinguished concert halls on three continents, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall in Chicago, the Cultural Foundation of Spain in Madrid, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., and the Tel Aviv Art Museum in Israel.

Born in Toledo, Ohio of musician parents, Hainen showed exceptional musical talent at the age of four when she began studies on violin and piano before turning to the harp at the age of ten.

Dotian Levalier
Harp - United States
Principal, National Symphony Orchestra

Dotian Levalier, principal harpist of the National Symphony Orchestra, is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music where she studied with Carlos Salzedo and Marilyn Costello. Before joining the National Symphony in 1969, she was the principal harpist of the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, the Philadelphia Ballet, the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company, and the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company. Ms. Levalier has made numerous recital, television, and radio appearances as well as guest artist appearances with orchestras other than her own.

Ms. Levalier has been a guest artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Emerson String Quartet, Theater Chamber Players of New York, and with the National Symphony at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and at Wolf Trap. Ms. Levalier and violinist Marissa Regni have given numerous duo concerts in the D.C. area.

She has performed concertos with conductors Andre Kostelanetz, Antal Dorati, Mstislav Rostropovich, Andrew Litton, Leonard Slatkin, and others. She records on the Erato, Sony, MSR, and Pro-Arte Labels.

Ricardo Castro
Piano - Brazil
Haute Ecole de Musique de Fribourg – Lausanne

The pianist and conductor Ricardo Castro is the Founder and General Director of a new system of youth orchestras in Bahia, NEOJIBA (State Youth and Children's Orchestra Centers of Bahia), created in 2007 in collaboration with the Venezuelan “El Sistema”. He is also the first ever Latin-American to win in 1993 the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition. Concerts followed in some of the world’s major concert halls and with the finest orchestras and conductors. Since 1992 Ricardo Castro teaches piano at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne in Switzerland.

Gerardo Vila
Piano - Argentina
Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève

Vila teaches chamber music at the « Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève », Switzerland.

He is winner of various piano international competitions : First Prize 1989 at the International Piano Competition « Maria Canals » in Barcelona, second prize at the "Alessandro Casagrande" competition in Terni/Italy and at the "1989 World Piano Competition" in Cincinnati/USA among others. In the year 2000, he was distinguished as “Invited Member” to the Argentinean Music Council and UNESCO in recognition of his artistic work.

In addition to his international concert activity, Vila also trains young musicians and is regularly invited to give piano and chamber music master classes in various European and Latin American countries.

Francoise de Clossey
Piano - Rome

Winner of numerous music competitions in her native Canada, Francoise de Clossey has appeared as soloist in international festivals throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.  She  has recorded extensively for radio and worked directly with compositors including H.M. Gorecki, Gubaidulina, Sciarrino, Sofianopulo. She has performed with musicians iincluding Gloria Gaynor, Gilberto Gil, Tony Scott, Nuovo Quartetto Italiano. Francoise de Clossey has been honoured with the International Prize of “Beato Angelico” for the Woman of the year 2006 and the Italian Prize Order 2008 for Career Acheivement.

Marlos Nobre
Brazil
2008 YOA Composer-in-Residence

The Brazilian composer Marlos Nobre was born in Recife, Pernambuco, in February 18, 1939. He studied piano and music theory at the Conservatory of Music of Pernambuco (1948-1959), and Composition with H.J.Koellreutter and Camargo Guarnieri (1960-1962). Further,with a schorlarship from the Rockefeller Foundation, he followed advanced studies at the Latin American Center in Buenos Aires, with Ginastera, Messiaen, Malipiero, Copland and Dallapiccola (1963-1964).

Jon Deak
2002 Composer-in-Residence

A prominent instrumentalist, Jon Deak was for many years the Associate Principal Bassist of the New York Philharmonic. As a composer, he has written over 300 works, and has had his music played by Orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony, the National Symphony and the New York Philharmonic. His Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra, "The Headless Horseman," was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1992. His music may also be heard on several TV series and many recordings.

In 1995 he founded the Very Young Composers, a national award-winning program, having since gone international in scope, whereby Public School children, age 9 - 13 have completely composed and orchestrated their own music for the New York Philharmonic, the Colorado Symphony, and ensembles across the country and on four continents.

 Jon Deak is the Young Composer Advocate of the New York Philharmonic.

John Estacio
Canada
2009 YOA Composer-in-Residence

John Estacio has served as Composer in Residence for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Pro Coro Canada, the Calgary Philharmonic, and the Calgary Opera. These residencies yielded several orchestral and choral works including his opera Filumena. In addition to writing music during his residencies, he has also written for the Vancouver Symphony, the Toronto Symphony, l'Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, and the CBC Radio Orchestra. John Estacio's residency at the YOA has been supported with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts. 

Philip Glass
United States
2010 YOA Composer-in-Residence

Philip Glass is considered one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public (along with precursors such as Richard Strauss, Kurt Weill and Leonard Bernstein). In August 2010 Glass will travel with YOA in Ecuador and Peru as Composer in Residence.

Eddy Marcano
Venezuela
Adjunct String

Músico Venezolano, producto de una nueva generación de artistas en pleno desarrollo. Comienza sus estudios musicales a muy temprana edad en el Conservatorio Claudio Fermín en la ciudad de la Asunción, Isla de Margarita, continuando más tarde sus estudios en el Conservatorio de Música Simón Bolívar, Caracas, siendo sus Maestros en el Violín José Guridi, Octavio Rico, Luis Morales Bance, Jesús Hernández, José Francisco del Castillo y Raimundas Butvila, y de Música de Cámara David Ascanio y Judith Jaimes. Participa en clases magistrales con los Maestros Ronny Rogoff y Margaret Pardee. Bajo los auspicios de la fundación Alegría Beracasa realiza cursos de violín con la eminente profesora Virginia Robiliar. En 1993 recibe clases magistrales en Londres con el legendario Amadeus. En 1997 en la Universidad de Indiana, Bloomintong, USA, estudia con el Maestro Mauricio Fuk.

Como solista se ha presentado con las más importantes Orquestas del país, Solista Invitado de la Orquesta Sinfonica de Panama.Concertino Invitado de la Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Bogota. recibiendo los mejores elogios. Ha participado en festivales nacionales e internacionales en Caracas, Colombia, Alemania, España y Londres. En 1992 es invitado especial en la Expo Sevilla, donde participa en 16 conciertos para la Televisión de la Comunidad Europea y TV Española. Eddy Marcano ha formado parte de numerosas agrupaciones de música venezolana, entre las que están Opus 4, con la que tiene tres producciones discográficas; Solo 3 y Onkora, compartiendo también la escena con artistas como Simón Díaz , María Teresa Chacín, Ensamble Gurrufío, Paul Dessene, Chick Korea, entre otros, y formando parte también del Cuarteto Ríos Reyna. Actualmente es reconocido por su extraordinario trabajo como violinista de la renombrada agrupación Arcano y la Producciòn Venezuela en Violin.

Ha realizado estudios de dirección Orquestal con los maestros Pablo Castellano, Sergio Bernal y Ulyses Ascanio, y ha dirigido diversas orquestas de Venezuela, la Orquesta Juvenil José Artigas de Uruguay, y la Juvenil de Guatemala Quetzaltenago.Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Panama..Director invitado al Campamento 2008 de la Asociaciòn de Conciertos de Panama. En el año 2000, en ocasión de la visita del Maestro Director italiano Giuseppe Sinopoli a Venezuela, dirigió la Orquesta Metropolitana integrada por 750 jóvenes y niños. Es permanentemente invitado como jurado a concursos nacionales e internacionales.

Hizo el estreno Mundial del Concierto para Violin y Orquesta del Maestro Sergio Bernal escrito especialmente para Eddy Marcano.En Utah E.E.U.U. Logan . Orquesta Sinfonica de la Universidad de Utah.

Juan Orrego Salas
Chile
2012 YOA Composer-in-Residence

Antonio Orrego Salas is one of Chile's most important musical icons and among the most widely known Latin American composers of our time. Orrego Salas studied with Randall Thompson and Aaron Copland in the United States, and later he settled in that country in the early 1960s to work at Indiana University, where he co-founded the Latin American Music Center.

Scott Wheeler’s most recent commission is for an opera for the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center Theatre. His music has been commissioned and performed by Renée Fleming, Susanna Phillips, Sanford Sylvan, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Marilyn Horne Foundation, the Mirror Visions Ensemble, Boston Cecilia, Rockport Music, and many orchestras in the US and Europe. His work has been performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, at the Kammermusiksaal of the Berlin Philharmonie. Scott Wheeler’s opera Democracy: An American Comedy, on a libretto of Romulus Linney, was commissioned by by Plácido Domingo for the Washington National Opera, which premiered the work under the baton of Anne Manson. His chamber symphony City of Shadows was commissioned by Kent Nagano and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchestra Berlin. In recent seasons, his works have appeared in concerts in Boston, Chicago, New York, Paris, Graz, Panama, Costa Rica, Hong Kong and Beijing.

Tan Dun
2013 Composer-in-Residence