NYYS Appoints Joshua Gersen as New Music Director

Leslie Garfield, Chair, and Slade Mills, President of the New York Youth Symphony (NYYS), announced that Joshua (JD) Gersenwill lead the orchestra into its 50th season as newly appointed Music Director. Mr. Gersen, currently serving as Conducting Fellow of the New World Symphony, will succeed Ryan McAdams, who is currently in his fifth year with the NYYS.

In making the announcement on behalf of the Search Committee and the entire Board, Messrs. Garfield and Mills said, “We are delighted that Mr. Gersen will join our organization as our sixteenth Music Director.  He comes to us at this exciting moment in our history with an impressive resume of accomplishments in his early career. Joshua is joining an illustrious roster of New York Youth Symphony Music Directors, including Leonard Slatkin, David Alan Miller, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Mischa Santora, Paul Haas, and of course our esteemed present leader, Ryan McAdams.”

On behalf of the Search Committee, NYYS Executive Director Shauna Quill noted that “Joshua Gersen’s passionate commitment to the development of young artists was a key factor in the Committee’s decision to invite Mr. Gersen to be our next Music Director. The orchestra musicians were deeply impressed with Mr. Gersen’s technical command of the podium, as well as his knowledge of classic repertoire and enthusiasm for conducting contemporary music.”