Yiran Zhao

Conductor, composer, pianist, and soprano YIRAN ZHAO holds a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Yale School of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Piano and Theory & Composition from Westminster Choir College (“WCC”). She is the assistant conductor of Civic Orchestra of New Haven, and Greater New Haven Community Chorus. Yiran was […]
Sarah Shapiro

Conductor, composer, and mezzo-soprano SARAH SHAPIRO is currently pursuing a Master of Music in choral conducting at the Yale School of Music with Jeffrey Douma, David Hill, and Felicia Barber. Hailing from New York City and Chicago, she was brought up in an Episcopal church choir through the Royal School of Church Music program for […]
Claire Lewis

CLAIRE LEWIS is a 20-year-old conductor and pianist based in Baltimore, Maryland. Lewis is the recent awardee of the Harmony Fellowship for Underrepresented Conductors, assisting and conducting the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Beginning in the fall, she will join the Richmond Symphony as their Conducting Apprentice, working closely with the Richmond Symphony, Virginia Opera, and […]
Linus Ip

LINUS IP, recognized for his musicality and sensitivity as a conductor and composer, is the Assistant conductor of Peabody Symphony Orchestra/ Peabody concert Orchestra/ Peabody Prep and is also currently the Associate Conductor & Associate Curator of NYsoundCircuit in New York. He was selected as one of the conducting fellows at the National Orchestral Institute […]
Frances Ho

FRANCES HO is currently completing a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign under the tutelage of Dr. Kevin Geraldi. This year, she worked with Nashville Opera in their Mary Raglan Emerging Artists Program as well as their mainstage production of Magic Flute. Previously, she held the Assistant Conductor position at La […]
Diego Hernandez

DIEGO HERNANDEZ was recently named a National Finalist in the 2024 American Prize contests in Orchestral Conducting, Orchestral Programming, and Orchestral Performance (all community division). He is currently the conductor of the Northwestern Philharmonia, a campuswide orchestra for students at Northwestern University. Before coming to Northwestern in the fall of 2023, Diego served for three […]
Nicholas Finch

Since performing as a concerto soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at age 18, NICHOLAS FINCH has established himself as an artist of great depth and diversity, as both conductor and cellist. This season, Finch will lead the third season of the Derby City Chamber Music Festival as its Artistic Director, including members of the […]
Shiu Wun (Gordon) Cheung

GORDON CHEUNG returns to EMF for his second summer as A Conducting Scholar. Previously, he joined conducting workshops and worked with various ensembles in the States, including Spokane Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. He also assisted James Bagwell in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe with The Orchestra Now (TÕN). Cheung received coaching and […]
Personalities Shine Through the Music (concert review)

Five outstanding young instrumentalists and nine talented conductors presented themselves in front of their peers as the winners of the Eastern Music Festival’s annual Concerto Competition, open to all students enrolled in the five-week festival on the campus of Guilford College.