New York, NY – At its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, the New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) elected Derek Zhao to its Board of Trustees.
Mr. Zhao is an Executive Director at JPMorgan and is responsible for the bank’s Macro Index Trading business in North America. He has worked in several operating roles in trading and finance at the firm both in London and New York. Derek earned a B.Eng degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Imperial College and a M.Sc in Finance from the London School of Economics. Mr. Zhao has significant musical experience as a Principal Trumpeter in the Imperial College Symphony Orchestra and as their Concert Tour manager organizing many shows throughout Europe.
NYYS Board President William Kapell said, “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Zhao to the Board of Trustees. His musical knowledge and dedication to arts education, combined with his acute financial acumen will be a tremendous asset to the organization.”
Shauna Quill, NYYS Executive Director said, “Mr. Zhao’s long-standing commitment to and personal experience in the music community will prove invaluable to the New York Youth Symphony as we navigate current and future challenges and opportunities.”
The New York Youth Symphony educates and inspires young musicians through its Orchestra, Jazz, Chamber Music, Composition, Musical Theater Songwriting, Apprentice Conducting, and First Music commissioning programs. Founded in 1963, the NYYS is internationally recognized for its award-winning and innovative educational programs for talented young musicians. As the premier independent music education organization for ensemble training in the New York metropolitan area, the NYYS has provided over 6,000 music students unparalleled opportunities to perform at world-class venues including Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, Joe’s Pub, and The Times Center, and to study with world-renowned artists. Beyond the instruction from accomplished musicians, students gain valuable life skills — commitment, discipline, focus, collaboration — and friendships that last a lifetime.
The NYYS is committed to partnering with traditionally underrepresented communities to create pathways for young people to find their way to music, and to a life in music. These community partnerships go beyond the stage to in-school residencies, free community concerts, and family involvement, and make music accessible to a wider and more diverse audience. The NYYS partners with organizations including the Harmony Program, Harlem School for the Arts, SongSpace, Maestra, the Youth Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Interlochen Arts Academy, BMI and ASCAP. It offers fellowships to its current students and alumni/ae through the Vargas-Vetter/Ukena, Van Lier, and Orpheus Arts Management programs.
For more information, please visit www.nyys.org.